We were seated with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, when Surah al-Jumu'ah was revealed to him. When he recited, “and others among them who have not yet joined them,” a man asked, “Who are these people, Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, did not answer him until he had asked once, twice, or three times. Salman the Persian was among us, so the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, placed his hand upon Salman and then related the hadith.

I say: It has also been authenticated with another wording: “If religion were at the Pleiades, a man from Persia—or, he said, from the sons of Persia—would reach it and attain it.” Muslim (6/191) and Ahmad (2/308–309) narrated it through Zayd ibn al-Asamm, from Abu Hurayrah, in a report attributed to the Prophet.

I say: It also has another route from Abu Hurayrah which mentions the occasion for the hadith. Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir narrated, through Muslim ibn Khalid, from al-'Ala' ibn 'Abd al-Rahman, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, recited this verse: ‘If you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be like you.’ They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, who are these people by whom we will be replaced if we turn away, and who will not be like us?’ He struck Salman the Persian, may Allah be pleased with him, on the shoulder with his hand and said, ‘This man and his people. If religion were ...’”

The hadith scholar Ibn Kathir said: “Muslim ibn Khalid al-Zanji alone narrated it, and some of the imams criticized him.”

I say: He is weak on account of his poor retention, and the occasion for the hadith that he cites conflicts with what Abu al-Ghayth narrated from Abu Hurayrah in the first wording. (See the Addendum, no. 14/1.) It has also been narrated with the wording, “If knowledge were ...,” and will appear in al-Da'ifah (2054). It is further supported by a narration from Ibn 'Umar, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “I saw many black sheep, among which entered many white sheep.” They asked, “How did you interpret it, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “The non-Arabs; they will share with you in your religion and lineage.” They asked, “The non-Arabs, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “If faith were suspended at the Pleiades, men from among the non-Arabs would attain it, and they would be the people most blessed by it.”

1018 — “I saw many black sheep, among which entered many white sheep.” They asked, “How did you interpret it, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “The non-Arabs,”