Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ عَنْ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي مَرَّ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يُنَاجِي جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام فَزَعَمَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ أَنَّهُ تَجَنَّبَ أَنْ يَدْنُوَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَخَوُّفًا أَنْ يَسْمَعَ حَدِيثَهُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تُسَلِّمَ إِذْ مَرَرْتَ بِي الْبَارِحَةَ قَالَ رَأَيْتُكَ تُنَاجِي رَجُلًا فَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَكْرَهَ أَنْ أَدْنُوَ مِنْكُمَا قَالَ وَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَنْ الرَّجُلُ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَذَلِكَ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام وَلَوْ سَلَّمْتَ لَرَدَّ السَّلَامَ وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ أَنَّهُ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ النُّعْمَانِ.
English Translation
Affan told us: Wuhayb told us: Musa ibn Uqba told us: Abu Salama told me, concerning the man who passed by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was conversing privately with Gabriel, peace be upon him. Abu Salama claimed that he kept away from approaching the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, out of fear that he might overhear his conversation. When morning came, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, 'What kept you from greeting me with peace when you passed by me last night?' He said, 'I saw you conversing privately with a man, and I feared you might dislike my coming near you both.' He said, 'And do you know who the man was?' He said, 'No.' He said, 'That was Gabriel, peace be upon him. Had you given the greeting of peace, he would have returned the greeting.' And I have heard from other than Abu Salama that he was Haritha ibn al-Nu'man.