791. ʿAbdullāh narrated to us; my father narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Ṣamad narrated to us; ʿAbdullāh ibn Bujayr narrated to us; Thābit reported that Abū Dharr once passed by Abū al-Dardāʾ while the latter was putting up a building for himself.

Abū Dharr said to him, “You have made men carry stones upon their shoulders!”

Abū al-Dardāʾ replied, “It is only a house I am building.”

Abū Dharr repeated the same remark, whereupon Abū al-Dardāʾ said, “My brother, perhaps you are upset with me over this?”

Abū Dharr answered, “Had I come upon you in your household’s latrine, it would have been dearer to me than seeing you engaged in this.”