that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Your period in comparison to the periods of the previous nations, is like the period between Salat Al-'Asr until sunset. And you are in comparison to the Jews and Christians, like a man who employeed some workers and he said: 'Who will work for me until Midday for a Qirat each?' So the Jews worked for half a day for a Qirat each. Then he said: 'Who will work for me from the middle of the day until Salat Al-'Asr for a Qirat each?' So the Christians worked for a Qirat each. Then it is you who are doing the work from Salat Al-'Asr until the setting of the sun for two Qirats each. So the Jews and the Christians got angry and said: 'We did more work but were given less?' So He (Allah) says: 'Have I wronged you in any of your rights?' They said: 'No.' He says: 'Then it is my blessing that I give to whomever I wish.'"
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَجَلُكُمْ فِيمَا خَلاَ مِنَ الأُمَمِ كَمَا بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى مَغَارِبِ الشَّمْسِ وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُكُمْ وَمَثَلُ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى كَرَجُلٍ اسْتَعْمَلَ عُمَّالاً فَقَالَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِي إِلَى نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ فَعَمِلَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ فَقَالَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِي مِنْ نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ إِلَى الْعَصْرِ عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ فَعَمِلَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى مَغَارِبِ الشَّمْسِ عَلَى قِيرَاطَيْنِ قِيرَاطَيْنِ فَغَضِبَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ عَمَلاً وَأَقَلُّ عَطَاءً . قَالَ هَلْ ظَلَمْتُكُمْ مِنْ حَقِّكُمْ شَيْئًا قَالُوا لاَ . قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ فَضْلِي أُوتِيهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Tirmizi
Chapters on Parables • Hadith 2998