The Fifth Muslim
Abu Dharr famously claimed to be the fourth or fifth person to enter Islam. He came from the Ghifar tribe — not an ally of the Quraysh, indeed a tribe known for raiding Qurayshi caravans. When he heard that a Prophet had arisen in Mecca, he sent his brother to investigate; then came himself and met the Prophet directly. After taking the shahada, the Prophet told him to return to his people and wait for the migration — Abu Dharr was among those who spread Islam in their home region before the Hijra.
The Poverty Principle
Abu Dharr’s interpretation of the Quran’s wealth-hoarding prohibitions was stricter than most Companions: he held that Muslims were not permitted to save any wealth beyond their immediate needs, that all surplus must be distributed immediately. His quarrel with the governor Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan in Syria — and later with Caliph Uthman — was essentially this: he saw the accumulation of wealth by Muslim officials as a betrayal of Quranic principle.
The 4th Caliph Uthman eventually exiled him to Rabadhah in the Najd desert, where he died with his wife and servant.
The Prophet’s Praise
The Prophet’s saying: “Under the shade of the sky and upon the surface of the earth there is no one more truthful in speech than Abu Dharr.” This is why he is called al-sadiq — the truthful one — in the tradition.
He is also the subject of the hadith: “Abu Dharr walks alone, dies alone, and will be resurrected alone.” — which he reportedly accepted with equanimity.
See also: Zuhd, Fiqh Adl Wa Ihsan, Seerah Khabbab Ibn Al Aratt, Seerah Ammar Ibn Yasir, Fiqh Al Zakat