Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 9855

Sayyiduna Mahmud bin Labid (may Allah be pleased with him), who belonged to Banu Abd al-Ashhal, narrates: When Abu al-Haysar Anas bin Nafi' came to Makkah, there were with him some young men from Banu Abd al-Ashhal, among whom was Iyas bin Mu'adh. They wanted to make an alliance with the Quraysh against the people of the Khazraj tribe. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard about them, so he came to them, sat with them and said to them: "Would you be interested in something better than what you have come for?" They asked: "What is that?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am the Messenger of Allah. Allah Almighty has sent me to His servants so that I may invite them to worship Allah Almighty and not to associate anything with Him, and Allah Almighty has also revealed a Book to me." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the teachings of Islam and recited the Qur'an before them. Iyas bin Mu'adh, who was a young man, said: "O my people! By Allah, this is better than what you have come for." Abu al-Haysar Anas bin Nafi' took a handful of dust and threw it in the face of Iyas bin Mu'adh and said: "Leave us alone! By my life! We have come for something else." So Iyas fell silent. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) got up and left them, and they went back to Madinah. After that the Battle of Bu'ath took place between the Aws and the Khazraj tribes. Some time after that, Iyas bin Mu'adh died. Sayyiduna Mahmud bin Labid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Those of my people who were present with him in his last moments told me that he continued declaring Allah's Oneness and His greatness, and praising and glorifying Him, until he passed away. They had no doubt that he died as a Muslim, for when he heard the message from the blessed tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he had come to sense Islam.
Ahmad and al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).