At that moment, I thought to myself, “I am a renowned poet and an intelligent person. If there is any goodness or any evil contained in a person’s words, it cannot be concealed from me. I will certainly listen to his words. If I find them to be good and excellent, then I will accept them. On the contrary, if I find them to be evil and reprehensible, then I will shun them.” Accordingly, when he departed from the Haram, I followed him.

When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) arrived at his home, I addressed him and said, “Your people (the Quraish) gave me such warnings regarding the dangers of listening to your message that I even stuffed cotton into my ears so that I would not hear your words. However, the divine will of Allah Ta‘ala did not allow me to avoid listening to your words. On listening to the words which you spoke, I found them to be extremely excellent. Please present your deen to me.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then presented the deen of Islam to me, and also recited some verses of the Qur’aan Majeed to me. He recited Surah Ikhlaas as well as Surah Falaq and Surah Naas (according to one narration).

By Allah! I had never heard any words better than the words of the Qur’aan Majeed, and I had never found any religion more balanced and moderate than the deen of Islam. Hence, I accepted Islam there and then.

(To be continued)

(Seeratul Mustafa 1/282-283)