Compiled by Imam Abu Isa at-Tirmidhi
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بَحِيرٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ هَانِئًا، مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ قَالَ كَانَ عُثْمَانُ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ بَكَى حَتَّى يَبُلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ تُذْكَرُ الْجَنَّةُ وَالنَّارُ فَلاَ تَبْكِي وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الآخِرَةِ فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ " . قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ هِشَامِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ .
When 'Uthman would stop at a grave he would cry until his beard was soaked (in tears). It was said to him: 'The Paradise and the Fire were mentioned and you did not cry, yet you cry because of this?' So he said: 'Indeed the Messenger of Allah said: "Indeed the grave is the first stage among the stages of the Hereafter. So if one is saved from it, then what comes after it is easier than it. And if one is not saved from it, then what comes after it is worse than it." And the Messenger of Allah said: "I have not seen any sight except that the grave is more horrible than it."