[Commentary]
This ḥadīth, which the author cites in the chapter on giving glad tidings and congratulating others for good, itself contains a glad tiding. The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—was seated with a small group of his Companions, among them Abū Bakr and ʿUmar. He then rose and was absent for a while, so the Companions feared that someone might have seized him, for the Messenger of Allah was sought by the hypocrites and by other enemies of the religion. Alarmed, the Companions stood up, and the first to react was Abū Hurayrah.

He made his way to an orchard belonging to the Banū al-Najjār and walked around its perimeter hoping to find a gate, but he found none—or perhaps he searched for a gate that was open, yet did not find it, for walls must surely have gates, though the one he encountered may simply have been closed. He then noticed a small opening in the wall. Drawing in his body, he slipped through and found the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—inside. The Prophet called, “Abū Hurayrah?” He replied, “Yes.” The Prophet thereupon handed him his two sandals and said, “Take these two sandals of mine. Whoever you meet beyond this wall who testifies that there is no god but Allah, his heart firmly certain of it, give him the glad tidings of Paradise.”

So Abū Hurayrah left, carrying the sandals of the Messenger of Allah