Takhrij Hadith 356: "While we were sitting with…"

While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said: ‘A man from the people of Paradise will now come to you.’ Then a man from the Ansar appeared, with water from his ablution dripping from his beard and carrying his sandals in his left hand. The next day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ again said: ‘A man from the people of Paradise will now come to you.’ The same man appeared in the same condition as before. On the third day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ again said: ‘A man from the people of Paradise will now come to you.’ And the same man appeared in the same condition as before. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up to leave, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs followed the man and said to him: ‘I had a dispute with my father, and I swore that I would not enter his house for three nights. If you would allow me to stay with you until my oath is fulfilled, then do so.’ The man replied: ‘Yes.’ Anas said: ‘ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr used to relate that he stayed with him for three nights, but he never saw him stand in prayer during the night at all, except that whenever he turned over in his bed he would remember Allah and glorify Him until he rose for the Fajr prayer. Then he would perform his ablution thoroughly.’ ʿAbdullah said: ‘However, I never heard him say anything but good.’ When the three nights had passed, and I was close to belittling his deeds, I said: ‘O servant of Allah, there was actually no anger or estrangement between me and my father. Rather, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say about you on three occasions in three gatherings: “A man from the people of Paradise will now come to you” and you were that man each time. So I wanted to stay with you and observe what deeds you perform so that I could follow your example. Yet I have not seen you perform any great amount of deeds. What is it that has brought you to the rank mentioned by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?’ The man replied: ‘It is nothing more than what you have seen.’ So I turned away. But as I was leaving, he called me back and said: ‘It is nothing more than what you have seen, except that I do not harbor any resentment in my heart toward any Muslim, nor do I envy anyone for any good that Allah has bestowed upon him.’ Then ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr said to him: ‘This is what has brought you to that rank, and this is what we are unable to do’.