“Rejoice, and return the greeting three times in succession,
then three more, and yet another three;
add one last greeting so they complete ten.
Good has come to you, and you have been spared evil.
By Allah, you have been wedded to a chaste, radiant maiden,
while you yourself are a bachelor who has met a maiden.
You have attained the daughter of a man of lofty station;
you have embarked upon a matter whose renown shall be exalted (1).”

ʿUthmān said: “I was astonished at her words, for she was congratulating me on a woman who had already married someone other than me, so I asked, ‘Aunt, what are you saying?’

She replied:

“O ʿUthmān,
beauty is yours, and eloquence is yours.
This is a prophet (2) with manifest proof;
the Just Judge has sent him in truth,
revelation and the Criterion have come to him.
So follow him—let not the idols deceive you.”

I said, “You are speaking of a matter that has never occurred in our land.”

She answered, “Muḥammad son of ʿAbd Allāh, a messenger from Allah, has come with Allah’s revelation, by which he summons people to Allah.” Then she recited:

“His lamp is a true lamp;
his religion, salvation;
his mission, success;
his banner, one that butts aside.
The plains have yielded to him;
shouting will be of no avail (3)
should slaughter descend,
when the blades are drawn
and the spears extended.”

ʿUthmān continued: “I walked away deep in thought, and Abū Bakr met me, so I informed him.

He said, ‘Woe to you, ʿUthmān! You are a shrewd man; truth and falsehood are not hidden from you. What are these idols our people worship? Are they not lifeless stones that neither hear nor see, that can neither harm nor benefit?’

I replied, ‘Indeed—by Allah, they are exactly that.’

He said, ‘By Allah, your aunt has spoken the truth. This is the Messenger of Allah, Muḥammad son of ʿAbd Allāh; Allah has sent him to His creation with His message. Would you like (4) to go to him?’

So we met with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said:

‘O ʿUthmān, answer Allah’s call to His Garden (5), for I am the Messenger of Allah to you and to all creation.’

By Allah,” ʿUthmān concluded, “when I heard his words I could not restrain myself (6); I accepted Islam at once and bore witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner. Hardly any time had passed before…"