It is narrated from Hazrat Muslim bin Yasar Johani that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about this verse: «﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى شَهِدْنَا أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ﴾ [الأعراف: 172] » That is: "And remember when your Lord brought forth from the loins of Adam all his descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, saying: 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes, indeed, You are our Lord.' We did this lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: 'We were unaware of this.'"

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the explanation of this verse was also asked from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, created Adam, then He passed His right hand over him and brought forth offspring from him, and said: 'I have created these for Paradise, and they will do the deeds of the people of Paradise.' Then He passed His left hand over his back and brought forth offspring, and said: 'I have created these for Hell, and they will do the deeds of the people of Hell.'"

A man said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Then what is the benefit of doing deeds?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When Allah creates a servant for Paradise, He makes him do the deeds of the people of Paradise, and even at the time of death he dies while doing good deeds, so Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, admits him to Paradise. And when He creates a servant for Hell, He makes him do the deeds of the people of Hell, until even at the time of death he dies while doing evil deeds, so He admits him to Hell."