19. ABDULLAH IBN MAS‘ŪD (2)

19. ABDULLAH IBN MAS‘ŪD (2) 

          ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd r.a. participated in the hijrah (migration) of the Muslims, twice to Ḥabashah (Ethiopia) and once to Madinah to avoid the persecution of the Quraysh in Makkah. The first migration took place in the fifth year of the Prophet’s prophethood, consisting of about one hundred people, and was led by ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān and his wife Raqayyah (the Prophet’s daughter), Ja‘far ibn Abī Ṭālib, ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf, and Ummu Ḥabībah (the daughter of Abū Sufyān). They marched towards the Port of al-Shu‘aybah, then crossed the Red Sea. When they learned that the situation was getting better, they returned home.

As the situation was not so good as had been expected, then the Muslims migrated again to Ḥabashah consisting of 83 men and 18 women, led by Ja‘far ibn Abī Ṭālib, taking a different route. They crossed the Red Sea from the Port of Jeddah heading towards Sawakin. The third migration was to Madinah which took place in 622 CE.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd r.a. participated in the 29 military expeditions led by the Prophet. In the battle of Badr which took place in 2 AH as a share in the booty the Prophet gave him the sword of Abū Jahl.

            One of many reasons the Quraysh aristocrats refused to sit with the Prophet s.a.w. and listen to him was that his companions were weak people whom they considered belonging to the weak and oppressed people (الْمُسْتَضْعَفِيْن), such as ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd, “the son of the mother of a slave”, Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ (d. 20/640) the Abyssinian slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf (later freed bought and freed by Abū Bakr), Suhayb ibn Sinān (d. 39/659) the Roman, Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt (d. 37/657, and ‘Ammār ibn Yāssir (d. 37/657) the slave of Banī Makhzūm. There were many examples for these, such as:

a.     Mujāhid narrated that Bilāl and Ibn Mas‘ūd were with the Prophet s.a.w. and the Quraysh said   that if it were not because of the presence of these two humiliated persons (Bilāl and Ibn Mas‘ūd), they would have sat with him. The Prophet s.a.w. would not even drive away his companions for the sake of the Quraysh noblemen.

b.    Ibn Mas‘ūd narrated that the notables among the Quraysh were passing by the Prophet s.a.w.  who was with Ṣuhayb,  ‘Ammār, Bilāl, Khabbāb, and others among weak Muslims. They said, “O Muhammad, are you content with them for their being among your people? Are they among people whom Allah has   given good luck among us? Are we going to be followers of them? Drive them away from you, and hopefully we would follow you after that.”

c.      Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ narrated: “We were being with the Prophet s.a.w. when the idolaters told him to turn us away from him, the six of us, Ibn Mas‘ūd, Bilāl, a man from Hudhayl tribe, and two men those names were unknown, and myself.  He was still considering whether turning us away would win over their hearts and make them accept Islam, when it was revealed:

وَلَا تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ مَا

عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ

فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ (الأنعام:52)

 And turn not away those who invoke their Lord,

 morning and afternoon seeking His Face. You are

 accountable for them in nothing, and they are

accountable for you in nothing, that you may

 turn them away, and thus become

of the unjust. (Q. 6:52)

          The above examples are the occasions that led to the revelation of the above verse. Like hitting two birds with one stone the above verse was the reply and the objection to the Quraysh’s   request to turn away his followers as a pre-condition for their acceptance to have a discourse and listen to him. Moreover, those Prophet’s followers who were despised by these Quraysh elite were praised by Allah as pious people.

          “Those who invoke their Lord” are those who preserve the obligatory five-daily prayers in congregation according to Ibn ‘Abbās, Mujāhid and al-Ḥasan. Another view is that it means reading the Qur’ān, and yet, another view says that it means starting their day with invocation for guidance before working, ending their day after working with invocation of forgiveness.

          “Seeking His Face” means their being sincere in their worship and work solely for the sake of Allah.

          Ibn Mas‘ūd was praised by the Prophet s.a.w. so much that he said,

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ  لَوْ كُنْتُ مُسْتَخْلِفًا

أَحَدًا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ، لَاسْتَخْلَفْتُ ابْنَ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ (رواه ابن ماجة)

Narrated by ‘Ali, the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said,

“If I were to appoint anyone over my nation without

 consultation, I would have appointed Ibn Umm ‘Abd (i.e.,

Ibn Mas‘ūd) )Reported by Ibn Mājah)

          Ibn Mas‘ūd was praised by the Prophet s.a.w. for his knowledge of the Qur’ān and his recitation. He said that Abū Bakr and ‘Umar spent one evening with the Prophet s.a.w. When they went out and were passing him reciting the Qur’ān, he said to them:

مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَا نَزَلَ، فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ (مسند أبي حنيفة)

Whoever would like to read the Qur’ān as it

was revealed, let him read according to the

recitation of Ibn Umm ‘Abd (i.e., Ibn Mas‘ūd)

(Musnad Abū Ḥanīfah)[1]

        The Prophet said further that if Ibn Mas‘ūd pray for something Allah would accept his prayer. ‘Umar tried to be the first one who brought to good news to him, but he was overtaken by Abū Bakr. So, Ibn Mas‘ūd prayed:                    

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا دَائِمًا لَا يَزُولُ، وَنَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ،

 وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّكَ فِي جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ (مسند أبي حنيفة)

O Allah, I ask You permanent and perpetual faith,

continuous blessing   and accompanying your Prophet in

 Your Eternal Paradise (Musnad Abū Ḥanīfah)

The Prophet also liked to hear the Qur’ān recited by Ibn  Masūd, although it was revealed to him. So, Ibn Mas‘ūd read sūrat al-Nisā’ to him. When he read

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا. يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَعَصَوُا الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّى بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ وَلَا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثًا (النساء: 41-42))

How (will it be) then, when We bring from each

nation a witness and We bring you as a witness against

 those people. On that day those who disbelieved and

disobeyed the Messenger will wish that they were

 buried in the earth, but they will never be  able

to hide a single fact from Allah (Q 4: 41-42).

Upon hearing this, the Prophet shed tears and said to him, "Enough, enough, Ibn Mas‘ūd."

          The Prophet s.a.w. mentioned Ibn Mas‘ūd as one of the four people from whom the reading of the Qur’ān should be taken. He said:

اقْرَؤُوا اْلقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَة: ابنِ أُمَ عَبْد وَأُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْب وَمُعَاذِ بْنِ

جَبَل وَسَالِم مَوْلىَ أبِي حُذَيْفَة. (حديث سفيان الثوري)

Learn the Qur’ān from four people: Ibn Umm ‘Abd

(Ibn Mas‘ūd), Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b and Mu‘ādh Ibn Jabal, and

Sālim Maulā (Client of) Abī Ḥudhayfah

(Ḥadīth of Sufyān al-Thawrī)

Although Ibn Mas‘ūd claimed that he knew where the sūrahs (chapters) of the Qur’ān were revealed and their contexts, he would come to someone who had better understanding than himself and would reach him on a camel’s back.

When the caliph ‘Umar sent Ibn Mas‘ūd to Kufah as a judge, to be in charge of the Bayt al-Māl (Public Treasury), and to teach people about religion, he offered him a fixed salary as he did with other ṣaḥābah (companions of the Prophet).  He refused the offer and said, “Why do you try to turn me to the world.” Umar wrote to the people of Kufah, telling them that by sending Ibn Mas‘ūd to them, he had given them preference over himself. Soon the city turned into the third most important centre of learning after Makkah and Madinah. Among his students was the fifth caliph, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, and the Ḥanafī madhhab (school of jurisprudence) was heavily influenced by the fiqh of Ibn Mas‘ūd, as Abū Ḥanīfah and his masters were Kufis.

Ibn Mas‘ūd related 848 ḥadīths (Prophetic traditions), among which are as follows:

  إِذَا أَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَخْطُبَ خُطْبَةَ الْحَاجَةِ فَلْيَبْدَأْ وَلْيَقُلْ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ

 وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ

 فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا  شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ

وَرَسُولُهُ ، ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ

 إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ (آل عمران: 102),   يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ

مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ

الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا (النساء: 1),

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا  سَدِيدًا

(الأحزاب: 70)  (رواه البخاري)

If anyone of you wants to give a prerequisite sermon he

should say الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ...  عَبْدُه وَرَسُولُهُ  then read

these verses:يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّه... مُسْلِمُونَ (  (Q. 3:102) ,

عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا …  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ (Q. 4:1), and يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ

آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا  سَدِيدًا    (Q. 33:70)

(Reported by Bukhārī)

          This is what we used to do as the introduction of our Friday khuṭbah, although sometimes we do not recite the whole verses.

          When Ibn Mas‘ūd  was in his death-bed, ‘Uthmān  (d. 35/ 656) visited him, and they had a conversation approximately like this:

‘Uthmān, “Is there anything bothers you?”

Ibn Mas‘ūd, “My sin bothers me”.

U. “Do you need anything?”

IM. “The mercy of my Lord.”

U. “Shall I take to your account all that is due to you from the Bait al-Māl (Public Treasury) that you have left unclaimed?"

IM. “I do not need it.”

U. “Let it be for your daughters after you.”

IM. “Do you fear poverty for my children? I have told them to read Sūrah al-Wāqi‘ah [chapter 56] every night, for I have heard the Prophet s.a.w. saying, “Whoever reads Sūrah al-Wāqi‘ah every night shall never be afflicted by poverty.”

          Ibn Mas‘ūd r.a. died in Madinah in 32 AH/650 CE and was buried in the Baqī‘ Cemetery at the age of 63. May Allah reward him for his dedication to Islam!!!

                                                                    (CIVIC, 12 June, 2015)

Bibliography:

al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah

Hatta, Ahmad etal. The Great History of Muhammad s.a.w. Jakata: Maghfirah Pustaka, 2011.

 http://www.inter-islam.org/Biographies/abdullahibnmasood.htm

http://sahabastories.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/abdullaah-ibn-masud-r-a.html

http://www.islamiska.org/e/masud.htm

http://www.sunnah.org/history/Sahaba/masud.html

http://islamicencyclopedia.org/public/index/topicDetail/id/34

http://www.islamicvoice.com/december.2003/child.htm#abmj

http://www.kitaba.org/articles/abdullah-ibn-masud/

http://ahadith.co.uk/hadithbynarrator.php?n=Abdullah+bin+Masud&bid=1&let=A

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[1] In another version, the Prophet said:  مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ، فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْد (رواه ابن ماجة)ٍ “Whoever would like to read the Qur’an tenderly as it was revealed, let him read according to the recitation of Ibn Umm ‘Abd (i.e., Ibn Mas‘ūd).” (Reported by Ibn Mājah).