Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Can you tell me name of any sahaba who converted from judaism like for example khalid bin walid r.a. were pagan before accepting islam. Which jewish turned muslim sahaba was there. 

 

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Answer:

 

Abdullah inb Salaam Jew revert to Islam

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

There were quite a few companions of the Noble Prophet (saws) who converted from Judaism to Islam at the hands of the Prophet (saws); and the most famous amongst them was a Jewish Rabbi and scholar named Abdullah ibn Salaam (r.a.).  Exactly how he reverted to Islam and how he exposed the hypocrisy and falsehood of the Jews is a rather interesting incident as quoted in the below hadith:

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.275         Narrated by Anas

When the news of the arrival of the Prophet (saws) at Medina reached the Jewish Rabbi and scholar, Abdullah bin Salam, he went to him to ask him (saws) about certain things. He (Abdullah ibn Salaam) said, "I am going to ask you about three things which only a Prophet can answer: 1. What is the first sign of The Hour? 2. What is the first food which the people of Paradise will eat?  3. Why does a child attract the similarity to his father or to his mother?"  The Prophet (saws) replied, "Jibrael (a.s.) has just now informed me of that."  Ibn Salam said, "He (i.e. Jibrael) is the enemy of the Jews amongst the angels!”  The Prophet (saws) said, "As for the first sign of The Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to the West. As for the first meal which the people of Paradise will eat, it will be the caudate (extra) lobe of the fish-liver. As for the child, if the man's discharge proceeds the woman's discharge, the child attracts the similarity to the man, and if the woman's discharge proceeds the man's, then the child attracts the similarity to the woman."

On this, 'Abdullah bin Salam said, "I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that you (O Mohamed (saws)) are the Messenger of Allah." and added, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! Jews invent such lies as make one astonished, so please ask them about me before they know about my conversion to Islam." The Jews came to the gathering and the Prophet asked them, "What kind of man is Abdullah bin Salam among you?"  They replied, "The best of us, , the son of the best of us, the most superior among us, and the son of the most superior among us." The Prophet (saws) said, "What would you think if 'Abdullah bin Salam should embrace Islam?"  They said, "May Allah protect him from that."  The Prophet (saws) repeated his question and they gave the same answer. Then Abdullah came out to them and said, "I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad (saws) is the Messenger of Allah!"  On this, the Jews said, "He is the most wicked among us, the son of the most wicked among us."  So they degraded him.  On this, he (i.e. 'Abdullah bin Salam) said, "It is this that I was afraid of, O Allah's Messenger (saws)!"

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan