In Ansab,1 Balazari has narrated from Abbas bin Hisham from his father
from Abu Mikhnaf and Awana that: Abdullah bin Masud threw the keys of
Public Treasury to Walid bin Uqbah, saying: “One, who changes [what he has
with himself], Almighty Allah will change his destiny.2 Almighty Allah is
infuriated at one, who changes [a command] and I have no belief regarding your
companion [Uthman], except that he has brought changes.”
Ibne Masud always issued statements like: “The most truthful is the Book of
Allah and the most righteous path is that of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), and the worst
are heresies and every heresy is innovation and every innovation is misguidance; and every misguidance is in Fire.”3
Walid complained to Uthman: “Ibne Masud criticizes and condemns you.”
Uthman wrote to Walid ordering him to send Ibne Masud to Medina. So, people
gathered and said: “Arise and we will not leave anything, which you don’t like to
reach you.” Ibne Masud said: “Uthman has the right of obedience upon me and I
don’t like to be the first to instigate mischief and to turn the people away,” and he
went to Uthman.4
Balazari has written: The Kufians accompanied him and he said: “Adopt
piety and don’t separate from Quran.” Kufians said: “O Ibne Masud, may God
give you a good recompense, you instructed our ignorant and made our learned
steadfast. Only you made us aware of Quran and religion of God. You were a
brother and a good Muslim friend.”
Then they bid farewell to him and returned. When Ibne Masud reached
Medina, Uthman was on the pulpit of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), delivering a
sermon. When he noticed Ibne Masud, he flayed him and remarked: “A terrible
beast is coming towards you. Wherever he goes to eat, he vomits there.” (That is
he is thankless to his benefactors). Ibne Masud said: “I am not such! Rather I am
the companion of the Messenger in the Battle of Badr and Allegiance of
Rizwan.”
Ayesha expressed her anger and said, “O Uthman, do you say such things
about companions of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)?”
Uthman ordered his officials to expel that great companion from the Masjid
and they drove him out of there in a very humiliating manner. A slave of
Uthman, Abdullah bin Zama5 or Yahmoom picked up Abdullah Ibne Masud
while Abdullah’s legs thrashed besides his neck. Then threw him down with
force and one of his teeth broke.
Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) stood up and addressed Uthman, “O Uthman, are
you doing this to a companion of Prophet at the complain of Walid bin Uqbah?”
Uthman replied, “I have not done this on complain of Walid bin Uqbah. I sent
Zaid bin Sult Kindi to Kufa and Ibne Masud told him that it lawful to shed
Uthman’s blood.” Imam said, “You believed Zaid, who is absolutely
untrustworthy?”
Some have said: Ibne Masud stayed as the guest of Saad bin Abi Waqqas
and when he fell ill, Uthman came to visit him and asked: “Do you have any
complaint?”
He replied: “Against my sins.”
He asked: “What do you want?”
He replied: “Mercy of my Lord.”
He asked: “Shall I send a doctor to you?”
He replied: “The doctor had made me ill.”
He asked: “Shall I get you your allowance?”6
He replied: “You denied it to me, when I needed it and when I became needless, you are giving it to me?”
He said: “It would be for your children.”
He said: “Their sustenance is from Almighty Allah.”
He said: “O Abu Abdur Rahman, seek forgiveness for me.”
He replied: “I shall beseech Allah to secure my rightful share from you.”
He made a bequest that Uthman should not recite his funeral prayer. Thus,
without informing Uthman, he was buried in Baqi. When Uthman learnt of this,
he was enraged. He said: “You gave precedence to him over me.”
Ammar bin Yasir said: “He made a bequest that you shouldn’t recite his
prayers.”
Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Muhammad bin Kaab Qarzi has narrated that
Uthman gave forty lashes to Ibne Masud as he had buried Abu Zar.7