Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. Salām رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “O Umar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, when I saw the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم I recognised him at once without any doubt or hesitation, and my recognition of him was greater than my recognition of my own sons.”

Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ asked, “How so?”

Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. Salām رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ responded, “Allah Almighty has mentioned the beloved Prophet’s qualities in our Book, the Torah, which is why I recognise him with complete certainty. Whereas, considering one’s son as a son is only on account of what women say.”

When Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ heard this, he kissed the forehead of Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. Salām رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.^[1]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                     صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

A spiritual disease which prevents one from accepting faith

Dear Islamic brothers! As a side point, let us understand something here. It is possible that a question might arise in a person’s mind as to why the People of the Book did not accept Islam when they saw the final Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم despite his detailed description being mentioned in the previous heavenly books. When they knew him, recognised him and were aware that he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the final Prophet then they ought to have recited the testimony of faith as soon as they laid eyes upon him, but they did not, so what was the reason for this? Allah Almighty answers this in the noble Quran:

بَغْیًا اَنْ یُّنَزِّلَ اللہُ مِنْ فَضْلِہٖ عَلٰی مَنْ یَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِہٖ ۚ

 resentful that Allah, with His Grace, sends down revelation upon whomsoever He wills among His chosen people.^[2]