Ahmad 7530

Its isnad is sahih. Muslim (2:348) also related it from Shababa, from Waraqa, with this same isnad, but he did not mention its wording, instead referring to the wording of the hadith of Anas that preceded it, with this same wording. Bukhari (11:274) also related it through the route of Malik from Abu Zinad, with the same chain, with the wording, "has been veiled," in both places. Hafiz mentioned that in the narration of Firabri for Sahih Bukhari it is "has been encircled" in both places.An error occurred in the wording of the hadith in H, where its wording reads, "The Garden has been encircled by desires, and the Fire has been encircled by hardships," and this is false, contradicting the meaning of the hadith. In L and K it occurs correctly, but with the order reversed, "The Garden has been encircled by hardships, and the Fire has been encircled by desires." This is sound in meaning and consistent with the wording of the hadith of Anas, but we have corrected the wording and established it according to the wording that Hafiz bin Kathir mentioned in Jami al-Masanid wal-Sunan from the Musnad, with this same isnad. What confirmed this for us was its agreement with the narration of Bukhari from the hadith of Malik, from Abu Zinad, from Araj. The hadith will come again (8931) from another route from Abu Hurairah, with the wording of the hadith of Anas, mentioning the Garden first. See also what comes at 8379.As for his saying "hufat" (encircled), Hafiz said, it is with the undotted ha and the fa, from al-hafaf, which is that which surrounds a thing so that one cannot reach it except by crossing over it. So the Garden cannot be reached except by cutting through the wastelands of hardships, and one is not saved from the Fire except by abandoning desires. Hafiz also said, this is among his comprehensive sayings ﷺ and the marvel of his eloquence, in censuring desires, even though souls incline toward them, and in urging obedience, even though souls dislike it and find it difficult.