Gardens of the Righteous — Page 242
242. GARDENS OF THE RIGHTEOUS 246. . On Remembrance in Company. Allah, the Exalted, has said: 322. Continue thy companionship with those who call on their Lord, morning and evening, seeking His pleasure and look not beyond them (18. 29). 1452. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: Allah has angels who patrol the streets looking for people who occupy themselves with the remembrance of Allah, and when they find a company so occupied they call to one another: Come to your duty; and they cover them with their wings up to the sky. Then their Lord inquires from them (and He Himself knows best): What are My servants saying? They report: They proclaim Thy Holiness and. Greatness, and praise Thee and glorify Thee. He inquires: Have they seen Me?. They answer: No, they have not seen Thee. He inquires: What if they saw Me?. They answer: If they saw Thee they would be more diligent in Thy worship and. Thy glorification and in proclaiming Thy Holiness. Then He inquires: What do they ask of Me. They answer: They ask of Thee Paradise. He inquires: Have they seen it? They answer: No Lord, they have not seen it. He inquires: What if they saw it? They answer: If they saw it they would desire it more and seek it more and yearn more for it. He inquires: From what do they seek protection?. They answer: They seek protection from the Fire. Then He inquires: Have they seen it? They answer: No, they have not seen it. He inquires: What if they saw it? They answer: If they saw it they would run from it more and would fear it more. Then He says: I call upon you to witness that I forgive them. One of the angels then says: Among them is So and So. He is not one of them. He came to them for some purpose of his own. Allah says: They are a company whose associate shall not be frustrated (Bokhari and Muslim). . Muslim's version is: Allah has angels who travel constantly looking for companies who foregather for the remembrance of Allah. When they find one so occupied they sit down with them and cover one another with their wings so that the space between them and the sky is filled. When the company disperses the angels get up and ascend to heaven. Allah, the Lord of honour and glory, asks them (and He Himself knows best): Whence do you come? They answer: We come from some of Thy servants in the earth who proclaim Thy Holiness and. Greatness and Unity and praise Thee and supplicate Thee. He inquires: What do they ask of Me? They answer: They ask of Thee Thy Paradise. He inquires:. Have they seen My Paradise? They answer: No, Lord. Then He inquires: What if they were to see My Paradise? They say: They also seek Thy protection. He inquires: From what do they seek My protection? They answer: From Thy Fire,. Lord. He inquires: Have they seen my Fire? They say: No. He inquires: What if they were to see My Fire? They add: And they ask Thy forgiveness. Then He says: I have forgiven them, and bestowed upon them what they ask for and have