Chapter: The Entry of Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, upon his arrival in Al-Madinah

When the Prophet of Allah arrived in Al-Madinah, the Prophet who was unlettered, the inhabitants found written about him in the Torah and the Gospel. They acknowledged that and embraced Islam, just like everyone else among the Jews who acknowledged the truth upon seeing the Prophet and recognized him, except those who were deprived of guidance. Abu Al-Husayn ibn Bishran Al-Adl reported to us from Baghdad saying: Abu Al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Masri informed us; he said: Ahmad ibn Dawud Al-Makki narrated to us, he said: Abu Ma'mar Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Abu Al-Hajjaj informed us, he said: Abdul Warith narrated to us, he said: We were told by Abdul Aziz ibn Suhayb, from Anas ibn Malik who said: "The Prophet of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon him, reached Al-Madinah and was being led by Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr was an elderly man known to everyone, while the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was a young man unknown to them - he wished that his beard would become grey before him, but it did not. Anas said: A man then approached Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: 'O Abu Bakr, who is this man in front of you?' Abu Bakr replied: 'This man guides me on the right path.' The inquirer thought that Abu Bakr meant that the man showed him the physical way when in fact, he was referring to the path of righteousness. Abu Bakr turned around and saw Faris had caught up with them and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, this is Faris who has caught up with us.' The Prophet of Allah turned around and said: 'O Allah, stop him.' Thus, the horse tripped and threw him off."

Story of Suraqah: Embracing Islam

Upon embracing Islam, Suraqah started acting kindly and respectfully towards the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He mentioned, "O Prophet of Allah, command me with whatever you wish." The Prophet then instructed him, "Stand in your place without letting anyone follow us." Suraqah spent the first part of the day actively participating in jihad alongside the Prophet, and the latter part of the day he remained armed for his protection.

One day, the Prophet Muhammad descended near the Haraqah and sent for the Ansar, who came and extended their greetings. They then offered their mounts to the Prophet and Abu Bakr saying, "Mount, obeyed and safe." The Prophet, along with Abu Bakr, then mounted their mounts while being surrounded by weapons.

Upon reaching Medina, people exclaimed, "Here comes the Messenger of Allah!" They eagerly watched as the Prophet approached the home of Abu Ayyub. Suraqah, after meeting the Prophet, hurried back to inform his family about what he had witnessed. He then returned with his family to seek permission and took the Prophet and his companion to their residence.

Upon hearing the Prophet, Abdullah ibn Salam gave his testimony, affirming the Prophet's true message. He urged the Prophet to invite the Jews to Islam and clarify his status as their leader, emphasizing that the Jews were unaware of his conversion to Islam.

The Prophet's Encounter with the Jews and Abdullah ibn Salam

When the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, came to them, they entered upon him. The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said to them: "O community of Jews, beware, fear Allah. I swear by Allah, besides whom there is no God, you know that I am truly the Messenger of Allah, and that I have come to you with the truth, so submit."

They replied, "We do not know." He repeated this to them three times, then said: "Is there among you a man named Abdullah ibn Salam?" They said, "He is our leader, the son of our leader, the most knowledgeable among us, the son of the most knowledgeable among us." The Prophet asked, "What if he were to embrace Islam?" They responded, "May Allah forbid that he does so."

The Prophet then called Abdullah ibn Salam and when he came, the Prophet said to the Jews again, "Beware, fear Allah. I swear by Allah, besides whom there is no God, you know that he is truly the Messenger of Allah and that he has come with the truth." They accused him of lying, so the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, expelled them.

Hadith Narration

Abdus Samad ibn Abdul Warith narrated this Hadith from his father. Bukhari also included this Hadith in his collection of authentic Hadith. The narrator of this Hadith, Abu Amr al-Adib, mentioned that he was informed by Abu Bakr al-Isma'ili who was told by Abu Sa'id Ismail ibn Sakhtawaih ibn Idris al-Jurjani, a trustworthy and truthful narrator, who was informed by Al-Hasan ibn Isa al-Bistami, who was told by Abdus Samad ibn Abdul Warith, who was informed by his father, who was informed by Abdul Aziz ibn Suhayb, who narrated from Anas ibn Malik, who described the incident at length.

Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz reported this Hadith from Abu al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub, who was told by Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Saghani, who narrated from Abdullah ibn Bakr, who was informed by Humaid al-Tawil, who heard it from Anas ibn Malik.

Abdullah ibn Salam, upon the arrival of the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, while being in an enclosed space, approached the Prophet and asked him about three things known only to prophets: The first signs of the Hour, the first food the people of Paradise will eat, and the first meal the people of Hellfire will consume.

Inquiries about Paradise and the Signs of the Hour

In a hadith, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was asked about Paradise and what causes a child to incline towards their father or mother. He mentioned that Angel Gabriel informed him about these matters beforehand.

Angel Gabriel's Message

Angel Gabriel was described as an enemy of the Jews among the angels. He recited a verse stating that whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, Allah will ensure his heart is guided. The first signs of the Hour were also mentioned: a fire that will emerge from the east to the west. Additionally, the initial food that the people of Paradise will eat is the liver lobe of a whale. It was highlighted that when a man's water mixes with a woman's during intercourse, the child will resemble the father. On the other hand, if the woman's water precedes the man's, the child will resemble the mother.

An Encounter with the Jews

Prophet Muhammad forewarned that the Jews are a deceitful people who may attempt to lead others away from Islam. When the Jews questioned his companions about Abdullah bin Salam's potential conversion, they expressed a positive opinion. However, when Abdullah bin Salam declared his faith, they insulted and mocked him. This incident was feared by Prophet Muhammad.

Source: The Sahih Collection of Hadith

Hadith of Abdullah ibn Salam's Conversion

Reported by Imam al-Bukhari in his Sahih, Abdullah ibn Munir narrated from Abdullah ibn Bakr. Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Abdan al-Ahwazi informed us, saying: Ahmad ibn Ubayd al-Saffar told us, who reported from Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Abi Shayba al-Kufi, he said: Al-Dahhak ibn Al-Harith informed us, saying: Abdullah ibn Al-Ajlah narrated to us from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, who said: Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr told me, from Yahya ibn Abdullah, from a man of the family of Abdullah ibn Salam, he said: "Regarding the hadith of Abdullah ibn Salam when he converted, he was a knowledgeable Jewish scholar. He said: 'When I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying and recognized his characteristics, his name, and his appearance, which we were familiarizing ourselves with, I kept this to myself silently. Until the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) arrived in Medina and when he camped in Quba among the Bani Amr ibn Awf tribe, a man came running to give me the news of his arrival while I was at the top of a date-palm working, and my aunt Khalida bint Al-Harith was sitting below. When I heard the news of the Messenger of Allah's arrival, I shouted in joy. My aunt told me upon hearing my excitement: 'If you had heard about Moses son of Amran, you wouldn't have increased anything!' I said to her: 'O Aunt! By Allah, he is the brother of Moses son of Amran and he was sent with the same message Moses was sent with.' She said: 'O my nephew! Is he the Prophet that we were informed about, who will be sent with the coming of the Hour?' I said to her: 'Yes.' She responded: 'So, that is him.' Then I went out to the Messenger of Allah, embraced Islam, and then returned to my family."

The Conversion of Abdullah ibn Salam to Islam

Upon the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in Medina, Abdullah ibn Salam, a Jewish scholar, embraced Islam. Before this, he had secretly accepted Islam and concealed his faith from the Jewish community. He sought to test the Prophet's character and knowledge before revealing his own conversion.

Testing the Prophet

Abdullah ibn Salam requested some Jews to introduce him to the Prophet in their homes, hoping to observe the Prophet's behavior with them without revealing his secret. When the Prophet entered, Abdullah ibn Salam posed questions about his identity to gauge the community's response.

Declaration of Islam

After a dialogue with the Jewish community, Abdullah ibn Salam rebuked their refusal to accept the Prophet Muhammad. He openly proclaimed his faith in the Prophet as the Messenger of Allah, confirming his belief, acceptance, and knowledge of his prophethood.

Conversion of Others

Abdullah ibn Salam's conversion to Islam influenced his family members, including his wife and daughter. Their acceptance of Islam was a testament to the sincerity and truth of his newfound faith.

Reference: The biography of the Prophet Muhammad, Ibn Hisham (2:138-139), Al-Rawd Al-Anf (2:25-26)

Hadith Narration: Night Prayer and Early Islam

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Pray at night while the people are asleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace." This hadith is narrated through various chains of transmission, emphasizing the importance of night prayer in attaining the mercy of Allah and the reward of entering Paradise.

Early Muslims and the Destruction of Idols

During the early days of Islam in Medina, there were individuals worshipping idols. Abu Yasir, the brother of Huwayy ibn Akhtab and the husband of Safiyyah (a wife of the Prophet), took it upon himself to confront these idol worshippers. He later embraced Islam and spread the message of the Prophet Muhammad in the community.

Conclusion

These narrations highlight the significance of prayer, steadfastness in faith, and the efforts of early Muslims to establish monotheism and eliminate idol worship. They shed light on the importance of adhering to the teachings of Islam and striving for the acceptance and pleasure of Allah.

Following the Prophet's Guidance

When his brother Huyay heard this, even though he was the leader of the Jews that day and they were both from the Banu Nadir tribe, he went to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He sat with him, listened to him, then returned to his people and was obeyed by them.

Brotherly Conflict

Huyay said to him: "I came from a man whom I will forever be an enemy to." His brother Abu Yaser replied: "O son of my mother, obey me in this matter, then protect me as you wish afterwards and do not kill me." Huyay refused, declaring he would not obey him, and the devil overcame him, leading his people to follow his misguided ways.

A Touching Reunion

Safiyyah bint Huyay recounted a heartfelt moment, saying that she was always the most beloved child to her father and uncle. When the Prophet arrived in Quba', her father and uncle came to greet him. They were late, arriving only at sunset, looking tired and weary. Safiyyah recognized them from a distance and mentioned how they never paid attention to her in the past, except on this occasion.

Conversion of Jews to Islam

It was narrated by Ibn Thabit, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, and Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, who said: When Abdullah ibn Salam, Tha'labah ibn Sa'ya, Usayd ibn Sa'ya, Asad ibn Ubayd, and those Jews who converted to Islam along with them, believed, affirmed, and desired Islam, excelled in it, the Jewish scholars said: "Only our worst have embraced faith in Muhammad and followed him. Had they been among the best of us, they would not have abandoned the religion of their forefathers and turned to another." So Allah revealed in response to their words: "They are not all the same. Among the People of the Book is a community upright, reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night, while they prostrate" [3:113] until His saying: "And those are among the righteous." [3:114].

Challenge from Jewish Leaders

Rifa'ah ibn Zayd ibn Tabbuut was one of the renowned Jewish scholars. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, addressed him, he twisted his tongue and said: "Increase your articulation, O Muhammad, so that we may understand you." Then he criticized and found fault in Islam. So Allah revealed regarding him: "Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture purchasing error and [intending that] you stray from the right path" [4:44] until His saying: "But they believe not, except for a few." [4:32].

Dialogue with Jewish Leaders

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, spoke to the chiefs among the Jewish scholars, including Abdullah ibn Suriya al-A'war and Ka'b ibn Asad, saying: "O people of the Jews, fear Allah and embrace Islam, for by Allah, you know that what I have brought to you is the truth." They replied: "O Muhammad, we do not recognize that," and they denied what they knew and persisted in disbelief. So Allah revealed concerning them: "O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Muhammad], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their hind parts" [4:33].

Translation from Classical Arabic

Sukayn and Adiyy ibn Yazid said: O Muhammad! We do not know that Allah revealed to any human anything after Musa, but Allah revealed in this regard in their words: "Indeed, we inspired to you as We inspired to Nuh and the prophets after him" [Quran 4:163]. I entered upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with a group of them, and he said to them: "By Allah! You know that I am the Messenger of Allah." They said: "We do not know that." So Allah revealed: "But Allah bears witness to what He has revealed to you. He has revealed it with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness" [Quran 4:166].

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then met Nu'man ibn Adi, Bahri ibn Amr, and Sha's ibn Adi, and they spoke to him and he spoke to them, inviting them to Allah and warning them of His punishment. They said: "O Muhammad, you do not scare us. We are indeed the children of Allah and His beloved ones, as the Christians say." So Allah revealed concerning them, and the Jews and Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His beloved ones" [Quran 5:18]. Ma'ath ibn Jabal, Sa'd ibn Ubadah, and 'Uqbah ibn Wahb said to them: "O Jews, fear Allah, for by Allah, you know that he is the Messenger of Allah, and you used to mention him to us before his mission, describing him to us." Rafi' ibn Huraymilah and Wahb ibn Yahud said: "We did not say this to you, nor did Allah reveal any scripture after Musa, nor did He send any bearer of glad tidings or warner after him." So Allah revealed: "O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much" [Quran 5:15]. Then he recounted to them the story of Musa, what he encountered from them, and their disobedience to him in the matter of Allah.

References: Quran 4:163; 4:166; 5:18; 5:15.

Arabian Tribes Plot Against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

For forty years, they roamed the earth as a punishment. Ka'b ibn Usayd, Ibn Saluba, Abdullah ibn Sowra, and Sha's ibn Qays conspired against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They urged one another, "Let us go to Muhammad and try to tempt him away from his religion, for he is only a human. We are the Jewish priests, nobles, and chiefs. If we follow you, the Jews will follow you without hesitation. We have disputes with some of our people, and we wish for you to judge in our favor. We will believe in you and confirm your truthfulness." However, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) refused their proposal. Consequently, Allah revealed to him to judge among them according to His revelation, not to follow their desires, and to be wary of their attempts to lead him astray (Quran, 4:41).

Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz reported that the Arab tribes would provoke the Jews as they passed by them, seeking their help against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They would find Muhammad in the Torah and beseech Allah to send him as a prophet so they could fight alongside him against the Arabs. Yet, when Muhammad came, they disbelieved in him, even though he was not from the Children of Israel (Quran, 2:44). They knew of his mention in the Torah and supplicated Allah to send him, but denied him upon his arrival (Quran, 2:45, 2:46).

Transmission of the Hadith

Reported to us by Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz who said: Narrated to us Abu Al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub who said: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Mansur Al-Kufi who said: Narrated to us Ahmad ibn Abi Rahman who said: Narrated to us Al-Hasan from Al-Hakam who said: Narrated to me As-Suddi from Abu Malik from Ibn Abbas who said:

Description of the Prophet in the Torah

"Allah, Mighty and Majestic, described Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, in the Torah among the Books of the Children of Israel. When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, came, the Jewish scholars envied him, so they changed his description in their books. They said: 'We can't find his description with us,' and they said to the common people: 'This is not the description of the Prophet who is expected to come out in such and such manner,' as they had written. They changed his description as it was mentioned, and they imposed it on the people.

Reason Behind the Alteration

They did this because the scholars had a provision that the common people used to provide them with sustenance that enabled them to uphold the Torah. They were afraid that if the common people believed, their sustenance would be cut off."