Abu Jamra reported,

Ibn Abbas said to us, "Shall I tell you how Abu Dharr came to Islam?"We said, "Yes, please do."He said that Abu Dharr told this story. "I was a man of Ghifar. Word reached us that a man had appeared in Makkah claiming to be a prophet. So I said to my brother, 'Go to this man, speak with him, and bring me news of him.'He set out, met him, and came back.I asked, "What have you learned?"He said, "By Allah, I saw a man who commands what is good and forbids what is evil."I told him, "You have not satisfied me with this report."So I took a provision bag and a staff and set off for Makkah. I did not know him by sight, and I disliked asking about him, so I drank from the water of Zamzam and stayed in the masjid.Ali passed by me and said, "This man seems to be a stranger."I said, "Yes."He said, "Then come along to my house."I went with him. He asked me nothing and I told him nothing. When morning came I went out to the masjid to ask about him, but there was no one who would tell me anything about him.Ali passed by me again and said, "Is it not time yet for the man to recognize his lodging?"I said, "No."He said, "Come with me." Then he asked, "What is your business, and what brings you to this town?"I said, "If you will keep my secret, I will tell you."He said, "I will."I said, "Word reached us that a man has appeared here claiming to be a prophet, so I sent my brother to speak with him. He came back without satisfying me, and I wanted to meet the man myself."Ali said, "You have found the right path. I am on my way to him now. Follow me. Enter wherever I enter. If I see anyone I fear may harm you, I will stop by the wall as though adjusting my sandal, and you keep walking."He went on and I went with him, until he entered, and I entered with him, into the presence of the Prophet ﷺ.I said to him, "Present Islam to me."He presented it, and I accepted Islam on the spot.He said to me, "Abu Dharr, keep this matter secret and return to your homeland. When news reaches you that we have prevailed, then come."I said, "By the One who sent you with the truth, I will shout it out among them."Then Abu Dharr went to the masjid, where the Quraysh were gathered, and said, "People of Quraysh, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger."They said, "Get up and deal with this renegade."They rose and beat me until I was near death, but Abbas reached me and threw himself over me. Then he turned to them and said, "Woe to you. Would you kill a man of Ghifar, when your trade route and your passage lie through Ghifar?"So they left me alone. When the next morning came, I went back and said just what I had said the day before.They said, "Get up and deal with this renegade."They did to me what they had done the day before, and Abbas reached me and threw himself over me and said the same thing he had said the day before.This was how Abu Dharr, may Allah have mercy on him, first came to Islam.

حدثنا زيد هو ابن أخزم قال أبو قتيبة سلم بن قتيبة حدثني مثنى بن سعيد القصير، قال حدثني

أبو جمرة، قال

لنا ابن عباس ألا أخبركم بإسلام أبي ذر، قال قلنا بلى. قال قال أبو ذر كنت رجلا من غفار، فبلغنا أن رجلا قد خرج بمكة، يزعم أنه نبي، فقلت لأخي انطلق إلى هذا الرجل كلمه وأتني بخبره. فانطلق فلقيه، ثم رجع فقلت ما عندك فقال والله لقد رأيت رجلا يأمر بالخير وينهى عن الشر. فقلت له لم تشفني من الخبر. فأخذت جرابا وعصا، ثم أقبلت إلى مكة فجعلت لا أعرفه، وأكره أن أسأل عنه، وأشرب من ماء زمزم وأكون في المسجد. قال فمر بي علي فقال كأن الرجل غريب. قال قلت نعم. قال فانطلق إلى المنزل. قال فانطلقت معه لا يسألني عن شىء، ولا أخبره، فلما أصبحت غدوت إلى المسجد لأسأل عنه، وليس أحد يخبرني عنه بشىء. قال فمر بي علي فقال أما نال للرجل يعرف منزله بعد قال قلت لا. قال انطلق معي. قال فقال ما أمرك وما أقدمك هذه البلدة قال قلت له إن كتمت على أخبرتك. قال فإني أفعل. قال قلت له بلغنا أنه قد خرج ها هنا رجل يزعم أنه نبي، فأرسلت أخي ليكلمه فرجع ولم يشفني من الخبر، فأردت أن ألقاه. فقال له أما إنك قد رشدت، هذا وجهي إليه، فاتبعني، ادخل حيث أدخل، فإني إن رأيت أحدا أخافه عليك، قمت إلى الحائط، كأني أصلح نعلي، وامض أنت، فمضى ومضيت معه، حتى دخل ودخلت معه على النبي ﷺ فقلت له اعرض على الإسلام. فعرضه فأسلمت مكاني، فقال لي يا أبا ذر اكتم هذا الأمر، وارجع إلى بلدك، فإذا بلغك ظهورنا فأقبل. فقلت والذي بعثك بالحق لأصرخن بها بين أظهرهم. فجاء إلى المسجد، وقريش فيه فقال يا معشر قريش، إني أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله. فقالوا قوموا إلى هذا الصابئ. فقاموا فضربت لأموت فأدركني العباس، فأكب على ثم أقبل عليهم، فقال ويلكم تقتلون رجلا من غفار، ومتجركم وممركم على غفار. فأقلعوا عني، فلما أن أصبحت الغد رجعت فقلت مثل ما قلت بالأمس، فقالوا قوموا إلى هذا الصابئ. فصنع بي مثل ما صنع بالأمس وأدركني العباس فأكب على، وقال مثل مقالته بالأمس. قال فكان هذا أول إسلام أبي ذر رحمه الله.