Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

72 'Ali ibn Abi Tiilib in Makkah
night came, then he lay down and 'Ali (&) saw him and realised that
he was a stranger, so he invited him to stay with him. He did not ask
him about anything. In the moming, he went to al-Masjid al-
&r6mX4, and he stayed there until evening came. 'Ali saw him and
invited him to stay for a second night. The same thing happened on
the third night, then 'Ali asked him why he had come. When Ahu
Dharr was certain about him, he told him that he wanted to meet the
Messenger (gJ. 'Ali told him that he was indeed the Messenger of
Allah (g) and said: "In the morning, follow me. If I see anything that
I fear for you, I will step aside as if 1 want to pass water, but if I cany
on then follow me." He followed 'Ali and met the Messenger (@J,
Listened to what he had to say and became Muslim.
The Prophet (@) said to him: "Go back to your people and tell
them to wait until my instructions come to you." He said: By the one
in whose hand is my soul, I shall shout at the top of my voice among
them. He went out to the mosque, and he shouted at the top of his
voice: I hear witness that there is no god except Allah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of AUah. The people leapt up and
attacked him, throwing him to the floor. Al-'Ahhh ibn 'Ahdul-
Mumib came and warned them of the vengeance of his tribe Ghifik,
who might intercept the trade caravans of Quraysh, which passed
through their land on the way to Syria. Thus he saved him from
them.85 Before coming to MaMcah, Abu Dharr (&) had sent his
brother to find out about the Prophet (g), to listen to what he had to
say and then come to him. His brother did so, then he came back to
Ahu Dharr (&) and told him: I have seen him enjoining good
attitudes and saying words that are not poetry. He said: You have not
given me what I wanted, and he resolved to go himself to the
Messenger of Allah (g). His brother said to him: Be on your guard
against the people of ~akkah, for they are his enemies and are hostile
towards him."