It was narrated by al-Bukhārī (8/79—Nahḍah edition), in al-Adab al-Mufrad (803), Muslim (3/76), al-Tirmidhī (3/269), and Aḥmad (5/152), through Zayd ibn Wahb, from Abū Dharr, who said:

“One night I went out and found the Messenger of Allah walking alone, with no one accompanying him. I thought that he disliked anyone walking with him, so I began to walk in the moonlight’s shadow. He turned and saw me, and asked, ‘Who is this?’ I replied, ‘Abū Dharr—may Allah make me your ransom.’ He said, ‘Come here, Abū Dharr.’ So I walked with him for a while, and he said: ‘Those who possess abundant wealth will be the fewest on the Day of Resurrection, except those to whom Allah has granted wealth and who spend it generously to their right and left, before them and behind them, and do good with it.’

“I walked with him for a while longer, then he said, ‘Sit here.’ He seated me in a low-lying place surrounded by stones and told me, ‘Sit here until I return to you.’ Then he went off into al-Ḥarrah until I could no longer see him. He remained away from me for a long time, then I heard him as he was returning, saying, ‘Even if he steals and commits adultery!’ When he came back, I could not restrain myself, so I said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, may Allah make me your ransom! Who were you speaking with at the side of al-Ḥarrah? I did not hear anyone replying to you.’ He said …” Then he related the rest of it.

Al-Tirmidhī records only the following part: “Gabriel came to me and gave me the glad tidings that whoever dies without associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise.’ I said, ‘Even if he commits adultery and steals?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’” He said: “This is a good, authentic hadith. There is also a report on this subject from Abū al-Dardāʾ.”

I say: Al-Bukhārī (4/90) and Muslim also narrated it in this abbreviated form, like al-Tirmidhī, through this route. Al-Maʿrūr ibn Suwayd also corroborated it from Abū Dharr.