English Translation

Abu al-'Ala' al-Hasan ibn Sawwar narrated to us, he said: Layth narrated to us, from Mu'awiyah, from Abu 'Uthman, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr, and Rabi'ah ibn Yazid from Abu Idris al-Khawlani, and 'Abd al-Wahhab ibn Bukht from al-Layth ibn Sulaym al-Juhani - all of them narrating from 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir, who said: 'Uqbah said: We used to serve ourselves and took turns tending the camels among ourselves. My turn came to tend the camels, and I brought them back in the evening and caught up with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who was standing speaking to the people. I caught part of his speech, where he was saying, "There is no one among you who performs wudu, perfecting the ablution, then stands and prays two rak'ahs, turning to them wholeheartedly and attentively, except that Paradise becomes obligatory for him and he is forgiven." I said, "How excellent is this!" Then a man in front of me said, "O 'Uqbah, the one before it was even more excellent." I looked, and it was 'Umar ibn al-Khattab. I said, "What is it, Abu Hafs?" He said, "He said, before you came: 'There is no one among you who performs wudu, perfecting the ablution, and then says, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger," except that the eight gates of Paradise are opened for him, and he may enter through whichever of them he wishes.'"