Page:Selections from Muhammadan Traditions - tr. William Goldsack (1923).djvu/30

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SELECTIONS FROM MUḤAMMADAN TRADITIONS

It is related from ʿAlí that he said, 'Khadíjah asked the Prophet concerning her two children who had died in the time of ignorance (i.e., before Islám). The Apostle of God replied, "They are both in the fire." ʿAlí said, When Muḥammad saw displeasure in her face he said, "If thou hadst but seen their place (in hell) thou wouldst certainly be displeased with them both." She said, "O Apostle of God, then what of the son (now dead) which I had of thee?" He replied, "It is in paradise." Afterwards the Apostle of God said, "Verily believers and their children are in paradise, and polytheists and their children are in the fire." Then the Apostle of God recited (the verse) "And to those who have believed, whose offspring have followed them will we again unite their offspring."[1]'—Aḥmad.'

It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "When God created Adam he stroked his back, and there fell from his back all the men whom He was creating from his descendants until the day of resurrection. And He placed before the eyes of each man of them a flash of light. Afterwards He brought them to Adam. Adam said, 'O my Lord, who are these?' He replied, 'They are thy descendants.' And he saw a man amongst them whose flash of light between his eyes astonished him. He said, 'O my Lord, who is this?' He replied, 'David.' Then he said, 'O my Lord, how long hast Thou fixed his life?' He replied, 'Sixty years.' Adam said, 'My Lord, increase it from my life by forty years.'" The Apostle of God said, "When the life of Adam was completed except forty years, the angel of death came to him. And Adam said, 'Are there not yet forty years of my life remaining?' He replied, 'Didst thou not give them to thy son David?' Then Adam denied, and his descendants have denied, and Adam forgot and ate of the tree, and his descendants have forgotten, and Adam sinned, and his descendants have sinned."'—At Tirmidhí.

On the Punishments of the Grave

It is related from Anas that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Verily when a servant is placed in his grave and his com-


  1. Qurʾán, Súratuʾt-Túr (lii) 21.