- ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; my father narrated to me. ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿAmr and ʿAbd al-Ṣamad—whose wording is identical—also related it; they said: ʿAbd al-Jalil informed us, from Shahr, from Umm al-Dardāʾ, from Abū al-Dardāʾ. She said:
“One night Abū al-Dardāʾ remained standing in prayer, weeping and repeating, ‘O Allah, just as You have perfected my outward form, perfect my character.’ He kept on like that until dawn. I said, ‘Abū al-Dardāʾ, all night long your supplication has been concerned solely with good character!’ He replied, ‘O Umm al-Dardāʾ, a Muslim servant may refine his character until his refined character admits him to Paradise, and he may corrupt his character until his corrupt character casts him into the Fire. Moreover, a Muslim servant may be forgiven while he is asleep.’ I asked, ‘How can that be, Abū al-Dardāʾ?’ He said, ‘His brother rises in the night, observes the night-vigil prayer, beseeches Allah and is answered; then he prays for his father, and Allah answers him as well.’”