“My Lord has become angry with your lord and has killed him; at this very moment his blood is still warm in his throat.”

He left the Prophet’s presence, and when the news reached him he embraced Islam and his faith proved sound. He was a righteous man whose record in Islam includes many praiseworthy deeds—among them the slaying of al-Aswad al-ʿAnsī, the impostor who claimed prophethood during the Prophet’s lifetime.

Al-Aswad was a tyrant. He summoned Abū Muslim al-Khawlānī and asked him, “Do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?”

Abū Muslim replied, “I do not hear (what you say).”

Al-Aswad then asked, “Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?”

He answered, “Yes.” Al-Aswad repeated the demand several times, then ordered a great fire to be lit and commanded that Abū Muslim be thrown into it. The fire did him no harm; Allah—exalted is He—extinguished it the moment he was cast into it.

Al-Aswad’s supporters said to him, “Expel this man from your land lest he lead your followers astray,” so he drove him out.

Abū Muslim then arrived in Medina after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had passed away.