Hadith.905 - It was narrated by Abdullah ibn Ali that He said: I transported my goods from Basra to Egypt. While on a path, I encountered a tall elderly man, dark-skinned, with a white head and beard, wearing two garments - one black and the other white. I asked: "Who is this?" They said: "This is Bilal, the muezzin (caller to prayer) of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family." I approached him with my writings and greeted him, saying, "Peace be upon you, O’ Shaykh." He replied: "And peace be upon you." I said: "May Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you, narrate to me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family." He asked: "How do you know who I am?" I said: "You are Bilal, the muezzin of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family." He wept, and I wept, until people gathered around us as we both cried. Then he asked: "Young man, where are you from?" I said: "From Iraq." He said: "Oh, welcome," and remained silent for a while, then said: "Write, O’ brother from Iraq, 'In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.' I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, say: 'The muezzins (callers to prayer) are the trusted custodians of the believers concerning their prayers, fasting, their flesh, and blood ; they are granted whatever they ask of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Majestic and Honorable, and their intercession is accepted.'" I said: "Tell me more, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Write, 'In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.' I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, say: 'Whoever calls the adhan (prayer call) for forty years with intention and devotion, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Majestic and Honorable, will raise him on the Day of Resurrection with the reward equivalent to the deeds of forty truthful ones, and their deeds will be accepted and righteous.'" I asked: "Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Write: 'In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.' I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, say: 'Whoever calls the adhan for twenty years, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Majestic and Honorable, will raise him on the Day of Resurrection with light equal to the weight of the sky.'" I asked: "Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Write: In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم say, 'Whoever calls to prayer for twenty years, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, will raise him on the Day of Judgment, and he will have light equal to the weight of the sky.'" I asked: "Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Write: In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم say, 'Whoever calls to prayer for ten years, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, will place him with Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام in his station or grade.'" I asked: "Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Write: In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم say, 'Whoever calls to prayer for one year, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, will raise him on the Day of Judgment, with all of his sins forgiven, no matter their extent, even if they were as great as the weight of Mount Uhud.'" I asked: "Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Yes, memorize and act with intention and sincerity. I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم say, 'Whoever calls to prayer once, for the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, with faith, intention, and closeness to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, Allah سبحانه وتعالى will forgive all of his previous sins and will protect him for the remainder of his life and unite him with the martyrs in Paradise.'" I said: 'Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you, tell me the best thing you have heard from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family.' He cried intensely, causing me to cry out of compassion. He then said: "Write: 'In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.' I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, say: 'On the Day of Resurrection, when Allah سبحانه وتعالى gathers all people in one place, He will send angels of light to the muezzins with banners and flags of light. They will lead the muezzins on riding animals with reins of green emeralds and saddles filled with fragrant musk. The muezzins will stand atop these mounts, led by the angels, proclaiming the adhan with the loudest of voices.'" He continued crying intensely, and I cried with him. When he stopped, I asked why he wept. He said: "You reminded me of what I heard from my beloved, the Chosen One عليه السلام: 'By the One who sent me with the truth as a Prophet, they will pass over the creation while mounted, declaring 'Allahu Akbar.' When they say that, I will hear a resonating cry from my community.'" Usamah bin Zayd asked him, "What is that cry?" He said: "It is the sound of glorification, praise, and the declaration of Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى Oneness. When they say, 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah سبحانه وتعالى,' my community will respond, 'Yes, it was Him we worshiped in the world.' It will be said to them, 'You have spoken the truth.' When they say, 'I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم,' my community will say, 'This is the one who brought us the message of our Lord عز وجل, the Most Glorious and Honorable, and we believed in him without seeing him.' It will be said to them, 'You have spoken the truth. This is the one who conveyed the message to you from your Lord عز وجل, and you believed in him.' It will then be incumbent upon Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Majestic and Honorable, to unite you with your Prophet and bring you to your abodes, where there is that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what has never crossed the human heart." He then looked at me and said: "If you can—and 'there is no power except by Allah سبحانه وتعالى'—make sure not to die except as a muezzin (caller to prayer), then do so." I said: "May Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you; favour me further and narrate to me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, for you have seen him while I have not. Describe to me how the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, described the structure of Paradise." He said: "Write: 'In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.' I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, say: 'The walls of Paradise are built with a brick of gold, a brick of silver, and a brick of ruby, with its mortar being pure musk. Its balconies are adorned with red, green, and yellow gems.'" I asked: "What about its gates?" He replied: "Its gates vary; the Gate of Mercy is made of red ruby." I asked: "What about its handle?" He responded, "Desist, for you have burdened me." I insisted, "I will not stop until you convey to me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم." He continued, "Write: 'In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.' 'The Gate of Patience is a small, single red ruby door with no handle, whereas the Gate of Gratitude is made of white ruby and has two doors, with a distance of five hundred years' journey between them, and it echoes with a call, saying, 'O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, bring me my people.'" I asked: "Do the gates speak?" He replied: "Yes, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Majestic, grants them speech. As for the Gate of Trials.." I asked: "Is it not the same as the Gate of Patience?" He said: "No." I asked: "What are the trials?" He said: "Calamities, ailments, illnesses, and leprosy, and it is a single yellow ruby door through which few enter." I then asked for further explanation, and He said: "You have truly burdened me." Continuing, he described the greatest gate reserved for the righteous servants, those who are ascetic, abstinent, and deeply connected with Allah سبحانه وتعالى, who find comfort in His presence. I asked: "When they enter Paradise, what will they do?" He said: "They will walk along two rivers of clear water in boats made of ruby, with oars of pearls, accompanied by angels of light who wear intensely green garments." I asked: "Can light be green?" He replied: "The garments are green, but they have a radiance from the Light of the Lord عز وجل of the worlds, allowing them to traverse the banks of that river." I asked: "What is the name of that river?" He replied: "It is Jannat al-Ma'wa (the Garden of Refuge)." I asked: "Is there anything at its center?" He said: "Yes, the Garden of Eden, which is at the heart of all gardens. Its walls are made of red ruby, and its pebbles are pearls." I asked: "Is there more beyond this?" He said: "Yes, there is the Garden of Firdaus." I asked: "What are its walls made of?" He said: "Stop, for you have overwhelmed my heart." I insisted on hearing more, so he described, "Its walls are made of light." I asked: "What are the chambers within it?" He said: "They are from the Light of the Lord عز وجل of the worlds." I said: "Increase me, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you." He said: "Woe unto you, this is where the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family, left off. Blessed are you if you reach this station and blessed is he who believes in it." I said: "May Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you; I am indeed among those who believe." He responded, "Woe unto you, indeed, whoever believes in this truth and path will not desire the worldly life or its adornments and will hold themselves accountable." I declared, "I am a believer in this." He affirmed, "You have spoken truthfully, but aim for closeness, strive diligently, and do not despair; act and do not be negligent. Hope and fear, and be wary." He then wept deeply, with great sobbing, until we thought he might have passed away. After composing himself, He said: "May my father and mother be your ransom! If Muhammad عليه السلام and his family, saw you asking about this description, it would bring joy to his heart." He then said: "Hurry, hurry ; make haste, make haste; work, work; beware of negligence and heedlessness." He then asked to be absolved of any shortcomings, and I assured him, asking Allah سبحانه وتعالى to reward him for his efforts and faithfulness. He bade me farewell, advising, "Fear Allah سبحانه وتعالى and deliver to the Ummah of Muhammad عليه السلام and his family, what I have conveyed to you." I assured him I would, Allah سبحانه وتعالى willing. He then entrusted me to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, saying, "I leave your faith, trust, and provision in Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى care, and may He aid you in His obedience."