When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was pleased he mostly smiled. He rarely laughed heartily, like most of us do when we hear a funny joke. But the Prophet’s laughter was for something wonderful. He did not engage in idle talk or frivolity. Over the last couple of weeks we mentioned several occasions when the Prophet smiled or laughed, which suggest that the Prophet always met his companions with a smile. This encouraged a relaxed atmosphere among the Muslim community in Madinah. It is useful in the same context to look at a couple of occasions when the Prophet’s reaction was more than just a smile.
Abu Dharr quotes the Prophet as saying: “I certainly know the first man to be admitted into heaven and the last to leave hell. A man is brought forward on the Day of Judgment and (the angels) are ordered to show him his minor sins. His major ones are withheld from him. He will be told: ‘On this day you did so and so,’ and he admits that he did. He does not deny any, but he is worried about his major sins. Then they are ordered: ‘Replace every sin he did with a good deed.’ He will then say: ‘I have committed further sins but I do not see them here.’” Abu Dharr says: “I saw God’s Messenger laughing heartily so as to see his molar teeth.” (Related by Muslim and Al-Tirmidhi).
What the Prophet laughed at is the eagerness of the person to have his major sins brought forward when a moment earlier he was extremely worried lest they should be shown. He was first in fear seeing his minor sins counted, and knowing that he had committed major ones as well. However, when he sees that those counted sins are being replaced with good deeds so as to increase his reward, he asks for the rest of his sins to be so taken into the same account. This is characteristic of man: He always wants more of every good thing he gets.
That sins are changed into good deeds is promised in the Qur’an to the believers. God says: “Those who repent, attain to faith and do righteous deeds, God will transform their bad deeds into good ones. God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (25: 70) But such people must first of all be believers. Those who do not believe shall have nothing of this, or indeed of any benefit God has in store for believers. It is faith that determines what a person receives. Believers are rewarded for their good deeds, and they are rewarded for repenting of their bad ones. These shall be counted as good deeds on the Day of Judgment, by virtue of their repentance. But this is all an aspect of God’s grace and mercy. However, for this person to actually look for his major sins hoping that they should be converted into good deeds is extraordinary. It certainly sent more than a smile into the Prophet’s face. Whether this takes place or not is left untold. However, this person is certain to be admitted into heaven even though the Hadith does not specify that. When God changes someone’s bad deeds into good ones and rewards him for them, then He is unlikely to punish him for any of his other deeds.
The Hadith started with the Prophet saying that he knew the first person to go to heaven and the last to leave hell. But the rest of the Hadith does not specify the two. It tells us only of a great act of kindness God grants a person He has decided to forgive. It does not say anything about the man who is the last to leave hell. This is mentioned in a different Hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Masoud who quotes the Prophet as saying: “I do know the last of hell-dwellers to be allowed out. He is a man who leaves it crawling out. He is then told: ‘Move on and enter heaven.’ He goes to heaven, but he finds that people have taken all places there. He goes back and says: ‘My Lord! People have taken all places.’ He is asked: ‘Do you remember the time when you lived on earth?’ He answers in the affirmative. He is told to have a wish, and he does. It is then said to him: ‘You shall have all that you have wished for and ten times as much as the world (you were in).’ He says: ‘Are You making fun of me when You are the Sovereign?’” The Hadith reporter says: “I saw God’s Messenger laughing heartily with his molar teeth visible.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).
The Hadith is related to our theme as it mentions the Prophet’s laughter. This is due to the fact that this man, the last to leave hell, was still thinking in terms of this world. He was fully aware that he deserved no reward from God. When the order was issued to give him all that he wished for and much more, he felt that it was sarcastic. How could he think otherwise when he was fully aware that his sins were so great that all other people were in better positions than him? Indeed, he thought that he had no place in heaven.
The Hadith tells us much about God’s kindness. When He eventually forgives the hardest of all sinners, He gives him all that he wishes and much more. What generosity! If this is given to the person who deserved the longest stay in hell, what is given to a good believer? We can try hard to imagine but we cannot.
Moreover, we understand from this Hadith that the suffering in hell has the purpose of purging sinners of the effects of their sins. God benefits nothing by our obedience in this world, or by punishing the unbelievers in the next world. It is we who gain all the benefit. Furthermore, heaven lasts permanently, while the dwellers of hell leave eventually according to this authentic Hadith and similar ones. The Prophet is quoted as saying: “Anyone who harbors in his heart even a particle of faith will not remain permanently in hell.”
Having said so, we must remember that even a very short stay in hell means a great punishment. To appreciate this we cite the following Hadith which Ibn Kathir describes as authentic: “An unbeliever is brought forward on the Day of Judgment and he is given a quick dip into the fire, then he is asked: ‘Did you ever experience anything good or any luxury in your life?’ He will answer: ‘By Your greatness, my Lord, I never did.’ And the person who endured the most miserable life on earth is brought forward and he is given a quick taste of heaven. He is then asked: ‘Did you ever experience any misfortune or misery?’ He will answer: ‘By Your greatness, my Lord, I never did.’”
If a moment’s dip in hell is sufficient to make a person forget that he ever tasted any happiness or anything good throughout his life, then it must be a fearsome place. How much suffering is endured by the man who is the last to be released from hell? Yet it is this man that is given ten times this world as a bonus over and above what he wishes for. Great indeed is God’s kindness.
