Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) agreed, and when the Jews arrived, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) hid Hazrat Abdullah bin Salaam (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in a room.

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said to them, “O assembly of Jews! Fear Allah! I take an oath in the name of that Being besides Whom there is none worthy of worship - you are well aware that I am the true Messenger of Allah and I have been sent with the truth, so embrace Islam!”

However, the Jews responded saying, “We do not know of you being the Messenger of Allah Ta‘ala.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) repeated this statement to the Jews three times, and each time their response was the same.

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then asked them, “Tell me – what position does Abdullah bin Salaam hold among you?” They replied, “He is our leader and the son of our leader. He is our greatest aalim, and the son of the greatest aalim. He is the best among us, and the son of the best.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then asked, “If Abdullah bin Salaam brings imaan in me, then will you believe that I am the true Nabi of Allah Ta‘ala?” They replied, “Abdullah bin Salaam can never embrace Islam!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked, “If, hypothetically speaking, he does embrace Islam (then will you believe that I am the true Nabi of Allah Ta‘ala)?” They replied, “Never - he can never ever embrace Islam!”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “O Abdullah bin Salaam! Come out (and show yourself to these people)!” As he emerged from the room, he declared his Islam saying:

أَشْهَدُ أًنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ الله

“I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah.”

He then addressed the Jews saying, “O assembly of Jews! Fear Allah! I swear in the name of that being besides Whom there is none worthy of worship, you are well aware that he (Muhammed [sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam]) is the true Messenger of Allah who has been sent with the truth!”

Hearing this, the Jews immediately said, “You (Abdullah bin Salaam) are a liar and a fraud! You are the worst among us and the son of the worst!”

In this regard, Allah Ta‘ala revealed the following verses:

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ وَكَفَرْتُمْ بِهِ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ بَنِيْ إِسْرَاءِيْلَ عَلٰى مِثْلِهِ فَآمَنَ وَاسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِينَ

Say: “Tell me! If this (Qur’aan Majeed) is from Allah and you deny it while a witness from the Bani Israa’eel (Hazrat Abdullah bin Salaam [radhiyallahu ‘anhu]) testifies upon its likeness (i.e. that the Qur’aan Majeed is from Allah) and he brings imaan while you are too arrogant (to being imaan). Verily, Allah does not guide the transgressing people.” (Surah Ahqaaf v. 10)

(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/416-417)