A morning he was late for the dawn prayer
They almost saw the sun before he came out.
فَقَالَ فِيمَ يَخْتَصِمُ الْمَلأُ الأَعْلَى
Fa-qāla: fīma yakhtaṣimu-l-malaʾu-l-aʿlā
“He said: what is the highest assembly disputing about?”
One of the few places he explains why he was late for anything.
Where this comes from
Muadh says they nearly saw the disc of the sun before he appeared, and when he came he prayed quickly, then explained. He had dozed heavily, and in that sleep the question was put to him. He said he did not know, and then it was made known to him.
The full narration
Narrated Mu'adh bin Jabal [may Allah be pleased with him]:"One morning, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was prevented from coming to us for Salat As-Subh, until we were just about to look for the eye of the sun (meaning sunrise). Then he came out quickly, had the Salat prepared for. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed the Salat, and he performed his Salat in a relatively quick manner. When he said the Salam, he called aloud with his voice saying to us: 'Stay in your rows as you are.' Then he turned coming near to us, then he said: 'I am going to narrate to you what kept me from you this morning: I got up during the night, I performed Wudu and prayed as much as I was able to, and I dozed off during my Salat, and fell deep asleep. Then I saw my Lord, Blessed and Most High, in the best of appearances. He said: 'O Muhammad!' I said: 'My Lord here I am my Lord!' He said: 'What is it that the most exalted group busy themselves with?' I said: 'I do not know Lord.' And He said it three times." He said: "So I saw Him place His Palm between my shoulders, and I sensed the coolness of His Fingertips between my breast. Then everything was disclosed for me, and I became aware. So He said: 'O Muhammad!' I said: 'Here I am my Lord!' He said: 'What is it that the most exalted group busy themselves with?' I said: 'In the acts that atone.' He said: 'And what are they?' I said: 'The footsteps to the congregation, the gatherings in the Masajid after the Salat, Isbagh Al-Wudu during difficulties.' He said: 'Then what else?' I said: 'Feeding others, being lenient in speech, and Salat during the night while the people are sleeping.' He said: 'Ask.' I said: 'O Allah! I ask of you the doing of the good deeds, avoiding the evil deeds, loving the poor, and that You forgive me, and have mercy upon me. And when You have willed Fitnah in the people, then take me without the Fitnah. And I ask You for Your love, the love of whomever You love, and the love of the deeds that bring one nearer to Your love.'" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed it is true, so study it and learn it
Source
Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī · 3235
- Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Bashar Awad Maarouf: Hasan Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Hasan