What is the status of the following narration?
عن أبي ذر، قال: كنت مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على حمار وعليه برذعة أو قطيفة، قال: وذلك عند غروب الشمس، فقال لي: “يا أبا ذر، هل تدري أين تغيب هذه؟ ” قال: قلت: الله ورسوله أعلم. قال: “فإنها تغرب في عين حامئة، تنطلق حتى تخر لربها ساجدة تحت العرش، فإذا حان خروجها أذن الله لها فتخرج فتطلع، فإذا أراد أن يطلعها من حيث تغرب حبسها، فتقول: يا رب إن مسيري بعيد فيقول لها: اطلعي من حيث غبت، فذلك حين لا ينفع نفسا إيمانها
Answer
Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) has recorded this Hadith with an authentic chain.
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5 pg. 165. Refer: Footnotes of Shaykh Ahmad Shakir)
Imams Abu Dawud and Hakim (rahimahumallah) have recorded a shorter version.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 3998, Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 2 pg. 244)
Translation
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) relates, “Once I was with Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) on a donkey with a packsaddle/velvet [cloth] and this was at sunset. Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi was sallam) said, ‘O Abu Dharr! Do you know where this sets’? I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger Know best.’ Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘It sets in a hot spring, then moves and prostrates to its Rabb under the ‘Arsh. When the time comes for it to rise, Allah grants it permission, it emerges and rises. When Allah Ta’ala wishes for it to rise from where it set [i.e. the west], he will hold it back. The sun will say, ‘O My Rabb! I have a long distance to travel.’ Allah will say, ‘Rise from where you have set’, at this time [bringing] Iman will not benefit any person.”
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar