Explanation of the words of Abu Dharr
Al-Kāfi|Volume 8|Book 1|Chapter 279
سَهْلٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ الْعَقَرْقُوفِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) شَيْءٌ يُرْوَى عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ ثَلَاثٌ يُبْغِضُهَا النَّاسُ وَ أَنَا أُحِبُّهَا أُحِبُّ الْمَوْتَ وَ أُحِبُّ الْفَقْرَ وَ أُحِبُّ الْبَلَاءَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا لَيْسَ عَلَى مَا يَرْوُونَ إِنَّمَا عَنَى الْمَوْتُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَ الْبَلَاءُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الصِّحَّةِ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَ الْفَقْرُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الْغِنَى فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ.
279. Sahl, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Hameed, from Yunus, from Shuayb Al-Aqarqufy who said: I said to Abu Abdullah عليه الصلاة والسلام something which had been reported from Abu Dharr (ar), that he (ar) had said, ‘Three things which the people hate but I (ar) love those. I (ar) love the death, and I (ar) love the poverty, and I (ar) love the afflictions’. So he عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘This is not as how they are reporting it. But, rather he (ar) meant, ‘The death in the obedience to Allah عز وجل is more beloved to me (ar) from the life in disobedience to Allah عز وجل, and the afflictions in the obedience to Allah عز وجل is more beloved to me (ar) from the health in disobedience to Allah عز وجل, and the poverty in obedience to Allah عز وجل is more beloved to me (ar) from the self-sufficiency in disobedience to Allah عز وجل’.
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (16/148)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī