Bukhari

Narrated Qais bin Ubad: While I was sitting in the Mosque of Medina, there entered a man (Abdullah bin Salam) with signs of solemnity over his face. The people said, "He is one of the people of Paradise." He prayed two light rak`at and then left. I followed him and said, "When you entered the Mosque, the people said, 'He is one of the people of Paradise.' " He said, "By Allah, one ought not say what he does not know; and I will tell you why. In the lifetime of the Prophet I had a dream which I narrated to him. I saw as if I were in a garden." He then described its extension and greenery. He added: In its center there was an iron pillar whose lower end was fixed in the earth and the upper end was in the sky, and at its upper end there was a (ring-shaped) hand-hold. I was told to climb it. I said, "I can't." "Then a servant came to me and lifted my clothes from behind and I climbed till I reached the top (of the pillar). Then I got hold of the hand-hold, and I was told to hold it tightly, then I woke up and (the effect of) the handhold was in my hand. I narrated al I that to the Prophet who said, 'The garden is Islam, and the handhold is the Most Truth-worthy Hand-Hold. So you will remain as a Muslim till you die." The narrator added: "The man was `Abdullah bin Salam."

Qais bin 'Ubadah reported: I was in the company of some persons, amongst whom some were the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) in Madinah, that there came a person whose face depicted the fear (of Allah). Some people said: He is a person from amongst the people of Paradise; he is a person from amongst the people of Paradise. He observed two short rak'ahs of prayer and then went out. I followed him and he got into his house and I also got in and we began to converse with each other. And when he became familiar (with me) I said to Him: When you entered (the mosque) before (your entrance in the house) a person said so and so (that you are amongst the people of Paradise), whereupon he said: It is not meet for anyone to say anything which he does not know. I shall (now) tell you why they (say) this. I saw a dream during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and narrated it to him. I seemed to be in a garden [he described its vastness, its rich fructification and its verdure]; in the midst of it, there stood an iron pillar, with its base in the earth and its summit in the sky: and upon its summit there was a handhold. It was said to me: Climb up this (pillar). I said to him (visitant in the dream): I am unable to do it. Thereupon a helper came to me, and he (supported) me (by catching hold of my) garment from behind and thus helped me with his hand and so I climbed up till I was at the summit of the pillar, and grasped the handhold. It was said to me: Ho d it tightly. It was at this that I woke up when (the handhold) was in fthe grip) of my hand. I narrated it (the dream) to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) , whereupon he said: That garden implies al-Islam and that pillar implies the pillar of Islam. And that handhold is the firmest faith (as refered to in the Qur'an). And you will remain attached to Islam until you shall die. And that man was 'Abdullah bin Salim.

Kharasha bin Hurr reported: I was sitting in a circle in the mosque of Madinah and there was an old man, quite handsome. He was 'Abdullah bin Salim. He was telling good things to them (to the people sitting in that company). As he stood up (to depart) the people said: He who is desirous of looking at a person from amongst the people of Paradise should see him. I said: By Allah, I will follow him, and would try to know his residence. So I followed him and he walked on until he reached the outskirts of Madinah. He then entered his house. I sought permission from him to get in, and he granted me the permission, saying: My nephew, what is the need (that has brought you here)? I said to him: As you stood up, I heard people say about you: He who is desirous of seeing a person from among the people of Paradise should look at him. So I became desirous of accompanying you. He (''Abdullah bin Salim) said: It is Allah Who knows best about the people of Paradise. I would, however, narrate to you as to why they said like it. (The story is) that while I was asleep (one night) there came to me a person (in the dream) who asked me to stand up. (So I stood up) and he caught hold of my hand and I walked along with him, and, lo, I found some paths on my left and I was about to set out upon them. Thereupon he said to me Do not set yourself on (them) for these are the paths of the leftists (denizens of Hell-fire). Then there were paths leading to the right side, whereupon he said: Set yourself on these paths. We came across a hill and he said to me: Climb up, and I attempted to climb up that I fell upon my buttocks. I made several attempts (but failed to succeed). He led until he came to a pillar (so high) that its upper end touched the sky and its base was in the earth. And there was a handhold at its upper end. He said to me Climb over it. I said: How can I climb upon it, as its upper end touches the sky? He cought hold of my hand and pushed me up and I found myself suspended with the handhold. He then struck the pillar and it fell down, but I remained attached to that handhold until it was morning (and the dream was thus over). I came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and narrated it to him. He said: So far as the paths which you saw on your left are concerned, these are paths of the leftists (denizens of Hell) and the paths which you saw on your right, these are the paths of the rightists (the dwellers of Paradise) and the mountain represents the destination of the martyrs which you would not be able to attain. The pillar implies the pillar of Islam. and so far as the handhold is concerned, it implies the handhold of Islam, and you would hold to it fastly until you would meet death.

´It was narrated that Kharashah bin Hurr said:` “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."