Naeem bin Qanab reported,

I came to Abu Dharr but did not find him. I saw the woman of the household and asked her about him. She said, "He is over there, attending to some property of his."Then he came along, leading or driving two camels tied one behind the other, the head of one tied to the rear of the other, with a waterskin on the neck of each. He set the two waterskins down.I said, "Abu Dharr, there was no one among the people I more wanted to meet than you, and no one I more dreaded to meet than you."He said, "By your father, how can these two feelings be combined?"I said, "In the days of ignorance I buried a daughter alive. In meeting you I hoped you would tell me that there is repentance and a way out for me, but I feared you would tell me that there is no repentance for me."He asked, "Was this in the days of ignorance?"I said, "Yes."He said, "Allah has pardoned what is past." Then he turned his head toward the woman and ordered food to be brought for me, but she resisted him. He ordered her again, and she resisted him, until their voices grew loud.He said, "Enough. Leave us alone. You women never go beyond what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us about you."I said, "What did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say to you about them?"He said, "A woman is like a rib. If you set out to straighten her, you break her, and if you leave her, there is crookedness in her, but enough to get by." She then went off and brought a dish of tharid that looked like a sand grouse.He said, "Eat, and don't let me alarm you. I am fasting." Then he stood to pray, performing the bowing fully but making it brief, and I noticed he was trying to give me time to eat my fill or close to it.Then he came and put his hand in with mine. I said, "We belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return."He said, "What is the matter with you?"I said, "The one I least feared among people would lie to me, I never feared that you would lie to me."He said, "By your father, have I told you a single lie since you met me?"I said, "Did you not tell me you were fasting? And now I see you eating."He said, "Indeed I am. I fasted three days of this month, so its reward is established for me, and the food is permissible for me to share with you."

حدثنا إسماعيل عن الجريري عن أبي السليل

عن نعيم بن قعنب الرياحي قال

أتيت أبا ذر فلم أجده ورأيت المرأة فسألتها فقالت هو ذاك في ضيعة له فجاء يقود أو يسوق بعيرين قاطرا أحدهما في عجز صاحبه في عنق كل واحد منهما قربة فوضع القربتين قلت يا أبا ذر ما كان من الناس أحد أحب إلي أن ألقاه منك ولا أبغض أن ألقاه منك قال لله أبوك وما يجمع هذا قال قلت إني كنت وأدت في الجاهلية وكنت أرجو في لقائك أن تخبرني أن لي توبة ومخرجا وكنت أخشى في لقائك أن تخبرني أنه لا توبة لي فقال أفي الجاهلية قلت نعم فقال عفا الله عما سلف ثم عاج برأسه إلى المرأة فأمر لي بطعام فالتوت عليه ثم أمرها فالتوت عليه حتى ارتفعت أصواتهما قال إيه دعينا عنك فإنكن لن تعدون ما قال لنا فيكن رسول الله ﷺ قلت وما قال لكم فيهن رسول الله ﷺ قال المرأة ضلع فإن تذهب تقومها تكسرها وإن تدعها ففيها أود وبلغة فولت فجاءت بثريدة كأنها قطاة فقال كل ولا أهولنك إني صائم ثم قام يصلي فجعل يهذب الركوع ويخففه ورأيته يتحرى أن أشبع أو أقارب ثم جاء فوضع يده معي فقلت إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون فقال ما لك فقلت من كنت أخشى من الناس أن يكذبني فما كنت أخشى أن تكذبني قال لله أبوك إن كذبتك كذبة منذ لقيتني فقال ألم تخبرني أنك صائم ثم أراك تأكل قال بلى إني صمت ثلاثة أيام من هذا الشهر فوجب لي أجره وحل لي الطعام معك