Musnad Ahmad 1403
It was narrated from Talhah bin `Ubaidullah that Two men came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and they both became Muslim, but one of them strove harder in worship than his companion. The one who strove hard in worship went out on a military campaign and was martyred. The other one remained for a year after that, then he died. Talhah said:
“I saw in a dream that I was at the gate of Paradise, and I saw them both. Someone had come out from Paradise and he gave permission to the one who died last (to enter); then he came out and gave permission to the one who had been martyred. Then they both came back to me and said to me: Go back, for your time has not yet come.” The next morning, Talhah told the people about that and they were amazed by it. News of that reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said: “Why are you amazed?` They said: “O Messenger of Allah, this one strove harder in worship and then was martyred for the sake of Allah, but the other one entered Paradise before him?” He said: `Did he not remain for a year after (the other one) died?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “Did he not live until Ramadan came and fast it?” They said: “Yes.” He said: `Did he not pray this many rak`ahs during that year?` They said: “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Verily, the distance between them is the distance between heaven and earth.”
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ مُضَرَ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ رَجُلَيْنِ، قَدِمَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَكَانَ إِسْلَامُهُمَا جَمِيعًا وَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَشَدَّ اجْتِهَادًا مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ فَغَزَا الْمُجْتَهِدُ مِنْهُمَا فَاسْتُشْهِدَ ثُمَّ مَكَثَ الْآخَرُ بَعْدَهُ سَنَةً ثُمَّ تُوُفِّيَ قَالَ طَلْحَةُ فَرَأَيْتُ فِيمَا يَرَى النَّائِمُ كَأَنِّي عِنْدَ بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ إِذَا أَنَا بِهِمَا وَقَدْ خَرَجَ خَارِجٌ مِنْ الْجَنَّةِ فَأَذِنَ لِلَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ الْآخِرَ مِنْهُمَا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَأَذِنَ لِلَّذِي اسْتُشْهِدَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَا إِلَيَّ فَقَالَا لِي ارْجِعْ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَأْنِ لَكَ بَعْدُ فَأَصْبَحَ طَلْحَةُ يُحَدِّثُ بِهِ النَّاسَ فَعَجِبُوا لِذَلِكَ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ مِنْ أَيِّ ذَلِكَ تَعْجَبُونَ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا كَانَ أَشَدَّ اجْتِهَادًا ثُمَّ اسْتُشْهِدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَدَخَلَ هَذَا الْجَنَّةَ قَبْلَهُ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ مَكَثَ هَذَا بَعْدَهُ سَنَةً قَالُوا بَلَى وَأَدْرَكَ رَمَضَانَ فَصَامَهُ قَالُوا بَلَى وَصَلَّى كَذَا وَكَذَا سَجْدَةً فِي السَّنَةِ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَلَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا أَبْعَدُ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ‏.‏