Narrated Abu Rafi: The Quraysh sent me to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and when I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Islam was cast into my heart, so I said: Messenger of Allah, I swear by Allah, I shall never return to them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: I do not break a covenant or imprison messengers, but return, and if you feel the same as you do just now, come back. So I went away, and then came to the Prophet ﷺ and accepted Islam. The narrator Bukair said: He informed me that Abu Rafi was a Copt. Abu Dawud said: This was valid in those days, but today it is not valid.
Hadith Referenceسنن ابي داود / كتاب الجهاد / 2758
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:صحيح | زبیر علی زئی:إسناده صحيح, مشكوة المصابيح (3981)