Consequently...

Consequently, in a short time, his condition turned from distress into ease, from hardship into comfort, and from poverty into opulence. Besides, after he used to cover his body with a ragged garment, 403 he began to put on clothes of tissue of silk and wool, and stretched linen.

404 The first consideration made by the Umayyads toward Abu Hurayrah as a reward for his support to them, was appointing him a ruler over al-Madinah by Bisr ibn Arta'ah, after being delegated by Mu'awiyah to the people of Hijaz violating their rights and looting their and their descendants' properties. Further, Marwan used to depute him as a governor over al-Madinah.

Then they increased in their generosity and abundant grants, building him a palace at Aqiq with granting him a land (as a fief) in Aqiq and Dhu al-Hulayfah. Being unsatisfied with all this, they even gave him in marriage Bisrah bint Ghazwan, the sister of the Emir Utbah ibn Ghazwan, whom he used to serve during the days of his destitution and poverty in return for filling his belly.

405 His vainglory and ostentation made him feel joyous, with his origin and descent making him transgress the boundaries of etiquette and veneration with this noble lady.

This fact was indicated, after this marriage of which he never dreamt, when he was saying "I was a servant for Bisrah bint Ghazwan in return for satiating my belly, in a way that when she got on (the camel) I would lead the mount, and when she alighted I would serve her, while at the time being I get on and on my alighting (from the horse) she would serve me!".. and on reaching a plain land she would get down saying: I will never remain here till you make me a porridge!

Here I am, whenever coming to any side of her place I would say to her: I will never stay here unless you make me a porridge! Ibn Sa'd reported that he (Abu Hurayrah) said: I gave myself on hire for the daughter of Ghazwan in return for feeding my belly and for heel of my leg, and she used to task me with mounting the horse standing and come in barefooted. After that Allah gave her in marriage to me, when I imposed upon her to mount (the horse) standing and come in barefooted.

406 The favour Abu Hurayrah did for Mu'awiyah was not through striving (Jihad) with his sword or wealth, but was striving with traditions he disseminated among Muslims with the only aim being to disappoint supporters of Ali and defame him, making people deny and repudiate him, and extolling Mu'awiyah and his government.