Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 6752

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him one day: "Tell me something that will please me." He said: Sayyiduna Khuraym bin Fatik al-Asadi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated to me; he says: I went out with my camels and reached a place called "Abraq al-Azzaf". There I hobbled my camels and lay down, using the foreleg of one camel as a pillow. This was in the early period after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had announced his prophethood. Then, according to the custom of the Jahiliyyah, I said: "I seek refuge with the lord of this valley (the chief of the jinn)." Suddenly an unseen caller called out to me and recited these verses: "Woe to you! Seek refuge with Allah, the Possessor of majesty and glory, who sent down the unlawful and the lawful; affirm the Oneness of Allah and do not care in the least about these terrors. What fear of these terrors has the resolute man who remembers Allah, whether he is miles away or in the plains of the earth and the mountains? And now the schemes of the jinn have sunk into lowliness, except for piety and righteous deeds." Khuraym says: I asked: "O caller! What is it that you are calling to? Is it, in your view, pure guidance or misguidance?" He replied: "This is the Messenger of Allah, who has brought goodness and blessings. He has brought Ya-Sin, the Ha-Mim surahs and the Mufassal surahs, in which are clear rulings of the lawful and the unlawful. He commands prayer and fasting and restrains people from the evils that were detested in the days of the Jahiliyyah." Khuraym says: I asked: "May Allah have mercy on you, who are you?" He said: "I am Malik bin Malik; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has sent me to the region of Najd (to convey the message)." Khuraym says: I said: "If I had a companion who would look after these camels of mine, I would certainly go to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and believe." He said: "I will look after them until, if Allah wills, I deliver them safe and sound to your family." So I tied up one camel and went to Madinah. I arrived on a Friday while the people were engaged in the prayer. I thought: "When the people have completed the prayer, then I will go in." I was still delaying while making my mount kneel when Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) came out and said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is telling you to come in." So I went in. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw me, he said: "What did that old man (the jinn) do, who took the responsibility of delivering your camels safe and sound to your family? Know that he has delivered them safely to your family." I said: 'Rahimahullah' (May Allah have mercy on him). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes, 'Rahimahullah' (May Allah have mercy on him)." Then Khuraym (may Allah be pleased with him) bore witness that there is no god but Allah, and his Islam proved to be excellent.