Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad-zuhd:2314ʿAbdullāh from my father > Abū al-Mughīrah > Hishām b. al-Ghāz > Yūnus al-Haram > Abū Muslim al-Khawlānī > Nādá Muʿāwiyah ؒ Ibn Abū Sufyān / Jālis > Minbar Dimashq

[Machine] "Oh Mu'awiyah, you are nothing but a grave among graves. If you come with something, then you have something, and if you don't come with anything, then you have nothing, O Mu'awiyah. Do not think that the caliphate is about accumulating wealth and distributing it. Rather, the caliphate is about acting with justice, speaking with fairness, and taking care of the people for the sake of Allah. O Mu'awiyah, we do not care about the abundance of rivers and what they contain. Our concern lies in the welfare of our people, and indeed you are the leader of our people, O Mu'awiyah. If you protect a tribe from the tribes of Arabia, your honor will be preserved by your justice. When Abu Muslim finished his speech, Mu'awiyah approached him and said, 'May Allah have mercy on you, may Allah have mercy on you.'"  

الزهد لأحمد:٢٣١٤حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ الْغَازِ حَدَّثَنِي يُونُسُ الْهَرَمُ عَنْ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ الْخَوْلَانِيِّ أَنَّهُ نَادَى مُعَاوِيَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ ابْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ عَلَى مِنْبَرِ دِمَشْقَ فَقَالَ

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ قَبْرٌ مِنَ الْقُبُورِ إِنْ جِئْتَ بِشَيْءٍ كَانَ لَكَ شَيْءٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِئْ بِشَيْءٍ فَلَا شَيْءَ لَكَ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الْخِلَافَةَ جَمْعَ الْمَالِ وَتَفْرِقَتَهُ وَلَكِنَّ الْخِلَافَةَ الْعَمَلُ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْقَوْلُ بِالْمَعْدَلَةِ وَأَخْذُ النَّاسِ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّا لَا نُبَالِي بِكَدَرِ الْأَنْهَارِ وَمَا صَفَتْ لَنَا رَأْسُ عَيْنِنَا وَإِنَّكَ رَأْسُ أَعْيُنِنَا يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَحِفْ عَلَى قَبِيلَةٍ مِنْ قَبَائِلِ الْعَرَبِ يَذْهَبُ حَيْفُكَ بِعَدْلِكَ فَلَمَّا قَضَى أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ مَقَالَتَهُ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَقَالَ «يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ»