It was narrated from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “I was given the choice between being admitted to Paradise, and I chose intercession, because it is more general and more sufficient. Do you think it is for the pious? No, it is for the impure sinners.”

It was narrated from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “I was given the choice between being admitted to Paradise, and I chose intercession, because it is more general and more sufficient. Do you think it is for the pious? No, it is for the impure sinners.”

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَدْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ خَيْثَمَةَ، عَنْ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ حِرَاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ "‏ خُيِّرْتُ بَيْنَ الشَّفَاعَةِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ نِصْفُ أُمَّتِي الْجَنَّةَ فَاخْتَرْتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ لأَنَّهَا أَعَمُّ وَأَكْفَى أَتُرَوْنَهَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لاَ وَلَكِنَّهَا لِلْمُذْنِبِينَ الْخَطَّائِينَ الْمُتَلَوِّثِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏