What Has Been Related About Seeking A Position Of Leadership Sunan Abi Dawud 2930
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ بَقِيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنْ أَخِيهِ، عَنْ بِشْرِ بْنِ قُرَّةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ مَعَ رَجُلَيْنِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَشَهَّدَ أَحَدُهُمَا ثُمَّ قَالَ جِئْنَا لِتَسْتَعِينَ بِنَا عَلَى عَمَلِكَ . وَقَالَ الآخَرُ مِثْلَ قَوْلِ صَاحِبِهِ . فَقَالَ "إِنَّ أَخْوَنَكُمْ عِنْدَنَا مَنْ طَلَبَهُ " . فَاعْتَذَرَ أَبُو مُوسَى إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالَ لَمْ أَعْلَمْ لِمَا جَاءَا لَهُ . فَلَمْ يَسْتَعِنْ بِهِمَا عَلَى شَىْءٍ حَتَّى مَاتَ
Translation
Narrated Abu Musa
I went along with two men to the Prophet (ﷺ). One of them testified to the faith and said: We have come so that you may employ us in some of your work. The other said something similar to his companion's statement. He replied: Verily, the most treacherous of us in our view is the one who seeks it. Abu Musa apologized to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: I did not know why they came. So he did not employ either of them for anything until he died.