Abu Hurairah reported,

A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "I saw last night a cloud dripping butter and honey, and I saw people cupping their hands to catch it, some taking much and some taking little. And I saw a rope reaching from the sky down to the earth, and I saw you, Messenger of Allah, take hold of it and rise up by it. Then another man took hold of it and rose up by it. Then another man took hold of it and rose up by it. Then another man took hold of it, but it broke, then it was reconnected for him and he rose up by it."Abu Bakr said, "By my father and mother, let me interpret it."The Prophet said, "Interpret it."Abu Bakr said, "As for the cloud, it is the cloud of Islam. As for what drips from it of butter and honey, it is the Quran, with its softness and sweetness. As for those taking much and those taking little, they are those who take much of the Quran and those who take little. As for the rope reaching from the sky to the earth, it is the truth which you are upon. You take hold of it and Allah raises you by it. Then after you a man takes hold of it and rises by it. Then another man takes hold of it and rises by it. Then another man takes hold of it, but it breaks, then it is reconnected for him and he rises by it. Now, Messenger of Allah, do tell me, did I get it right or did I get it wrong?"He said, "You got some of it right and some of it wrong."Abu Bakr said, "I implore you, Messenger of Allah, tell me what I got wrong."The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not implore me."

حدثنا محمد بن يحيى بن فارس حدثنا عبد الرزاق قال محمد كتبته من كتابه قال أخبرنا معمر عن الزهري عن عبيد الله بن عبد الله عن ابن عباس قال كان

أبو هريرة يحدث

أن رجلا أتى إلى رسول الله ﷺ فقال إني أرى الليلة ظلة ينطف منها السمن والعسل فأرى الناس يتكففون بأيديهم فالمستكثر والمستقل وأرى سببا واصلا من السماء إلى الأرض فأراك يا رسول الله أخذت به فعلوت به ثم أخذ به رجل آخر فعلا به ثم أخذ به رجل آخر فعلا به ثم أخذ به رجل آخر فانقطع ثم وصل فعلا به قال أبو بكر بأبي وأمي لتدعني فلأعبرنها فقال اعبرها قال أما الظلة فظلة الإسلام وأما ما ينطف من السمن والعسل فهو القرآن لينه وحلاوته وأما المستكثر والمستقل فهو المستكثر من القرآن والمستقل منه وأما السبب الواصل من السماء إلى الأرض فهو الحق الذي أنت عليه تأخذ به فيعليك الله ثم يأخذ به بعدك رجل فيعلو به ثم يأخذ به رجل آخر فيعلو به ثم يأخذ به رجل آخر فينقطع ثم يوصل له فيعلو به أي رسول الله لتحدثني أصبت أم أخطأت فقال أصبت بعضا وأخطأت بعضا فقال أقسمت يا رسول الله لتحدثني ما الذي أخطأت فقال النبي ﷺ لا تقسم