The sincerity of the Salaf

The Salaf - may Allah be Pleased with them - were very particular about following the truth, even if it was unpleasant and sour. They were very particular about being truthful, even if this was very heavy and difficult to maintain. They were very particular about having both their apparent and inner conditions be one and the same, even if in the most difficult of circumstances. One of them would make sure to have deeds between himself and Allah that nobody else would know of. So, if the people were to come to know of this act of worship that he was engaged in, he would quickly leave that area in order that he would be once again hidden from the people.

Imam Ahmad – may Allah have Mercy upon him – when he would walk in the streets, he would walk amongst the laborers so that nobody would point to him out of respect, and so that the people would think him to just be another laborer, and would therefore not point to him out of respect.  One of them, when he would enter battle, would disguise himself, and if he ended up with an abundance of war booty, he would conceal his identity and abandon his booty so that the people would not know who had acquired it.

You all know the story of the one who dug the hole on the day that Maslamah bin ‘Abd al- Malik  had laid siege to a fortress for a lengthy period of time? On that night, one of the Mujahidin slowly crept up and scaled the wall of the fortress, descended upon the guards, killed them all, and dug open a hole in the wall of the fortress through which the Islamic army entered and took over the fortress. So, Maslamah called out for some time: “Which of you is the one who dug this hole?” Nobody stepped forth. One night, a veiled knight entered Maslamah’s tent, saying: “Do you wish to know who dug that hole?” Maslamah replied: “Yes.” The knight said: “I will tell you with the condition that you do not mention his name to anyone, and that you do not give him any reward or compensation for it.” He said: “Yes.” The knight said: “I am the one who dug that hole,” and did not reveal his name, and rode away quickly. So, after that, whenever Maslamah was facing the Qiblah while supplicating, he would say: “O Allah, gather me with the one who dug the hole on the Day of Resurrection.”

Source: Being true with Allah by Sheikh Abdullah Azzam