Musa bin Uqbah said: Abu Salamah narrated this to me
from the man who passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was conversing privately with Sayyiduna Jibril (peace be upon him). Abu Salamah stated: That man did not go near the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), fearing that he might intrude on his conversation. The next day, when he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Why did you not greet me when you passed by me last night?" He submitted: "I saw you conversing with a man, and I feared that you might dislike my intruding on your conversation." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Do you know who that man was?" He submitted: "No!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That was Jibril; had you greeted, he would have returned the greeting." The narrator said: I heard from someone other than the narrator Abu Salamah that the man was Sayyiduna Harithah bin al-Nu'man (may Allah be pleased with him).
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب المناقب / 15738
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ صحیح
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه احمد فى المسند (17/4) ، أخرجه مسند أحمد برقم: 15786»