Hadith Qudsi 44
44) Narrated Ubada bin As-Samit : One day the Companions did not find the Prophet among them. (Normally) when they camped, they would lodge him in the middle (of them). They were anxious and thinking that Allah might have selected some other Companions for him. Suddenly, they saw him coming towards them and exclaimed jn 4.lJ1 (Allah is All-Great) and they said: 0 Allah's Messenger! We feared that Allah must have selected for you some Companions other than ourselves. Allah's Messenger r said: No. Rather you are my companions in this world and the Hereafter. Indeed Allah, the Almighty, awakened me and said: 0 Muhammad! Verily, I have neither sent any Prophet nor a Messenger without a wish to which I respond and that I now grant you too. So 0 Muhammad! You should also ask Me something which would be given to you. The Prophet said: My wish is an intercession for my followers on the Day of Resurrection., Abu Bakr asked: 0 Allah's Messenger! What is intercession? He (the Prophet) said: I will say: o Lord! My intercession is the pledge I have kept with you. Thereupon, the Lord JIalJ.:.IN will say: Yes. Then my Lord will take out the rest of my followers from Hell and admit them into Paradise.
(This Hadith. IS sound and reported in Musnad Ahmad).
