I passed by a place called Ar-Rabadha and by chance I met Abu Dhar and asked him, "What has brought you to this place?" He said, "I was in Sham and differed with Muawiya on the meaning of (the following verses of the Qur'an): 'They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah.' (9.34). Muawiya said, 'This verse is revealed regarding the people of the scriptures." I said, It was revealed regarding us and also the people of the scriptures." So we had a quarrel and Mu'awiya sent a complaint against me to ʿUthman. ʿUthman wrote to me to come to Medina, and I came to Medina. Many people came to me as if they had not seen me before. So I told this to ʿUthman who said to me, "You may depart and live nearby if you wish." That was the reason for my being here for even if an Ethiopian had been nominated as my ruler, I would have obeyed him .
مَرَرْتُ بِالرَّبَذَةِ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِأَبِي ذَرٍّ ؓ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ مَا أَنْزَلَكَ مَنْزِلَكَ هَذَا قَالَ كُنْتُ بِالشَّأْمِ فَاخْتَلَفْتُ أَنَا وَمُعَاوِيَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنْفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ نَزَلَتْ فِي أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَقُلْتُ نَزَلَتْ فِينَا وَفِيهِمْ فَكَانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ فِي ذَاكَ وَكَتَبَ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ ؓ يَشْكُونِي فَكَتَبَ إِلَىَّ عُثْمَانُ أَنِ اقْدَمِ الْمَدِينَةَ فَقَدِمْتُهَا فَكَثُرَ عَلَىَّ النَّاسُ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَرَوْنِي قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَاكَ لِعُثْمَانَ فَقَالَ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ تَنَحَّيْتَ فَكُنْتَ قَرِيبًا فَذَاكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَنِي هَذَا الْمَنْزِلَ وَلَوْ أَمَّرُوا عَلَىَّ حَبَشِيًّا لَسَمِعْتُ وَأَطَعْتُ