Mukhtasar Muslim

‘Ubaydullah bin ‘Abdullah bin ‘Utbah narrates that Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! I saw in a dream at night that pieces of cloud were dripping with ghee and honey, and people were collecting it with their palms, some taking more and some less. And I saw that a rope was hanging from the sky to the earth, you (peace and blessings be upon him) held it and ascended. Then after you, a man held it and he also ascended. Then another man held it and he also ascended. Then another man held it, but it broke, then it was joined again and he also ascended.” Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “O Messenger of Allah! May my father be sacrificed for you, allow me to interpret it.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Alright, interpret it.” Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The piece of cloud is Islam, and the ghee and honey refer to the sweetness and gentleness of the Qur’an, and the people who take more or less are those who have memorized more or less of the Qur’an. And the rope hanging from the sky to the earth is the true religion upon which you (peace and blessings be upon him) are. Then Allah will call you to Himself upon this religion. After you, another person (your successor) will hold it and ascend in the same way, then another person will hold it and the same will happen to him. Then another person will hold it, and there will be some disturbance, but that disturbance will eventually be removed and he will also ascend. O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you, tell me, have I interpreted it correctly?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “You have interpreted some correctly and some incorrectly.” Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah! Please tell me what mistake I made?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not swear.”