English Translation

Abdullah ibn Yazid Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Muqri told us: Ikrimah — that is, Ibn Ammar — told us: Shaddad ibn Abdullah al-Dimashqi told us — he had lived to meet a number of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him — who said: Abu Umamah said: "O Amr ibn Abasah, the master of the reckoning — the reckoning of charity, a man of the Banu Sulaym — by what do you claim that you are a quarter of Islam?" He said: "In the Age of Ignorance, I saw the people upon misguidance, and I did not consider the idols anything. Then I heard of a man who was telling news of Mecca and relating accounts, so I rode my mount until I arrived in Mecca; there I found the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in hiding, with his people being bold against him. I acted discreetly toward him until I got in to see him, and I said, 'What are you?' He said, 'I am the Prophet of Allah.' I said, 'And what is the Prophet of Allah?' He said, 'The Messenger of Allah.' I said, 'Did Allah send you?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'With what did He send you?' He said, 'That Allah be made One, nothing associated with Him; the breaking of idols; and the joining of ties of kinship.' I said to him, 'Who is with you in this?' He said, 'A free man and a slave' — or 'a slave and a free man' — and with him were Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafah and Bilal, freedman of Abu Bakr. I said, 'I am your follower.' He said, 'You cannot do that today, but return to your people, and when you hear that I have prevailed, then join me.'" He said: "So I returned to my people, having already accepted Islam. Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, went forth emigrating to Medina, and I kept seeking news until a group of riders came from Yathrib, and I said, 'What of this Meccan man who came to you?' They said, 'His people wanted to kill him but could not, and he was protected from them, and we left the people rushing (to follow him).'" Amr ibn Abasah said: "So I rode my mount until I arrived at Medina, and went in to him and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, do you know me?' He said, 'Yes — are you not the one who came to me in Mecca?' I said, 'Indeed.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me from what Allah has taught you and I do not know.' He said: 'When you have prayed the dawn prayer, refrain from prayer until the sun rises; for when it rises, it rises between the two horns of a devil, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. When it has risen the height of a spear or two, then pray, for prayer is witnessed and attended, until the spear's shadow stands still; then refrain from prayer, for at that time Hell is stoked. Then when the shadow lengthens, pray, for prayer then is witnessed and attended, until you pray the afternoon prayer. Then when you have prayed the afternoon prayer, refrain from prayer until the sun sets, for it sets when it sets between the two horns of a devil, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it.' I said, 'O Prophet of Allah, tell me about ablution (wudu).' He said: 'There is no one among you who brings near his water for ablution, then rinses his mouth, snuffs water into his nose, and blows it out, except that his sins come out from his mouth and nostrils along with the water when he blows it out; then he washes his face as Allah has commanded him, except that the sins of his face come out from the ends of his beard with the water; then he washes his hands to the elbows, except that the sins of his hands come out from the tips of his fingers; then he wipes his head, except that the sins of his head come out from the ends of his hair along with the water; then he washes his feet to the ankles as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has commanded him, except that the sins of his feet come out from the tips of his toes along with the water; then he stands and praises Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and extols Him as He deserves, then performs two rak'ahs, except that he comes out from his sin as on the day his mother bore him.'" Abu Umamah said: "O Amr ibn Abasah, consider what you are saying — did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him? Is this man given all of this in his (mere) standing (in prayer)?" Amr ibn Abasah said: "O Abu Umamah, my age has grown great, my bones have grown frail, and my term draws near, and I have no need to lie against Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and against His Messenger. Even if I had heard it from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, only once or twice or three times (I would report it), but I heard it seven times or more than that."