Then he said: "Indeed, when the believer is approaching the Hereafter and departing from the world, angels descend upon him, their faces as if they were the sun, with each one carrying a shroud and embalmment. They sit from him as far as the eye can see, until when his soul departs, every angel between the heavens and the earth, and every angel in the heavens, prays for him. The gates of heaven are opened for him; there is not a gatekeeper except that they call upon Allah that his soul may ascend from their direction. When his soul is taken up, they say: 'Lord, this is Your servant, so-and-so.' He says: 'Return him, for I have promised them that from it I created them, and into it I shall return them, and from it I shall bring them forth once again.'" He said: "He hears the footsteps of his companions as they turn away from him. Then someone comes to him and says: 'Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?' He says: 'My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.' He is rebuked and asked again: 'Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?' This is the last trial presented to the believer. That is when Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: 'Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word in the worldly life and in the Hereafter' [Surah Ibrahim, Ayah 27] . He says: 'My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.' It is said to him: 'You have spoken the truth.' Then someone comes to him, handsome of face, pleasant of scent, well-dressed, and says: 'Rejoice in the honor from Allah and everlasting bliss.' He says: 'And you, may Allah give you good news of goodness. Who are you?' He says: 'I am your righteous deeds. By Allah, you were quick in obeying Allah, slow in disobeying Allah, so may Allah reward you with good.' Then a door to Paradise is opened for him, and a door to the Fire, and it is said: 'This would have been your place had you disobeyed Allah, but Allah has replaced it for you with this.' When he sees what is in Paradise, he says: 'My Lord, hasten the coming of the Hour so that I may return to my family and my wealth.' It is said to him: 'Rest.' And indeed, when the disbeliever is departing from the world and approaching the Hereafter, harsh and severe angels descend upon him, and they snatch his soul as a many-pronged iron comb is pulled through wet wool, and his soul is pulled out along with the veins. Every angel between the heavens and the earth, and every angel in the heavens, curses him. The gates of heaven are closed; there is not a gatekeeper except that they call upon Allah that his soul not ascend from their direction. When his soul is taken up, they say: 'Lord, so-and-so, son of so-and-so, Your servant.' He says: 'Return him, for I have promised them that from it I created them, and into it I shall return them, and from it I shall bring them forth once again.'" He said: "He hears the footsteps of his companions as they turn away from him." He said: "Then someone comes to him and says: 'Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?' He says: 'I do not know.' It is said to him: 'You did not know, nor did you recite.' Then someone comes to him, ugly of face, ugly of clothes, foul of scent, and says: 'Receive the tidings of humiliation from Allah and everlasting punishment.' He says: 'And you, may Allah give you tidings of evil. Who are you?' He says: 'I am your evil deeds. You were slow in obeying Allah, quick in disobeying Allah, so may Allah reward you with evil.' Then there is appointed for him one who is blind, deaf, and dumb, in his hand a sledgehammer, which if it were to strike a mountain, it would become dust. He strikes him a blow until he becomes dust, then Allah restores him as he was, and he strikes him another blow, and he screams a scream that everything hears except the two heavy beings (humankind and jinn)." Al-Bara' ibn Azib said: "Then a door to the Fire is opened for him, and bedding from the Fire is spread for him."

Abdullah said: And it was narrated to us by Abu al-Rabi', narrated to us by Hammad ibn Zayd, from Yunus ibn Khabbab, from al-Minhal ibn Amr, from Zadhan, from al-Bara' ibn Azib, the like of it.