Abu Dhar had been one of the great companions of his
holy and prophetic lordship, and departed during the
Khalifate of O’mar to Syria to wage holy war [Ghazâ].
After O’mar had responded to the call of fate [i.e., died]
Abu Dhar remained in Syria, where, perceiving the greediness
of Moa’wiah for worldly goods, and for raising high
edifices, he opened the mouth of admonition and reproval
as follows: ‘Thy acts and doings are not in conformity
with the glorious Sonna of his lordship the best of creatures,
and thy behaviour is not like that of the two Sheikhs.’ It
is said that in a private assembly Moa’wiah one day called,
by a slip of the tongue, the house of property [i.e., public
treasury] the house of Allah, whereon Abu Dhar exclaimed:
‘Thou wilt have to account to the Lord most high on the
day of reckoning for having said “the house of Allah”;
thou must say, “the house of the property of the Musalmâns”;
it is necessary to disengage thyself in this world
from the disposal of it, whereas having tampered with the
public property thou art unwilling to spend it on worthy
objects.’ Moa’wiah, being displeased with these words,
sent the following letter to O’thmân: ‘If thou desirest to
retain possession of the province of Syria, send Abu Dhar
to another country, because he will make the people of this
province disloyal to thee and to me.’ O’thmân wrote in
reply: ‘Behave kindly and politely towards Abu Dhar, but
send him to us on some pretext.’ When Moa’wiah had
received the letter of O’thmân, he said to Abu Dhar:
‘Orders for thee have arrived from O’thmân, to go to
Madinah.’ Abu Dhar replied: ‘I hear and obey.’ Some
days afterwards he started, and after passing over the
distance reached O’thmân, who received him with kindness,
and cultivated friendly intercourse with him; but he made
himself disagreeable in spite of all these civilities, and said
one day to O’thmân: ‘The giver of the Dzakât*
must not
confine his benevolence to his own relatives and tribe-men.’
By the ‘giver of Dzakât’ he meant O’thmân, and Ka’bu-l-akhbâr,
having understood the import, then said: ‘Whoever
has fulfilled the ordinance of God has acquitted himself of
his duty to Him.’ Then Abu Dhar struck Ka’b, with a
hooked club he had in his hand, in such a manner that he
broke his head, and blood flowed, and sitting by his side
would have continued the assault if O’thmân had not interfered,
and said: ‘Abu Dhar, fear God the Most High
and Glorious, and restrain thy tongue and hands from
Musalmâns; if thou art, however, unable to live amicably
with the people, then retire to some other place, and return
when it is necessary.’ Abu Dhar replied: ‘I shall do so;
for I have heard the apostle of God say: “Poor Abu Dhar!
He will live alone, die alone, and be resuscitated alone.” I
likewise heard that prince say: “Poor Abu Dhar! When
buildings extend as far as Baqyi’, thou wilt go out from
Madinah.” As now the houses have reached Baqyi’, I am
bound to act according to the words of the apostle.’ O’thman
then gave him a few camels and some sheep, whereon Abu
Dhar left Madinah with his family and two slaves of his,
established himself at Rabzah, and lived there till he joined
the proximity of Divine mercy [i.e., till his death]. It is
recorded in some books that when Abu Dhar departed,
O’thmân forbade everybody to insult him. A’li the Commander
of the Faithful, nevertheless, went out with A’mmâr
Yâser to squabble, and Merwân B. Alhukum, who met
them on the road, said: ‘Why do you act contrary to the
order of O’thmân?’ Then a dispute arose between Merwân
and Murtadza A’li, who thereon struck the camel of Merwân
with his whip between the ears, and then Merwân went
away to complain to O’thmân. When, afterwards, O’thmân
met A’li, he said to him: ‘Merwân is aggrieved with thee
for having struck his camel between the ears.’ His lordship
replied: ‘See my camel is standing in front of thy house;
order Merwân to go out and to strike it with his whip
between the ears, to obtain satisfaction.’