The Dream Is True

Anis said to me:

“What have you done?”

I replied:

“I have become a Muslim, and I have affirmed Muhammad ﷺ.”

Upon this, Anis said:

“I too have become disgusted with idols and have accepted Islam.”

After that, both of us came to our mother. She said:

“I have also lost all interest in the former religion. I too have accepted Islam and affirmed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

After that, we went to our tribe, Ghifar. We spoke to them, and half of them accepted Islam immediately. The remaining people said:

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ comes, we will accept Islam at that time.”

Thus, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah al-Munawwarah, the remaining people of the tribe of Ghifar also became Muslims.

“I will go to a land of palm gardens—that is, a land of date-palm orchards—and there is no such place except Yathrib. Will you convey this news to your people? Perhaps Allah Almighty may benefit them through you, and you may receive a reward because of them.”

After this, some people from the tribe of Aslam came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They said to him:

“O Messenger of Allah! We too accept Islam upon the same faith upon which our brothers, the people of Ghifar, have accepted Islam.”

Hearing this, the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:

“May Allah Almighty forgive the people of Ghifar, and may Allah keep the tribe of Aslam safe.”

Hazrat Abu Dharr al-Ghifari رضي الله عنه once went to Makkah for Hajj. During Tawaf, he stopped near the Kaaba, and people gathered around him.

At that time, he said to the people:

“Tell me, when one of you intends to go on a journey, does he not take provisions with him for the journey?”

The people said:

“Certainly, he does.”

He then said:

“Remember, the journey of the Hereafter is far longer than every journey of this world. Therefore, just as you prepare for a journey here, take with you the provisions for that journey which will benefit you.”

The people asked:

“What things will benefit us?”

Hazrat Abu Dharr al-Ghifari رضي الله عنه replied:

“Perform Hajj for a lofty purpose; keep fasts during the days of severe heat, keeping in mind the Day of Judgment; and, remembering the loneliness and darkness of the grave, get up during the darkness of night and offer prayers.”

After Hazrat Abu Dharr al-Ghifari رضي الله عنه, Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه accepted Islam.

It is said that among the people of the desert who accepted Islam, he was the third or fourth person. According to another opinion, he was the fifth. He was the first among his brothers to accept Islam.

The story of his acceptance of Islam is as follows:

He saw Hell in a dream. Its fire was blazing in a terrifying manner. He himself was standing at the edge of Hell.

In the dream, he saw that his father wanted to push him into Hell, but the Noble Prophet ﷺ was holding him by his garment and preventing him from falling into Hell.

At that very moment, he woke up in a state of great fear and immediately said:

“I swear by Allah, this dream is true.”

At the same time, he became convinced that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the one who could save him from Hell.

He immediately went to Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله عنه and told him his dream.

Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله عنه said:

“Goodness and welfare are hidden in this dream of yours. The Messenger of Allah is here; follow him.”

Accordingly, Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه immediately went to the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

He asked him:

“O Muhammad! What are you calling people toward?”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“I call people to believe that Allah is One; He has no partner and no one is equal to Him; and that Muhammad is the servant and Messenger of Allah. And abandon the worship of these stones which you worship. These stones neither hear nor see, neither can they cause harm nor can they provide benefit.”

Upon hearing this, Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه accepted Islam.

His father’s name was Sa’id bin al-‘As.

When he learned that his son had accepted Islam, he became extremely angry. He began beating his son with a whip until he beat him so severely that the whip broke.

Then he said:

“You have followed Muhammad, even though you know that he is going against the entire nation and speaks against the gods of his people.”

Hearing this, Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه said:

“By Allah! I have accepted the message that he has brought.”

At this answer, his father became even angrier and said:

“By Allah! I will stop providing you with food and drink.”

Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه replied:

“If you stop providing me with food and drink, then Allah Almighty is my Provider of bread.”

Exasperated, Sa’id expelled his son from the house. At the same time, he said to his remaining sons:

“If any one of you speaks to him, I will do the same to him.”

Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه left his home and came to the Noble Prophet ﷺ. After that, he remained with him and completely separated himself from his father.

Eventually, when the Muslims, distressed by the persecution of the disbelievers, migrated toward Abyssinia, he was among the earliest people to migrate.

Once his father became ill. At that time, he swore:

“If Allah grants me recovery from this illness, I will never allow the worship of Muhammad’s God to take place in Makkah.”

When this statement of his father reached Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه, he said:

“O Allah, never grant him recovery from this illness.”

Thus, his father died from that very illness.

Hazrat Khalid bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه was the first person to write Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim.

After him, his brother ‘Amr bin Sa’id رضي الله عنه accepted Islam.

The reason for his acceptance of Islam was that he saw a light in a dream. The light emerged from Zamzam and illuminated the gardens of Madinah. They became so bright that the fresh dates of Madinah could be seen among them.

He told people about this dream, and he was told:

“Zamzam is the well belonging to the family of Abdul-Muttalib, and this light will also appear from among them.”

Then, when his brother Khalid رضي الله عنه accepted Islam, he began to see the reality of his dream becoming clear.

Accordingly, he too accepted Islam.

Besides him, two other sons of Sa’id, Riyan and Hakam, also accepted Islam.

The Noble Prophet ﷺ changed Hakam’s name to Abdullah.

Similarly, among those who accepted Islam in the early days was Hazrat Suhaib رضي الله عنه.

His father was the governor of an area under the Persian king, Kisra.

Once, the armies of the Byzantine Emperor attacked his territory. During that battle, Hazrat Suhaib رضي الله عنه was captured and made a slave.

He was still a child at that time. Therefore, he grew up in Rome in a state of slavery and became a young man there.

Later, some Arabs bought him and brought him to the market of Ukaz, near Makkah, to sell him.

A fair was held at this market, and slaves were bought and sold there.

At the fair, a man named Abdullah bin Jud’an bought him.

Thus, Hazrat Suhaib رضي الله عنه was living the life of a slave in Makkah when the Noble Prophet ﷺ appeared.

He thought to himself:

“I should go and at least listen to what he has to say.”

Thinking this, he left his home.

On the way, he met Hazrat ‘Ammar bin Yasir رضي الله عنه.

He asked him:

“Suhaib, where are you going?”

He immediately replied:

“I am going to Muhammad so that I can listen to what he says and see what he is calling people toward.”

Hearing this, Hazrat ‘Ammar bin Yasir رضي الله عنه said:

“I too have left my home with the same intention.”

Hearing this, Hazrat Suhaib رضي الله عنه said:

“Then let us go together.”

So both of them began walking together.