My father told me that he was a companion of Abu Darda'. There was in Damascus a man from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, called Ibn al-Hanzaliyyah. He was a recluse and rarely met the people. He remained engaged in prayer. When he was not praying he was occupied in glorifying Allah and exalting Him until he went to his family. Once he passed us when we were with AbudDarda'. AbudDarda' said to him: Tell us a word which benefits us and does not harm you. He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent out a contingent and it came back. One of the men came and sat in the place where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sit, and he said to a man beside him: Would that you saw us when we met the enemy and so-and-so attacked and cut through a lance. He said: Take it from me and I am a boy of the tribe Ghifar. What do you think about his statement? He replied: I think his reward was lost. Another man heard it and said: I do not think that there is any harm in it. They quarrelled until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard it, and he said: Glory be to Allah! There is no harm if he is rewarded and praised. I saw that AbudDarda' was pleased with it and began to raise his hand to him and say: Did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Yes. He continued to repeat it to him so often that I thought he was going to kneel down. He said: On another day he again passed us. AbudDarda' said to him: (Tell us) a word which benefits us and does not harm you. He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us: One who spends on (the maintenance of) horses (for jihad) is like the one who spreads his hand to give alms (sadaqah) and does not withhold it. He then passed us on another day. AbudDarda' said to him: (Tell us) a word which benefits us and does no harm to you. He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Khuraym al-Asadi would be a fine man were it not for the length of his hair, which reaches the shoulders, and the way he lets his lower garment hang down. When Khuraym heard that, he hurriedly, took a knife, cut his hair in line with his ears and raised his lower garment half way up his legs. He then passed us on another day. AbudDarda' said to him: (tell us) a word which benefits us and does not harm you. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: You are coming to your brethren; so tidy your mounts and tidy your dress, until you are like a mole among the people. Allah does not like obscene words or deeds, or do intentional committing of obscenity. Abu Dawud said: Similarly, Abu Nu'aim narrated from Hisham. He said: Until you will be like a mole among the people. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4089)   

كَانَ بِدِمَشْقَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ الْحَنْظَلِيَّةِ وَكَانَ رَجُلًا مُتَوَحِّدًا قَلَّمَا يُجَالِسُ النَّاسَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ فِي صَلَاةٍ فَإِذَا فَرَغَ فَإِنَّمَا يُسَبِّحُ وَيُكَبِّرُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَهْلَهُ فَمَرَّ بِنَا يَوْمًا وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سَرِيَّةً فَقَدِمْتُ فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَجَلَسَ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ الَّذِي فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لِرَجُلٍ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنَا حِينَ الْتَقَيْنَا نَحْنُ وَالْعَدُوَّ فَحَمَلَ فُلَانٌ فَطَعَنَ فَقَالَ خُذْهَا وَأَنَا الْغُلَامُ الْغِفَارِيُّ كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي قَوْلِهِ؟ قَالَ مَا أُرَاهُ إِلَّا قَدْ أَبْطَلَ أَجْرَهُ فَسَمِعَ ذَلِكَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ مَا أَرَى بِذَلِكَ بَأْسًا فَتَنَازَعَا حَتَّى سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَاللهِ لَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يُحْمَدَ وَيُؤْجَرَ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ سُرَّ بِذَلِكَ وَجَعَلَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ وَيَقُولُ أَنْتَ سَمِعْتَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ فَمَا زَالَ يُعِيدُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى إِنِّي لَأَقُولُ لَيَبْرُكَنَّ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ بِنَا يَوْمًا آخَرَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ قَالَ قَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْمُنْفِقَ عَلَى الْخَيْلِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ كَبَاسِطِ يَدِهِ بِالصَّدَقَةِ لَا يَقْبِضُهَا قَالَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ بِنَا يَوْمًا آخَرَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ خُرَيْمٌ الْأَسَدِيُّ لَوْلَا طُولُ جُمَّتِهِ وَإِسْبَالُ إِزَارِهِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ خُرَيْمًا فَجَعَلَ يَأْخُذُ شَفْرَةً فَيَقْطَعُ بِهَا شَعَرَهُ إِلَى أَنْصَافِ أُذُنَيْهِ وَرَفَعَ إِزَارَهُ إِلَى أَنْصَافِ سَاقَيْهِ قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي قَالَ دَخَلْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَإِذَا عِنْدَهُ شَيْخٌ جُمَّتُهُ فَوْقَ أُذُنَيْهِ وَرِدَاؤُهُ إِلَى سَاقَيْهِ فَسَأَلْتُ عَنْهُ فَقَالُوا هَذَا خُرَيْمٌ الْأَسَدِيُّ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ بِنَا يَوْمًا آخَرَ وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّكُمْ قَادِمُونَ عَلَى إِخْوَانِكُمْ فَأَصْلِحُوا رِحَالَكُمْ وَأَصْلِحُوا لِبَاسَكُمْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفُحْشَ وَلَا التَّفَحُّشَ  

[Machine] I entered the mosque in Damascus and saw people gathered and a sheikh speaking to them. I asked, "Who is this?" They said, "He is Sahl ibn al-Hanzaliyyah." I heard him saying, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever eats meat, let him perform ablution.'"  

دَخَلْتُ مَسْجِدَ دِمَشْقَ فَرَأَيْتُ أُنَاسًا مُجْتَمِعِينَ وَشَيْخًا يُحَدِّثُهُمْ قُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا سَهْلُ ابْنُ الْحَنْظَلِيَّةِ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَنْ أَكَلَ لَحْمًا فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ  

[Machine] About his father, who was a companion of Abu Darda in Damascus, he said: In Damascus, there was a man called Ibn Al-Hanzali, who used to constantly engage in worship. He hardly talked to anyone except when he was praying. After finishing his prayer, he would glorify Allah, proclaim His greatness, and exalt Him until he returned to his family. One day, while we were with Abu Darda, he said to him: "Give us some advice that would benefit us and not harm you." Ibn Al-Hanzali said, "Once we were sent by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a military expedition. When we arrived, one of them was sitting in a gathering with the Prophet ﷺ . He said, 'O so-and-so, if you were to see so-and-so strike someone with a sword, then say, 'Take it, I am the young, brave Ghifari boy,' what do you think?' The man replied, 'I do not think of anything except that his reward would be lost.' They continued discussing this matter until the Prophet ﷺ overheard their conversation. He said, 'Indeed, he will be praised and rewarded.' Abu Darda was pleased with this, to the point that he nearly knelt on his knees. He said, 'Did you hear it?' I said, 'Yes.' Another day, he passed by us and Abu Darda said to him, 'Give us a statement that would benefit us and not harm you.' Ibn Al-Hanzali said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "What an excellent person Khuraym Al-Asadi is! If he were to shorten his hair and raise his garment, he would surpass Khuraym."' He hurriedly took a pair of scissors and shortened his hair and raised his garment until it reached the middle of his shins. My father said, 'I then entered upon Muawiyah and saw a man sitting beside him on the bed, with his hair reaching above his ears and his garment reaching the middle of his shins. I said, 'Who is this?' They replied, 'It is Khuraym Al-Asadi.' Then, he passed by us another day and Abu Darda said to him, 'Give us a statement that would benefit us and not harm you.' He replied, 'Yes, we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and he said to us, 'You are going to your brothers, so improve your provisions and clothing until you will be like a thorn among people. Verily, Allah does not like rude or vulgar speech.'"  

عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَكَانَ جَلِيسًا لِأَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ بِدِمَشْقَ قَالَ كَانَ بِدِمَشْقَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ الْحَنْظَلِيَّةِ مُتَوَحِّدًا لَا يَكَادُ يُكَلِّمُ أَحَدًا إِنَّمَا هُوَ فِي صَلَاةٍ فَإِذَا فَرَغَ يُسَبِّحُ وَيُكَبِّرُ وَيُهَلِّلُ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ قَالَ فَمَرَّ عَلَيْنَا ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً مِنْكَ تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَلَمَّا أَنْ قَدِمْنَا جَلَسَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فِي مَجْلِسٍ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ يَا فُلَانُ لَوْ رَأَيْتَ فُلَانًا طَعَنَ ثُمَّ قَالَ خُذْهَا وَأَنَا الْغُلَامُ الْغِفَارِيُّ فَمَا تَرَى؟قَالَ مَا أُرَاهُ إِلَّا قَدْ حَبِطَ أَجْرُهُ قَالَ فَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ فَقَالَ بَلْ يُحْمَدُ وَيُؤْجَرُ قَالَ فَسُرَّ بِذَلِكَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ حَتَّى هَمَّ أَنْ يَجْثُوَ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَقَالَ آنْتَ سَمِعْتَهُ؟ مِرَارًا قَالَ نَعَمْ ثُمَّ مَرَّ عَلَيْنَا يَوْمًا آخَرَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ خُرَيْمٌ الْأَسَدِيُّ لَوْ قَصَّرَ مِنْ شَعَرِهِ وَشَمَّرَ إِزَارَهُ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ خُرَيْمًا فَعَجَّلَ فَأَخَذَ الشَّفْرَةَ فَقَصَّرَ مِنْ جُمَّتِهِ وَرَفَعَ إِزَارَهُ إِلَى أَنْصَافِ سَاقَيْهِ قَالَ أَبِي فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَرَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا مَعَهُ عَلَى السَّرِيرِ شَعَرُهُ فَوْقَ أُذُنَيْهِ مُؤْتَزِرًا إِلَى أَنْصَافِ سَاقَيْهِ قُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا خُرَيْمٌ الْأَسَدِيُّ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ عَلَيْنَا يَوْمًا آخَرَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ كَلِمَةً مِنْكَ تَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا تَضُرُّكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لَنَا إِنَّكُمْ قَادِمُونَ عَلَى إِخْوَانِكُمْ فَأَصْلِحُوا رِحَالَكُمْ وَلِبَاسَكُمْ حَتَّى تَكُونُوا فِي النَّاسِ كَأَنَّكُمْ شَامَةٌ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفُحْشَ وَلَا التَّفَحُّشَ  

[Machine] He heard that Sahl Ibn al-Hanzaliyyah al-Ansari, the companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , said that 'Uyaynah and al-Aqr'ah asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for something, so Mu'awiyah was commanded to write it for them, so he did and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sealed it and commanded to give it to them. As for 'Uyaynah, he said, "What is in it?" He said, "It is what I was commanded with." He accepted it, tied it in his turban, and he was the most gentle of the two men. As for al-Aqr'ah, he said, "I am carrying a page, and I don't know what is in it, like the pages of the Mutalammiss." So Mu'awiyah informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of what they said, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out in need. He passed by a camel tied at the gate of the mosque from the early morning until the late afternoon, and it remained in the same condition. He said, "Where is the owner of this camel?" It was sought for, but not found. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "Fear Allah in regards to these animals, then ride them properly and eat them when they are fat, like a healthy person who is pleasurable to the nose. Indeed, whoever asks for something and has what suffices them, then they are only accumulating from the embers of Hell." They said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ , what would suffice them?" He said, "What feeds them or gives them a night's rest."  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ سَهْلَ ابْنَ الْحَنْظَلِيَّةِ الْأَنْصَارِيَّ صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّ عُيَيْنَةَ والْأَقْرَعَ سَأَلَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ شَيْئًا فَأَمَرَ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ بِهِ لَهُمَا فَفَعَلَ وَخَتَمَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَمَرَ بِدَفْعِهِ إِلَيْهِمَا فَأَمَّا عُيَيْنَةُ فَقَالَ مَا فِيهِ؟ قَالَ فِيهِ الَّذِي أُمِرْتُ بِهِ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَعَقَدَهُ فِي عِمَامَتِهِ وَكَانَ أَحْلَمَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ وَأَمَّا الْأَقْرَعُ فَقَالَ أَحْمِلُ صَحِيفَةً لَا أَدْرِي مَا فِيهَا كَصَحِيفَةِ الْمُتَلَمِّسِ فَأَخْبَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ بِقَوْلِهِمَا وَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي حَاجَةٍ فَمَرَّ بِبَعِيرٍ مُنَاخٍ عَلَى بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنْ أَوَّلِ النَّهَارِ ثُمَّ مَرَّ بِهِ آخِرَ النَّهَارِ وَهُوَ عَلَى حَالِهِ فَقَالَ أَيْنَ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الْبَعِيرِ؟ فَابْتُغِيَ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ اتَّقُوا اللهَ فِي هَذِهِ الْبَهَائِمِ ثُمَّ ارْكَبُوهَا صِحَاحًاوَكُلُوهَا سِمَانًا كَالْمُتَسَخِّطِ آنِفًا إِنَّهُ مَنْ سَأَلَ وَعِنْدَهُ مَا يُغْنِيهِ فَإِنَّمَا يَسْتَكْثِرُ مِنْ جَمْرِ جَهَنَّمَ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَمَا يُغْنِيهِ؟ قَالَ مَا يُغَدِّيهِ أَوْ يُعَشِّيهِ