Hadith #426
Arabic Text
قَالَ وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ رَجُلًا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَلَمَّا أَيِسَ مِنْ الْحَيَاةِ أَوْصَى أَهْلَهُ إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَاجْمَعُوا لِي حَطَبًا كَثِيرًا جَزْلًا ثُمَّ أَوْقِدُوا فِيهِ نَارًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَكَلَتْ لَحْمِي وَخَلَصَ إِلَى عَظْمِي فَامْتَحَشَتْ
فَخُذُوهَا فَاذْرُوهَا فِي الْيَمِّ فَفَعَلُوا فَجَمَعَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ لَهُ لِمَ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ قَالَ فَغَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ قَالَ عُقْبَةُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو أَنَا سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ وَكَانَ نَبَّاشًا
English Translation
It was narrated from Hudhayfa (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: 'And I heard him say: "A man who was near death, when he despaired of life, instructed his family: When I die, gather much firewood for me, then kindle it. When it has consumed my flesh and reached my bones and they have charred, take them and scatter them in the sea. They did so, and Allah Almighty gathered him and said to him: Why did you do that? He said: Out of fear of You. So Allah forgave him."' Uqba ibn Amr said: 'I heard him say that, and he was a grave-robber.'
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Book 42, Hadith 426
Sunnah.com ref: Musnad Ahmad 22264
Islam.wiki ID: IWH-58654