The Virtues Of Abu Dharr (RA)

'Abdullah b. Samit reported that Abu Dharr said: We set out from our tribe Ghafir who look upon the prohibited months as permissible months. I and my brother Unais and our mother stayed with our maternal uncle who treated us well. The men of his tribe fell jealous and they said: When you are anay from your house, Unais commits adultery with your wife. Our -naternal uncle came and he accused us of the sin which was conveyed to him. I said: You have undone the good you did to us. We cannot stay with you after this. We came to our camels and loaded (our) luggage. Our maternal uncle began to weep covering himself with (a piece of) cloth. We proceeded on until we encamped by the side of Mecca. Unais cast lot on the camels (we had) and an equal number (above that). They both went to a Kahin and he made Unais win and Unais came with our camels and an equal number along with them. He (Abu Dharr) said: My nephew, I used to observe prayer three years before my meeting with Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: For whom did you say prayer? He said: For Allah. I said: To which direction did you turn your face (for observing prayer)? He said: I used to turn my face as Allah has directed me to turn my face. I used to observe the night prayer at the time of the end of night and I fell down in prostration like the mantle until the sun rose over me. Unais said: I have a work in Mecca, so you better stay here. Unais went until he came to Mecca and he came to me late. I said: What did you do? He said: I met a person in Mecca who is on your religion and he claims that verily it is Allah Who has sent him. I said: What do the people say about him? He said: They say that he is a poet or a fortuneteller or a magician. Unais who was himself one of the poets said. I have heard the words of a Kahin but his words in no way resemble his (words). And I also compared his words to the verses of poets but such words cannot be uttered by any poet. By Allah, he is truthful and they are liars. Then I said: you stay here, until I go, so that I should see him. He said: I came to Mecca and I selected an insignificant person from amongst them and said to him: Where is he whom you call as-Sabi? He pointed out towards me saying: He is Sabi. Thereupon the people of the valley attacked me with sods and bows until I fell down unconscious. I stood up after havin. regained my consciousness and I found as if I was a red idol. I came to Zamzam and washed blood from me and drank water from it and listen, O son of my brother, I stayed there for thirty nights or days and there was no food for me but the water of Zamzam. And I became so bulky that there appeared wrinkles upon my stomach, and I did not feel any hunger in my stomach. It was during this time that the people of Mecca slept in the moonlit night and none was there to eircumambulate the House but only two women who had been invoking the name of Isafa, and Na'ila (the two idols). They came to me while in their circuit and I said: Marry one with the other, but they did not dissuade from their invoking. They came to me and I said to them: Insert wood (in the idols' private parts). (I said this to them in such plain words) as I could not express in metaphorical terms. These women went away crying and saying: Had there been one amongst our people (he would have taught a lesson to you for the obscene words used for our idols before us). These women met Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr who had also been coming down the hill. He asked them: What has happened to you? They said: There is Sabi, who has hidden himself between the Ka'ba and its curtain. He said: What did he say to you? They said: He uttered such words before us as we cannot express. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and he kissed the Black Stone and circumambulated the House along with his Companion and then observed prayer, and when he had finished his prayer, Abu Dharr said: I was the first to greet him with the salutation of peace and uttered (these words) in this way;
Allah's Messenger, may there be peace upon you, whereupon he said: It may be upon you too and the mercy of Allah. He then said: Who are you? I said: From the tribe of Ghifar. He leaned his hand and placed his finger on his forehead and I said to myself: Perhaps he has not liked it that I belong to the tribe of Ghifar. I attempted to catch hold of his hand but his friend who knew about him more than I dissuaded me from doing so. He then lifted his head and said: Since how long have you been here? I said: I have been here for the last thirty nights or days. He said: Who has been feeding you? I said: There has been no food for me but the water of Zamzam. I have grown so bulky that there appear wrinkles upon my stomach and I do not feel any hunger. He said: It is blessed (water) and it also serves as food. Thereupon Abu Bakr said: Allah's Messenger, let me serve as a host to him for tonight, and then Messenger of Allah ﷺ proceeded forth and so did Abu Bakr and I went along with them. Abu Bakr opened the door and then he brought for us the raisins of Ta'if and that was the first food which I ate there. Then I stayed as long as I had to stay. I then came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he said: I have been shown the land abounding in trees and I think it cannot be but that of Yathrib (that is the old name of Medina). You are a preacher to your people on my behalf. I hope Allah would benefit them through you and He would reward you. I came to Unais and he said: What have you done? I said: I have done that I have embraced Islam and I have testified (to the prophethood of Allah's Messenger). He said: I have no aversion for your religion and I also embrace Islam and testify (to the prophethood of Muhammad). Then both of us came to our mother and she said: I have no aversion for your religion and I also embrace Islam and testify to the prophethood of Muhammad. We then loaded our camels and came to our tribe Ghifir and half of the tribe embraced Islam and their chief was Aimi' b. Rahada Ghifirl and he was their leader and hall of the tribe said: We will embrace Islam when Messenger of Allah ﷺ would come to Medina, and when Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Medina the remaining half also embraced Islam. Then a tribe Aslam came to Prophet ﷺ and said: Allah's Messenger, we also embrace Islam like our brothers who have embraced Islam. And they also embraced Islam. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Allah granted pardon to the tribe of Ghifar and Allah saved (from destruction) the tribe of Aslam.

حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الأَزْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، أَخْبَرَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ،
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ خَرَجْنَا مِنْ قَوْمِنَا غِفَارٍ وَكَانُوا يُحِلُّونَ الشَّهْرَ
الْحَرَامَ فَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأَخِي أُنَيْسٌ وَأُمُّنَا فَنَزَلْنَا عَلَى خَالٍ لَنَا فَأَكْرَمَنَا خَالُنَا وَأَحْسَنَ
إِلَيْنَا فَحَسَدَنَا قَوْمُهُ فَقَالُوا إِنَّكَ إِذَا خَرَجْتَ عَنْ أَهْلِكَ خَالَفَ إِلَيْهِمْ أُنَيْسٌ فَجَاءَ خَالُنَا
فَنَثَا عَلَيْنَا الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَمَّا مَا مَضَى مِنْ مَعْرُوفِكَ فَقَدْ كَدَّرْتَهُ وَلاَ جِمَاعَ لَكَ فِيمَا
بَعْدُ . فَقَرَّبْنَا صِرْمَتَنَا فَاحْتَمَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا وَتَغَطَّى خَالُنَا ثَوْبَهُ فَجَعَلَ يَبْكِي فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى
نَزَلْنَا بِحَضْرَةِ مَكَّةَ فَنَافَرَ أُنَيْسٌ عَنْ صِرْمَتِنَا وَعَنْ مِثْلِهَا فَأَتَيَا الْكَاهِنَ فَخَيَّرَ أُنَيْسًا فَأَتَانَا
أُنَيْسٌ بِصِرْمَتِنَا وَمِثْلِهَا مَعَهَا - قَالَ - وَقَدْ صَلَّيْتُ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي قَبْلَ أَنْ أَلْقَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
ﷺ بِثَلاَثِ سِنِينَ . قُلْتُ لِمَنْ قَالَ لِلَّهِ . قُلْتُ فَأَيْنَ تَوَجَّهُ قَالَ أَتَوَجَّهُ حَيْثُ
يُوَجِّهُنِي رَبِّي أُصَلِّي عِشَاءً حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ أُلْقِيتُ كَأَنِّي خِفَاءٌ حَتَّى تَعْلُوَنِي
الشَّمْسُ . فَقَالَ أُنَيْسٌ إِنَّ لِي حَاجَةً بِمَكَّةَ فَاكْفِنِي . فَانْطَلَقَ أُنَيْسٌ حَتَّى أَتَى مَكَّةَ فَرَاثَ
عَلَىَّ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقُلْتُ مَا صَنَعْتَ قَالَ لَقِيتُ رَجُلاً بِمَكَّةَ عَلَى دِينِكَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَرْسَلَهُ . قُلْتُ
فَمَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ قَالَ يَقُولُونَ شَاعِرٌ كَاهِنٌ سَاحِرٌ . وَكَانَ أُنَيْسٌ أَحَدَ الشُّعَرَاءِ . قَالَ
أُنَيْسٌ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ قَوْلَ الْكَهَنَةِ فَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِهِمْ وَلَقَدْ وَضَعْتُ قَوْلَهُ عَلَى أَقْرَاءِ الشِّعْرِ فَمَا
يَلْتَئِمُ عَلَى لِسَانِ أَحَدٍ بَعْدِي أَنَّهُ شِعْرٌ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَصَادِقٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ . قَالَ قُلْتُ فَاكْفِنِي
حَتَّى أَذْهَبَ فَأَنْظُرَ . قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ مَكَّةَ فَتَضَعَّفْتُ رَجُلاً مِنْهُمْ فَقُلْتُ أَيْنَ هَذَا الَّذِي تَدْعُونَهُ
الصَّابِئَ فَأَشَارَ إِلَىَّ فَقَالَ الصَّابِئَ . فَمَالَ عَلَىَّ أَهْلُ الْوَادِي بِكُلِّ مَدَرَةٍ وَعَظْمٍ حَتَّى خَرَرْتُ
مَغْشِيًّا عَلَىَّ - قَالَ - فَارْتَفَعْتُ حِينَ ارْتَفَعْتُ كَأَنِّي نُصُبٌ أَحْمَرُ - قَالَ - فَأَتَيْتُ زَمْزَمَ
فَغَسَلْتُ عَنِّي الدِّمَاءَ وَشَرِبْتُ مِنْ مَائِهَا وَلَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي ثَلاَثِينَ بَيْنَ لَيْلَةٍ وَيَوْمٍ مَا
كَانَ لِي طَعَامٌ إِلاَّ مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ فَسَمِنْتُ حَتَّى تَكَسَّرَتْ عُكَنُ بَطْنِي وَمَا وَجَدْتُ عَلَى كَبِدِي سُخْفَةَ
جُوعٍ - قَالَ - فَبَيْنَا أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ قَمْرَاءَ إِضْحِيَانَ إِذْ ضُرِبَ عَلَى أَسْمِخَتِهِمْ فَمَا
يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ أَحَدٌ وَامْرَأَتَيْنِ مِنْهُمْ تَدْعُوَانِ إِسَافًا وَنَائِلَةَ - قَالَ - فَأَتَتَا عَلَىَّ فِي طَوَافِهِمَا
فَقُلْتُ أَنْكِحَا أَحَدَهُمَا الأُخْرَى - قَالَ - فَمَا تَنَاهَتَا عَنْ قَوْلِهِمَا - قَالَ - فَأَتَتَا عَلَىَّ
فَقُلْتُ هَنٌ مِثْلُ الْخَشَبَةِ غَيْرَ أَنِّي لاَ أَكْنِي . فَانْطَلَقَتَا تُوَلْوِلاَنِ وَتَقُولاَنِ لَوْ كَانَ هَا هُنَا أَحَدٌ
مِنْ أَنْفَارِنَا . قَالَ فَاسْتَقْبَلَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَهُمَا هَابِطَانِ
قَالَ " مَا لَكُمَا " . قَالَتَا الصَّابِئُ بَيْنَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَأَسْتَارِهَا قَالَ " مَا قَالَ لَكُمَا " . قَالَتَا
إِنَّهُ قَالَ لَنَا كَلِمَةً تَمْلأُ الْفَمَ . وَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى اسْتَلَمَ الْحَجَرَ
وَطَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ هُوَ وَصَاحِبُهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى فَلَمَّا قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ . فَكُنْتُ أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ
حَيَّاهُ بِتَحِيَّةِ الإِسْلاَمِ - قَالَ - فَقُلْتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَقَالَ " وَعَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ
اللَّهِ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " مَنْ أَنْتَ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ مِنْ غِفَارٍ - قَالَ - فَأَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ فَوَضَعَ أَصَابِعَهُ
عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي كَرِهَ أَنِ انْتَمَيْتُ إِلَى غِفَارٍ . فَذَهَبْتُ آخُذُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَدَعَنِي صَاحِبُهُ
وَكَانَ أَعْلَمَ بِهِ مِنِّي ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " مَتَى كُنْتَ هَا هُنَا " . قَالَ قُلْتُ قَدْ كُنْتُ هَا
هُنَا مُنْذُ ثَلاَثِينَ بَيْنَ لَيْلَةٍ وَيَوْمٍ قَالَ " فَمَنْ كَانَ يُطْعِمُكَ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ مَا كَانَ لِي طَعَامٌ
إِلاَّ مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ . فَسَمِنْتُ حَتَّى تَكَسَّرَتْ عُكَنُ بَطْنِي وَمَا أَجِدُ عَلَى كَبِدِي سُخْفَةَ جُوعٍ قَالَ
" إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ " . فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ائْذَنْ لِي فِي طَعَامِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ
. فَانْطَلَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَهُمَا فَفَتَحَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَابًا
فَجَعَلَ يَقْبِضُ لَنَا مِنْ زَبِيبِ الطَّائِفِ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ طَعَامٍ أَكَلْتُهُ بِهَا ثُمَّ غَبَرْتُ مَا غَبَرْتُ
ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ " إِنَّهُ قَدْ وُجِّهَتْ لِي أَرْضٌ ذَاتُ نَخْلٍ لاَ
أُرَاهَا إِلاَّ يَثْرِبَ فَهَلْ أَنْتَ مُبَلِّغٌ عَنِّي قَوْمَكَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَنْفَعَهُمْ بِكَ وَيَأْجُرَكَ فِيهِمْ "
. فَأَتَيْتُ أُنَيْسًا فَقَالَ مَا صَنَعْتَ قُلْتُ صَنَعْتُ أَنِّي قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَصَدَّقْتُ . قَالَ مَا بِي رَغْبَةٌ
عَنْ دِينِكَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَصَدَّقْتُ . فَأَتَيْنَا أُمَّنَا فَقَالَتْ مَا بِي رَغْبَةٌ عَنْ دِينِكُمَا فَإِنِّي
قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَصَدَّقْتُ . فَاحْتَمَلْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا قَوْمَنَا غِفَارًا فَأَسْلَمَ نِصْفُهُمْ وَكَانَ يَؤُمُّهُمْ إِيمَاءُ
بْنُ رَحَضَةَ الْغِفَارِيُّ وَكَانَ سَيِّدَهُمْ . وَقَالَ نِصْفُهُمْ إِذَا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ
الْمَدِينَةَ أَسْلَمْنَا . فَقَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَسْلَمَ نِصْفُهُمُ الْبَاقِي وَجَاءَتْ
أَسْلَمُ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَتُنَا نُسْلِمُ عَلَى الَّذِي أَسْلَمُوا عَلَيْهِ . فَأَسْلَمُوا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ
اللَّهِ ﷺ " غِفَارُ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهَا وَأَسْلَمُ سَالَمَهَا اللَّهُ " .

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Humaid b. Hilal with the same chain of transmitters but with this addition:" As I came to Mecca, Unais said: (Well), go but be on your guard against the Meccans for they are his enemies and are annoyed with him."

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ شُمَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَزَادَ بَعْدَ قَوْلِهِ قُلْتُ فَاكْفِنِي حَتَّى أَذْهَبَ فَأَنْظُرَ . قَالَ نَعَمْ وَكُنْ عَلَى حَذَرٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ شَنِفُوا لَهُ وَتَجَهَّمُوا .

Abdullah b. Samit reported that Abu Dharr said: Son of my brother, I used to observe prayer two years before the advent of Allah's Apostle ﷺ. I said: To which direction did you turn your face? He said: To which Allah directed me to turn my face. The rest of the hadith is the same but with this addition that they went to a Kahin and his brother Unais began to praise him until he (in verses declared) him (Unais) as winner (in the contest of poetry), and so we got his camels, mixed them with our camels, and there is in this hadith also these words that Allah's Apostle ﷺ came there and he circumambulated the House and observed two Rak'ahs of prayer behind the Station (of Ibrahim). I came to him and I was the first amongst persons to greet him with Assalam-o-'Alaikum, and I said to Allah's Messenger Let there be peace upon you. And he said: Let there be peace upon you too;
who are you? And in the hadith (these words are) also found: Since how long have you been here? And Abu Bakr said: Let him be my guest tonight.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي صَلَّيْتُ سَنَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ مَبْعَثِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ . قَالَ قُلْتُ فَأَيْنَ كُنْتَ تَوَجَّهُ قَالَ حَيْثُ وَجَّهَنِيَ اللَّهُ . وَاقْتَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ وَقَالَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ فَتَنَافَرَا إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْكُهَّانِ . قَالَ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَخِي أُنَيْسٌ يَمْدَحُهُ حَتَّى غَلَبَهُ - قَالَ - فَأَخَذْنَا صِرْمَتَهُ فَضَمَمْنَاهَا إِلَى صِرْمَتِنَا . وَقَالَ أَيْضًا فِي حَدِيثِهِ قَالَ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَطَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَلْفَ الْمَقَامِ - قَالَ - فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَإِنِّي لأَوَّلُ النَّاسِ حَيَّاهُ بِتَحِيَّةِ الإِسْلاَمِ - قَالَ - قُلْتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ " وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ مَنْ أَنْتَ " . وَفِي حَدِيثِهِ أَيْضًا فَقَالَ " مُنْذُ كَمْ أَنْتَ هَا هُنَا " . قَالَ قُلْتُ مُنْذُ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ . وَفِيهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَتْحِفْنِي بِضِيَافَتِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ .