Jami' at-Tirmidhi — Hadith #28331

Ahmad bin Mani’ told us, Abu Muawiyah told us, Al-A’mash told us, on the authority of Al-Sha’bi, on the authority of Al-Nu’man bin Bashir, he said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “The parable of one who maintains God’s limits and one who enforces them is like that of a people who cast arrows on a ship at sea, and some of them struck. The top of it, and some of them reached the bottom of it, so those at the bottom would go up and draw water and pour it on those at the top of it, so he said Those at the top of it, “We will not let you go up, lest you harm us.” Then those at the bottom of it said, “Indeed, we will dig it from below it and draw water.” They took them into their hands and prevented them, and they all survived, but if they left them, they all drowned.” Abu Issa said: This is a good and authentic hadith.