English Translation

Yahya ibn Sa'id narrated to us, Bahz and Yazid narrated to us - Yazid said: Bahz informed us, the meaning being the same - my father told me, from my grandfather, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "There was a servant among the servants of Allah, Blessed and Exalted, to whom Allah had given wealth and children, and he owed no religious duty to Allah, Mighty and Majestic." Yazid said: he remained thus until part of his life passed and part remained; he reflected and realized that he had stored up no good with Allah, Blessed and Exalted. He called his sons and said, "O my sons, what kind of father do you consider me?" They said, "The best father, O our father." He said, "By Allah, I will not leave with any one of you any wealth of mine without taking it back from him, unless you do what I command you." He said: So he took a pledge from them. He said, "Since that is so, when I die, take me and throw me into the fire until I become ashes, then crush me" - the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured with his hand upon his thigh, as if to say, "Grind me, then scatter me in the wind, so that perhaps I may elude Allah, Blessed and Exalted." He said: So it was done to him, by the Lord of Muhammad, when he died. He said: Then he was brought in the best state he had ever been, and presented before his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, who said, "What led you to the fire?" He said, "Fear of You, my Lord." He said, "Indeed I have heard your dread" - Yazid said: "I hear you as one in awe" - so he was forgiven. Bahz said: I narrated this hadith to al-Hasan and Qatada, and they both narrated it to me as "he was forgiven" or "Allah, Mighty and Majestic, forgave him" - Yahya was uncertain which wording it was.