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English translation
2293. Abū Hurairah narrated that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "I had a dream of a cloud with shade dripping butter and honey. I saw the people scooping it up with their hands, some taking
much and some taking little. I saw a rope extending from the sky to the earth. Then I saw you O Messenger of Allāh! You took hold of it and went up, then a man took hold of it after you to do so, then a man took hold of it after him to do so. Then a man took hold of it and it was severed, and then connected for him, and he did so (i.e., went up).” Abū Bakr said: “May my father and mother be ransomed for you O Messenger of Allāh! Allow me to interpret it.” He said: “Interpret it.” So he said: “As for the cloud with its shade, it is Islām. As for what the butter and honey that dropped from it, this is the Qur’ān and its delicateness and sweetness. It means some of them gathered much of the Qur’ān and some of them a little. As for the rope extending from the sky to the earth, it is the truth which you are upon, you clung to it and Allāh exalted you. Then another man will take hold of it after you and ascend on it, then after him, another man will take hold of it and ascend on it. Then another [man] will take hold of it but it will break, then be connected so he will ascend on it. Inform me O Messenger of Allāh! am I correct or am I mistaken?” The Prophet ﷺ said: “You are correct in some of it and mistaken in some of it.” He (i.e., Abū Bakr) said: “I swear to you by my father and my mother O Messenger of Allāh! Inform me in what I was mistaken?” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not swear.” (Sahih)
[He said:] This Hadith is [Hasan Sahih].
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Commentary
Scholars have divergent views on what precisely was the error committed by Abū Bakr ﷺ in interpreting the dream. But when in spite of Abū Bakr's earnest request to apprise him of his error, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ abstained from divulging it, we have no right to make surmises and conjectures about it. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ would himself have explained if he considered it expedient or necessary.
