English translation
3861. Narrated Ibn 'Abbās رضي الله عنهما: When Abū Dhar received the news of the advent of the Prophet ﷺ he said to his brother, "Ride to this valley (of Makkah) and try to find out the truth of the person who claims to be a Prophet and is informed of the news of heaven. Listen to what he says and come back to me." So, his brother set out and came to the Prophet ﷺ and listened to some of his talks, and returned to Abū Dhar and said to him, "I have seen him enjoining virtuous behaviour and saying something that is not poetry." Abū Dhar said, "You have not satisfied me as to what I wanted." He then took his journey-food and carried a water-skin of his, containing some water till he reached Makkah. He went to the mosque and searched for the Prophet ﷺ and though he did not know him, he hated to ask anybody about him. When a part of the night had passed away, 'Alī saw him and knew that he was a stranger. So when Abū Dhar saw 'Alī, he followed him, and none of them asked his companion about anything, and when it was dawn, Abū Dhar took his journey-food and his water-skin to the mosque and stayed there all the day long without being perceived by the Prophet ﷺ, and when it was evening, he came back to his retiring place. 'Alī passed by him and said, "Has the man not known his dwelling place yet?" So, 'Alī let him get up and took him to his house and none of them spoke to the other about anything. When it was the third day, 'Alī did the same and Abū Dhar stayed with him. Then 'Alī said, "Will you tell me what has brought you here?" Abū Dhar said, "If you give me a firm promise that you will guide me, then I will tell you." 'Alī promised him, and he informed 'Alī about the matter. 'Alī said, "It is true, and he is the Messenger of Allāh. Next morning when you get up, accompany me, and if I see any danger for you, I will stop as if to pass water, but if I go on, follow me and enter the place which I will enter." Abū Dhar did so, and followed 'Alī till he entered the place of the Prophet ﷺ, and Abū Dhar went in with him. Abū Dhar listened to some of the Prophet's talks and embraced Islām on the spot. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Go back to your people and inform them (about it) till you receive my order." Abū Dhar said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, I will proclaim my conversion loudly amongst them (i.e., Al-Mushrikūn). " So he went out, and when he reached the mosque, he said as loudly as possible, "I bear witness that Lā ilāha illallāh wa anna Muhammad Rasūl Allāh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allāh, and Muḥammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allāh). The people got up and beat him painfully. Then Al-'Abbās came and knelt over him (to protect him) and said (to the people), "Woe to you! Don't you know that this man belongs to the tribe of Ghifār, and your trade to Sham is through their way? So, he rescued him from them. Abū Dhar again did the same the next day. They beat him and took vengeance on him and again Al-'Abbās knelt over him (to protect him).