Abdullah bin Samit narrates: Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were with our tribe Banu Ghifar, and they used to consider the sacred months as lawful. Once, I, my brother Anis, and our mother set out. We stayed at our maternal uncle’s place. Our uncle honored us and treated us well, so his people became jealous of us. They said: When you leave your wife, Anis goes to her after you. Our uncle came and mentioned what had been said to him. So I said: The goodness you did before, you have now spoiled it yourself. After this, we have no need for it. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We came to our riding animals, loaded our belongings on them, and set out until we reached Makkah.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O my nephew, I used to perform prayer even before meeting the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The narrator says: I asked: For whom? He replied: For Allah, the Exalted. I asked: In which direction did you face? He said: I would face in the direction my Lord turned me to. I would pray in the evening, then when the last part of the night came, I would pray again until the sun would overpower me.

Anis said: I have some work in Makkah. Anis went, he came to Makkah, then he returned. I asked: What did you do? He said: In Makkah, I met a man who holds beliefs similar to your religion. He claims that Allah, the Exalted, has sent him. I asked: So what do people say? He replied: People say he is a poet, a soothsayer, and a magician.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Anis was also a poet. Anis said: I have heard the words of soothsayers, but the speech of this man is not like theirs. I compared his words to the words of learned poets, but no one can say it is poetry. By Allah, that man is truthful (in his claim), and people are lying about him.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said: You take care of my place, I will go myself and investigate. Then I came to Makkah. I stayed as a guest at the house of a man there. I asked: Where is the man about whom you people say he is irreligious? Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) says: That man, pointing towards me, said: He is also irreligious. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Then all the people there attacked me with bricks and bones until I fell down and lost consciousness. Then I got up, and when I got up, it seemed as if I was a red idol. Then I came to Zamzam, washed my blood, and drank Zamzam water. Then I spent thirty days in such a state, my only food was Zamzam water. I became so fat that folds appeared on my stomach, and I did not feel hunger in my liver.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: On a moonlit night, when the people of Makkah were asleep and no one was circumambulating the Ka’bah, two women of Makkah (while circumambulating) were calling upon the idols Isaf and Na’ila. During their circumambulation, when they came near me, I said: Marry these two (idols) to each other. But they did not stop their invocation. Then when they came near me again, I said: These are just like pieces of wood. So both of them went away saying: If only there was someone here (then we would have dealt with you). Both of them encountered the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, who were coming down from the upper area. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: What is your matter? Both of them said: An irreligious man is present between the Ka’bah and its curtains. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: What did he say to you? Both women replied: He said such a word to us that filled our mouths.

The narrator states: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came, touched the Black Stone, then he and his companion circumambulated the Ka’bah and performed prayer. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I was the first person to greet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Islamic manner. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And upon you be peace, and may Allah’s mercy descend upon you. Then he asked: Which tribe do you belong to? I said: The Ghifar tribe. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) extended his blessed hand and placed his fingers on his forehead. I thought in my heart, perhaps he did not like that I am from the Ghifar tribe.

The narrator says: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his blessed head and asked: How long have you been here? Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: I have been here for thirty days and nights. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: Who gives you food? I said: My only food is Zamzam water. Because of it, I have become fat, so much so that folds have appeared on my stomach. The narrator says: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is blessed and is food that provides nourishment.

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Allow me to feed him tonight. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) set out, and I also went with them. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) opened the door, took a handful of raisins from Ta’if, and gave them to us. This was the first food I ate there (i.e., in Makkah).

Then some time passed, and I presented myself to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said: I have been commanded to migrate to the land of dates. I think it will be Yathrib. So will you convey my message to your people? Perhaps Allah, the Exalted, will guide them through you and grant you reward regarding them.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I set out from there and met Anis. He asked: What did you do? I said: I have accepted Islam and affirmed it. He said: I have no aversion to your religion either. I also accept Islam and affirm it. The narrator says: Then we went to our mother (and invited her to Islam). She said: I have no aversion to your religion either. I also accept Islam and affirm it. Then we rode and went to our tribe Banu Ghifar, and half of them accepted Islam.

Sayyiduna Ima’ bin Rahda (may Allah be pleased with him) used to lead them in prayer; he was the chief of the tribe. While the other half said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) comes to Madinah, we will accept Islam. So when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, the remaining half also accepted Islam. Then the people of the Aslam tribe came (to the Prophet in Madinah) and said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! (The people of Banu Ghifar) are our brothers. Just as they have accepted Islam, so do we accept Islam. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said (on that occasion): May Allah forgive the Ghifar tribe, and may Allah keep the Aslam tribe safe.