Al-Adab al-Mufrad

It is narrated from Na’eem bin Qa’nab (may Allah have mercy on him) that I went to meet Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), but he was not at home. I asked his wife: Where is Abu Dharr? She said: He is busy with household chores, he will come to you shortly. I sat down to wait for him. So he came, and he had two camels with him. One was tied behind the other, and each had a water skin around its neck. He took off the water skins, then came to me, so I said: O Abu Dharr! There is no man more beloved to me to meet than you, and there is no man more disliked to me to meet than you. He said: May Allah bless you, how can these two things be combined together? He says (I said): In the time of ignorance, I buried a girl alive. I was afraid that if I met you, you would say that your repentance is not accepted, and there is no way out of the sin. And I also hoped that you would say that your repentance is accepted and there is a way out of the sin. He said: Did you commit this sin in the time of ignorance? I said: Yes! He said: Allah Almighty has forgiven the previous sins. Then he said to his wife: Bring food for us, but she refused. Then he ordered again, but she refused again, until both their voices were raised in repetition. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You cannot go beyond what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has said. I asked: What did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say about them? He said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, woman was created from a crooked rib. If you try to straighten her, you will break her. And if you are tolerant with her crookedness, then you can live with her.” Then the woman went and (quickly) brought tharid, as if she were a pigeon in her haste. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Eat, and do not let my not joining you trouble you, for I am fasting. Then he got up and started praying, bowing quickly. Then after finishing the prayer, he joined me in eating. I said: Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. I did not expect you to lie to me. He said: May Allah bless you, since I met you, I have not lied to you. I said: Did you not tell me that you were fasting? He said: Yes! I have fasted three days in this month, and the reward has been written for me, and food has become lawful for me.