Ahmad b. `Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim رحمه الله narrated to us. He said: My father narrated to me from his father Ibrahim b. Hashim from al-Hasan b. Mahbub from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Kath`ami from Abi `Abdillah al-Sadiq عليه السلام. He said: Aba Dharr رحمه الله passed by the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم while Gabriel عليه السلام was with him in the form of Dihya al-Kalbi. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was paying attention to him. When he saw them both [together], he left them alone without breaking their conversation. So, Gabriel عليه السلام said: O Muhammad! This Abu Dharr passed by us, but he did not deliver his salaam to us. Had he delivered his salaam to us, we would have returned his greeting. O Muhammad! He has a supplication that he uses that is known to the people of heaven. When I ascend to heaven, ask him about it. So, when Gabriel عليه السلام was raised up, Abu Dharr came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, so the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: What prevented you, Aba Dharr, from delivering your salaam to us when you passed by us? So, he said: I thought, O Messenger of Allah, that the one with you was Dihya al-Kalbi, and that you were discussing a private matter. So, he said: That was Gabriel عليه السلام, Aba Dharr, and he said: “Had he delivered his salaam to us, we would have returned his greeting.” When Abu Dharr learned that it was Gabriel عليه السلام, he entered a state of regret – as much as Allah willed – for not delivering his salaam. So, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said to him: What is this supplication that you supplicate with? He informed me that you have a supplication that is known in heaven. He said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. I say: “O Allah! I ask You for faith in You and affirmation of Your Prophet, and wellness from every calamity, and thankfulness at wellness, and needlessness from the most evil of people (Allahumma inni as’alukal iman bika wal tasdiq bi nabiyyik, wal `afiyatu min jami`il bala’, wal shukr `alal `afiya, wal ghina `an sharer al-nas).”
