Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī

Ayyūb reported from Abu Qilābah from ‘Amr ibn Salamah: Abu Qilābah said to me: "Will you not meet and ask him (‘Amr ibn Salamah)" I said: "I met him and asked him, so he said: ‘We were at a water place that was a thoroughfare for people. Riders would pass by us, and we would ask them: 'What are people up to? What are people up to? Who is that man?' They would say: 'He claims that Allah has sent him and revealed to him.

Or Allah has revealed such and such.'' So I used to memorize that speech, as if it was instilled in my heart. Meanwhile, the Arabs (Bedouin tribes) delayed their conversion to Islam until the Conquest. So they would say: 'Leave him and his people, for indeed if he prevails over them, he is a true Prophet.' When the incident of the people of Conquest took place, every tribe rushed to embrace Islam, and my father hurried to embrace Islam before (the rest of) my tribe.

When he came back, he said: 'By Allah, I have come to you from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for sure! He said: 'Offer this prayer at this time and that prayer at that time. When the time for a prayer is due, let one of you call the Adhān, and let the one who knows the Qur’an most lead the prayer.'' They checked and found none with more Qur’an than me, for I used to meet the riders. Therefore, they made me to lead them, when I was only six or seven years old.

I had on me a garment, which would recede when I would prostrate. A lady from the tribe thus said: 'Will you not cover the bottom of your reader from us?' So they bought (a piece of cloth) and cut me an apparel. I had never been so happy with anything as I was with that apparel."