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المعجم الأوسط
Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat (Tabarani)
باب الألف
Names Beginning with the Letter Alif
مَنِ اسْمُهُ الْأَحْوَصُ
Those Named al-Ahwas
Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat 3051 — he said: I began praying three years before
حَدَّثَنَا الْأَحْوَصُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ غَسَّانَ الْغَلَّابِيُّ قَالَ : نَا أَبِي قَالَ : نَا رَوْحُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ قَالَ : نَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ بَكْرٍ الْمُزَنِيُّ قَالَ : نَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلَالٍ قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الصَّامِتِ ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ : صَلَّيْتُ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَسْمَعَ بِالْإِسْلَامِ ثَلَاثَ سِنِينَ ، قُلْتُ : يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ ، أَيْنَ كُنْتَ تَوَجَّهُ ؟ قَالَ : كُنْتُ أَتَوَجَّهُ حَيْثُ وَجَّهَنِي اللهُ ، كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ ، فَإِذَا كَانَ آخِرُ اللَّيْلِ أُلْقِيتُ حَتَّى كَأَنَّمَا أَنَا [ خِفَاءٌ ] حَتَّى تَعْلُوَنِي الشَّمْسُ ، قَالَ : فَاسْتَحَلَّتْ غِفَارٌ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأَخِي أُنَيْسٌ وَآمَنَّا ، فَنَزَلْنَا عَلَى خَالٍ لَنَا ، فَبَلَغَ خَالَنَا أَنَّ أَخِي يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ ، فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ ، فَقُلْتُ : مَا لَنَا مَعَكَ قَرَارٌ ، قَالَ : فَارْتَحَلْنَا وَجَعَلَ يُقَنِّعُ رَأْسَهُ وَيَبْكِي حُزْنًا عَلَيْنَا ، فَنَزَلْنَا بِحَضْرَةِ مَكَّةَ ، فَنَافَرَ أَخِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الشُّعَرَاءِ عَلَى صِرْمَتِهِ : أَيُّهُمَا كَانَ أَشْعَرَ أَخَذَ صِرْمَةَ الْآخَرِ ، فَأَتَيْنَا كَاهِنًا [ ... ] فَقَالَ الْكَاهِنُ لِأُنَيْسٍ : قَدْ قَضَيْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَقْضِيَ لَكَ ، فَأَخَذَ صِرْمَةَ الشَّاعِرِ ، فَنَزَلَ بِحَضْرَةِ مَكَّةَ ، فَقَالَ لِأَبِي ذَرٍّ : احْفَظْ لِي حَاجَةً فَأَحْفَظُ صِرْمَتَكَ [....] ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ سَمِعَ بِالنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَسَمِعَ مَا يَقُولُونَ لَهُ ، فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ، وَرَجَعَ إِلَى أَخِيهِ ، وَقَالَ : أَيْ أَخِي ، رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا بِمَكَّةَ يَدْعُو إِلَى إِلَهِكَ الَّذِي تَعْبُدُ ، قَالَ : فَقَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ : أَيْ أَخِي ، مَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ ؟ قَالَ : يَقُولُونَ : مَجْنُونٌ ، وَيَقُولُونَ : شَاعِرٌ ، وَيَقُولُونَ : كَاهِنٌ ، وَقَدْ عَرَضْتُ قَوْلَهُ عَلَى أَقْرَاءِ الشُّعَرَاءِ ، فَوَاللهِ مَا هُوَ بِشَاعِرٍ ، وَسَمِعْتُ قَوْلَ الْكُهَّانِ ، فَلَا وَاللهِ مَا هُوَ بِكَاهِنٍ ، وَلَا وَاللهِ مَا هُوَ بِمَجْنُونٍ ، قُلْتُ : أَيْ أَخِي ، فَمَا تَقُولُ ؟ قَالَ : أَقُولُ : إِنَّهُ صَادِقٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ كَاذِبُونَ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَلْقَاهُ ، قَالَ : أَيْ أَخِي ، إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ شَرِقُوا بِهِ ، وَتَجَهَّمُوا لَهُ ، قَالَ : فَإِذَا قَدِمْتَ فَسَلْ عَنِ الصَّابِئِ .
قَالَ : فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ مَكَّةَ رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا عَلَتْ عَنْهُ عَيْنِي ، فَقَالَ : قُلْتُ : أَيْنَ هَذَا الصَّابِئُ ؟ قَالَ : فَنَادَى : صَابِئٌ صَابِئٌ ، قَالَ : فَخَرَجَ مِنْ كُلِّ وَادٍ ، فَرَمَوْنِي بِكُلِّ حَجَرٍ وَمَدَرٍ ، حَتَّى تَرَكُونِي كَأَنِّي نَضَبٌ أَحْمَرُ ، قَالَ : فَتَفَرَّقُوا عَنِّي ، فَأَتَيْتُ زَمْزَمَ ، فَغَسَلْتُ عَنِّي الدِّمَاءَ ، وَدَخَلْتُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا . قَالَ : فَلَبِثْتُ ثَلَاثِينَ بَيْنَ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْسَ لِي طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ حَتَّى ضَرَبَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ أَسْمِخَةَ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ حَتَّى لَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَيْنِ ، فَأَتَتَا عَلَيَّ وَهُمَا تَقُولَانِ : إِسَافُ وَنَائِلَةُ ، فَقُلْتُ : أَنْكِحُوا إِحْدَيْهِمَا الْأُخْرَى بِهَنٍّ مِنْ خَشَبٍ ، وَلَمْ أَكْنِ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي - وَذَكَرَ كَلِمَةً - فَوَلَّتَا ، وَقَالَتَا : الصَّابِئُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا ، أَمَا وَاللهِ لَوْ أَنَّ هُنَا أَحَدًا مِنْ نَفَرِنَا .
قَالَ : وَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فَاسْتَقْبَلَتَاهُمَا ، فَقَالَا : I " مَا هَذَا الصَّوْتُ ؟ I " قَالَتَا : الصَّابِئُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا ، قَالَا : I " مَا يَقُولُ ؟ I " قَالَتَا : يَقُولُ كَلِمَةً تَمْلَأُ أَفْوَاهَنَا ، فَجَاءَا فَاسْتَلَمَا الْحَجَرَ ، ثُمَّ طَافَا سَبْعًا ، ثُمَّ صَلِيَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ ، قَالَ : فَعَرَفْتُ الْإِسْلَامَ ، وَعَرَفْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِتَقْدِيمِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِيَّاهُ ، فَأَتَيْتُهُمَا ، فَقُلْتُ : السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ، قَالَ : I " وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ ، وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ ، وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ I " ، ثَلَاثًا ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : I " مِمَّ أَنْتَ ؟ I " ، قُلْتُ : أَنَا مِنْ غِفَارٍ ، فَقَالَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى جَبِينِهِ ، قَالَ : فَذَهَبْتُ أَتَنَاوَلُهُ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ : لَا تَعْجَلْ ، قَالَ : ثُمَّ رَفَعَ إِلَيَّ رَأْسَهُ ، فَقَالَ : I " مُنْذُ كَمْ أَنْتَ هَا هُنَا ؟ I " قُلْتُ : مُنْذُ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ ، فَقَالَ : I " مَا طَعَامُكَ ؟ I " قُلْتُ : مَا لِي طَعَامُ إِلَّا مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ ، وَقَدْ تَكَسَّرَتْ لِي عُكَنُ بَطْنِي ، وَمَا وَجَدْتُ عَلَى كَبِدِي سُخْفَةَ جُوعٍ . فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ ، إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ ، إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةُ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ I " .
فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، ائْذَنْ لِي فَأُتْحِفُهُ اللَّيْلَةَ . قَالَ : فَأَذِنَ لَهُ ، فَانْطَلَقَ إِلَى دَارٍ فَدَخَلَهَا ، فَفَتَحَ بَابًا ، فَقَبَضَ لَنَا قَبَضَاتٍ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ طَائِفِيٍّ قَالَ : فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ طَعَامٍ أَكَلْتُهُ بِمَكَّةَ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ مِنْهَا . فَقَالَ لِي : I " أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ إِلَى أَرْضٍ ذَاتِ نَخْلٍ ، وَلَا أَحْسَبُهَا إِلَّا يَثْرِبَ ، فَاذْهَبْ فَأَنْتَ رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللهِ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ I " ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى أَخِي قَالَ : أَيْ أَخِي ، مَاذَا جِئْتَنَا بِهِ ؟ أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَحْوَ هَذَا ، قُلْتُ : قَدْ لَقِيتُهُ ، وَأَسْلَمْتُ ، وَبَايَعْتُ ، وَدَعَوْتُ أَخِي إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، قَالَ : وَأَنَا قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبَايَعْتُ ، فَأَتَيْنَا أُمَّنَا ، فَدَعَوْنَاهَا إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، فَقَالَتْ : مَا بِي عَنْ دِينِكُمَا رَغْبَةٌ ، وَأَنَا قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبَايَعْتُ ، قَالَ : ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلْنَا ، فَأَتَيْنَا قَوْمَنَا ، فَدَعْوَنَاهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، فَأَسْلَمَ نِصْفُهُمْ ، وَأَسْلَمَ سَيِّدُهُمْ إِيمَاءُ بْنُ رَحَضَةَ ، وَصَلَّى بِهِمْ ، وَقَالَ النِّصْفُ الْبَاقُونَ : دَعُونَا حَتَّى يَمُرَّ بِنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : فَمَرَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَأَسْلَمَ النِّصْفُ الْبَاقِي ، قَالَ : وَقَالَتْ أَسْلَمُ : نُسْلِمُ عَلَى مَا أَسْلَمَتْ عَلَيْهِ غِفَارٌ ، قَالَ : فَأَسْلَمُوا ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : I " أَسْلَمُ سَالَمَهَا اللهُ ، وَغِفَارٌ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهَا
لَمْ يَرْوِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ إِلَّا رَوْحُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ ، وَلَا رَوَاهُ عَنْ رَوْحِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ إِلَّا الْمُفَضَّلُ بْنُ غَسَّانَ الْغَلَّابِيُّ وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ .
قَالَ : فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ مَكَّةَ رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا عَلَتْ عَنْهُ عَيْنِي ، فَقَالَ : قُلْتُ : أَيْنَ هَذَا الصَّابِئُ ؟ قَالَ : فَنَادَى : صَابِئٌ صَابِئٌ ، قَالَ : فَخَرَجَ مِنْ كُلِّ وَادٍ ، فَرَمَوْنِي بِكُلِّ حَجَرٍ وَمَدَرٍ ، حَتَّى تَرَكُونِي كَأَنِّي نَضَبٌ أَحْمَرُ ، قَالَ : فَتَفَرَّقُوا عَنِّي ، فَأَتَيْتُ زَمْزَمَ ، فَغَسَلْتُ عَنِّي الدِّمَاءَ ، وَدَخَلْتُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا . قَالَ : فَلَبِثْتُ ثَلَاثِينَ بَيْنَ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْسَ لِي طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ حَتَّى ضَرَبَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ أَسْمِخَةَ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ حَتَّى لَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَيْنِ ، فَأَتَتَا عَلَيَّ وَهُمَا تَقُولَانِ : إِسَافُ وَنَائِلَةُ ، فَقُلْتُ : أَنْكِحُوا إِحْدَيْهِمَا الْأُخْرَى بِهَنٍّ مِنْ خَشَبٍ ، وَلَمْ أَكْنِ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي - وَذَكَرَ كَلِمَةً - فَوَلَّتَا ، وَقَالَتَا : الصَّابِئُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا ، أَمَا وَاللهِ لَوْ أَنَّ هُنَا أَحَدًا مِنْ نَفَرِنَا .
قَالَ : وَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فَاسْتَقْبَلَتَاهُمَا ، فَقَالَا : I " مَا هَذَا الصَّوْتُ ؟ I " قَالَتَا : الصَّابِئُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا ، قَالَا : I " مَا يَقُولُ ؟ I " قَالَتَا : يَقُولُ كَلِمَةً تَمْلَأُ أَفْوَاهَنَا ، فَجَاءَا فَاسْتَلَمَا الْحَجَرَ ، ثُمَّ طَافَا سَبْعًا ، ثُمَّ صَلِيَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ ، قَالَ : فَعَرَفْتُ الْإِسْلَامَ ، وَعَرَفْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِتَقْدِيمِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِيَّاهُ ، فَأَتَيْتُهُمَا ، فَقُلْتُ : السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ، قَالَ : I " وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ ، وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ ، وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ I " ، ثَلَاثًا ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : I " مِمَّ أَنْتَ ؟ I " ، قُلْتُ : أَنَا مِنْ غِفَارٍ ، فَقَالَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى جَبِينِهِ ، قَالَ : فَذَهَبْتُ أَتَنَاوَلُهُ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ : لَا تَعْجَلْ ، قَالَ : ثُمَّ رَفَعَ إِلَيَّ رَأْسَهُ ، فَقَالَ : I " مُنْذُ كَمْ أَنْتَ هَا هُنَا ؟ I " قُلْتُ : مُنْذُ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ ، فَقَالَ : I " مَا طَعَامُكَ ؟ I " قُلْتُ : مَا لِي طَعَامُ إِلَّا مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ ، وَقَدْ تَكَسَّرَتْ لِي عُكَنُ بَطْنِي ، وَمَا وَجَدْتُ عَلَى كَبِدِي سُخْفَةَ جُوعٍ . فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ ، إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ ، إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةُ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ I " .
فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، ائْذَنْ لِي فَأُتْحِفُهُ اللَّيْلَةَ . قَالَ : فَأَذِنَ لَهُ ، فَانْطَلَقَ إِلَى دَارٍ فَدَخَلَهَا ، فَفَتَحَ بَابًا ، فَقَبَضَ لَنَا قَبَضَاتٍ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ طَائِفِيٍّ قَالَ : فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ طَعَامٍ أَكَلْتُهُ بِمَكَّةَ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ مِنْهَا . فَقَالَ لِي : I " أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ إِلَى أَرْضٍ ذَاتِ نَخْلٍ ، وَلَا أَحْسَبُهَا إِلَّا يَثْرِبَ ، فَاذْهَبْ فَأَنْتَ رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللهِ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ I " ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى أَخِي قَالَ : أَيْ أَخِي ، مَاذَا جِئْتَنَا بِهِ ؟ أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَحْوَ هَذَا ، قُلْتُ : قَدْ لَقِيتُهُ ، وَأَسْلَمْتُ ، وَبَايَعْتُ ، وَدَعَوْتُ أَخِي إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، قَالَ : وَأَنَا قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبَايَعْتُ ، فَأَتَيْنَا أُمَّنَا ، فَدَعَوْنَاهَا إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، فَقَالَتْ : مَا بِي عَنْ دِينِكُمَا رَغْبَةٌ ، وَأَنَا قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبَايَعْتُ ، قَالَ : ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلْنَا ، فَأَتَيْنَا قَوْمَنَا ، فَدَعْوَنَاهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ، فَأَسْلَمَ نِصْفُهُمْ ، وَأَسْلَمَ سَيِّدُهُمْ إِيمَاءُ بْنُ رَحَضَةَ ، وَصَلَّى بِهِمْ ، وَقَالَ النِّصْفُ الْبَاقُونَ : دَعُونَا حَتَّى يَمُرَّ بِنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : فَمَرَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَأَسْلَمَ النِّصْفُ الْبَاقِي ، قَالَ : وَقَالَتْ أَسْلَمُ : نُسْلِمُ عَلَى مَا أَسْلَمَتْ عَلَيْهِ غِفَارٌ ، قَالَ : فَأَسْلَمُوا ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : I " أَسْلَمُ سَالَمَهَا اللهُ ، وَغِفَارٌ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهَا
لَمْ يَرْوِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ إِلَّا رَوْحُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ ، وَلَا رَوَاهُ عَنْ رَوْحِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ إِلَّا الْمُفَضَّلُ بْنُ غَسَّانَ الْغَلَّابِيُّ وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ .
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "I began praying three years before I heard the news of Islam." (Abdullah bin al-Samit (may Allah have mercy on him) said:) I asked: "O Abu Dharr! Which direction did you face?" He said: "I faced wherever Allah turned me. I would keep praying from the early part of the night, and when the last part of the night came I would be cast down (by sleep) as though I were a (discarded) cloth, until the sun rose high over me."
He related: The tribe of Ghifar made the sacred month lawful, so I, my brother Unays and our mother set out (from there), and we stayed with a maternal uncle of ours. Word reached our uncle that my brother visited his household, and he mentioned it, so I said: "Now it is not possible for us to stay with you." So we departed from there, and he (our uncle) covered his head and began weeping out of grief for us.
We stopped near Makkah. There a man from among the poets competed with my brother Unays in poetry, wagering his herd, on the condition that whichever of the two was the greater poet would take the other's herd. We came to a soothsayer, and the soothsayer said to Unays: "You have already judged in your own favour before I could judge." So Unays took that poet's herd. Then he stopped near Makkah and said to Abu Dharr: "Keep a matter of mine in mind, and I will look after your herd."
Then when he (Unays) reached Makkah, he heard about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and also heard what people were saying about him (peace and blessings be upon him). He finished his business and returned to his brother and said: "O my brother! I saw a man in Makkah who calls to that very God whom you worship." Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "O my brother! What do people say?" He said: "People say: he is mad; and they say: he is a poet; and they say: he is a soothsayer. Yet I have tested his words against the metres and styles of poetry; by Allah, he is not a poet. And I have heard the speech of soothsayers; no, by Allah, he is not a soothsayer; and no, by Allah, he is not mad." I asked: "O my brother! Then what do you say?" He said: "I say that he is truthful and that they are liars."
(Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said:) I said: "I want to meet him." He said: "O my brother! People are bitterly enraged because of him and treat him with harshness." (And) he said: "When you arrive (in Makkah), ask about this Sabi'."
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) related: When I reached Makkah, I saw a man whom my eye judged to be weak, and I asked (him): "Where is this Sabi'?" He began calling out: "A Sabi'! A Sabi'!" People came out from every valley and pelted me with every kind of stone and clod, until they left me (drenched in blood) as though I were a red idol.
He said: Then they dispersed from me. I came to Zamzam, washed the blood off my body, and slipped in between the Ka'bah and its curtains. I stayed there for thirty days and nights, and I had no food except the water of Zamzam, until Allah placed a covering (of sleep) over the ears of the people of Makkah, and I saw no one circumambulating the House except two women. They came near me calling upon 'Isaf' and 'Na'ilah', so I said: "Marry one of them to the other with a wooden organ." (O my nephew! I did not speak in allusion; and he mentioned a word.) So the two of them turned away, saying: "The Sabi' is between the Ka'bah and its curtains! Listen, by Allah! If only someone from our people were here (then)."
He said: Just then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and the two women met them. The two (of them) asked: "What is this noise?" They said: "The Sabi' is between the Ka'bah and its curtains." The two asked: "What does he say?" They said: "He says something that fills our mouths (that is, unfit to be uttered)." Then the two of them came, touched the Black Stone, then circumambulated seven circuits, then prayed two rak'ahs.
He said: I recognised Islam, and I recognised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) giving him (peace and blessings be upon him) precedence. I came to the two of them and said: 'As-salamu alayka ya Rasulallah wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh' (Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times: 'Wa alayka wa rahmatullah' (And upon you (be peace) and the mercy of Allah). Then he said: "From which people are you?" I said: "I am from the tribe of Ghifar." At that he (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on his forehead. I went to take hold of (the hand of) him (peace and blessings be upon him), but Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not be hasty."
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head towards me and asked: "Since when have you been here?" I said: "For thirty days and nights." He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What has your food been?" I said: "I had no food except the water of Zamzam, (and yet I grew so fat that) folds have formed on my belly, and I have not felt even the slightest weakness of hunger in my liver." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times: "Indeed it is blessed; it is food that satisfies."
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Permit me to host him tonight." He (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him permission, so he went to a house and entered it, opened a door, and brought us several handfuls of raisins from Ta'if. He said: That was the first food I ate there until I left Makkah.
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "I have been commanded to go out to a land of date palms; I think it is none other than Yathrib. So go; you are the envoy of the Messenger of Allah to your people." When I reached my brother, he said: "O my brother! What have you brought us?" (or he said something similar). I said: "I have met him, accepted Islam and given the pledge of allegiance." And I invited my brother to Islam, and he said: "I too have accepted Islam and given the pledge." Then we came to our mother and invited her to Islam, and she said: "I have no aversion to your religion; I too have accepted Islam and given the pledge."
Then we set out from there, came to our people and invited them to Islam. Half of them became Muslim, and their chief, Ima' bin Rahadah (may Allah be pleased with him), also accepted Islam and led them in prayer. The remaining half said: "Leave us until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passes by us." So when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by them, the remaining half also became Muslim. He said: And the tribe of Aslam said: "We too accept Islam on the same (terms) on which Ghifar accepted Islam." So they too became Muslim. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Aslam, may Allah keep it safe; and Ghifar, may Allah forgive it."
Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No one narrated this hadith from Abdullah bin Bakr bin Abdullah al-Muzani except Rawh bin Aslam, and no one narrated it from Rawh bin Aslam except al-Mufaddal bin Ghassan al-Ghallabi and Hajjaj bin al-Sha'ir."
He related: The tribe of Ghifar made the sacred month lawful, so I, my brother Unays and our mother set out (from there), and we stayed with a maternal uncle of ours. Word reached our uncle that my brother visited his household, and he mentioned it, so I said: "Now it is not possible for us to stay with you." So we departed from there, and he (our uncle) covered his head and began weeping out of grief for us.
We stopped near Makkah. There a man from among the poets competed with my brother Unays in poetry, wagering his herd, on the condition that whichever of the two was the greater poet would take the other's herd. We came to a soothsayer, and the soothsayer said to Unays: "You have already judged in your own favour before I could judge." So Unays took that poet's herd. Then he stopped near Makkah and said to Abu Dharr: "Keep a matter of mine in mind, and I will look after your herd."
Then when he (Unays) reached Makkah, he heard about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and also heard what people were saying about him (peace and blessings be upon him). He finished his business and returned to his brother and said: "O my brother! I saw a man in Makkah who calls to that very God whom you worship." Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "O my brother! What do people say?" He said: "People say: he is mad; and they say: he is a poet; and they say: he is a soothsayer. Yet I have tested his words against the metres and styles of poetry; by Allah, he is not a poet. And I have heard the speech of soothsayers; no, by Allah, he is not a soothsayer; and no, by Allah, he is not mad." I asked: "O my brother! Then what do you say?" He said: "I say that he is truthful and that they are liars."
(Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said:) I said: "I want to meet him." He said: "O my brother! People are bitterly enraged because of him and treat him with harshness." (And) he said: "When you arrive (in Makkah), ask about this Sabi'."
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) related: When I reached Makkah, I saw a man whom my eye judged to be weak, and I asked (him): "Where is this Sabi'?" He began calling out: "A Sabi'! A Sabi'!" People came out from every valley and pelted me with every kind of stone and clod, until they left me (drenched in blood) as though I were a red idol.
He said: Then they dispersed from me. I came to Zamzam, washed the blood off my body, and slipped in between the Ka'bah and its curtains. I stayed there for thirty days and nights, and I had no food except the water of Zamzam, until Allah placed a covering (of sleep) over the ears of the people of Makkah, and I saw no one circumambulating the House except two women. They came near me calling upon 'Isaf' and 'Na'ilah', so I said: "Marry one of them to the other with a wooden organ." (O my nephew! I did not speak in allusion; and he mentioned a word.) So the two of them turned away, saying: "The Sabi' is between the Ka'bah and its curtains! Listen, by Allah! If only someone from our people were here (then)."
He said: Just then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and the two women met them. The two (of them) asked: "What is this noise?" They said: "The Sabi' is between the Ka'bah and its curtains." The two asked: "What does he say?" They said: "He says something that fills our mouths (that is, unfit to be uttered)." Then the two of them came, touched the Black Stone, then circumambulated seven circuits, then prayed two rak'ahs.
He said: I recognised Islam, and I recognised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) giving him (peace and blessings be upon him) precedence. I came to the two of them and said: 'As-salamu alayka ya Rasulallah wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh' (Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times: 'Wa alayka wa rahmatullah' (And upon you (be peace) and the mercy of Allah). Then he said: "From which people are you?" I said: "I am from the tribe of Ghifar." At that he (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on his forehead. I went to take hold of (the hand of) him (peace and blessings be upon him), but Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not be hasty."
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head towards me and asked: "Since when have you been here?" I said: "For thirty days and nights." He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What has your food been?" I said: "I had no food except the water of Zamzam, (and yet I grew so fat that) folds have formed on my belly, and I have not felt even the slightest weakness of hunger in my liver." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times: "Indeed it is blessed; it is food that satisfies."
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Permit me to host him tonight." He (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him permission, so he went to a house and entered it, opened a door, and brought us several handfuls of raisins from Ta'if. He said: That was the first food I ate there until I left Makkah.
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "I have been commanded to go out to a land of date palms; I think it is none other than Yathrib. So go; you are the envoy of the Messenger of Allah to your people." When I reached my brother, he said: "O my brother! What have you brought us?" (or he said something similar). I said: "I have met him, accepted Islam and given the pledge of allegiance." And I invited my brother to Islam, and he said: "I too have accepted Islam and given the pledge." Then we came to our mother and invited her to Islam, and she said: "I have no aversion to your religion; I too have accepted Islam and given the pledge."
Then we set out from there, came to our people and invited them to Islam. Half of them became Muslim, and their chief, Ima' bin Rahadah (may Allah be pleased with him), also accepted Islam and led them in prayer. The remaining half said: "Leave us until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passes by us." So when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by them, the remaining half also became Muslim. He said: And the tribe of Aslam said: "We too accept Islam on the same (terms) on which Ghifar accepted Islam." So they too became Muslim. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Aslam, may Allah keep it safe; and Ghifar, may Allah forgive it."
Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No one narrated this hadith from Abdullah bin Bakr bin Abdullah al-Muzani except Rawh bin Aslam, and no one narrated it from Rawh bin Aslam except al-Mufaddal bin Ghassan al-Ghallabi and Hajjaj bin al-Sha'ir."
