In this post, I am going to cite certain Muslim authorities
concerning the abuse and physical beating that the third caliph Uthman ibn
Affan inflicted on Abdullah ibn Masud. The purpose of doing so is to unveil
what Sunni Muslims are too embarrassed to mention since it reflects rather
poorly on their prophet’s companions and the preservation of the Quran
THE STATUS OF IBN MASUD
The greatness of Abdullah ibn Masud is apparent from the fact
that the Islamic traditions testify that he was the most knowledgeable
companion of Muhammad (along with Ubai ibn Kab) concerning the compilation of
the Quran:
Abdullah (bin Masud) reported that (he said to his
companions to conceal their copies of the Qur’an) and
further said: He who conceals anything shall have to bring that which he had
concealed on the Day of Judgment, and they said: After whose mode of recitation
do you command me to recite? I in fact recited before Allah’s Messenger more
than seventy chapters of the Qur’an and the companions of Allah’s Messenger
know that I have better understanding of the Book of Allah (than they do), and
if I were to know that someone had better understanding than I, I would
have gone to him. Shaqiq said: I sat in the company of the companions
of Muhammad but I did not hear anyone having rejected that (that is,
his recitation) or finding fault with it. (Sahih Muslim, Book
031, Number 6022 https://sunnah.com/muslim/44/162)
His importance can be further seen from
the following ahadith where Muhammad lists him first among three others as the
foremost authorities on the Quran:
Narrated Masruq: ‘Abdullah bin Masud
was mentioned before Abdullah bin ‘Amr who said, “That is a man I still love,
as I heard the Prophet saying ‘Learn
the recitation of Quran from four from ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud –he started with
him–Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudaifa, Mu’adh bin Jabal and
Ubai bin Ka’b.” (Sahih
al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 153 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=58&translator=1&start=0&number=153)
Masruq reported: We were in the company
of Abdullah b ‘Amr that we made a mention of a hadith from Abdullah b. Mas’ud;
thereupon he said: That is a person whose love ever remains (fresh in my heart)
after I heard Allah’s Messenger as saying: Learn Qur’an from four persons: Ibn Umm ‘Abd, i.e.
Abdullah b. Mas’ud and he started from his name-then Ubayy b.
Ka’b and Mu’adh b Jabal. Zuhri did not make a mention of the words yaquluhu in his
narration. (Sahih Muslim, Book
031, Number 6045 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=031&translator=2&start=0&number=6008)
Other traditions confirm Ibn Masud’s
surpassing the knowledge of the Quran and that Muhammad had even personally
taught him the recitation as he had received it from Gabriel for the final
time:
Hashim Ibn al-Qasim informed us; (he
said): al-Mas’udi informed us on the authority of Qasim, i.e., ‘Abd al-Rahman;
he said: Gabriel used to descend before the Apostle of Allah and he recited
the Qur’an before him once every year [P. 4] in Ramadan, till
the year when the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, died; when
Gabriel made him recite the Qur’an twice. ‘Abd Allah said: I
recited the Qur’an as I have it from the mouth of the Apostle
of Allah that year. If I had known any one more well versed… in the Book of
Allah than me and camels had borne me to him, surely I would have gone to
him; but by Allah! I DO NOT KNOW ANY SUCH PERSON. (Ibn Sa’d’s Kitab
al-Tabaqat al-Kabir, English translation by S. Moinul Haq, M.A., PH.D
assisted by H.K. Ghazanfar M.A. [Kitab Bhavan Exporters & Importers, 1784
Kalan Mahal, Daryaganj, New Delhi- 110 002 India], Volume 2, p. 244; bold and
capital emphasis mine)
Yahya Ibn Khulayf Ibn ‘Uqbah al-Basri
informed us; (second chain) ‘Abd al-Wahhab Ibn ‘Ata informed us; he said: Ibn
‘Awn informed us on the authority of Muhammad ibn Sirin; he said: Gabriel used
to recite the Qur’an before our Prophet, may Allah bless him,
once every year in Ramadan. In the year in which he breathed his last he
recited it twice before him. Muhammad said: I hope our style of
reading… conforms to the last recitation by Gabriel. (Ibid., p. 243; bold
emphasis mine)
Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir informed us; (he
said): al-A’mash informed us on the authority of Abu Zabyan, he on the
authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, he asked: Which of the two readings (of the Qur’an)
do you prefer? He (Abu Zabyan) said: We replied: The reading of ‘Abd
Allah. Thereupon he said: Verily the Qur’an was recited
(by Gabriel) before the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, once in every
Ramadan, except the year in which he breathed his last, when it was recited
twice. Then ‘Abd Allah Ibn Mas’ud came to him (Prophet) and he learnt
what was abrogated or altered.
Yahya Ibn ‘Isa al-Ramli informed us on
the authority of Sufyan, he on the authority of al-A’mash, he on the authority
of Abu al-Duha, he on the authority of Masruq; he said: ‘Abd Allah said: No surah was
revealed but I know about what it was revealed. If I had known any one
knowing more of the Book of Allah than me, and if the camels or other riding
beasts had carried me there, I must have gone to him…
Wahb Ibn Jarir Ibn Hazm informed us:
(he said): Shu’bah informed us on the authority of Ibrahim Ibn Muhajir, he on
the authority of Ibrahim, he on the authority of ‘Abd Allah; (second chain) Abu
Nua’ym al-Fadl Ibn Dukayn informed us; (he said): Abu al-Ahwas informed us on
the authority of Sa’id Ibn Masruq, he on the authority of Abu al-Duha, he on
the authority of ‘Abd Allah; he said: The Apostle of Allah said to me: Recite
(the Qur’an) before me. Thereupon I said: How can I repeat before
you and it has been revealed on you. He said: I like it. Wahb
said in his version: I desire to hear it from others. He (‘Abd Allah) said: I
recited the surah of al-Nisa before him, till
I reached the verse: But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every
people and We bring thee (O Muhammad) a witness against them. Abu Nua’ym said
in his version: Thereupon he said: It is enough. Both of them said: Then
I saw him that the eyes of the Prophet were filled tears, and he
said: Whoever seeks pleasure in reciting the Qur’an according
to its fresh reading he should recite after the reading of Ibn Umm ‘Abd.
(Ibid., pp. 441-442; bold emphasis ours)
Waki ‘Ibn al-al-Jarrah informed us on
the authority of Isma’il Ibn Khalid, he on the authority of Abu ‘Amr
al-Shaybani; he said: Abu Musa al-Ash’ari said: Do not put questions to me as long
as this learned man, that is Ibn Mas’ud, is among you. (Ibid., p.
443; bold emphasis ours)
Ma’an Ibn ‘Isa informed us; (he said):
Mu’awiyah Ibn Salih informed us on the authority of Asad Ibn Wada’ah: Verily
‘Umar mentioned Ibn Mas’ud and said: (He is) a box full of knowledge
for which I honoured the people of al-Qadisiyah. (Ibid., p. 444; bold
emphasis mine)
When informed that Zaid’s text was to
receive official status, Ibn Masud reacted indifferently:
Abdullah Ibn Masud said, “I recited
from the Messenger of Allah seventy surahs which I had perfected before Zaid
Ibn Thabit had embraced Islam.” (Gilchrist, Chapter 3. The Codices of
Ibn Mas’ud and Ubayy Ibn Ka’b, p. 66 – citing Ibn Abi
Dawud’s Kitab al-Masahif, p. 17)
“I acquired directly from the Messenger
of Allah seventy surahs when Zaid was still a childish youth – must I now
forsake what I acquired directly from the Messenger of Allah?” (Ibid., p. 15)
Ibn Masud during a religious sermon (khutba)
declared:
“’Affan Ibn Muslim informed us; (he
said): ‘Abd al-Wahid Ibn Ziyad informed us; (he said): Sulayman al-A’mash
informed us on the authority of Shaqiq Ibn Salamah; he said: ‘Abd Allah Ibn
Mas’ud delivered a sermon to us when the order concerning uniform reading of
the Qur’an was issued, as it was indeed. He (Shaqiq)
said: He mentioned ABOUT DECEIT and said: Who so deceived, will bring
his deceit on the Day of Resurrection. The people have been guilty OF
DECEIT IN THE READING OF THE Qur’an. I like it to read according to the
recitation of him (Prophet) whom I love more than that of Zayd Ibn Thabit.
By Him besides whom there is no god! I learnt more than seventy surahs
from the lips of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, while Zayd Ibn
Thabit was a youth, having two locks and playing with the youth. Then he
said: By Him besides Whom there is no other god! If I know any one to
be more conversant with the Book of Allah than me, and if the camels could
carry me to him, I shall surely go to him. Then ‘Abd Allah went away.
Shaqiq said: Subsequently I sat in the circles of the Companions of the Apostle
of Allah and others BUT NONE contradicted his statement.” (Ibn
Sa’d’s Kitab al-Tabaqat, Volume 2, p. 444; bold, capital and
underline emphasis mine)
Here Ibn Masud accuses Muslims of
introducing deceit or deception into the reading of the Quran! Ibn Masud even
warned his followers against copying and reciting Zaid’s version of the Quran:
(19). 3104. Az-Zuhri
narrated from Anas who said: “Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman came to ‘Uthman,
at the time when the people of Ash-Sham and the people of Al-‘Iraq were
waging war to conquer Arminiyah and Adharbijan. Hudhaifah saw
their (the people of Ash-Sham and Al-‘Iraq) different forms of recitation of
the Qur’an. So he said to ‘Uthman: ‘O Commander of the Believers!
Save this nation before they differ about the Book as the Jews and Christians
did before them.’ So he (‘Uthman) sent a message to Hafsah (saying): ‘Send
us the manuscripts so that we may copy them in the Musahif then
we shall return it to you.’ So Hafsah sent the manuscripts to ‘Uthman
bin ‘Affan. ‘Uthman then sent order for Zaid bin Thabit, Sa‘eed bin
Al-‘As, ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith bin Hisham, and ‘Abdullah
bin Az-Zubair to copy the manuscripts in the Musahif. ‘Uthman said
to the three Quraish men: In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit
on any point in the (recitation dialect of the) Qur’an, then write it in the
dialect of Quraish for it was revealed in their tongue.’ So when
they had copied the manuscripts in the Musahif, ‘Uthman sent
one Mushaf from those Musahif that they had
copied to every province.”
Az-Zuhri said: “Kharijah bin
Zaid [bin Thabit] narrated to me that Zaid bin Thabit
said: ‘I missed an Ayah of Surat Al-Ahzab that
I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting: Among the believers are men who have
been true to their covenant with Allah, of them, some have fulfilled their
obligations, and some of them are still waiting. – so I searched for it and
found it with Khuzaimah bin Thabit, or Abu Khuzaimah,
so I put it in its Surah.’”
Az-Zuhri said: “They differed then
with At-Tabut and At-Tabuh. The Quraish said: At-Tabut while
Zaid said: At-Tabuh. Their disagreement was brought to ‘Uthman, so
he said: ‘Write it as At-Tabut, for it was revealed in the tongue
of the Quraish.’”
Az-Zuhri said: “Ubaidullah bin Abdullah
bin Utbah informed me that Abdullah bin Mas’ud disliked Zaid bin Thabit
copying the Musahif, and he said: ‘O you Muslim people! Avoid
copying the Mushaf and recitation of this man. By Allah!
When I accepted Islam he was but in the loins of a disbelieving man’–meaning
Zaid bin Thabit–and it was regarding this that Abdullah bin Mas’ud
said: ‘O people of Al-Iraq! Keep the Musahif that are with
you, and conceal them. For indeed Allah said: And whoever conceals
something, he shall come with what he concealed on the Day of Judgement. So
meet Allah with the Musahif.’” (Sahih) (English
Translation of Jami‘ At-Tirmidhi: Compiled by Imam Hafiz Abu ‘Eisa Mohammad Ibn
‘Eisa At-Tirmidhi, translated by Abu Khaliyl (USA), ahadith edited &
referenced by Hafiz Abu Tahir Zubair ‘Ali Za’i, final review by Islamic
Research Section Darussalam [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, First
Edition: November 2007], Volume 5, From Hadith No. 2606 to 3290, 44. The
Chapters On The Tafsir Of The Qur’an From The Messenger of
Allah, Chapter 9., pp. 412-414 https://sunnah.com/urn/641130;
underline emphasis mine)
Interestingly, the Muslim community in
Iraq refused to receive Uthman’s text, preferring Ibn Masud’s instead. This led
to a confrontation between Hudhaifah and Ibn Masud:
`Abdullah, Hudaifa and Abu Musa were on
the roof of Abu Musa’s house. `Abdullah said, ‘I hear you say such-and-such.’
Hudaifa said, ‘Yes, I deplore folk talking about this one’s reading and
that one’s reading. They are differing like non-Muslims.‘ Hudaifa
continued, ‘`Abdullah b. Qais, you were sent to the Basrans as governor and
teacher. THEY HAVE ADOPTED YOUR ADAB, YOUR DIALECT AND YOUR TEXT.’
To b. Mas`ud he said, ‘You were sent to
the Kufans as their teacher and THEY HAVE ADOPTED YOUR ADAB, YOUR
DIALECT AND YOUR READING.’
‘In that case,’ retorted b. Mas`ud, ‘I
have not misled them. There is no verse in the Book of God but that I know
where and in what connection it was revealed. Did I know of anyone more learned
than myself on the subject I should go to him.’ (Burton, p. 147, Abu Bakr `Abdullah b. abi
Da’ud, “K. al Masahif”, ed. A. Jeffery, Cairo, 1936/1355, p. 14;
bold emphasis mine)
The foregoing makes what Uthman did to Abdullah all the more
reprehensible.
THE EVIDENCE
According to the Islamic sources, Abdullah was insulted,
physically beaten, resulting in two of his ribs being broken, imprisoned in
Medina, and had his pension taken from him by Uthman. Uthman did this to
Abdullah all because of the latter’s refusing to give up his copy of the Quran
to be burned and for not going along with the mishandling of the Muslim funds
by Uthman’s brother Walid ibn ‘Uqbah:
The historian Ya’qubi (died
278 A.H.) writes in his book that Uthman collected the Qur’an and arranged it
in such a way that he placed big surahs (chapters) together and the small
surahs together separately, and sending for copies from all sides, got them
washed with hot water and vinegar and set fire to them. As a result of it
no Qur’an was left except the copy belonging to Ibn Mas’ud which was with him
in Kufah. When Abdullah Ibn ‘Amir, the Governor of Kufah, asked Ibn Mas’ud for
his copy he refused to give it. At this news Uthman wrote to ‘Amir to
arrest Ibn Mas’ud and send him to Medina. When Ibn Mas’ud came and
entered the masjid, Uthman was busy delivering his speech. Seeing Ibn Mas’ud he
said, “An ugly and ill-natured animal has come”. Ibn Mas’ud also
strongly retorted in response. Hearing it Uthman ordered people to beat
him. So the people beat him and dragged him in such a way that two of his ribs
got fractured.
It is written in the
Persian translation of Tarikh A’tham Kufi (printed in Bombay vide page 147 line
8) that Uthman tore off the Qur’an and got it burnt. The same is given in the
book “Successors of Muhammad” (W. Irving p.160 printed in London, 1850 A.D.).
According to “Najatul Mu’minin” by Mulla Mohsin Kashmiri, Uthman got
the ribs of Ibn Mas’ud fractured and snatching his Qur’an got it burnt.
According to Rauzatul Ahbab vol. 2, p. 229 printed in Lucknow), Uthman ordered,
“My Qur’an must be given currency in my domain and the remaining Qur’ans should
be burnt. Accordingly all the remaining copies of Qur’an were got burnt.
According to Tarikh al-Qur’an by Abdul Qadir Makki, p. 36 printed in Jeddah
1365 A.H. Sahih Bukhari vol. 6, p. 26 printed in Bombay, Mishkit Sharif printed
in Dehli, p. 150, and Tafsir Itqan Suyuti, printed Ahmadi, vol. 1, p. 84;
Uthman sent word to Hafsah, the wife of the Holy Prophet, to send him the
Scriptures so that he might copy them out and then return them to her. Hafsah
sent those Scriptures which were with her and Uthman appointed Zayd bin Thabit,
Abdullah bin Zubayr, Sa’id bin ‘As, Abdul Rahman bin Harith to collect and copy
the Scriptures, and asked all three men of the Quraysh to write the Qur’an in
the colloquy of Quraysh in case there arose some difference on some point in
it, because the Qur’an had been revealed in their language. They did
accordingly till the Scripture was copied out and Uthman returned the
Scriptures to Hafsah as promised and sent one newly-prepared copy to her. Now
only the copy of the Qur’an prepared by Uthman remained in existence and all
the other copies were got burnt. According to Fathul Bari of Ibn Hajar
‘Asqalani vol. 4, p. 226, Uthman sent back the Qur’an of Hafsah but Marwan
snatched it forcibly from her and burnt it. According to Tarikh Khamis p. 270, Isti’ab
p. 373 and Sawa’iq Muhriqah p. 68.
Uthman got all the
copies of the Qur’an burnt except
his own and
got Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud beaten so much that he developed the disease of hernia.
Then he sent him to prison where he died.
According to Tuhfah Ithna ‘ Ashariyah of Abdul Aziz, Ubayy bin Ka’b gave his
Qur’an to Uthman and he escaped beating. That Qur’an was also burnt.20 (The
Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Followers (Shia) throughout History,
compiled by: Sheikh Mateen J. Charbonneau [2nd Chance Books, 2018], pp. 93-94;
bold emphasis mine)
20 The great companion of
the Prophet Abu Dharr chapter 18 (Ibid., p. 94)
Provincial affairs gave
Aishah her opportunity to play her hand against ‘Uthman. The latter, early in
his reign, had been forced by public pressure to recall his governor of Kufah,
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, for his refusal to repay into the Kufan treasury a sum of
money advanced him by the low-born but strict treasurer, ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud.
’Uthman replaced Sa’d in that turbulent city’s governorship by his (‘Uthman’s)
uterine brother Walid ibn ‘Uqbah (25-30/644-650/51), who,
though he retained Ibn Mas’ud as treasurer, tried, nevertheless, to misuse the
treasury. Ibn Mas’ud would not oblige. Walid complained to ‘Uthman, who
reminded Ibn Mas’ud that he was their treasury and that he
was, therefore, not to oppose Walid. The indignant Ibn Mas’ud threw down the keys of the treasury
with the retort, “I thought I was a treasurer for the Moslems; but If I am a
treasurer for you, then I have no need of that (office).” He remained, however,
in Kufah but definitely in the ranks of the opposition and a thorn, therefore,
in the side of Walid. When ‘Uthman, in his effort to issue a standard text of
the Qur’an, ordered other texts destroyed, Ibn Mas’ud refused to yield
his. This, together with Walid’s persistent complaints of his
disturbing influence in Kufah, led ‘Uthman to order Ibn Mas’ud to Medina. Arrived in the city, he went to the mosque where the caliph
was making a speech. Soon the two came to sharp words, with Aishah taking
‘Uthman to task for his rough speech to a Companion of the Messenger of Allah.
This probably enraged ‘Uthman all the more. At any rate, he ordered Ibn Mas’ud
thrown out of the mosque. His order was carried out with such violence
that among the physical injuries suffered by Ibn Mas’ud were two broken ribs.
It was then that Aishah let go of herself and spoke out her mind freely, or as
the historian reports with tantalizing brevity, “And then Aisha spoke and she
said plenty.”81 Ibn Mas’ud was thereafter forbidden to leave Medina lest he
causes trouble wherever he went. He was, besides, subjected to financial
deprivations. Just before his death (A.H. 32 or 33) ‘Uthman attempted a
reconciliation; but Ibn Mas’ud said he had no need now of the caliph’s
favors. Like ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf, he too left word that ‘Uthman was
not to pray over his body-a service which was performed, some say, by
‘Ammar ibn Yasir.82 (Nabia Abbott, Aisha: The Beloved of Mohammed [The
University of Chicago Press, 1942] pp. 109-110 https://oi.uchicago.edu/sites/oi.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/shared/docs/aishah.pdf); bold emphasis mine)
81 Ya’qubi, II, 196 f.;
Baladhuri, Ansab, V, 36 f.
82 Ya’qubi, II, 197 f.;
Baladhuri, Ansab, V, 37 f.; but cf. Ibn Sa’d, III, 113; Tabari, I,
2894; Nawawi, pp. 371 f. (Ibid., p. 110)
Sayyid Hamid Husayn then
goes on to deal with some other narrations ascribed to the Prophet and cited by
Shah ‘Abd al-Aziz, which are…
Hold on to the covenant of
Ibn Umm ‘Abd (i.e. ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud)…
That which Ibn Umm ‘Abd
approves of is approved for you by me.
Both of these are
weak (da’if) and isolated (ahad) traditions,
while Hadith al-Thaqalayn is a mutawatir one.
That both Muslim and al-Bukhari did not record them in their works indicates
that they considered their isnad to be weak. Moreover, even if
assumed to be authentic they do not contradict Hadith
al-Thaqalayn, for while they only show the merit of Ibn Mas’ud, Hadith
al-Thaqalayn signifies the preeminence and leadership of the Ahlul
Bayt.
Furthermore, it is
inconsistent of Shah ‘Abd al-Aziz to advance those traditions, for ‘Umar,
instead of approving Ibn Mas’ud’s acts, forbade him to give fatwa and
narrate the Prophet’s hadith and forbade him from leaving Madinah, which Ibn
Mas’ud could not leave until the former’s death. ‘Uthman went a step further
and had Ibn Mas’ud beaten so mercilessly that his ribs were broken.
(Al-Islam.org, “Some Traditions that Appear to Conflict with Hadith
al-Thaqalayn” https://www.al-islam.org/hadith-al-thaqalayn-a-study-of-its-tawatur/some-traditions-appear-conflict-hadith-al-thaqalayn#four)
Ibn Masood arrived in
Medina, and went into the Mosque. When he entered the Mosque, Uthman was
reading the sermon. When Uthman saw him entering the Mosque, he
said: “A foul and despicable beast is coming toward you.” Ibn Masood said: “That is not so. I am the companion and
friend of the Apostle of God. I fought at Badr, and I am a Companion of the
Tree.” Ayesha also heard in her chamber what Uthman had said, and she cried
out: “Is this the kind of language you use for a companion of the Apostle of
God?”
Uthman ordered Abdullah ibn
Masood to get out of the Mosque of the Prophet. Uthman’s slaves threw him out
of the Mosque, and down on the ground
breaking his ribs.
Ali rose to upbraid Uthman,
and said: “You have hurt a friend of the Apostle merely at a report from
Walid. You know that Walid is a liar.” He then carried Ibn Masood to his home.
But Uthman was not
satisfied with what he had done. After
breaking the ribs of Abdullah ibn Masood, he stopped payment of his pension,
and forbade him to leave Medina.
Ibn Masood wished to go to Syria and to take part in the campaigns but Uthman
repeated what he had heard Marwan saying: “He has created enough trouble in
Kufa; do not let him do the same in Syria.” (p. 160) (al-
Fitna-tul-Kubra {The Great Upheaval}, published in Cairo in 1959)
As noted before, Abdullah
ibn Masood had made his own collection of the verses of Qur’an, and he had
arranged them in chronological order. But Uthman had appointed his favorite,
Zayd bin Thabit, to collect and to arrange the verses of Qur’an. He did not
“recognize” the collection of Ibn Masood, and ordered him to surrender his
copy. Abdullah ibn Masood refused to do so whereupon the slaves of Uthman broke
into his house, and forcibly seized the copy of Qur’an from him. This copy was
burned at Uthman’s orders. (Al-Islam.org, A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims,
by Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy, “Uthman, the Third Khalifa of the Muslims” https://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-ashgar-razwy/uthman-third-khalifa-muslims; bold emphasis mine)
al-Walid also reported
these stinging words of Ibn Mas’ud, to ‘Uthman and added that he slandered the
caliph and abused him. ‘Uthman summoned Ibn Mas’ud to Medina. When the people
of Kufah learnt of his recall to the capital, they gathered round him asking
him not to go but to stay with them to remain immune from any possible injury.
Ibn Mas’ud said: “He has the right of being obeyed, and I have no wish to be
the first person to open the door to riot and sedition upon him and disobey
him.”139
al-Isti’ab gives Ibn
Mas’ud’s answer to the people of Kufah as follows: “These conditions are bound
to produce riot and sedition, and I have no desire to start a riot.” The people
of Kufah saw him off and he advised them to be chaste and act upon God’s
injunctions and then asked them to return home before his departure. The people
praised him for his goodness, and on his leaving for Medina, they thanked him
for his efforts and services, saying: “May God reward you! You familiarized our
ignorant ones with religion, and made our wise ones more steadfast in faith.
You taught us the Qur’an, informed us of the Islamic faith and made us
clear-sighted about religion. You were indeed a good Muslim, a fine friend and
a kind brother.” Then saying farewell, they returned home.140
When Ibn Mas’ud arrived at
Medina, he went straight to the Prophet’s mosque where ‘Uthman was at that
moment giving a sermon while standing on the Prophet’s pulpit. When he saw Ibn
Mas’ud he changed his words and said: “Just now a mean and worthless
quadruped has entered upon you, a fellow who on people’s stretching their hands
for bread, will vomit what he has eaten and throw it out of his belly.”
In answer to this
abuse, Ibn Mas’ud said: “No, ‘Uthman, I am not such a man! I am one of the
Prophet’s companions with the honor of being present in the battle of Badr and
Pledge of ar-Ridwan (Good pleasure).”141 ‘A’ishah, too, exclaimed: “O ‘Uthman!
Are you using such words about Ibn Mas’ud who has been an intimate companion of
the Prophet?” In answer to her, ‘Uthman shouted: “Be silent”, and then
ordered to expel Ibn Mas’ud from the mosque. They carried out the caliph’s
order with Shocking insults to Ibn Mas’ud. ‘Abd Allah ibn Zam’ah
knocked him down, and it is said that Yahmun, ‘Uthman’s slave, got between Ibn
Mas’ud’s legs, lifted him and threw him down so violently that his ribs were
broken. At this time, ‘Ali who was witnessing this scene, turned to
‘Uthman and said: “O ‘Uthman! Do you act in this way only on the words and
reports of al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah towards a companion of the Prophet?”
‘Uthman answered: “No! It
is not only because of al-Walid’s words! I had also sent Zubayd ibn as-Salt
Kindi to Kufah for investigation.” Ibn Mas’ud, who was twisting with
agony, cried out: ” ‘Uthman’s blood is lawful” and ‘Ali said in answer to
‘Uthman: “And you have relied on Zubayd’s words who is not trustworthy!”
Then he rose to aid Ibn Mas’ud and took him home for treatment.
After this incident, Ibn
Mas’ud stayed in Medina and ‘Uthman did not permit him to leave that city. Even
when he was cured from his injury, he asked leave to participate in the holy
war against the Romans, but ‘Uthman refused permission. It is also narrated
that before ‘Uthman could give a positive or negative answer, Marwan
anticipated it and said to ‘Uthman: “He has roused Iraq against you and made
them suspicious of you. Now it is ash-Sham’s turn and he intends to rouse the
people there against you!” Thus to the end of his life, Ibn Mas’ud was
unable to leave Medina and a watch was kept over him until his death two
years before ‘Uthman’s assassination. On this occasion Ibn Mas’ud’s stay in Medina
lasted three years. The final conversation between ‘Uthman and Ibn Mas’ud is
worthy of attention. When Ibn Mas’ud was ill in bed and passing through the
last moments of his life, ‘Uthman came to visit his sick-bed and said:
-What are you suffering from?
-From my sins.
-What would you like?
-God’s favor and
forgiveness.
-Shall I call a doctor for
you?
-The doctor himself has
made me sick.
-Shall I order to pay your
salary and pension?142
-You did not pay it when I
needed it Do you want to do so today when I have no need for it?
-It will remain for your
children.
-God will provide for their
livelihood.
-Beg God to forgive
me for what I have done.
-I beg God to seize
my right from you.
Ibn Mas’ud had willed that
‘Ammar ibn Yasir should perform his burial prayer, and that ‘Uthman
should not attend his burial. His will was carried out and he was buried in
al-Baqi’ without ‘Uthman’s knowledge.143 When ‘Uthman heard of it, he got very
angry and asked why he was buried without his knowledge. ‘Ammar said: “He
had willed that you should not perform his burial prayer.” ‘Abd Allah ibn
az-Zubayr composed a couplet on this occasion, meaning: “I know that you will
lament my death whereas you had cut off my bread and food.”
This was an account of Ibn
Mas’ud.144 But al-Walid’s rule did not result in the story of Ibn Mas’ud alone.
During his rule he committed many mischievous and seditious acts such as his
ill-treatment of Abu Zubayd, a Christian poet, and of a Jewish magician.
138. Ansab al-ashraf of
al-Baladhuri 5/36.
139. Ansab al-ashraf of
al-Baladhuri 5/36.
140. al-Isti’ab on Ibn
Mas’ud.
141. Ibn Mas’ud, in his
answer, is directly reproaching ‘Uthman who was not present on the above two
occasions and thus he did not have the honour of participation in those events.
142. His pension
and salary had not been paid for two years. History of Ibn Kathir 7/163,
al-Ya’qubi 2/197, al- Mustadrak 3/13.
143. His death occurred in
the year 32 after Hijrah. az-Zubayr buried him at night without informing
‘Uthman. At death his age was about 60 or a
little more.
144. From Tabaqat,
al-Baladhuri 5/36, al-Isti’ab, Usd al-ghabah, al-Mustadrak 3/13, Kanz 7/54,
History of al- Ya’qubi 2/147, History of al-Khamis 2/268, and Ibn Abi al-Hadid 1/236-237.
(Sayyid Murtada Askari, The Role of Aishah in the History of Islam,
Volume 1, Events which befell Ibn Mas’ud http://www.aldhiaa.com/english/book/book/history_library/various_books/the_role_of_aishah_in_the_history_of_islam_volume_1/010.html; bold emphasis mine)
There you have it folks, the spirit of Islam and the fruit of
Muhammad’s teachings! Imagine what Muslims would do if the Apostles of the
risen Christ verbally and physically abused each other, threw one another in
prison, burned NT writings in order to standardize the one they felt were the
most accurate or authoritative, and/or misused the funds of the people of God
for personal gain?
Time for Muslims to leave this prophet and antichrist named
Muhammad, and turn to the risen and living Savior, Jesus Christ, their only
hope of salvation.
IHS
