283 – Al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet ﷺ sent ʿAlī to Yemen—then he mentioned the rest of the narration—and ʿAlī wrote informing him of their acceptance of Islam. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ read the letter, he fell in prostration.” Related by al-Bayhaqī, while the principal wording is found in al-Bukhārī.⦗1⦘

Hadith grading:
The core report is in al-Bukhārī and corroborates the preceding narration. The inclusion of the prostration of gratitude is sound according to al-Bukhārī’s criteria, a judgment upheld by Ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī in al-Muḥarrar.

Vocabulary:
• kharra: yakhirru kharran wa khurūran – from the pattern ḍaraba; here it means “he threw himself down,” i.e. he prostrated himself on the ground before Allah.

Points derived from the hadith:
1 – Among the greatest favors Allah grants His Muslim servants is the dignity of Islam itself, the exaltation of His word, and the victory of His religion. The true life of the Muslims and their eternal happiness reside in the strength and support of their faith; thus, the embracing of Islam by large groups brings honor to the Muslims and swells their ranks.
2 – The Prophet’s ﷺ keen concern for guiding humanity and rescuing them from the darkness of disbelief to the light of faith. He would dispatch envoys inviting them to Allah’s religion and rejoiced greatly at their guidance, for this entails numerous benefits: