It was his earnest desire to see that his action completely...
It was his earnest desire to see that his action completely conformed to knowledge. Abu Dharr was so determined and firm about it that he never cared for the biggest power on earth if it came in his way. Sermons and exhortations could not shake him from the stand that he had taken. Taking pride in this distinction he sometimes said, "O people!
On the Day of Judgment I shall remain nearest to the Holy Prophet's assembly, because I have heard him saying that the nearest to him on the Day of Judgment will be the man who departs from the world in the same condition in which he has left him. I swear by Allah that now nobody is left among you except I who am in my original state and have not been contaminated with anything new. [^2] This was not his assertion only but the leader of the world and last of the Prophets had also certified it.
It is written in the Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd that one day the Holy Prophet said, "Who amongst you will come to see me (at Kauthar) in the same condition in which I leave him". Abu Dharr said, "I". The Prophet said in reply to it, "You are true", i.e. you will die in the same state of faith in which I leave you. Imam Ali also used to say, “Now there is nobody left who does not fear the taunt and sarcasm of the reproacher in matters of Allah, except Abu Dharr”.
Hence 'ajaza fihe clearly means that Abu Dharr had been overpowered by his knowledge and information. He did not have control over doing against what he knew. In other words, Abu Dharr acquired knowledge, knew its reality and basis and propagated it well. He never cared about anybody's reproach in communicating to the people the learnings which he had gathered from the Prophet. He was never cowed by any government.
He was not moved by the politics of Mu'awiyah, nor was he overawed by the wealth of Uthman; but he called right, what the Prophet had called right, till he breathed last. He acted upon the principles and learnings as explained by the Holy Prophet and also repeated them verbally till he was exiled and died in a remotest place.
It is quoted from, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, in the book "al-Isti'ab" that Abu Dharr knew some of those secrets of knowledge which other people were unable to bear, and confined them to himself only. Hafiz Basri writes in "Al-Mashariq" that faith has ten stages.