I came to Medina and sat down with some elders in the mosque of the Prophet ﷺ. Then an old man came leaning on his cane, and the people said, "Whoever wishes to look at a man from the people of Paradise, let him look at this one." He stood behind a pillar and prayed two rakahs.I got up and went to him and said, "Some of the people said such and such."He replied, "Praise be to Allah. Paradise belongs to Allah, He admits into it whomever He wills. During the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I had a dream. I saw as if a man came to me and said, 'Come along.' So I went with him, and he led me along a great road. A path appeared to me on my left, and I wanted to take it, but he said, 'You are not of its people.' Then a path appeared on my right, and I took it until I came to a slippery mountain. He took my hand and hoisted me up, and there I was at its summit, unable to stand firm or hold on. There was an iron pillar at its peak with a golden ring on top. He took my hand and hoisted me up until I grasped the ring. He asked, 'Have you got a firm grip?' I said, 'Yes.' Then he struck the pillar with his foot, and I held fast to the ring."He continued, "I related this to the Prophet ﷺ, and he said, 'You have seen something good. As for the great road, it is the place of gathering. As for the path that appeared on your left, it is the path of the people of the Fire, and you are not of its people. As for the path that appeared on your right, it is the path of the people of Paradise. As for the slippery mountain, it is the dwelling of the martyrs. As for the ring that you held fast to, it is the handhold of Islam. Hold on to it until you die.' So I hope to be among the people of Paradise."He was Abdullah bin Salam.
حدثنا أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة حدثنا الحسن بن موسى الأشيب حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم بن بهدلة عن المسيب بن رافع
قدمت المدينة فجلست إلى شيخة في مسجد النبي ﷺ فجاء شيخ يتوكأ على عصا له فقال القوم من سره أن ينظر إلى رجل من أهل الجنة فلينظر إلى هذا فقام خلف سارية فصلى ركعتين فقمت إليه فقلت له قال بعض القوم كذا وكذا قال الحمد لله الجنة لله يدخلها من يشاء وإني رأيت على عهد رسول الله ﷺ رؤيا رأيت كأن رجلا أتاني فقال لي انطلق فذهبت معه فسلك بي في نهج عظيم فعرضت علي طريق على يساري فأردت أن أسلكها فقال إنك لست من أهلها ثم عرضت علي طريق عن يميني فسلكتها حتى إذا انتهيت إلى جبل زلق فأخذ بيدي فزجل بي فإذا أنا على ذروته فلم أتقار ولم أتماسك وإذا عمود من حديد في ذروته حلقة من ذهب فأخذ بيدي فزجل بي حتى أخذت بالعروة فقال استمسكت قلت نعم فضرب العمود برجله فاستمسكت بالعروة فقال قصصتها على النبي ﷺ قال رأيت خيرا أما المنهج العظيم فالمحشر وأما الطريق التي عرضت عن يسارك فطريق أهل النار ولست من أهلها وأما الطريق التي عرضت عن يمينك فطريق أهل الجنة وأما الجبل الزلق فمنزل الشهداء وأما العروة التي استمسكت بها فعروة الإسلام فاستمسك بها حتى تموت فأنا أرجو أن أكون من أهل الجنة فإذا هو عبد الله بن سلام
Reference. Muslim narrated it in the Book of the Virtues of the Companions, in the chapter on the virtues of Abdullah bin Salam , hadith no. 2484/150, from the hadith of Kharsha with the same wording. It is also found in Musannaf, 6866/11, hadith no. 10536.