We set out from our tribe Ghafir who look upon the prohibited months as permissible months. I and my brother Unais and our mother stayed with our maternal uncle who treated us well. The men of his tribe fell jealous and they said: When you are anay from your house, Unais commits adultery with your wife. Our -naternal uncle came and he accused us of the sin which was conveyed to him. I said: You have undone the good you did to us. We cannot stay with you after this. We came to our camels and loaded (our) luggage. Our maternal uncle began to weep covering himself with (a piece of) cloth. We proceeded on until we encamped by the side of Mecca. Unais cast lot on the camels (we had) and an equal number (above that). They both went to a Kahin and he made Unais win and Unais came with our camels and an equal number along with them. He (Abu Dharr) said: My nephew, I used to observe prayer three years before my meeting with Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: For whom did you say prayer? He said: For Allah. I said: To which direction did you turn your face (for observing prayer)? He said: I used to turn my face as Allah has directed me to turn my face. I used to observe the night prayer at the time of the end of night and I fell down in prostration like the mantle until the sun rose over me. Unais said: I have a work in Mecca, so you better stay here. Unais went until he came to Mecca and he came to me late. I said: What did you do? He said: I met a person in Mecca who is on your religion and he claims that verily it is Allah Who has sent him. I said: What do the people say about him? He said: They say that he is a poet or a Kahin or a magician. Unais who was himself one of the poets said. I have heard the words of a Kahin but his words in no way resemble his (words). And 1 also compared his words to the verses of poets but such words cannot be uttered by any poet. By Allah, he is truthful and they are liars. Then I said: you stay here, until I go, so that I should see him. He said: I came to Mecca and I selected an insignificant person from amongst them and said to him: Where is he whom you call as-Sabi? He pointed out towards me saying: He is Sabi. Thereupon the people of the valley attacked me with sods and bows until I fell down unconscious. I stood up after havin. regained my consciousness and I found as if I was a red idol. I came to Zamzarn and washed blood from me and drank water from it and listen, O son of my brother, I stayed there for thirty nights or days and there was no food for me but the water of Zamzarn. And I became so bulky that there appeared wrinkles upon my stomach, and I did not feel any hunger in my stomach. It was during this time that the people of Mecca slept in the moonlit night and none was there to eircumambulate the House but only two women who had been invoking the name of Isafa, and Na'ila (the two idols). They came to me while in their circuit and I said: Marry one with the other, but they did not dissuade from their invoking. They came to me and I said to them: Insert wood (in the idols' private parts). (I said this to them in such plain words) as I could not express in metaphorical terms. These women went away crying and saying: Had there been one amongst our people (he would have taught a lesson to you for the obscene words used for our idols before us). These women met Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr who had also been coming down the hill. He asked them: What has happened to you? They said: There is Sabi, who has hidden himself between the Ka'ba and its curtain. He said: What did he say to you? They said: He uttered such words before us as we cannot express. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and he kissed the Black Stone and circumambulated the House along with his Companion and then observed prayer, and when he had finished his prayer, Abu Dharr said: I was the first to greet him with the salutation of peace and uttered (these words) in this way; Allah's Messen- ger, may there be peace upon you, whereupon he said: It may be upon you too and the mercy of Allah. He then said: Who are you? I said: From the tribe of Ghifar. He leaned his hand and placed his finger on his forehead and I said to myself: Perhaps he has not liked it that I belong to the tribe of Ghifar. I attempted to catch hold of his hand but his friend who knew about him more than I dissuaded me f rom doing so. He then lifted his head and said: Since how long have you been here? I said: I have been here for the last thirty nights or days. He said: Who has been feeding you? I said: There has been no food for me but the water of Zamzam. I have grown so bulky that there appear wrinkles upon my stomach and I do not feel any hunger. He said: It is blessed (water) and it also serves as food. Thereupon Abu Bakr said: Messenger of Allah, let me serve as a host to him for tonight, and then Messenger of Allah ﷺ proceeded forth and so did Abu Bakr and I went along with them. Abu Bakr opened the door and then he brought for us the raisins of Ta'if and that was the first food which I ate there. Then I stayed as long as I had to stay. I then came to Allah's Messenaer ﷺ and he said: I have been shown the land abound- ing in trees and I think it cannot be but that of Yathrib (that is the old name of Medina). You are a preacher to your people on my behalf. I hope Allah would benefit them through you and He would reward you. I came to Unais and he said: What have you done? I said: I have done that I have embraced Islam and I have testified (to the prophethood of Messenger of Allah). He said: I have no aversion for your religion and I also embrace Islam and testify (to the prophethood of Muhammad). Then both of us came to our mother and she said: I have no aversion for your religion and I also embrace Islam and testify to the prophethood of Muhammad. We then loaded our camels and came to our tribe Ghifir and half of the tribe embraced Islam and their chief was Aimi' b. Rahada Ghifirl and he was their leader and hall of the tribe said: We will embrace Islam when Messenger of Allah (may p,. ace be upon him) would come to Medina, and when Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Medina the remaining half also embraced Islam. Then a tribe Aslam came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah, we also embrace Islam like our brothers who have embraced Islam. And they also embraced Islam. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Allah granted pardon to the tribe of Ghifar and Allah saved (from destruction) the tribe of Aslam. (Using translation from Muslim 2473a)
أَبُو ذَرٍّ خَرَجْنَا مِنْ قَوْمِنَا غِفَارٍ وَكَانُوا يُحِلُّونَ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ أَنَا وَأَخِي أُنَيْسٌ وَأُمُّنَا فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى نَزَلْنَا عَلَى خَالٍ لَنَا ذِي مَالٍ وَذِي هَيْئَةٍ فَأَكْرَمَنَا خَالُنَا وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْنَا فَحَسَدَنَا قَوْمُهُ فَقَالُوا لَهُ إِنَّكَ إِذَا خَرَجْتَ عَنْ أَهْلِكَ خَلَفَكَ إِلَيْهِمْ أُنَيْسٌ فَجَاءَ خَالُنَا فَنَثَا عَلَيْهِ مَا قِيلَ لَهُ فَقُلْتُ أَمَّا مَا مَضَى مِنْ مَعْرُوفِكَ فَقَدْ كَدَّرْتَهُ وَلَا جِمَاعَ لَنَا فِيمَا بَعْدُ قَالَ فَقَرَّبْنَا صِرْمَتَنَا فَاحْتَمَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا وَتَغَطَّى خَالُنَا ثَوْبَهُ وَجَعَلَ يَبْكِي قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى نَزَلْنَا بِحَضْرَةِ مَكَّةَ قَالَ فَنَافَرَ أُنَيْسٌ رَجُلًا عَنْ صِرْمَتِنَا وَعَنْ مِثْلِهَا فَأَتَيَا الْكَاهِنَ فَخَيَّرَ أُنَيْسًا فَأَتَانَا بِصِرْمَتِنَا وَمِثْلِهَا وَقَدْ صَلَّيْتُ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي قَبْلَ أَنْ أَلْقَى رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ ثَلَاثَ سِنِينَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لِمَنْ؟ قَالَ لِلَّهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَأَيْنَ تَوَجَّهُ؟قَالَ حَيْثُ وَجَّهَنِي اللهُ قَالَ وَأُصَلِّي عِشَاءً حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ أُلْقِيتُ كَأَنِّي خِفَاءٌ قَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ كَأَنِّي خِفَاءٌ قَالَ يَعْنِي خِبَاءً تَعْلُوَنِي الشَّمْسُ قَالَ فَقَالَ أُنَيْسٌ إِنَّ لِي حَاجَةً بِمَكَّةَ فَاكْفِنِي حَتَّى آتِيَكَ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَ فَرَاثَ عَلَيَّ ثُمَّ أَتَانِي فَقُلْتُ مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ قَالَ لَقِيتُ رَجُلًا يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللهَ أَرْسَلَهُ عَلَى دِينِكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ مَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ لَهُ؟ قَالَ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ شَاعِرٌ وَسَاحِرٌ وَكَاهِنٌ وَكَانَ أُنَيْسٌ شَاعِرًا قَالَ فَقَالَ قَدْ سَمِعْتُ قَوْلَ الْكُهَّانِ فَمَا يَقُولُ بِقَوْلِهِمْ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتُ قَوْلَهُ عَلَى أَقْرَاءِ الشِّعْرِ فَوَاللهِ مَا يَلْتَامُ لِسَانُ أَحَدٍ أَنَّهُ شِعْرٌ وَاللهِ إِنَّهُ لَصَادِقٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ هَلْ أَنْتَ كَافِيَّ حَتَّى أَنْطَلِقَ فَأَنْظُرَ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ عَلَى حَذَرٍ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ شَنِفُوا لَهُ وَتَجَهَّمُوا لَهُ وَقَالَ عَفَّانُ شَئِفُوا لَهُ وَقَالَ بَهْزٌ سَبَقُوا لَهُ وَقَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ شَفَوْا لَهُ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ حَتَّى قَدِمْتُ مَكَّةَ فَتَضَعَّفْتُ رَجُلًا مِنْهُمْ فَقُلْتُ أَيْنَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي تَدْعُونَهُ الصَّابِئَ؟ قَالَ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيَّ قَالَ الصَّابِئُ قَالَ فَمَالَ أَهْلُ الْوَادِي عَلَيَّ بِكُلِّ مَدَرَةٍ وَعَظْمٍ حَتَّى خَرَرْتُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيَّ فَارْتَفَعْتُ حِينَ ارْتَفَعْتُ كَأَنِّي نُصُبٌ أَحْمَرُفَأَتَيْتُ زَمْزَمَ فَشَرِبْتُ مِنْ مَائِهَا وَغَسَلْتُ عَنِّي الدَّمَ فَدَخَلْتُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا فَلَبِثْتُ بِهِ ابْنَ أَخِي ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ وَمَا لِي طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ فَسَمِنْتُ حَتَّى تَكَسَّرَتْ عُكَنُ بَطْنِي وَمَا وَجَدْتُ عَلَى كَبِدِي سَخْفَةَ جُوعٍ قَالَ فَبَيْنَا أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ قَمْرَاءَ إِضْحِيَانٍ وَقَالَ عَفَّانُ إِصْحِيَانٍ وَقَالَ بَهْزٌ إِضْحِيَانٍ وَكَذَلِكَ قَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ فَضَرَبَ اللهُ عَلَى أَصْمِخَةِ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَمَا يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ غَيْرُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ فَأَتَتَا عَلَيَّ وَهُمَا تَدْعُوَانِ إِسَافَ وَنَائِلَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ أَنْكِحُوا أَحَدَهُمَا الْآخَرَ فَمَا ثَنَاهُمَا ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَأَتَتَا عَلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ وَهَنٌ مِثْلُ الْخَشَبَةِ غَيْرَ أَنِّي لَمْ أُكَنِّ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَتَا تُوَلْوِلَانِ وَتَقُولَانِ لَوْ كَانَ هَاهُنَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَنْفَارِنَا قَالَ فَاسْتَقْبَلَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَهُمَا هَابِطَانِ مِنَ الْجَبَلِ فَقَالَ مَا لَكُمَا فَقَالَتَا الصَّابِئُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا قَالَا مَا قَالَ لَكُمَا؟ قَالَتَا قَالَ لَنَا كَلِمَةً تَمْلَأُ الْفَمَ قَالَ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ هُوَ وَصَاحِبُهُ حَتَّى اسْتَلَمَ الْحَجَرَ فَطَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ ثُمَّ صَلَّى قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَكُنْتُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ حَيَّاهُ بِتَحِيَّةِ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ مِمَّنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ مِنْ غِفَارٍ قَالَ فَأَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي كَرِهَ أَنِّي انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى غِفَارٍ قَالَ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ آخُذَ بِيَدِهِ فَقَذَفَنِي صَاحِبُهُ وَكَانَ أَعْلَمَ بِهِ مِنِّي قَالَ مَتَى كُنْتَ هَاهُنَا قَالَ كُنْتُ هَاهُنَا مُنْذُ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ بَيْنِ لَيْلَةٍ وَيَوْمٍ قَالَ فَمَنْ كَانَ يُطْعِمُكَ؟ قُلْتُ مَا كَانَ لِي طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ قَالَ فَسَمِنْتُ حَتَّى تَكَسَّرَتْ عُكَنُ بَطْنِي وَمَا وَجَدْتُ عَلَى كَبِدِي سُخْفَةَ جُوعٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ وَإِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ائْذَنْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فِي طَعَامِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ قَالَ فَفَعَلَ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَانْطَلَقَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَهُمَا حَتَّى فَتَحَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَابًا فَجَعَلَ يَقْبِضُ لَنَا مِنْ زَبِيبِ الطَّائِفِ قَالَ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ طَعَامٍ أَكَلْتُهُ بِهَا فَلَبِثْتُ مَا لَبِثْتُ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنِّي قَدْ وُجِّهَتْ إِلَيَّ أَرْضٌ ذَاتُ نَخْلٍ وَلَا أَحْسَبُهَا إِلَّا يَثْرِبَ فَهَلْ أَنْتَ مُبَلِّغٌ عَنِّي قَوْمَكَ لَعَلَّ اللهَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَهُمْ بِكَ وَيَأْجُرَكَ فِيهِمْ؟ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ أَخِي أُنَيْسًا قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي مَا صَنَعْتَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي صَنَعْتُ أَنِّي أَسْلَمْتُ وَصَدَّقْتُ قَالَ قَالَ فَمَا بِي رَغْبَةٌ عَنْ دِينِكَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَصَدَّقْتُ ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَا أُمَّنَا فَقَالَتْ فَمَا بِي رَغْبَةٌ عَنْ دِينِكُمَا فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَصَدَّقْتُ فَتَحَمَّلْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا قَوْمَنَا غِفَارًا فَأَسْلَمَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْدَمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ وَقَالَ يَعْنِي يَزِيدَ بِبَغْدَادَ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِذَا قَدِمَ وَقَالَ بَهْزٌ إِخْوَانُنَا نُسْلِمُ وَكَذَا قَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ وَكَانَ يَؤُمُّهُمْ خُفَافُبْنُ إِيمَاءِ بْنِ رَحَضَةَ الْغِفَارِيُّ وَكَانَ سَيِّدَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَالَ بَقِيَّتُهُمْ إِذَا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَسْلَمْنَا فَقَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَسْلَمَ بَقِيَّتُهُمْ قَالَ وَجَاءَتْ أَسْلَمُ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِخْوَانُنَا نُسْلِمُ عَلَى الَّذِي أَسْلَمُوا عَلَيْهِ فَأَسْلَمُوا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ غِفَارٌ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهَا وَأَسْلَمُ سَالَمَهَا اللهُ وَقَالَ بَهْزٌ وَكَانَ يَؤُمُّهُمْ إِيمَاءُ بْنُ رَحَضَةَ وَقَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ إِيمَاءٌ