Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 159
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ صَالِحٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ: نَحْنُ أَعْرَفُ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَيَاطِرَةِ بِالدَّوَابِّ، قَدْ عَرَفْنَا خِيَارَكُمْ مِنْ شِرَارِكُمْ. أَمَّا خِيَارُكُمُ: الَّذِي يُرْجَى خَيْرُهُ، وَيُؤْمَنُ شَرُّهُ. وَأَمَّا شِرَارُكُمْ: فَالَّذِي لاَ يُرْجَى خَيْرُهُ، وَلاَ يُؤْمَنُ شَرُّهُ، وَلاَ يُعْتَقُ مُحَرَّرُهُ.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abd Allah ibn Salih narrated to us. He said: Muawiya ibn Salih narrated to me, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr, from his father, from Abu al-Darda, who used to say to the people: 'We know you better than veterinarians know their animals. We have recognized the best of you and the worst of you. The best among you is the one whose good is hoped for and whose harm is not feared. The worst among you is the one whose good is not hoped for and whose harm is not safe from; nor is his freedman set free.'
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
وَلاَ يُعْتَقُ مُحَرَّرُهُ.
The final clause is lexically and syntactically unusual; the referent and intended force of muḥarraruhu are unclear.
Can this clause be verified against another manuscript or commentary before finalizing?