Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 1615 — The Book of the Virtues of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ

Qais bin Ubad Narrated from:

While I was sitting in the mosque of Al-Madîna, there entered a man ('Abdullâh bin Salâm رضى الله عنه) with signs of solemnity over his face. The people said, "He is one of the people of Paradise." He offered a two Rak'a light Salât (prayer) 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 Allâh, one ought not say what he does not know; and I will tell you why. In the life-time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 me by 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, and then I woke up and (the effect of) the hand-hold was in my hand.I narrated all that to the Prophet ﷺ, who said, 'The garden is Islâm, and the hand-hold is the Most Trustworthy Hand-Hold. So you will remain as a Muslim till you die.' " The narrator added: "The man was 'Abdullâh bin Salâm رضي الله عنه ". ( Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Hadîth No. 158, Vol. 5 )