Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 3861

When Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ received the news of the Advent of the Prophet (ﷺ) he said to his brother, "Ride to this valley (of Mecca) and try to find out the truth of the person who claims to be a prophet who 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 Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ and said to him. "I have seen him enjoining virtuous behavior and saying something that is not poetry." Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ 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 be reached Mecca. He went to the Mosque and searched for the Prophet and though he did not know him, he hated to ask anybody about him. When a part of the night had passed away, `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ saw him and knew that he was a stranger. So when Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ saw `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ , he followed him, and none of them asked his companion about anything, and when it was dawn, Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ took his journey food and his water-skin to the Mosque and stayed there all the day long without being perceived by the Prophet, and when it was evening, he came back to his retiring place. `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ passed by him and said, "Has the man not known his dwelling place yet?" So `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ awakened him and took him with him and none of them spoke to the other about anything. When it was the third day. `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ did the same and Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ stayed with him. Then `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ said "Will you tell me what has brought you here?" Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ said, "If you give me a firm promise that you will guide me, then I will tell you." `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ promised him, and he informed `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ about the matter. `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ said, "It is true, and he is the Messenger of Allah. 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." Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ did so, and followed `Ali till he entered the place of the Prophet, and Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ went in with him, Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ listened to some of the Prophet's talks and embraced Islam on the spot. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Go back to your people and inform them (about it) till you receive my order." Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I will proclaim my conversion loudly amongst them (i.e. the pagans)." So he went out, and when he reached the Mosque, he said as loudly as possible, "I bear witness that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The People got up and beat him painfully. Then Al-Abbas رضی اللہ عنہما 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 Ghifar and your trade to Sha'm is through their way?" So he rescued him from them. Abu Dhar رضی اللہ عنہ again did the same the next day. They beat him and took vengeance on him and again Al-Abbas رضی اللہ عنہ knelt over him (to protect him).