On the Authority of Abu Hurayrah Allah be pleased with him, who said the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him said:
A man sinned greatly against himself, and when death came to him he charged his sons, saying: "When I have died burn me, then crush me, and scatter my ashes in the sea, for by Allah, if my Lord takes possession of me He will punish me in a manner in which He has punished no one (else)." So they did that to him. When He (Allah) said to the earth: "Produce what you have taken- and there he was!" And He said to him: "What induced you to do what you did?" He said: "Being afraid of You, O my Lord" (or he said: "Being frightened of you") and because of that He forgave him."
[Muslim (also by Bukhari, an-Nisa'i and ibn Majah).]
I love it.
