653 — Ahmad ibn ‘Ubayd informed us. Ali ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Mubashshir informed us. He said: Ahmad ibn Sinan narrated to us. He said: Yazid ibn Harun narrated to us. He said: al-Mas‘udi narrated to us, from ‘Awn ibn ‘Abd Allah, from his brother, ‘Ubayd Allah ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Utbah, from Abu Hurayrah:

A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with a black, non-Arabic-speaking slave-girl and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am required to free a believing slave.”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked her, “Where is Allah?” She pointed with her index finger. He then asked her, “Who am I?” She pointed with her finger toward the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and toward the heaven—that is, “You are the Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Set her free.”