and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent me to you to present Islam and its laws to you.” They said, “Come and eat.” I said, “[Shame on you! I have come] only to forbid you from this. I am the envoy of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him; I have come to you so that you may believe in him.” [I then began calling them to Islam], but they declared me a liar and rebuked me harshly. [I said to them: “Shame on you! Bring me some water, for I am intensely thirsty.” He said: “I was wearing my turban.” They said: “No; rather, we shall leave you to die of thirst!”] So I departed, hungry and thirsty, overcome by severe exhaustion. [He said: “I became distressed and struck my head against my turban.”] I fell asleep [on the scorching ground in intense heat], and in my sleep I was brought a draught of milk [more delicious than anything people had ever seen, and I was given my fill of it]. I drank until I was quenched, and my stomach became full.

The people said: “A man from among your best and most noble has come to you, yet you turned him away. Go to him and give him whatever food and drink he desires.” They brought me food, but I said: “I have no need of your food or drink. Allah has fed me and given me drink. Look at the condition I am in.” [Then I showed them my stomach.] They looked and believed in me and in what I had brought from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, [and they all embraced Islam].”

This is a hadith of Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, transmitted from him by Abu Ghalib through three chains:

The first: al-Husayn ibn Waqid, from Abu Ghalib, from Abu Umamah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent me to Bahilah...” the hadith. Al-Tabarani transmitted it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (8099): Muhammad ibn Abdus ibn Kamil al-Sarraj narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Shuqayq narrated to us; my father narrated to us; Husayn ibn Waqid narrated to us.