Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 2121 — The commander disciplining his governor

It is narrated from Abayah bin Rafi' bin Khadij (may Allah have mercy on him) that news reached Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) had had a door installed (in his palace) and had then said: "(Now the people's) noise and clamour has ended." At this Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him), and when he came, he said: "Go to Sa'd and burn that door of his, then take him by the hand, bring him out to the people and say: Sit here for (hearing the complaints of) the people." The narrator says: Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent his slave in his place to his house and ordered him to bring two mounts and some provisions from his family, and he himself set off on foot towards Kufah until he reached the open ground of Kufah (jabbanat al-Kufah). There he saw a Nabataean villager entering Kufah with reeds loaded on a donkey to sell. He bought those reeds from him and made it a condition with him that he should drop them at the governor's door. He came and dropped the reeds at the governor's door; then Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) struck a fire with his flint. Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) was told that there was a tall, wheat-complexioned, heavily built man here, wearing a waist-wrapper and a cloak, with a deep red silk turban on his head without a cap. He said: "That is Muhammad bin Maslamah; let him accomplish his purpose, and let no one interfere with him." So he burned the door until it became charcoal. Then Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) came out to him, asked him (about the matter) and swore by Allah that he had never said the words that had reached the Commander of the Believers; rather, some liar had conveyed it to him. The narrator says: Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) invited him to enter the house, but he refused and went back from that very spot. Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) sent provisions after him, but he returned them with his messenger and said: "Take your food back to your master, for he has dependants, while we have provisions beyond our need." The narrator says: They travelled on until after a few days their provisions ran out. Then the first human they met was a woman herding goats. Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up to pray, and his slave went and bargained with the woman for a small goat in exchange for the headband ('isabah) tied on his head. The narrator says: The slave threw the goat down to slaughter it while Muhammad bin Maslamah was standing in prayer; he signalled to him not to slaughter it. When he had finished the prayer, he asked: "What is this goat? If its owner is among the flock, make the deal with him, or complete the sale with this shepherdess and bring it along; but if she is only tending the flock, return it, for hunger is better than doubtful food." The narrator says: Then he travelled on until he came to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) and informed him of the whole situation, and also told him that Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) had sent provisions after him which he had returned. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "What prevented you from accepting his gift?"
I (Ibn Hajar) say: Its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy), but there is inqita' (a break in the chain) in it.
Musaddad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Yahya narrated to us from Abu Hayyan; he said: I heard Abayah bin Rifa'ah (may Allah have mercy on him) say that news reached the Commander of the Believers, Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) had built a door and then said: "(Now) the noise and clamour has stopped." So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent (a man) to him who burned it; then Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) took him by the hand, brought him out and said: "Sit here for (hearing the complaints of) the people." At this Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) apologised to him and swore before him that I did not say the words that reached the Commander of the Believers.