the mosque, where we found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and al-ʿAbbās sitting in one corner. We offered the greeting of peace and then sat down. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Abu al-Faḍl, do you recognize these two men?” He replied, “Yes. This is al-Barrāʾ ibn Maʿrūr, the chief of his people, and this is Kaʿb ibn Mālik.” By Allah, I shall never forget the Messenger of Allah ﷺ adding, “The poet?” and he answered, “Yes.”
Al-Barrāʾ then said, “Messenger of Allah, during this journey I adopted a certain view, and I would like to ask you about it.” He asked, “And what is that?” Al-Barrāʾ said, “I resolved that I would never turn my back on this Sacred House, so I prayed facing it.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “You were already upon a qiblah—had you only remained patient with it.” Al-Barrāʾ therefore reverted to the qiblah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Although his family later claimed that he died persisting in his own direction, we know better: he returned to the Messenger of Allah’s qiblah and prayed with us toward Syria.
After that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fixed a rendezvous with us at al-ʿAqabah on the middle day of the Days of Tashrīq. We were seventy men prepared to give our pledge, and with us was ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr ibn Ḥarām, the father of Jābir, who was still an idolater. We took him aside and said, “Abu Jābir, by Allah, we would hate for you to die in your present state and become firewood for the Fire tomorrow. Allah has sent a Messenger who calls to His oneness and worship, and men from your own tribe have already accepted Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has appointed us a meeting for the pledge.” So he embraced Islam, washed his clothes, attended the gathering with us, and was appointed a naqib (delegate).
When the night arrived on which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had arranged to meet us, we were staying with our people at Mina in the early part of the night. Once everyone had fallen into a deep sleep, we slipped out of our beds like sandgrouse and gathered at al-ʿAqabah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came accompanied only by his uncle al-ʿAbbās, who wished to witness his nephew’s affair. He was the first to speak, saying, “People of Khazraj, Muhammad belongs to us, as you well know. He is protected by his people and his town; we have defended him from anyone who harbors feelings against him similar to ours. Yet he insists on joining you and on what you are calling him to. If you believe you will fulfill what you have promised him, then assume the responsibility you have undertaken. But if you fear that you might betray him, then leave him among his people, for he enjoys the protection of his clan and his tribe.” We said, “We have heard what you have said. Speak, O Messenger…"