Sahih Muslim Book - 48, Hadith - 6839

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا سُهَيْلٌ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : إِنَّ لِلَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى مَلاَئِكَةً سَيَّارَةً ، فُضُلاً يَبْتَغُونَ مَجَالِسَ الذِّكْرِ ، فَإِذَا وَجَدُوا مَجْلِسًا فِيهِ ذِكْرٌ قَعَدُوا مَعَهُمْ ، وَحَفَّ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا بِأَجْنِحَتِهِمْ ، حَتَّى يَمْلَؤُوا مَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا ، فَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا عَرَجُوا وَصَعِدُوا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ، قَالَ : فَيَسْأَلُهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ، وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ : مِنْ أَيْنَ جِئْتُمْ ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ : جِئْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ عِبَادٍ لَكَ فِي الأَرْضِ ، يُسَبِّحُونَكَ وَيُكَبِّرُونَكَ وَيُهَلِّلُونَكَ وَيَحْمَدُونَكَ وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ ، قَالَ : وَمَاذَا يَسْأَلُونِي ؟ قَالُوا : يَسْأَلُونَكَ جَنَّتَكَ ، قَالَ : وَهَلْ رَأَوْا جَنَّتِي ؟ قَالُوا : لاَ ، أَيْ رَبِّ قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ لَوْ رَأَوْا جَنَّتِي ؟ قَالُوا: وَيَسْتَجِيرُونَكَ، قَالَ: وَمِمَّ يَسْتَجِيرُونَنِي؟ قَالُوا: مِنْ نَارِكَ يَا رَبِّ ، قَالَ: وَهَلْ رَأَوْا نَارِي ؟ قَالُوا: لاَ ، قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ لَوْ رَأَوْا نَارِي ؟ قَالُوا: وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَكَ ، قَالَ: فَيَقُولُ: قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَهُمْ فَأَعْطَيْتُهُمْ مَا سَأَلُوا ، وَأَجَرْتُهُمْ مِمَّا اسْتَجَارُوا ، قَالَ : فَيَقُولُونَ : رَبِّ فِيهِمْ فُلاَنٌ عَبْدٌ خَطَّاءٌ ، إِنَّمَا مَرَّ فَجَلَسَ مَعَهُمْ ، قَالَ: فَيَقُولُ: وَلَهُ غَفَرْتُ هُمُ الْقَوْمُ لاَ يَشْقَى بِهِمْ جَلِيسُهُمْ.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: "Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, has angels who travel about, with no other task but to seek out gatherings of Adh-Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). When they find a gathering in which Allah is remembered, they sit with them, and encircle them with their wings, until they fill the space between earth and the first heaven. When they part, they (the angels) ascend to the heaven, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, asks them, although He knows best: 'From where have you come?' They say: 'We have come from some of Your slaves on earth, who were Glorifying You, proclaiming Your Greatness, proclaiming Your Oneness, Praising You and asking of You.' He says: 'What are they asking of Me?' They say: 'They are asking You for Your Paradise.' He says: 'Have they seen My Paradise?' They say: No, O Our Lord. He says: 'And what if they saw My Paradise?' They say: 'And they are seeking Your protection.' He says: 'From what are they seeking My protection?' They say: 'From Your Fire, O Lord.' He says: 'And what if they saw My Fire?' They say: 'And they are asking You for forgiveness.' He says: 'I have forgiven them, and given them what they asked for, and granted them protection from that which they sought My protection.' They say: 'Lord, among them is so-and-so, a sinner who was merely passing by, then he sat with them.' He says: 'Him too I have forgiven. They are people whose companion will not be miserable."'