father Abū Quḥāfa and the people of his tribe were greatly concerned. They continuously attempted to converse with him, and eventually, in the last part of the day, he regained consciousness. When they enquired about his well-being, the first thing he said was, “How is Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?” Hearing this, some of his tribesmen became upset and left.

Whenever his mother Umm al-Khayr Salma would tell him to eat or drink something, he would reply with the same words, “How is Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم? I only want to hear of him.” Seeing this, his mother said, “By Allah! I do not know how your friend is.” He replied, “Go to Umm Jamīl bint al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا and ask her how the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is.”  

His mother then went to Umm Jamīl رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا and said, “My son Abū Bakr is asking you about his friend, Muhammad b. ʿAbdullah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; he wants to know how he is.” Instead of replying to this question, Umm Jamīl رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا said, “If you wish, I can come with you to your son.” They both went to Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, and he asked her the very same question, “How is Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?”

Umm Jamīl رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا replied, “The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is completely safe and well.” He then asked, “Where is he now?” “At Dār al-Arqam”, she explained. Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then declared, “By Allah, I will not eat or drink anything until I see the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم myself.”

In the end, once everybody had left, his mother and Umm Jamīl   took him to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, whose eyes became tearful seeing this true devotee of his. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then moved forward, took hold of him and kissed him. All the Muslims also came forward. Seeing Sayyidunā Abū