The last man out of the Fire, counting
They were told to ask about his small sins and hide the large ones.
فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ لَقَدْ عَمِلْتُ أَشْيَاءَ مَا أَرَاهَا هَا هُنَا
Fa-yaqūlu yā rabbi laqad ʿamiltu ashyāʾa mā arāhā hāhunā
“He will say: my Lord, I did things I do not see here.”
He is arguing for his own prosecution and losing.
Where this comes from
His small sins are read out to him one by one while the large ones are kept back. Then he is told that for every bad deed he has a good one in its place. And he looks at the list and objects, because the worst things he ever did are missing from it. Abu Dharr said he saw the Prophet laugh until his back teeth showed.
The full narration
Abu Dharr narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said:" I know the last of the people of the Fire to depart from the Fire and the last of the people of Paradise to enter Paradise. A man will be brought forth and He (s.a.w) will say: 'Ask about his small sins and hide his large sins.' So it will be said to him: 'Did you do this and that on such and such a day, did you do this and that on such- and – such a day?'” He said: “Then it will be said to him; 'For each of your sins you shall have a reward.'” He (s.a.w) said: “So he will say: 'O Lord! I have done things that I do not see here.'” He (Abu Dharr) said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) laugh until his molars were visible.” (Sahih)
Source
Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī · 2596
- Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Bashar Awad Maarouf: Hasan Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih Muslim