“A man came to the Prophet ﷺ, upon his return from Uhud, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, in my dream I saw a cloud giving shade, from which drops of ghee and honey were falling, and I saw people collecting them in the palms of their hands, some gathering a lot and some a little. And I saw a rope reaching up into heaven, and I saw you take hold of it and rise with it. Then another man took hold of it after you rose with it, then another man took hold of it after him and rose with it. Then a man took hold of it after him and it broke, then it was reconnected and he rose with it.’ Abu Bakr said: ‘Let me interpret it, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Interpret it.’ He said: ‘As for the cloud giving shade, it is Islam, and the drops of honey and ghee that fall from it (represent) the Qur’an with its sweetness and softness. As for the people collecting that in their palms, some learn a lot of the Qur’an and some learn a little. As for the rope reaching up into heaven, it is the truth that you are following; you took hold of it and rose with it, then another man till take hold of it after you and rise with you, then another, who will rise with it, then another, but it will break and then he reconnected, then he will rise with it.’ He said: ‘You have got some of it right and some of it wrong.’ Abu Bakr said: ‘I adjure you O Messenger of Allah, tell me what I got right and what I got wrong.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Do not swear, O Abu Bakr.”*  

أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ رَجُلٌ مُنْصَرَفَهُ مِنْ أُحُدٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ ظُلَّةً تَنْطِفُ سَمْنًا وَعَسَلاً وَرَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ يَتَكَفَّفُونَ مِنْهَا فَالْمُسْتَكْثِرُ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ وَرَأَيْتُ سَبَبًا وَاصِلاً إِلَى السَّمَاءِ رَأَيْتُكَ أَخَذْتَ بِهِ فَعَلَوْتَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ بَعْدَكَ فَعَلاَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ بَعْدَهُ فَعَلاَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ بَعْدَهُ فَانْقَطَعَ بِهِ ثُمَّ وُصِلَ لَهُ فَعَلاَ بِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ دَعْنِي أَعْبُرْهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ اعْبُرْهَا قَالَ أَمَّا الظُّلَّةُ فَالإِسْلاَمُ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنْطِفُ مِنْهَا مِنَ الْعَسَلِ وَالسَّمْنِ فَهُوَ الْقُرْآنُ حَلاَوَتُهُ وَلِينُهُ وَأَمَّا مَا يَتَكَفَّفُ مِنْهُ النَّاسُ فَالآخِذُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ كَثِيرًا وَقَلِيلاً وَأَمَّا السَّبَبُ الْوَاصِلُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ أَخَذْتَ بِهِ فَعَلاَ بِكَ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ ثُمَّ آخَرُ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ ثُمَّ آخَرُ فَيَنْقَطِعُ بِهِ ثُمَّ يُوَصَّلُ لَهُ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ قَالَ أَصَبْتَ بَعْضًا وَأَخْطَأْتَ بَعْضًا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَتُخْبِرَنِّي بِالَّذِي أَصَبْتُ مِنَ الَّذِي أَخْطَأْتُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لاَ تُقْسِمْ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُ ظُلَّةً بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ تَنْطِفُ سَمْنًا وَعَسَلاً فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ نَحْوَهُ  

“I was a young unmarried man at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I used to stay overnight in the mosque. If any of us had seen a dream, he would tell it to the Prophet ﷺ. I said: ‘O Allah, if there is any good in me before You, show me a dream that the Prophet ﷺ can interpret for me.’ So I went to sleep and I saw two angels who came to me and took me away. They were met by another angel who said: ‘Do not be alarmed,’ and they took me to Hell which was built like a well. In it were people, some of whom I recognized. Then they took me off to the right. In the morning I mentioned that to Hafsah, and Hafsah said that she told the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it, and he said: ‘Abdullah is a righteous man, if only he would pray more at night.’”  

كُنْتُ غُلاَمًا شَابًّا عَزَبًا فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكُنْتُ أَبِيتُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَكَانَ مَنْ رَأَى مِنَّا رُؤْيَا يَقُصُّهَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ لِي عِنْدَكَ خَيْرٌ فَأَرِنِي رُؤْيَا يُعَبِّرُهَا لِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَنِمْتُ فَرَأَيْتُ مَلَكَيْنِ أَتَيَانِي فَانْطَلَقَا بِي فَلَقِيَهُمَا مَلَكٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ لَمْ تُرَعْ فَانْطَلَقَا بِي إِلَى النَّارِ فَإِذَا هِيَ مَطْوِيَّةٌ كَطَىِّ الْبِئْرِ وَإِذَا فِيهَا نَاسٌ قَدْ عَرَفْتُ بَعْضَهُمْ فَأَخَذُوا بِي ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِحَفْصَةَ فَزَعَمَتْ حَفْصَةُ أَنَّهَا قَصَّتْهَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ صَالِحٌ لَوْ كَانَ يُكْثِرُ الصَّلاَةَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَ فَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يُكْثِرُ الصَّلاَةَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ  

“I came to Al-Madinah and sat with some old men in the mosque of the Prophet ﷺ. Then an old man came, leaning on his stick, and the people said: ‘Whoever would like to look at a man from among the people of Paradise, let him look at this man.’ He stood behind a pillar and prayed two Rak’ah. I got up and went to him, and said to him: ‘Some of the people said such and such.’ He said: ‘Praise is to Allah. Paradise belongs to Allah and He admits whomsoever He wills to it. At the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ I saw a dream in which a man came to me and said: “Let’s go.” So I went with him and he took me along a great road. A road was shown to me on the left and I wanted to follow it, but he said: “You are not one of its people.” Then a road was shown to me on the right, and I followed him until I reached a slippery mountain. He took me by the hand and helped me up. When I reached the top I could not stand firm. There was an iron pillar there with a golden ring at the top. He took my hand and helped me up until I reached the handhold, then he said: “Have you gotten a firm hold?” I said: “Yes.” Then he struck the pillar with his foot and I held tight to the pillar. I told this to the Prophet ﷺ and he said: "You have seen something good. The great road is the plain of gathering (on the Day of Resurrection). The road that you were shown on your left is the way of the people of Hell, and you are not one of its people. The road which you were shown on your right is the way of the people of Paradise. The slippery mountain is the place of the martyrs, and the handhold that you held on tight to is the handhold of Islam. Hold on tight to it until you die." I hope to be one of the people of Paradise,' and he was 'Abdullah bin Salam."  

قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَجَلَسْتُ إِلَى أَشْيِخَةٍ فِي مَسْجِدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَجَاءَ شَيْخٌ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَصًا لَهُ فَقَالَ الْقَوْمُ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ إِلَى هَذَا فَقَامَ خَلْفَ سَارِيَةٍ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلَّهِ يُدْخِلُهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ رُؤْيَا رَأَيْتُ كَأَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَانِي فَقَالَ لِيَ انْطَلِقْ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَهُ فَسَلَكَ بِي فِي مَنْهَجٍ عَظِيمٍ فَعُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ طَرِيقٌ عَلَى يَسَارِي فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَسْلُكَهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا ثُمَّ عُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ طَرِيقٌ عَنْ يَمِينِي فَسَلَكْتُهَا حَتَّى إِذَا انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى جَبَلٍ زَلَقٍ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَزَجَلَ بِي فَإِذَا أَنَا عَلَى ذُرْوَتِهِ فَلَمْ أَتَقَارَّ وَلَمْ أَتَمَاسَكْ وَإِذَا عَمُودٌ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ فِي ذُرْوَتِهِ حَلْقَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَزَجَّلَ بِي حَتَّى أَخَذْتُ بِالْعُرْوَةِ فَقَالَ اسْتَمْسَكْتَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَضَرَبَ الْعَمُودَ بِرِجْلِهِ فَاسْتَمْسَكْتُ بِالْعُرْوَةِ فَقَالَ قَصَصْتُهَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ رَأَيْتَ خَيْرًا أَمَّا الْمَنْهَجُ الْعَظِيمُ فَالْمَحْشَرُ وَأَمَّا الطَّرِيقُ الَّتِي عُرِضَتْ عَنْ يَسَارِكَ فَطَرِيقُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ وَلَسْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا وَأَمَّا الطَّرِيقُ الَّتِي عُرِضَتْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ فَطَرِيقُ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَمَّا الْجَبَلُ الزَّلَقُ فَمَنْزِلُ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَأَمَّا الْعُرْوَةُ الَّتِي اسْتَمْسَكْتَ بِهَا فَعُرْوَةُ الإِسْلاَمِ فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِهَا حَتَّى تَمُوتَ فَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَإِذَا هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ  

“In a dream I saw myself emigrating from Makkah to a land in which there were date-palm trees, and I thought that it was Yamamah or Hajar, but it was Al-Madinah, Yathrib. And I saw in this dream of mine that I was wielding a sword then it broke in the middle. That was what befell the believers on the Day of Uhud. Then I wielded it again and it was better than it had been before, and that is what Allah brought about of the Conquest and the regrouping of the believers. And I also saw cows, and by Allah it is good, for they are the group of the believers (who were martyred) on the Day of Uhud, and the goodness is that which Allah brought forth after that, and the reward of the truth which Allah brought us on the Day of Badr.”  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أُهَاجِرُ مِنْ مَكَّةَ إِلَى أَرْضٍ بِهَا نَخْلٌ فَذَهَبَ وَهَلِي إِلَى أَنَّهَا يَمَامَةُ أَوْ هَجَرٌ فَإِذَا هِيَ الْمَدِينَةُ يَثْرِبُ وَرَأَيْتُ فِي رُؤْيَاىَ هَذِهِ أَنِّي هَزَزْتُ سَيْفًا فَانْقَطَعَ صَدْرُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ مَا أُصِيبَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ ثُمَّ هَزَزْتُهُ فَعَادَ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانَ فَإِذَا هُوَ مَا جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْفَتْحِ وَاجْتِمَاعِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا أَيْضًا بَقَرًا وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ فَإِذَا هُمُ النَّفَرُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ وَإِذَا الْخَيْرُ مَا جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ بَعْدُ وَثَوَابِ الصِّدْقِ الَّذِي آتَانَا اللَّهُ بِهِ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ  

“I saw wristbands of gold on my arms, so I blew into them, and I interpreted them as being these two liars, Musailimah and ‘Ansi.”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَأَيْتُ فِي يَدِي سِوَارَيْنِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَنَفَخْتُهُمَا فَأَوَّلْتُهُمَا هَذَيْنِ الْكَذَّابَيْنِ مُسَيْلِمَةَ وَالْعَنْسِيَّ  

“Umm Fadl said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! It is as if I saw (in a dream) one of your limbs in my house.’ He said: ‘What you have seen is good. Fatimah will give birth to a boy and you will breastfeed him.’ Fatimah gave birth to Husain or Hasan, and I breastfed him with the milk of Qutham.’ She said: ‘I brought him to the Prophet ﷺ and placed him in his lap, and he urinated, so I struck him on the shoulder.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “You have hurt my son, may Allah have mercy on you.”  

أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُ كَأَنَّ فِي بَيْتِي عُضْوًا مِنْ أَعْضَائِكَ قَالَ خَيْرًا رَأَيْتِ تَلِدُ فَاطِمَةُ غُلاَمًا فَتُرْضِعِيهِ فَوَلَدَتْ حُسَيْنًا أَوْ حَسَنًا فَأَرْضَعَتْهُ بِلَبَنِ قُثَمَ قَالَتْ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَوَضَعْتُهُ فِي حَجْرِهِ فَبَالَ فَضَرَبْتُ كَتِفَهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَوْجَعْتِ ابْنِي رَحِمَكِ اللَّهُ  

“I saw a black woman with disheveled hair, who left Al-Madinah and went to stay in Al- Mahya’ah, which is Juhfah. I interpreted it as referring to an epidemic in Al-Madinah which moved to Juhfah.”  

عَنْ رُؤْيَا النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ امْرَأَةً سَوْدَاءَ ثَائِرَةَ الرَّأْسِ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ حَتَّى قَامَتْ بِالْمَهْيَعَةِ وَهِيَ الْجُحْفَةُ فَأَوَّلْتُهَا وَبَاءً بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَنُقِلَ إِلَى الْجُحْفَةِ  

“I saw in a dream that I was at the gate of Paradise and I saw them (those two men). Someone came out of Paradise and admitted the one who had died last, then he came out and admitted the one who had been martyred. Then he came back to me and said: ‘Go back, for your time has not yet come.’” The next morning, Talhah told the people of that and they were amazed. News of that reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and they told him the story. He said: “Why are you so amazed at that?” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, the first one was the one who strove harder, then he was martyred, but the other one was admitted to Paradise before him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Did he not stay behind for a year?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “And did not Ramadan come and he fasted, and he offered such and such prayers during that year?” They said: “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The difference between them is greater than the difference between heaven and earth.”  

أَنَّ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ بَلِيٍّ قَدِمَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَ إِسْلاَمُهُمَا جَمِيعًا فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَشَدَّ اجْتِهَادًا مِنَ الآخَرِ فَغَزَا الْمُجْتَهِدُ مِنْهُمَا فَاسْتُشْهِدَ ثُمَّ مَكَثَ الآخَرُ بَعْدَهُ سَنَةً ثُمَّ تُوُفِّيَ قَالَ طَلْحَةُ فَرَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ بَيْنَا أَنَا عِنْدَ بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ إِذَا أَنَا بِهِمَا فَخَرَجَ خَارِجٌ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَأَذِنَ لِلَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ الآخِرَ مِنْهُمَا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَأَذِنَ لِلَّذِي اسْتُشْهِدَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَىَّ فَقَالَ ارْجِعْ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ يَأْنِ لَكَ بَعْدُ فَأَصْبَحَ طَلْحَةُ يُحَدِّثُ بِهِ النَّاسَ فَعَجِبُوا لِذَلِكَ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَحَدَّثُوهُ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ مِنْ أَىِّ ذَلِكَ تَعْجَبُونَ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا كَانَ أَشَدَّ الرَّجُلَيْنِ اجْتِهَادًا ثُمَّ اسْتُشْهِدَ وَدَخَلَ هَذَا الآخِرُ الْجَنَّةَ قَبْلَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ مَكَثَ هَذَا بَعْدَهُ سَنَةً قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ وَأَدْرَكَ رَمَضَانَ فَصَامَهُ وَصَلَّى كَذَا وَكَذَا مِنْ سَجْدَةٍ فِي السَّنَةِ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا أَبْعَدُ مِمَّا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ  

“I dislike (to see in a dream) a chain around the neck, but I like to see fetters on the feet, for fetters (represent) steadfastness in religion.”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَكْرَهُ الْغُلَّ وَأُحِبُّ الْقَيْدَ الْقَيْدُ ثَبَاتٌ فِي الدِّينِ