While we were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the mosque, a man came riding on a camel. He made his camel kneel down in the mosque, tied its foreleg and then said: "Who amongst you is Muhammad?" At that time the Prophet (ﷺ) was sitting amongst us (his companions) leaning on his arm. We replied, "This white man reclining on his arm." The man then addressed him, "O Son of `Abdul Muttalib." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I am here to answer your questions." The man said to the Prophet, "I want to ask you something and will be hard in questioning. So do not get angry." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Ask whatever you want." The man said, "I ask you by your Lord, and the Lord of those who were before you, has Allah sent you as an Apostle to all the mankind?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "By Allah, yes." The man further said, "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to offer five prayers in a day and night (24 hours).? He replied, "By Allah, Yes." The man further said, "I ask you by Allah! Has Allah ordered you to observe fasts during this month of the year (i.e. Ramadan)?" He replied, "By Allah, Yes." The man further said, "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to take Zakat (obligatory charity) from our rich people and distribute it amongst our poor people?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "By Allah, yes." Thereupon that man said, "I have believed in all that with which you have been sent, and I have been sent by my people as a messenger, and I am Dimam bin Tha`laba from the brothers of Bani Sa`d bin Bakr."
The Incident of Dimam bin Tha'laba
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 63) presents a remarkable encounter between Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Dimam bin Tha'laba, a delegate from the tribe of Bani Sa'd bin Bakr. The setting in the mosque establishes the sanctity of the location where this profound dialogue occurred.
Scholarly Commentary on the Dialogue
The man's direct manner of questioning demonstrates the Arabian custom of seeking clear, unambiguous answers. His repeated invocation "By Allah" shows his seriousness in seeking truth. The Prophet's ﷺ calm response despite the challenging tone exemplifies his perfect character and patience.
The four fundamental questions encompassed the pillars of Islam: testimony of faith, prayer, fasting, and zakat. This systematic inquiry reflects how new converts sought comprehensive understanding of Islamic obligations.
Significance of the Testimony
Dimam's immediate acceptance after verifying the core teachings demonstrates the power of clear evidence in Islam. His declaration "I have believed in all that with which you have been sent" shows complete submission without hesitation.
The fact that he came as a representative of his tribe indicates the communal nature of Arabian society, where decisions were often made collectively through trusted delegates.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
Scholars derive from this hadith the permissibility of asking detailed questions about religious matters, even in a direct manner. The Prophet's ﷺ willingness to answer despite the blunt approach teaches Muslims to respond to inquiries with wisdom and patience.
This incident also establishes the methodology of learning Islam through question and answer, and demonstrates how the Companions protected the Prophet ﷺ while allowing legitimate access to him.