عَنْ أبي ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: خَرجْتُ لَيْلةً مِنَ اللّيالي، فإذا رسولُ اللّهِ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّمَ يَمْشِي وحْدَهُ، فجَعلْتُ أمْشِي في ظلِّ القمَرِ، فالتفتَ فَرَآني فقالَ: «مَنْ هذا؟» فَقُلْتُ: أبو ذَرٍّ. مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I went out one of the nights, and there was the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) walking alone. So I began to walk in the shade of the moon. He turned, saw me, and said: "Who is this?" I said: Abu Dharr. Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
أمشي في ظل القمر: ليخفي سواده في سواد الليل، لأنّه فهم رغبة النّبيّ صلّى اللّهُ عليه وسلّم بالانفراد فحَتَّى لا يفوّت عليه ذلك. من هذا: سؤاله عنه خشية أن يكون من المنافقين وأعداء الدين.
"Walking in the shade of the moon": to conceal his figure within the darkness of the night, for he understood the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) wish to be alone and did not want to deprive him of it. "Who is this?": he asked about him out of concern that he might be one of the hypocrites or the enemies of the religion.
الدروس · lessons
جواز تعريف الإنسان نفسه بكنيته إذا كان مشهورًا بها دون اسمه. يجوز لمن اشتبه بشخص في طريق مظلم أو نحوه أن يستوضح عنه.
It is permissible for a person to identify himself by his kunyah (agnomen) if he is better known by it than by his given name. One who is uncertain about a person on a dark road or the like may ask in order to ascertain who he is.