[Machine] He visited Abu Darda in Homs and stayed with him for several nights. He ordered his donkey to be brought to him, so it was brought to him. Abu Darda said, "I only see myself being followed by you." So he ordered his donkey to be saddled, and they both rode on their donkeys. They met a man who had witnessed the Friday prayer yesterday with Muawiyah in Al-Jabiya. The man recognized both of them, but they did not recognize him. The man informed them of the news that people were talking about. Then, the man said, "I have another news that I disliked telling you, which is that I saw you both being hated." Abu Darda said, "Perhaps Abu Dharr was exiled?" The man said, "Yes, by Allah." Abu Darda and his companion turned back several times, then Abu Darda said, "Wait for them and be patient, as it was said to the owners of camels. O Allah, if they accuse Abu Dharr of lying, I do not accuse him of lying. O Allah, if they accuse him falsely, I do not accuse him falsely. O Allah, if they doubt him, I do not doubt him. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ trusted him when he did not trust anyone else, and he confided in him when he did not confide in anyone else. By the One in whose hand is the soul of Abu Darda, if Abu Dharr severed my hand, I would still hate him after what I have heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he said, 'Green plants cannot mislead you or deceive you more than someone with eloquent speech like Abu Dharr.'"  

أَنَّهُ زَارَ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ بِحِمْصَ فَمَكَثَ عِنْدَهُ لَيَالِيَ فَأَمَرَ بِحِمَارِهِ فَأُوكِفَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ مَا أَرَانِي إِلَّا مُتَّبِعَكَ فَأَمَرَ بِحِمَارِهِ فَأُسْرِجَ فَسَارَا جَمِيعًا عَلَى حِمَارَيْهِمَا فَلَقِيَا رَجُلًا شَهِدَ الْجُمُعَةَ بِالْأَمْسِ عِنْدَ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِالْجَابِيَةِ فَعَرَفَهُمَا الرَّجُلُ وَلَمْ يَعْرِفَاهُ فَأَخْبَرَهُمَا خَبَرَ النَّاسِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ قَالَ وَخَبَرٌ آخَرُ كَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُخْبِرَكُمَا أُرَاكُمَا تَكْرَهَانِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَلَعَلَّ أَبَا ذَرٍّ نُفِيَ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَاللهِ فَاسْتَرْجَعَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ وَصَاحِبُهُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ عَشْرِ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ ارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ كَمَا قِيلَ لِأَصْحَابِ النَّاقَةِ اللهُمَّ إِنْ كَذَّبُوا أَبَا ذَرٍّ فَإِنِّي لَا أُكَذِّبُهُ اللهُمَّ وَإِنْ اتَّهَمُوهُ فَإِنِّي لَا أَتَّهِمُهُ اللهُمَّ وَإِنْ اسْتَغَشُّوهُ فَإِنِّي لَا أَسْتَغِشُّهُ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَأْتَمِنُهُ حِينَ لَا يَأْتَمِنُ أَحَدًا وَيُسِرُّ إِلَيْهِ حِينَ لَا يُسِرُّ إِلَى أَحَدٍ أَمَا وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنَّ أَبَا ذَرٍّ قَطَعَ يَمِينِي مَاأَبْغَضْتُهُ بَعْدَ الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَا أَظَلَّتِ الْخَضْرَاءُ وَلَا أَقَلَّتْ الْغَبْرَاءُ مِنْ ذِي لَهْجَةٍ أَصْدَقَ مِنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ