Abu Nadrah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once, while delivering a sermon from the pulpit of the central mosque of Basra, Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Every prophet had at least one supplication that was certainly fulfilled for him in this world, but I have reserved my supplication for the intercession of my Ummah on the Day of Resurrection. I will be the leader of all the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and I do not boast about it. I will be the first person for whom the earth will be split open, and I do not boast about it. The banner of praise (Liwa’ al-Hamd) will be in my hand, and I do not boast about it. Adam (peace be upon him) and everyone else will be under my banner, and I do not boast about it.

The Day of Resurrection will seem very long to the people. They will say to one another: ‘Come, let us go to Adam (peace be upon him), he is the father of mankind, so that he may intercede for us before our Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ So all the people will come to Adam (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Adam! Are you not the one whom Allah created with His own blessed hand, settled in His Paradise, commanded His angels to prostrate to you? Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. Because of one mistake, I was expelled from Paradise. Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Noah (peace be upon him), who is the root of all the prophets.’

So all creation and all mankind will come to Noah (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Noah! Intercede for us before our Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. I made a supplication because of which the people of the earth were drowned. Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Khalilullah Ibrahim (peace be upon him).’

So all the people will come to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Ibrahim! Intercede for us before our Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. During the time of Islam, I spoke three ambiguous words, by Allah, I only meant the religion (by them): (First, when I said I am sick; second, when I said the big idol broke the rest; and third, when I called my wife my sister before the king). Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Musa (peace be upon him), whom Allah chose for His message and to speak to Him.’

Now all the people will come to Musa (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Musa! Are you not the one whom Allah chose for His message and spoke to directly? Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. I killed a person without any soul being taken in exchange. Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Isa (peace be upon him), who is the Spirit of Allah and His Word.’

So all the people will go to Isa (peace be upon him) and say: ‘Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. People took me as a deity besides Allah. Today, I am only concerned about myself. But tell me, if something is in a vessel that is sealed, can what is inside be obtained without breaking the seal?’ The people will say: ‘No.’ Upon this, Isa (peace be upon him) will say: ‘Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the seal of all the prophets. Today, he is present here, and all his past and future sins have been forgiven (so go to him).’”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Then they will all come to me and say: ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will say: ‘Yes! I am fit for this.’ Until Allah gives permission to whomever He wills and is pleased with. When Allah intends to decide among His creation, a caller will announce: ‘Where is Ahmad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Ummah?’ We came last but will be first. We are the last Ummah but the first to be reckoned, and all the other nations will make way for us, and we will proceed with radiant foreheads due to the traces of ablution. The other nations, seeing this, will say: ‘All the people of this Ummah seem to be prophets.’

Anyway, I will reach the gate of Paradise, take hold of its ring, and knock. From inside, it will be asked: ‘Who are you?’ I will say: ‘I am Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).’ So the door will be opened. I will present myself before my Lord, Who will be seated on His Throne. I will fall in prostration before Him and praise Him in such a way that no one before me has praised Him like that, nor will anyone after me. Then it will be said to me: ‘O Muhammad! Raise your head. Ask, and you will be given. Speak, and you will be heard. Intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will raise my head and say: ‘My Lord! My Ummah, my Ummah.’ It will be said: ‘Whoever has faith in his heart equal to a certain weight (the narrator could not remember the exact amount), take him out of Hell.’ After doing so, I will return again and prostrate before Allah and praise Him as before, and after the same question and answer, it will be said to me: ‘Whoever has faith in his heart equal to a certain weight (less than before), take him out of Hell.’ The third time, it will be the same.”