I say: Such a man is closer to weakness—indeed, severe weakness—than he is to truthfulness and accurate retention. Allah knows best.

However, after the statement of his quoted above, al-Mundhirī said: “Abū al-Shaykh Ibn Ḥayyān narrated it in Kitāb al-Thawāb through a weak chain from Abū Dharr, with the wording: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘O Abū Dharr, shall I not direct you to the best act of worship—one that is easiest on the body, weightiest on the Scale, and easiest upon the tongue?’ I said: ‘Indeed, yes; may my father and mother be sacrificed for you.’ He said: ‘Adhere to prolonged silence and good character, for you will not perform any deeds comparable to them.’”

He also narrated it from the hadith of Abū al-Dardāʾ, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “O Abū al-Dardāʾ, shall I not inform you of two matters whose burden is light but whose reward is immense, and with nothing comparable to which will you meet Allah? Prolonged silence and good character.”

I say: I found another mursal corroborating report for it. Ibn Abī al-Dunyā recorded it (4/39/2) through Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-Taymī, from an unnamed associate of theirs, from al-Shaʿbī, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Abū Dharr: “Shall I not direct you to the finest deed and that which is easiest on the body?” He said: “Indeed, yes; may my father and mother be sacrificed for you.” He said: “Good character and prolonged silence—hold fast to them, for you will never meet Allah with anything comparable to them.”

I say: This is a good mursal chain, were it not for the fact that the associate is unnamed. In any case, on the strength of this report and the hadiths of Abū Dharr and Abū al-Dardāʾ, the hadith is at least good, Allah willing.

1939 — “Adhere to gracious speech and giving food.”

It was recorded by al-Bukhārī in Khalq Afʿāl al-ʿIbād (p. 79), Ibn Abī al-Dunyā in al-Ṣamt (2/9/1), al-Ḥākim (1/23), and al-Khaṭīb in al-Mūḍiḥ (2/4), from Yazīd