Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، - قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ كَتَبْتُهُ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ - قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَرَى اللَّيْلَةَ ظُلَّةً يَنْطِفُ مِنْهَا السَّمْنُ وَالْعَسَلُ فَأَرَى النَّاسَ يَتَكَفَّفُونَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ فَالْمُسْتَكْثِرُ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ وَأَرَى سَبَبًا وَاصِلاً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَأَرَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخَذْتَ بِهِ فَعَلَوْتَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَعَلاَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَعَلاَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَانْقَطَعَ ثُمَّ وُصِلَ فَعَلاَ بِهِ . قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِأَبِي وَأُمِّي لَتَدَعَنِّي فَلأَعْبُرَنَّهَا . فَقَالَ " اعْبُرْهَا " . قَالَ أَمَّا الظُّلَّةُ فَظُلَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنْطِفُ مِنَ السَّمْنِ وَالْعَسَلِ فَهُوَ الْقُرْآنُ لِينُهُ وَحَلاَوَتُهُ وَأَمَّا الْمُسْتَكْثِرُ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ فَهُوَ الْمُسْتَكْثِرُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَالْمُسْتَقِلُّ مِنْهُ وَأَمَّا السَّبَبُ الْوَاصِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَهُوَ الْحَقُّ الَّذِي أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ تَأْخُذُ بِهِ فَيُعْلِيكَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ بِهِ بَعْدَكَ رَجُلٌ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ بِهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَنْقَطِعُ ثُمَّ يُوصَلُ لَهُ فَيَعْلُو بِهِ أَىْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَتُحَدِّثَنِّي أَصَبْتُ أَمْ أَخْطَأْتُ . فَقَالَ " أَصَبْتَ بَعْضًا وَأَخْطَأْتَ بَعْضًا " . فَقَالَ أَقْسَمْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَتُحَدِّثَنِّي مَا الَّذِي أَخْطَأْتُ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُقْسِمْ " .
Abu Hurairah said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: I saw (in my dream) a piece of cloud from which ghee and honey were dropping. I saw the people spreading their hands. Some of them took much and some a little. I also saw a rope hanging from Heaven to Earth. I saw, Messenger of Allah, that you caught hold of it and ascended by it. Then another man caught hold of it and ascended it. Then another man caught hold of it and ascended it. Then another man caught hold of it, but it broke, and then it was joined and he ascended it. AbuBakr said: May my parents be sacrificed for you, if you allow, I shall interpret it. He said: Interpret it. He said: The piece of cloud is the cloud of Islam; the ghee and honey that were dropping from it are the Qur'an, which contains softness and sweetness. Those who received much or little of it are those who learn much or little of the Qur'an. The rope hanging from Heaven to Earth is the truth which you are following. You catch hold of it and then Allah will raise you to Him. Then another man will catch hold of it and ascend it, Then another man will catch hold of it and it will break. But it will be joined and he will ascend it. Tell me. Messenger of Allah, whether I am right or wrong. He said: You are partly right and partly wrong. He said: I adjure you by Allah, you should tell me where I am wrong. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not take an oath.