The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has told us about the last man who will be brought out of Hell and into Paradise and the conversation that will take place between him and his Rabb, and the incredibly great honour that Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will bestow upon him. Ibn al-Ithir collected all the hadith on this topic in Jami’ al-Usool from which we will quote the following:
(i) ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oud (radiAllahu anhu) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “I know the last of the people of Hell who will be brought forth from it, and the last of the people of Paradise to enter it. It is a man who will come out of Hell crawling on all fours.” Allaah will say to him, “Go and enter Paradise”. So he will come to it and will suppose that it is full. He will go back and say, “My Rabb, I found it full”. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will say, “Go and enter Paradise for there you have something like the world and ten times over [or you have something ten times better than the world].
He will says, “Are you making fun of me – or laughing at me – and You are the Sovereign of all?” I [‘Abdullaah] saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) smiling so broadly that his back teeth were visible. He used to say, “That is the one who is lowest in status of the people of Paradise”.
[al-Bukhaari, 11/386, ar-Riqaaq, at-Tawheed Baab Kalaam ar-Rabb ‘azza wa jall yawm al-qiyamah ma’a al-anbiyaa wa ghayrihim; and Muslim, with slight variation, no. 186, Baab aakhir Ahl an-Naar Khurujan; and at-Tirmidhi, no. 2598 in Safah Jahanam, Ch. 10]
(ii) ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oud reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
“The last person to enter paradise will be a man who will alternately walk, stagger and be touched by the Fire. Once he has passed out of the Fire, he will turn to face it and say, “Blessed be He Who has saved me from you. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has given me something that He did not give to the earlier and later generations. Then a tree will be raised up for him, and he will say, “O my Rabb, bring me closer to this tree so that I may enjoy its shade and drink of its water”. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will say, “O son of Aadam perhaps if I grant you this, you will ask Me for something else?” He will say, “No, O Rabb, I promise that I will not ask for anything else”. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will excuse him because he is seeing something that he has no patience to resist so he will bring him closer and he will enjoy its shade and drink its water. Then another tree, better than the first, will be raised up for him and he will say, “O my Rabb, bring me near to this tree so that I may drink its water and enjoy its shade, then I will not ask you for anything more”. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will say, “O son of Aadam did you not promise Me that you would not ask me for anything else? Perhaps if I bring you closer to this tree you will ask for more?” So the man will promise not to ask for any more, and Allaah will excuse him because he is seeing something that he has no patience to resist, so He will bring him closer and he will enjoy its shade and drink its water. Then a third tree will be raised up at the gate of paradise, and it will be better than the first two. The man will say, “O My Rabb, bring me closer to this [tree] so that I may enjoy its shade and drink its water, and I will not ask for anything more.” Allaah will say, “O son of Aadam, did you not promise Me that you would not ask Me for anything more?” He will say, “Yes, O Rabb, I will not ask you for anything more.” His Rabb, may He be glorified, will excuse him because he is seeing something which he has no patience to resist, so He will bring him closer. When he is brought close, he will hear the voices of the people of Paradise, and will say, “O my Rabb, admit me to it.” Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will say, “O son of Aadam what do you want so that you will never ask Me for anything else? Will it please you if I give you the world and as much again?” He will say, “O Rabb, are You making fun of me when You are the Rabb al-Aaalameen?”
Ibn Mas’oud smiled and said, “Why do you not ask me why I am smiling?” They asked, “Why are you smiling?” He said, “Because the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) smiled”. They asked, “Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)?” He said, “Because the Rabb of the Worlds will smile when He is asked, “Are You making fun of me when You are the Rabb of the Worlds?” He will say, “I am not making fun of you, but I am able to do whatever I will”””.
[Muslim, no. 187, Kitaab al-Imaan, Baab aakhir an-Naar khurujan]
And in the version of Abu Sa’eed, he adds, “Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will tell him, “ask for such and such” and when he has stated his wishes, Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will say, “You will have them and ten times more”. Then he will enter his house [in Paradise] and his two wives from among al-hoor al-‘eeyn will enter and say, “Praise be to Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) who has created you for us and created us for you”. He will say, “No one has ever been given anything like that which I have been given.”
[reported by Muslim, no.188 Kitaab al-Imaan, Baab adna Ahl al-Jannah manzilatan]
[Source: al-Jannah wa an-Naar by Dr. Umar Sulaiman al-Ashqar, pg 53-54]
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