Musnad Ahmad

Nuaim bin Qanab Riyahi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once I went to the service of Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) but did not find him. I asked his wife, and she told me that he had gone to his land. After a short while, he came driving two camels. The saliva of one camel was falling on the haunch of its companion, and each of them had a water skin hanging from its neck. He took down both water skins, so I said, "O Abu Dharr! I never loved meeting anyone else as much as I loved meeting you, nor did I ever hate meeting anyone as much as I hated meeting you." He said, "Brother! How can these two things be combined?" I said, "In the days of ignorance, I buried a girl alive. I hoped that by meeting you, you would tell me a way of repentance and salvation (that is why I wished to meet you), but I also feared that you might say there is no way of repentance for me." Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "Did you do this in the days of ignorance?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "Allah has forgiven all past sins." Then, with a gesture of his head, he ordered his wife to bring food for me, but she did not pay attention. He told her again, but she still did not pay attention. Eventually, their voices were raised. Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Stay behind us; you cannot go beyond the limit that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has stated regarding you." I asked him, "What did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say to you about them?" He mentioned this saying: "A woman is like a crooked rib; if you try to straighten her, you will break her, and if you leave her as she is, you will have to live with her crookedness and foolishness." Hearing this, she went back and after a while brought tharid prepared like "qatah." Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me, "Eat and do not worry about me, for I am fasting." Then he stood up and began to pray, performing good but light bowings. I saw that he wanted to see me satisfied, but after a short while, he came and joined me in eating. Seeing this, I said, "Inna lillah." He asked, "What happened?" I said, "I could have suspected an ordinary person of lying to me, but I could not suspect you." He said, "By Allah! Since you met me, I have not lied to you." I said, "Did you not tell me that you were fasting, and now I see you eating?" He said, "Yes! I had already fasted three days in this month, for which the reward is established for me, and now eating with you is lawful for me."