During the days of ignorance, I used to think that people were astray and following nothing of value while they worshipped idols. Then I heard of a man in Mecca who was conveying news, so I sat upon my mount and traveled to him.I found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in hiding, with his people emboldened against him. I made my way carefully until I entered upon him in Mecca.I asked him, "What are you?"He replied, "I am a prophet."I asked, "And what is a prophet?"He answered, "Allah has sent me."I asked, "With what has He sent you?"He said, "He has sent me to uphold the ties of kinship, to break the idols, and that Allah be declared one, with nothing associated with Him."I asked him, "Who is with you in this?"He answered, "A free man and a slave." At that time Abu Bakr and Bilal were with him among those who had believed.I said, "I will follow you."He said, "You cannot do that on this day of yours. Do you not see my condition and the condition of the people? But return to your family, and when you hear that I have prevailed, come to me."So I went back to my family. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Medina while I remained with my family. I began to seek out news and ask people once he had reached Medina, until a group from the people of Yathrib, from the people of Medina, came to me.I asked, "What has this man done who came to Medina?"They said, "The people are rushing to him. His own people wanted to kill him but were unable to do so."So I came to Medina and entered upon him. I said, "Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?"He said, "Yes, you are the one who met me in Mecca."I said, "Indeed I am…"
كنت وأنا في الجاهلية أظن أن الناس على ضلالة. وأنهم ليسوا على شيء وهم يعبدون الأوثان، فسمعت برجل بمكة يخبر أخبارا، فقعدت على راحلتي فقدمت عليه. فإذا رسول الله ﷺ مستخفيا، جرءاء عليه قومه، فتلطفت حتى دخلت عليه بمكة. فقلت له: ما أنت؟ قال: أنا نبي فقلت: وما نبي؟ قال: أرسلني الله فقلت: وبأي شيء أرسلك؟ قال: أرسلني بصلة الأرحام وكسر الأوثان وأن يوحد الله لا يشرك به شيء قلت له: فمن معك على هذا؟ قال: حر وعبد (قال ومعه يومئذ أبو بكر وبلال ممن آمن به) فقلت: إني متبعك قال: إنك لا تستطيع ذلك يومك هذا. ألا ترى حالي وحال الناس؟ ولكن ارجع إلى أهلك. فإذا سمعت بي قد ظهرت فأتني قال: فذهبت إلى أهلي. وقدم رسول الله ﷺ المدينة. وكنت في أهلي. فجعلت أتخبر الأخبار وأسأل الناس حين قدم المدينة. حتى قدم علي نفر من أهل يثرب من أهل المدينة. فقلت: ما فعل هذا الرجل الذي قدم المدينة؟ فقالوا: الناس إليه سراع. وقد أراد قومه قتله فلم يستطيعوا ذلك. فقدمت المدينة فدخلت عليه. فقلت: يا رسول الله أتعرفني؟ قال: نعم أنت الذي لقيتني بمكة قال: فقلت: بلى…
Muslim narrated it in the Book of the Travelers' Prayer (832) from Ahmad bin Jafar Maqbari, who said, Nadr bin Muhammad told us, Ikrima bin Ammar told us, Shaddad bin Abdullah Abu Ammar and Yahya bin Abu Kathir told us, from Abu Umama, who said, Amr bin Abasa said... and he mentioned it, in a longer version of this hadith. See the Book of Wudu, the reward of wudu.Amr bin Abasa Abu Najeeh was from Banu Salim, and it is said that he was Abu Dharr's brother on his mother's side. He accepted Islam early in Makkah, then returned to his homeland. It is reported that he had abandoned the worship of idols before he became Muslim, and he said, "I saw that they neither harm nor benefit." So I met a man from the People of the Book and asked him about the best religion. He said, "A man will emerge from Makkah who will turn away from the gods of his people and call to something else. He will bring the best religion. So when you hear of him, follow him." From then on I had no concern except for Makkah, until I met a rider who told me of the emergence of the Prophet ﷺ.He came to Madinah after Khaybar, and settled in Syria. Senior successors in Syria narrated from him, among them Shurahbil bin Simt, Salim bin Amir, and Damra bin Habib, and others. For more, see Istiab.