Abu Jamrah narrates from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said to us: "Shall I not tell you the story of Abu Dharr's acceptance of Islam?" We said: Yes, certainly, tell us. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) related his story thus: "I was a man of the tribe of Ghifar. News reached us that a man had appeared in Makkah who claimed to be a prophet. I said to my brother: Go to this man, speak with him and bring me news of him. So he went, met him and then came back. I asked: What news do you have? He said: By Allah! I have seen a man who commands good and forbids evil. I said to him: You have not given me news that satisfies me. Then I took a provision bag and a staff and set off for Makkah. (On arriving there) I did not recognise him (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him), and I did not think it proper to ask anyone about him; I would drink the water of Zamzam and stay in the (Sacred) Mosque. One day Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by me and said: It seems this man is a stranger? I said: Yes. He said: Then come (with me) to (my) house. So I went with him; he did not ask me anything and I did not tell him anything. Then in the morning I went to the (Sacred) Mosque to enquire about him (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him), but no one would tell me anything about him. Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by me (again) and said: Has the time not yet come for this man to know his lodging? I said: No. He said: Come with me. Then he asked: For what purpose have you come to this city? I said: If you guarantee to keep my secret, I will tell you. He said: I will do so. I said to him: News has reached us that a man has appeared here who claims to be a prophet. I sent my brother to speak with him, but when he returned he did not give me satisfying news, so I intended to meet him myself. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You have certainly found the right path; I am heading that way. Follow behind me, and wherever I enter, you enter too. And if on the way I see anyone from whom I fear danger for you, I will stand by the wall as if I am fixing my sandal, and you keep walking (without stopping). Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Then he set off and I set off with him, until he entered and I too entered with him into the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I said: O Messenger of Allah! Present Islam to me. He (peace and blessings be upon him) presented Islam to me, and I accepted Islam on the spot. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: O Abu Dharr! Keep this matter hidden and go back to your land, then when news of our prevailing reaches you, come. I said: By the One who sent you with the truth! I will proclaim it loudly, standing among them (the idolaters). So he came to the (Sacred) Mosque, and Quraysh were there at the time. He called out: O people of Quraysh! I bear witness that there is no true god except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger. On hearing this they said: Seize this renegade (Sabi'). They rose and beat me so much that I was near to death. Then Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and threw himself over me (to protect me), then he turned to them (the idolaters) and said: Woe to you! You are killing a man of the tribe of Ghifar, when your trade and your route pass through Ghifar! At this they let me go. Then the next morning I came back again and said the same words I had said the day before. They again said: Seize this renegade. Then Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) again arrived, rescued me and threw himself over me, and said the same thing he had said the previous day." (Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:) So this was the beginning of Sayyiduna Abu Dharr's (may Allah be pleased with him) Islam. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim). As for the detailed hadith about Sayyiduna Abu Dharr's (may Allah be pleased with him) acceptance of Islam, it is the hadith of the people of Syria.