Explanation

Hadīth eplanation: ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was fasting one day and when it was time to break his fast food was brought to him. Normally the fasting person desires food, but he remembered the state of the earlier Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) for he himself was one of those Companions who migrated from Makkah to Madīnah. He said in humility that Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr was better than him. Since scholars stated that the ten companions who were given glad tidings of Paradise are better than the remaining Companions, Ibn ‘Awf's words are interpreted to mean that Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr was better than him in terms of his humbleness and modesty, or in terms of being poor and patient. Before Islam, Mus‘ab used to live with his wealthy parents in Makkah who used to pamper and indulge him with luxuries, and he used to wear the best and most extravagant of clothing. When he embraced Islam, his parents abandoned him and completely boycotted him. Then he migrated with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to Madīnah and was one of the Muhājirīn. The clothes he used to wear in Madīnah was full of holes after being used to wearing the best of clothing in Makkah while he was living with his parents. He left all of that luxury to migrate for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. During the battle of Uhud, the Prophet gave Mus‘ab the flag to hold and he was martyred in that battle. He was wearing a garment that wasn't big enough to cover his whole body, so it was not large enough to shroud him in. When they covered his head his feet would show, and when they covered his feet his head would show. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to cover his head with the garment he was wearing and to cover his feet with a kind of grass called "Idhkhir". ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf remembered Mus‘ab at that moment (of breaking his fast) and said: "They have gone and are safe from (falling into sins regarding) the worldly pleasures that were generously bestowed on those who followed them from the spoils of war, as Allah says: {And much war booty which they will take...} [Sūrat al-Fat'h: 19]. Ibn ‘Awf then said: "I am afraid that the reward of our good deeds has been hastened to us in this world." Meaning: We are afraid that we are the ones intended in this Qur'anic verse: {Whoever desires this present life, We hasten to him therein what We please for whomsoever We desire, then We assign to him the Hell fire; he shall enter it disgraced and rejected} [Sūrat al-Isrā’: 18], and the verse: {You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life and enjoyed them} [Sūrat al-Ahqāf: 20]. He was afraid that their rewards for their good deeds were awarded to them in this world (instead of the Hereafter), so he started crying out of fear that he would not join those who preceded him. Then he left the food and did not eat it (even though he had been fasting).