were Abú Bakr and ʿOmar. And the Apostle of God stood up in our midst and went out from us and delayed (his return) to us. And we feared that, being separated from us, some calamity might befall him; so we rose up, and I was the first to be afraid and I went out seeking the Apostle until I came to a wall belonging to the Helpers, the Bani Nazzár, and I walked round it to see whether I could rind a door to it, but I found none. And behold! a drain which entered a cavity of the wall from a well outside.' Abú Hurairah said, 'So I squeezed myself through and went in to the Apostle. He said "Is it Abú Hurairah?" I said, "Yes, O Apostle of God." He said, "What is the matter with thee?" I replied, "Thou wert in our company, but didst rise up, and delayed to return to us; therefore we feared that, being separated from us, some calamity might happen to thee; and I was the first to be afraid; and I came to this wall, and squeezed myself through like a fox, and these men are following me." The Prophet said, "O Abú Hurairah—and he gave me his shoes—take these shoes of mine, and whoever meets thee behind this wall and bears witness that there is no God but Alláh, affirming it from his heart, then give that one the good tidings of heaven." And the first whom I met was ʿOmar, and he said, "What are these shoes, O Abú Hurairah?" I replied, "These are the Apostle's shoes. He has sent me with them that whomsoever I meet, who bears witness from the heart that there is no God but Alláh, to him I should give the good tidings of heaven." Then ʿOmar struck me between the breasts and I fell down on my back. And he said, "Return, O Abú Hurairah." So I returned to the Apostle of God with loud weeping. And ʿOmar followed closely in my tracks. Then the Apostle of God said, "What is the matter with thee, O Abú Hurairah?" I replied, "I met ʿOmar, and informed him of the message with which thou sentest me, but he struck me between my breasts, so that I fell on my back. Then he told me to return." Then the Apostle of God said, "What, O ʿOmar, incited thee to act as thou didst?" He replied, "O Apostle of God, by my father and my mother, didst thou send Abú Hurairah with thy shoes to inform whomsoever he met, and that bare witness from the heart that there is no God but
