Sahih al-Bukhari 3208

Narrated `Abdullah bin Mus’ud:

Allah’s Messenger, the true and truly inspired said, “(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put
together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a
similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered
to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature’s) deeds, his livelihood, his
(date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion). Then the soul is breathed into
him. So, a man amongst you may do (good deeds till there is only a cubit between him and Paradise
and then what has been written for him decides his behavior and he starts doing (evil) deeds
characteristic of the people of the (Hell) Fire. And similarly a man amongst you may do (evil) deeds
till there is only a cubit between him and the (Hell) Fire, and then what has been written for him
decides his behavior, and he starts doing deeds characteristic of the people of Paradise.”