He used to relate that a man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "I saw last night in a dream a cloud dripping butter and honey, and I saw people scooping from it with their hands, some taking much and others taking little. Then there was a rope extending from the earth to the sky, and I saw you take hold of it and rise up. 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 and it broke, then it was rejoined for him."Abu Bakr said, "Messenger of Allah, may my father be ransomed for you, by Allah, let me interpret it."The Prophet ﷺ said, "Interpret it."Abu Bakr said, "As for the cloud, it is Islam. As for what drips from it of honey and butter, it is the Quran, its sweetness dripping down, with some taking much of the Quran and others taking little. As for the rope extending from the sky to the earth, it is the truth that you are upon. You take hold of it and Allah raises you by it. Then a man after you 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 and it breaks for him, then it is rejoined for him and he rises by it. So tell me, Messenger of Allah, may my father be ransomed for you, was I right or wrong?"The Prophet ﷺ said, "You were right in part and wrong in part."Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, Messenger of Allah, you must tell me what I got wrong."He said, "Do not swear an oath."
حدثنا يحيى بن بكير حدثنا الليث عن يونس عن ابن شهاب عن عبيد الله بن عبد الله بن عتبة أن
كان يحدث أن رجلا أتى رسول الله ﷺ فقال إني رأيت الليلة في المنام ظلة تنطف السمن والعسل فأرى الناس يتكففون منها فالمستكثر والمستقل وإذا سبب واصل من الأرض إلى السماء فأراك أخذت به فعلوت ثم أخذ به رجل آخر فعلا به ثم أخذ به رجل آخر فعلا به ثم أخذ به رجل آخر فانقطع ثم وصل فقال أبو بكر يا رسول الله بأبي أنت والله لتدعني فأعبرها فقال النبي ﷺ اعبرها قال أما الظلة فالإسلام وأما الذي ينطف من العسل والسمن فالقرآن حلاوته تنطف فالمستكثر من القرآن والمستقل وأما السبب الواصل من السماء إلى الأرض فالحق الذي أنت عليه تأخذ به فيعليك الله ثم يأخذ به رجل من بعدك فيعلو به ثم يأخذ به رجل آخر فيعلو به ثم يأخذه رجل آخر فينقطع به ثم يوصل له فيعلو به فأخبرني يا رسول الله بأبي أنت أصبت أم أخطأت قال النبي ﷺ أصبت بعضا وأخطأت بعضا قال فوالله يا رسول الله لتحدثني بالذي أخطأت قال لا تقسم