Conversion of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari

Abu Dharr Jundab ibn Junadah of the Banu Ghifar tribe, a clan known for highway robbery on the route between Mecca and Medina, heard about the Prophet and sent his brother Unays to Mecca to investigate. Unays returned saying he found a man who 'commands noble conduct and speaks words that are not poetry.' Unsatisfied, Abu Dharr traveled to Mecca himself. He met Ali ibn Abi Talib, who secretly brought him to the Prophet for three consecutive nights. Upon hearing the Prophet's message, Abu Dharr immediately accepted Islam. Then, against the Prophet's advice to keep his faith secret, Abu Dharr went to the Ka'bah and publicly declared: 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah!' The Quraysh beat him severely until Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib intervened, warning them that Abu Dharr's tribe controlled their trade route to Syria. The Prophet then sent Abu Dharr back to his tribe to spread Islam, and eventually all of Banu Ghifar and the neighboring Banu Aslam embraced the faith. The Prophet later said: 'May Allah have mercy on Abu Dharr; he walks alone, dies alone, and will be raised alone.'