A Stranger Finds the Prophet

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:

When the Prophet's mission reached Abu Dharr, may God bless him and grant him peace.

He said to his brother, "Ride to this valley."

Find out for me about this man.

who claims to be a prophet,

News will come to him from the sky.

And listen to what he says.

Then come to me.

Then the brother set out until he reached him and heard his words.

Then he returned to Abu Dharr.

So he said to him, "I saw him enjoining noble character."

And speech that is not poetry.

So he said, "You did not satisfy me with what I wanted."

So he took provisions and carried a bundle for himself that contained water.

Until he arrived in Mecca.

So he went to the mosque.

So he sought the Prophet, but he did not recognize him.

He was reluctant to ask about him until part of the night had passed.

Then Ali saw him and realized that he was a stranger.

When he saw him, he followed him.

Then neither of them asked his companion about anything until morning.

Then he carried his waterskin and his provisions to the mosque,

And that continued throughout the day, and the Prophet did not see him until evening.

Then he returned to his bed.

Then Ali passed by him and said.

Could the man not have known his station and remained there?

So he went with him, and neither of the two asked his companion about anything.

Until the third day came,

Ali did the same.

So he stayed with him, then he said.

Won't you tell me what brought you here?

He said, "If you give me a pledge and a covenant, you will surely guide me."

I acted, then he acted, then he informed him.

He said, "For he is true and he is the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace."

So when you wake in the morning, follow me.

Whenever I saw anything that made me fear for you, I would stand up as if I were pouring water,

If I leave, then follow me until you enter my entrance. So he did.

So he set out, and they followed him until he entered upon the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and he entered with him.

Then he heard from his words.

He yielded his place, and the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "Return to your people."

So tell them to wait until my matter reaches you.

He said, "By the One in whose hand my soul is, I will certainly call out with it between their shoulder-blades."

Then he went out until he reached the mosque.

Then he cried out in his loudest voice, "I bear witness that there is no god but God."

and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Then the people stood up and beat him until they knocked him down.

Al‑Abbas came and bent over him.

He said, "Woe to you! Do you not know that he is from Ghifar and that your merchants travel to Syria, so he rescued him from them?"

Then he returned the next day to do the same.

So they struck him and rushed at him.