Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) scolds his servant

Once, a person from the tribe of Banu Sulaim came to Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu anhu) and said to him, “I wish to stay with you to benefit from your knowledge of Allah Ta’ala’s commandments and Nabi’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) sunnats. I shall also help your servant in looking after the camels.”

Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I cannot keep a person with me who does not listen to me. But if you will always do as I tell you, then you can stay with me, otherwise you cannot stay with me.”

The person asked, “In which matters would you like me to obey you?”

Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “When I ask you to spend from my belongings, you must spend the best of them.”

The person explained: “I accepted Hazrat Abu Zarr’s (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) condition and stayed with him.

One day, a person told Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) that there were some poor people camping near the spring close-by who were in need of food. So he (Abu Zarr) asked me to fetch a camel. I went and intended to choose the best of the lot, as I had promised to do. It was a very kind and obedient animal which was good for riding, so I decided to leave it and chose the second best. After all, it was only going to be slaughtered and eaten, and for this, it was just as good as the other. The other one was very good for riding and much more useful to Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and his family, while the poor would find this one just as tasty as the other. I therefore led the other camel to Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).

He shouted me saying, “You have broken your promise!” Knowing well what he meant, I went back and fetched the best camel instead.

He (Abu Zarr) then requested the people around him, “I want two persons to do a job for Allah Ta’ala.”

Two people came forward. He asked them to go and slaughter the camel and distribute the meat equally among the families camping near the water, including his own family, saying, “My family will also share equally with the rest of the people in the distribution.” Those two people carried out his instructions.

After the distribution of the meat, he called me and said to me, “Did you intentionally ignore my instructions when I told you to spend the best of my wealth, or did you forget about my instruction? In that case, I will excuse you for your mistake.”

I replied, “I did not forget your instructions, but I thought that it would be better to leave the best camel for you to ride on, while the other was just as good for eating.”

Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked, “Was it only for my personal need that you left it?”  I replied, “Yes.”

Hazrat Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then advised me, “Come; let me tell you about the occasion of my needs. That is the day when I shall be left alone in the darkness of the grave. Remember, there are three partners in your wealth:

“Firstly, your destiny, which does not wait to take away its share. It will take away all that it has to take, regardless of whether the wealth is good or bad. It will take away all that it has to take.

“Secondly, your heirs are eagerly awaiting your death, so that they may take their share.

“Thirdly, yourself. If you can manage, don’t be the most helpless of the three partners. Take your full share, while you can.

Allah Ta’ala says:

لَنۡ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتّٰی تُنۡفِقُوۡا مِمَّا تُحِبُّوۡنَ

 “You shall never reach righteousness/piety until you spend of that which you love.” (Surah Aal Imraan – Aayah 92)

“I therefore think it best to send things which I love in advance (to the Aakhirat), so that they may be kept safely for me over there.” (Ad-Durrul Manthoor 2/261)