—namely, Yazid ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Udhayna al-Suhaymi, the blind man—related to me; Abu Hurayrah said:

“By Allah, no believer whom Allah has created hears of me or sees me without loving me.”

I asked, “How can you be sure of that, Abu Hurayrah?”

He replied, “My mother was a polytheist, and I used to invite her to Islam but she would refuse. One day I urged her again, and she spoke about the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—in words that pained me. I went to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—crying and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I keep calling my mother to Islam and she keeps refusing. Today I invited her again and she said something about you that I detested. Supplicate Allah to guide the mother of Abu Hurayrah.’

“The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said, ‘O Allah, guide the mother of Abu Hurayrah.’

“I ran back, eager to give her the good news of the Prophet’s supplication. When I reached the door, I found it closed, and I heard the splash of water and the shuffle of feet—that is, her footsteps. She called out, ‘Abu Hurayrah, stay where you are.’ Then she opened the door, wearing her tunic and hastily throwing on her head-cover, and declared, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.’

“I returned to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—crying with joy just as I had cried from sorrow, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, rejoice! Allah has answered your prayer and has guided the mother of Abu Hurayrah. Now, O Messenger of Allah, pray that Allah will make me and my mother beloved to His believing servants, and make them beloved to us.’

“The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said, ‘O Allah, make this servant of Yours and his mother beloved to Your believing servants, and make the believers beloved to them.’”

Abu Hurayrah continued, “From then on, every believer whom Allah creates, whether he hears about me without seeing me or sees me—or sees my mother—loves me.”

Muslim also transmitted this hadith ⦗1⦘ through ‘Ikrimah ibn ‘Ammar with a similar chain.

This report is among the signs of prophethood: Abu Hurayrah is loved by people everywhere, and Allah has made his name renowned by decreeing that this narration of his be recited publicly in numerous congregational mosques across all regions during the Friday pause for listening while the imam is on the pulpit. Such is the decree of Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing, and it is a mark of the people’s love for him (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hisham ibn ‘Ammar said: Sa‘id narrated to us; ‘Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja‘far narrated to us; from al-Maqburi; from Salim, the client of the Nasriyyin ⦗2⦘, who said he heard Abu Hurayrah say: I heard the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—declare,

“Indeed Muhammad is but a human being; I become angry just as human beings become angry. Yet I have made a covenant with my Lord that He will not break. Therefore, any Muslim man whom I have harmed, reviled, or flogged—let that be made for him an act of nearness by which he draws closer to You on the Day of Resurrection.” ⦗3⦘

Abu Hurayrah added, “One day the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—raised a switch to strike me, and had he actually struck me it would have been dearer to me than fine red camels. I say this because I hope I am a believer and that the Messenger of Allah’s supplication will be answered in my favor.”

Ibn Abī Dhi’b narrated from Sa‘id al-Maqburi, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I hear from you…’