Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4694

The full narration

‘Ali said:We attended a funeral at Baql’ al-Gharqad which was also attended by the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) came and sat down. He had a stick (in his hand) by which he began to scratch up the ground. He then raised his head and said : The place which every one of you and every soul of you will occupy in Hell or in Paradise has been recorded, and destined wicked or blesses. A man from among the people asked : Prophet of Allah! Should we not then trust simply in what has been recorded for us and abandon (doing good) deeds? Those who are among the number of the blessed will be inclined to blessing, and those of us who are among the number of the wicked will be inclined to wickedness. He replied : Go on doing good actions, for everyone is helped to do that for which he was created. Those who are among the number of wicked will be helped to do wicked deeds. The Prophet of Allah (May peace be upon him) then recited: “So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), and in all sincerity testifies to the best, we will indeed make smooth for him the path to bliss. But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, and gives the lie to the best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path of misery.”