Walid was one of the judges of Arabia. Many difficulties of the Arabs were solved through him. He possessed enormous wealth. A group of Quraysh went to him for the solution of the problem of penetration of Islam in all houses and explained the matter to him and sought his opinion about the Qur’an of Muhammad.
They said to him: “Is the Qur’an of Muhammad magic or divination or is it a sermon or a rhetoric which has been prepared by him”. The sage of Arabia requested for time so that he might express his view after hearing the Qur’an. Then he rose from his place and came to the Prophet. He sat with him in ‘Hajar-i Isma’il’ and said “Read something from your poetry”.
The Holy Prophet replied: “What I say is not poetry. Rather it is the word of Allah which He has sent down for your guidance”. Then Walid insisted that he should recite the Qur’an. The Prophet recited the first thirteen verses of Surah al-Fussilat and when he reached this verse:
If they give no heed, say “I have given you warning of the scourge which overtook Thamud and ‘Ad’,
Walid trembled violently within himself. All his hair stood straight on his body and he got up in a state of astonishment and went home. He did not come out of his house for many days -so much so that Quraysh began ridiculing him and said: “Walid has given up the creed of his forefathers and has adopted the faith of Muhammad”