حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْجَلِيلِ بْنُ عَطِيَّةَ، عَنْ شَهْرٍ، عَنْ أُمِّ الدَّرْدَاءِ قَالَتْ: قَامَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ لَيْلَةً يُصَلِّي، فَجَعَلَ يَبْكِي وَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَحْسَنْتَ خَلْقِي فَحَسِّنْ خُلُقِي، حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ، مَا كَانَ دُعَاؤُكَ مُنْذُ اللَّيْلَةِ إِلاَّ فِي حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ؟ فَقَالَ: يَا أُمَّ الدَّرْدَاءِ، إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْمُسْلِمَ يَحْسُنُ خُلُقُهُ، حَتَّى يُدْخِلَهُ حُسْنُ خُلُقِهِ الْجَنَّةَ، وَيَسِيءُ خُلُقُهُ، حَتَّى يُدْخِلَهُ سُوءُ خُلُقِهِ النَّارَ، وَالْعَبْدُ الْمُسْلِمُ يُغْفَرُ لَهُ وَهُوَ نَائِمٌ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ، كَيْفَ يُغْفَرُ لَهُ وَهُوَ نَائِمٌ؟ قَالَ: يَقُومُ أَخُوهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَجْتَهِدُ فَيَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَيَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ، وَيَدْعُو لأَخِيهِ فَيَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ فِيهِ.
الأدب المفرد · Hadith 290
Umm ad-Darda' said, "Abu'd-Darda' stood up in the night to pray. He was weeping and said, 'O Allah! You made my physical form good, so make my character good!' until morning. I said, 'Abu'd-Darda', your only supplication for the entire night was for good character!' He replied, 'Umm ad-Darda', the Muslim makes his character good with the result that his good character takes him into the Garden. He makes his character bad with the result that his bad character takes him into the Fire. The Muslim is forgiven while he is asleep.' I asked, 'Abu'd-Darda', how can be forgiven while he is asleep?' He said, 'His brother arises in the night and performs the night prayers and makes supplication to Allah Almighty and is answered. He makes supplication for Muslim brother and his request is answered.'"
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020