Ayyub, where a water-jar of theirs had fallen and shattered, spilling its contents. Abu Ayyub and his wife were hastily soaking up the water with a woolen blanket of theirs, anxious that not a drop reach the Prophet ﷺ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out and asked, “What are you doing, Abu Ayyub?” When he explained, the Prophet replied, “Paradise is yours and your wife’s.”

I said, “By Allah, this is Muhammad, the Messenger of Mercy!” I greeted him with peace, then took out the khilāl and placed them before him. He asked, “What is this, my son?” I answered, “Charity.” He said, “We do not eat from charity.” So I removed them, reached into my waist-wrapper where I had something else, and said, “This is a gift.” He ate from it and shared it with those around him. Then he looked at me and said, “Are you free or enslaved?” I replied, “Enslaved.” He asked, “And what moved you to bring me this gift?”

I said, “I had one companion whose affair was such-and-such, and another whose affair was such-and-such,” and I told him their story. He said, “Your two companions are among those of whom Allah says, ‘Those to whom We gave the Scripture before him, they believe in him; and when it is recited to them…’ (the verse). Have you found in me what they described to you?” I replied, “Yes—everything except one thing (1) between your shoulders.”

He cast off his cloak, and there was the seal. I kissed it and declared, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.” He said, “My son, you are Salman.”

Then he called ʿAlī and said, “Go to Khulaysa and tell her: ‘Muhammad says: either you free this man or I will free him, for wisdom forbids you to make him serve you.’”

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I testify that she has not embraced Islam.” He replied, “O Salman! Do you not know what has happened since you left? Her cousin visited her, presented Islam to her, and she accepted it.” ʿAlī went and found her speaking of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so he conveyed the Prophet’s message to her.