Lu'lu' wal-Marjan

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: O Abdur Rahman bin Samurah! Never ask for a position of authority, because if it is given to you after you have asked for it, Allah the Exalted will withdraw His help from you. But if it is given to you without your asking, then you will be helped by Allah in it.

Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and with me were two men from the Ash'ari tribe. One was on my right side and the other on my left. At that time, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was using a miswak. Both of them requested the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for service, meaning for government and position. The Prophet said: "Abu Musa or Abdullah bin Qais!" (the narrator is in doubt). I immediately said: "O Messenger of Allah! By the Lord who has sent you as a true Prophet, they did not tell me what was in their hearts, nor did I know that these two persons wanted service." Hazrat Abu Musa says: "As I am seeing your miswak at this moment, it was raised under your lip." The Prophet said: "Whoever asks us for service, we do not give him service. But Abu Musa or Abdullah bin Qais! You go to Yemen as governor." (So Abu Musa departed.) After that, the Prophet also sent Mu'adh bin Jabal after him. When Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) reached Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) in Yemen, Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) spread a mattress for him to sit on and said: "Dismount and sit on the mattress." At that time, there was a man with them whose hands were tied. Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Who is this man?" He said: "He was a Jew, then he became a Muslim, and now he has become a Jew again." And Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him): "If you dismount and sit..." He said: "I will not sit until, according to the command of Allah and His Messenger, he is killed." He said this three times. Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered, and he was killed. Then Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) sat down. Then both of them discussed the night prayer (Tahajjud). Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I worship at night and I also sleep, and I hope that I will get the same reward for sleeping as I get for praying and worshipping."