Abu Quhafa was brought, or came, in the year of the Conquest, or on the day of the Conquest, with his head and beard white like the thaghama plant. The Prophet ﷺ ordered, or instructed that he be sent, to his womenfolk, saying, "Change this with something."In another narration, "Change this with something, but avoid black."
أتي بأبي قحافة- أو جاء- عام الفتح، أو يوم الفتح، ورأسه ولحيته مثل الثغام- أو الثغامة، فأمر- أو فأمر به- إلى نسائه، قال: غيروا هذا بشيء. وفي رواية: غيروا هذا بشيء، واجتنبوا السواد.
Muslim narrated it in the Book of Dress and Adornment (2102:78), from Yahya bin Yahya, who said, Abu Khaythama (that is, Zuhayr bin Muawiya) informed us, from Abu Zubayr, from Jabir, and he related it.The second narration is also found in Muslim (79), from Abu Tahir, who said, Abdullah bin Wahb informed us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Abu Zubayr, from Jabir bin Abdullah, and he related it.However, Ahmad narrated it (14641) from Hasan (that is, Ibn Musa Ashyab) and Ahmad bin Abdul-Malik, who both said, Zuhayr narrated to us, from Abu Zubayr, from Jabir, who said. Ahmad said in his hadith, Abu Zubayr narrated to us, from Jabir, who said, Abu Quhafa was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, or he came in the year of the conquest, with his head and beard like thagham or like a thaghama plant. Hasan said, so he ordered that he be taken to his womenfolk, and said, "Change this grayness." Hasan said, Zuhayr said, I asked Abu Zubayr, did he say, 'Avoid black for him'? He said, No. This chain is also sahih.Abu Dawud Tayalisi narrated it (1860), saying, Zuhayr narrated to us, from Abu Zubayr, who said, I asked him, did Jabir narrate to you that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said regarding Abu Quhafa, "Change it, and avoid black for him"? He said, No.Nasai narrated it (5242), and Hakim (3/245), through their chains, from Ibn Thabit, from Abu Zubayr, from Jabir, who said, Abu Quhafa was brought to the Prophet ﷺ, with his head and beard as if they were a thaghama plant, and the Prophet ﷺ said, "Change it, or dye it," and he did not mention in it, "Avoid black for him."So what is preserved in the hadith of Jabir is the absence of any mention of "Avoid black for him." However, mention of it does appear in the coming hadith of Anas.