Ibn 'Abbâs said to us, "Shall I tell you the story of Dhar's conversion to Islâm?" We said, Yes. He said, "Dhar said: I was a man from the tribe of Ghifar. We heard that a man had appeared in Makka claiming to be a Prophet (ﷺ). I said to my brother, 'Go to that man and talk to him and bring me his news. ' He set out, met him and returned. I asked him, 'What is the news with you? ' He said, 'By Allâh, I saw a man enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. ' I said to him, 'You have not satisfied me with this little information. ' So, I took a water-skin and a stick and proceeded towards Makka. Neither did I know him (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ), nor did I like to ask anyone about him. I kept on drinking Zam-zam water and staying in the mosque. Then ' passed by me and said, 'It seems you are a stranger? ' I said, 'Yes. ' He proceeded to his house and I accompanied him. Neither did he ask me anything, nor did I tell him anything. Next morning I went to the mosque to ask about the Prophet (ﷺ) but no one told me anything about him. ' passed by me again and asked, 'Hasn't the man recognised his dwelling place yet? ' I said, 'No. ' He said, 'Come along with me. ' He asked me, 'What is your business? What has brought you to this town? ' I said to him, 'If you keep my secret, I will tell You. ' He said, 'I will do, 'I said to him, 'We have heard that a person has appeared here, claiming to be a Prophet (ﷺ). I sent my brother to speak to him and when he returned, he did not bring a satisfactory report; so I thought of meeting him personally. ' ' Ali said (to Abu Dhar), 'You have reached your goal; I am going to him just now, so follow me, and wherever I enter, enter after me. If I should see someone who may cause you trouble, I will stand near a wall pretending to mend my shoes (as a warning), and you should go away then. ' ' proceeded and I accompanied him till he entered a place, and I entered with him to the Prophet (ﷺ) to whom I said, 'Present (the principles of) Islâm to me. When he did, I embraced Islâm immediately. He said to me, O Dhar ! Keep your conversion as a secret and return to your town; and when you hear of our victory, return to us. ' I said, 'By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I will announce my conversion to Islâm publicly amongst them (i.e. the infidels), 'Dhar went to the mosque, where some people from Quraish were present, and said, 'O folk of Quraish ! I testify that La ilâha ill- Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh), and I (also) testify that Muḥammad is His (Allâh's) slave and His Messenger (ﷺ). ' (Hearing that) the Quraishî men said, 'Get at this ' (i.e. Muslim) ! ' They got up and beat me nearly to death. Al-'Abbâs saw me and threw himself over me to protect me. He then faced them and said, 'Woe to you ! You want to kill a man from the tribe of Ghifar, although your trade and your communications are through the territory of Ghifar?" They therefore left me. The next morning I returned (to the mosque) and said the same as I have said on the previous day. They again said, 'Get at this ' I was treated in the same way as on the previous day, and again Al-'Abbâs found me and threw himself over me to protect me and told them the same as he had said the day before. ' So, that was the conversion of Dhar (may Allâh be Merciful to him) to Islâm. [4:725-O.B]