Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 36055 — The sending of al-Numan bin Muqarrin

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When Nihawand was conquered, many Jewish war captives fell into the hands of the Muslims. The Exilarch (Ra's al-Jalut, the head of the Jews) came and began ransoming the Jewish captives to free them. One of the Muslims had obtained a very beautiful young slave girl. He came to me and said: "Come with me to this man; perhaps he will pay me a price for this slave girl." (2) So I went with him, and we came to an arrogant old man who had an interpreter. He said to his interpreter: "Ask this slave girl whether this Arab has had intercourse with her." He was stirred with jealousy on seeing her beauty. He said something obscure to the slave girl in his own language, which I understood. I said to him: "By asking this slave girl about her private matter, you have committed a sin according to your own Book." He said to me: "You lie. How do you know what is in my Book?" I said: "I know your Book better than you do." He said: "Do you know my Book better than I do?" I said: "Yes, I know your Book better than you do." He asked: "Who is this?" People told him: "This is Abdullah bin Salam." Then I went back that day. (3) Then he sent a messenger to me, summoning me insistently to him, and he sent a mount for me. I went to him with the intention that perhaps he would accept Islam and that good deeds would be added to my record. He kept me with him for three days. I would read the Torah to him and he would weep. I said to him: "By Allah, this is that Prophet whom you find mentioned in the Torah." He said: "Then what am I to do about the Jews?" I said: "They cannot avail you at all against Allah." In any case, wretchedness prevailed over him and he refused to accept Islam.