عبد الحميد بن علي الكوفي

“Once Jesus, son of Mary, passed by a town, in which people, birds and animals had all died. Jesus said, ‘They all have died from violence. Had they died individually they would have buried each other.’ The disciples said, ‘O Spirit of Allah and His word, pray to Allah to bring them to life so we may ask about their deeds and avoid them (bad ones).’ Jesus prayed to his Lord and from space he was told to call them. Jesus at night stood on a high ground that dominated the town and said, ‘O people of the town?’ A certain individual replied, ‘Yes, O the Spirit of Allah and His word.’ He then said, ‘Woe upon you. What kind of deeds did you have?’ He said, ‘We worshipped the devil, loved the world with little fear, had long hopes and neglectfully engaged in useless and playful activities.’ Jesus asked, ‘How was your love of the world?’ He replied, ‘It was like a child’s love for his mother. When it came to us we rejoiced in happiness and when it went away we felt sad and cried.’ He then asked, ‘How was your worship of the devil?’ He replied, ‘It was obedience to the sinful people.’ Jesus asked, ‘How were the consequences of your activities?’ He replied, ‘We spent one night in comfort and in the morning we found ourselves in Hawiyah (a place in hell).’ Jesus asked, ‘What is HawiyahT He said, ‘It is Sijjin ’ Jesus asked, ‘What is SijjinV He said, ‘It is a mountain of burning coal that smolders upon us to the Day of Judgment.’ Jesus asked, ‘What did you say and what was said to you?’ He replied, ‘We said, ‘Return us to the worldly life so we can live piously, and it was said to us, “You are lying.”’ Jesus asked, ‘Why do not the others of you talk to me?’ He said, ‘O Spirit of Allah, they are harnessed with a harness of fire which is in the hands of stern and strong angels. I was among them, but not one of them. When punishment struck it took me with them. I am hanged by a hair on the brink of hell and I do not know if I will be saved or thrown into hell.’ Jesus then turned to the disciples and said, ‘Friends of Allah, eating dried up bread with not so pleasant salt and sleeping on the trash collection sites is much better in good health and safety in this world and in the next life.’”