Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 17972

Al-Harith bin Amirah narrates: I went to al-Mada'in, and there was a man wearing worn-out clothes; he had a piece of red leather with him which he was cleaning. He turned, and when his gaze fell on me, he signalled to me with his hand: "O servant of Allah! Stay where you are." The narrator says: I stood up and asked the person who was with me: "Who is this gentleman?" He replied: "This is Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him)." Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) went into his house, put on white clothes, and then came out. He took my hand, shook hands with me and asked me how I was. I said: "O Abu Abdullah! In the past you have never seen me, nor have I seen you." Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "That is so. By the One in whose Hand is my soul, when I saw you, my soul recognised your soul. Are you not al-Harith bin Amirah?" I replied: "Yes!" Then Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Souls were (in the world of souls) in the form of assembled troops. Those among them which knew one another (in the world of souls) for the sake of Allah Almighty are familiar with one another (in this world), and those which were strangers to one another (in the world of souls) for the sake of Allah Almighty remain apart from one another (in this world)."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration with da'if (weak) chains.