Verse: "And others among them who have not yet joined them — and He is the Mighty, the Wise." (62:3)
Occasion (Sahih — Agreed Upon): Al-Bukhari (4897) and Muslim (2546) narrated from Abu Hurairah: The Prophet was asked about "the others" in the verse and said: "If faith were at the Pleiades, men — or a man — from these would reach it." And he placed his hand on Salman Al-Farisi.
Reliability: Sahih (Agreed Upon)
Lesson:
- Islam is a universal message beyond the Arabs — "others" is an explicit glad tiding for non-Arabs
- Salman Al-Farisi is the model of the seeker of truth across continents
- The Prophet placed his hand on him in honor — a Quranic-Prophetic recognition of the place of non-Arabs in Islam
Question: Whom did the Prophet indicate when asked about "the others" in Surah Al-Jumuah and what is the significance?
Answer: He indicated Salman Al-Farisi — proof that Islam is universal not exclusively Arab, and that non-Arabs have an explicit place in the Quran and Sunnah.