28 June 2011

The story of Abdullah bin Salam and Jews

Anas bin Malik said, "When `Abdullah bin Salam heard of the arrival of the Prophet(Peace be upon him) in Al-Madinah, he was working on his land.

He came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said, `I am going to ask you about three things which nobody knows except a Prophet. What will be the first portent of the Hour What will be the first meal taken by the people of Paradise Why does a child resemble its father, and why does it resemble its maternal uncle'

Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said, (Jibril has just told me the answers.)

Abdullah said, `He (i.e. Jibril), among all the angels, is the enemy of the Jews.

Allah's Messenger(Peace be upon him) recited the Ayah,

Whoever is an enemy to Jibril (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (this Qur'an) down to your heart. 2:97

Allah's Messenger then said, 'The first portent of the Hour will be a fire that will bring together the people from the east to the west; the first meal of the people of Paradise will be the caudate lobe of the liver of fish. As for the child resembling his parents: If a man has sexual intercourse with his wife and his discharge is first, the child will resemble the father. If the woman has a discharge first, the child will resemble her side of the family.'

On that `Abdullah bin Salam said, `I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and you are the Messenger of Allah.

`Abdullah bin Salam further said, `O Allah's Messenger(Peace be upon him)! The Jews are liars, and if they should come to know about my conversion to Islam before you ask them (about me), they will tell a lie about me.

The Jews came to Allah's Messenger , and `Abdullah went inside the house.Allah's Messenger asked the Jews, `What kind of man is `Abdullah bin Salam'

They replied, `He is the best among us, the son of the best among us, our master and the son of our master'.

Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said, 'What do you think if he would embrace Islam'

The Jews said, `May Allah save him from it.'

Then `Abdullah bin Salam came out in front of them saying, `I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah(Peace be upon him)'.

Thereupon they said, `He is the evilest among us, and the son of the evilest among us.' And they continued talking badly about him.

Ibn Salam said, `This is what I feared, O Messenger of Allah! (Peace be upon him).'''

Source : Tafsir ibn katheer

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