On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah 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] into 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. Then He 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 Al-Bukhari, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).]