Wa'il ibn Hujr was a nobleman from Hadhramaut in Yemen. He was of royal blood, since his great-grandfather had been one of the kings of the region. In the 9th year of the Hijrah, before he arrived, the Prophet ﷺ told the Companions, "There shall come to you Wa'il ibn Hujr, one of the ashraf of Yemen. And he is coming wanting to embrace Islam without any pressure being put on him." The ashraf were the noblemen. Wa'il reached Madinah three days later.
The Prophet ﷺ honored him as he honored hardly anyone else. He brought Wa'il up onto the minbar beside him, and seated him on his own cloak, an Arab custom for honoring a guest. He also made du'a for Wa'il and his children. Wa'il complained that his family had taken his right to the throne away from him. The Prophet ﷺ replied, "I will give you better than that," meaning that Islam would bring him more than any kingdom.
The Prophet ﷺ then made Wa'il governor of a small area of Yemen. He sent the young Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan RA, who was very poor at the time, with him as an escort. Wa'il rode his camel while Muawiyah walked. Muawiyah asked to ride with him, but Wa'il said it was not fitting for someone like him to ride with kings. Muawiyah then asked at least to wear Wa'il's shoes, because the stones were hot. Wa'il refused again and told him to shelter in the shadow of the camel. He was a Muslim, but a brand new one who had not yet left his old manners behind.
About thirty years later, Muawiyah RA had become the first king in Islam, ruling from 39 to 58 AH. Wa'il, who also lived a long life, came before him as a delegate. Muawiyah reminded him of that day on the road, and Wa'il said he wished he had acted differently. No one at the time could have imagined that the poor young escort would one day rule over the nobleman of Hadhramaut. In the Battle of Siffin in 37 AH, Wa'il joined the side of Ali ibn Abi Talib RA, as most of the people of Yemen did.
Other events recorded in 9 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Can I ride with you?
Sent by the Prophet ﷺ as Wa'il's escort to his new governorship in Yemen.
It's not befitting that someone like you rides with kings.
At least let me wear your shoes, because the stones are hot.
It's not befitting that the shoes of the king are given to you.
But the pebbles are hot!
Take comfort from the shadow of my camel.
There shall come to you Wa'il ibn Hujr, one of the noblemen of Yemen, and he is coming wanting to embrace Islam without any pressure being put on him.
My family had taken away my right from me.
Wa'il complained to the Prophet ﷺ that his family had denied him his claim to his royal family's throne in Hadhramaut.
I will give you better than that.
Do you remember on that day when you didn't even give me your shoes or camel to ride on?
Roughly thirty years later, after Muawiyah RA had become khalifa and Wa'il visited him as a delegate once more.
How I wish I had done that.