حَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ جُدْعَانَ عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَتَاهُ فِيمَا يَرَى النَّائِمُ مَلَكَانِ فَقَعَدَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَالْآخَرُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ فَقَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ لِلَّذِي عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ اضْرِبْ مَثَلَ هَذَا وَمَثَلَ أُمَّتِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ مَثَلَهُ وَمَثَلَ أُمَّتِهِ كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ سَفْرٍ انْتَهَوْا إِلَى رَأْسِ مَفَازَةٍ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُمْ مِنْ الزَّادِ مَا يَقْطَعُونَ بِهِ الْمَفَازَةَ وَلَا مَا يَرْجِعُونَ بِهِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَتَاهُمْ رَجُلٌ فِي حُلَّةٍ حِبَرَةٍ فَقَالَ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ وَرَدْتُ بِكُمْ رِيَاضًا مُعْشِبَةً وَحِيَاضًا رُوَاءً أَتَتَّبِعُونِي فَقَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِمْ فَأَوْرَدَهُمْ رِيَاضًا مُعْشِبَةً وَحِيَاضًا رُوَاءً فَأَكَلُوا وَشَرِبُوا وَسَمِنُوا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَلَمْ أَلْقَكُمْ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ فَجَعَلْتُمْ لِي إِنْ وَرَدْتُ بِكُمْ رِيَاضًا مُعْشِبَةً وَحِيَاضًا رُوَاءً أَنْ تَتَّبِعُونِي فَقَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ فَإِنَّ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ رِيَاضًا أَعْشَبَ مِنْ هَذِهِ وَحِيَاضًا هِيَ أَرْوَى مِنْ هَذِهِ فَاتَّبِعُونِي قَالَ فَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ صَدَقَ وَاللَّهِ لَنَتَّبِعَنَّهُ وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ قَدْ رَضِينَا بِهَذَا نُقِيمُ عَلَيْهِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2402
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (RA) that two angels came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in a dream, and one of them sat at his feet and the other at his head. The one who sat by his feet said to the one who sat by his head: Give a likeness of this man and his utmnah. He said: The likeness of him and his ummah is that of some people who were travelling and came to the edge of a wilderness, and they had no provision with which to cross the wilderness or to travel back. Whilst they were like that, a man in a striped suit came to them and said: What do you think if I were to take you to a place with green meadows and plentiful water would you follow me? They said: Yes. So he set out with them and led them to a place with green meadows and abundant water where they ate and drank and grew healthy. Then he said to them: Did I not find you in that state, and you promised me that if i led you to a place with green meadows and abundant water, you would follow me? They said: Yes. He said: Ahead of you is a garden that is reener than this and water that is more plentiful, so follow me. Some of them said: He is telling the truth by Allah; let us follow him. Others said: We are pleased with this and we will stay here.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020