The Book of the Believer · Hadith 13 (#Ḥadīth #13)

13 - وعن أبي جعفر (ع) قال: مرّ نبيٌّ من أنبياء بني إسرائيلَ بِرجلٍ بعضُه تحتَ حائطٍ وبعضُه خارجٌ منه، فما كان خارجاً منه قد نقبته الطّيرُ ومزّقَتهُ الكلابُ. ثمّ مضى ووقعت له مدينةٌ فدخلها، فإذا هو بعظيم من عُظمائها ميّت على سرير مسجّى بالديباج حوله المجامرُ، فقال: يا ربِّ! إنّك حكَمٌ عَدلٌ لا تجورُ؛ ذاك عبدُك لم يُشركْ بكَ طرفةَ عينٍ أمَتّهُ بتلك المِيتةِ، وهذا عبدُك لم يؤمِن بكَ طرفةَ عينٍ أمتَّهُ بهذهِ الميتةِ! فقالَ الله (جلّ جلاله): عبدي، أنا كما قلتَ حكَمٌ عدلٌ لا أجورُ، ذاك عبدي كانت له عندي سيئةٌ وذنب فأمَتُّهُ بتلك الميتةِ لكي يلقاني ولم يبقَ عليه شئٌ، وهذا عبدي كانت له عندي حسَنةٌ فأمتُّهُ بهذه الميتة لكي يلقاني وليس له عندي شئٌ

13. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far said: A Prophet from the children of Israel once passed by a dead man half of whose body was buried under a wall and the other half was eaten by scavenger birds and wild dogs. Then he came to a city where one of its notables had died and had been placed on a bed adorned with velvet and surrounded by groups of people. So, he called to Allah [M.G] saying, 'O Lord, You are most surely a Just Judge and You do no injustice. That servant had never associated a partner to You even for a moment; yet You caused him to die such a (despicable) death. And this servant of Yours had never believed in You for even a moment; yet You have given him such an (honorable) death.' Allah [M.G] replied, 'My servant: I am indeed as You have said—a Just Judge who does no injustice. That (believing) servant had a sin left with Me; so, I caused him to die such a death that he may meet Me with nothing left on him (for punishment). And this (disbelieving) servant of mine had a good deed leftover with Me; so, I caused him to die thus that he may meet Me with nothing left for him with Me (as reward).'

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).