English Translation

Waki' told us: al-Mas'udi told us: Abu Umar al-Dimashqi informed me, from Ubayd ibn al-Khashkhash, from Abu Dharr, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was in the mosque, and I sat down. He said: "O Abu Dharr, have you prayed?" I said: "No." He said: "Get up and pray." He said: So I got up and prayed, then sat down. He said: "O Abu Dharr, seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the devils among mankind and jinn." He said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, are there devils among mankind too?" He said: "Yes." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, [what of] prayer?" He said: "A good thing that is laid down; whoever wishes may do less, and whoever wishes may do more." He said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is fasting?" He said: "An obligation that suffices, and with Allah there is increase." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what of charity?" He said: "Manifold reward." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, which of these is most excellent?" He said: "A small effort from one who has little, or [given] secretly to a poor person." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, which of the prophets was first?" He said: "Adam." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, was he a prophet?" He said: "Yes, a prophet spoken to." He said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, how many are the messengers?" He said: "Three hundred and some odd, a great multitude" — and he said once: "fifteen." He said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, was Adam a prophet?" He said: "Yes, a prophet spoken to." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, which of what has been revealed to you is greatest?" He said: "The Verse of the Throne: 'Allah, there is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all.'"