Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Hussain bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: Abdul Malik said that Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) came to Hajjaj. Hajjaj asked, "What is your name?" He replied, "The Amir did not summon me before knowing my name." Hajjaj said, "I wish to seek your help in some of my affairs." The narrator says that he replied, "I fear for my life with you." Thus, he excused himself from Hajjaj's work, and Hajjaj accepted his excuse. The narrator says that when he left Hajjaj, he stood up and said, "He will continue to feign blindness in this manner." The narrator says that Hajjaj said, "Straighten the Sheikh, straighten the Sheikh."

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abjar, may Allah have mercy on him, that Ibn Awsat sent Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, to Hajjaj while he was the governor of Rayy. The narrator says that he was brought to Ibn Abi Muslim, and there was a cordial relationship between the two. Ibn Abi Muslim reproached him and said, "I will take you to the Amir. If the Amir laughs in front of you, do not laugh." The narrator says that after this, he was brought to Hajjaj.

An elder of the tribe of Nakha’ narrates from his grandmother that she said to him: During the time of Hajjaj, Sa’id bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) was in hiding with your father. Your father placed him in a box and took him to Makkah Mukarramah.

It is narrated from Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, who says that Walid bin Uqbah said during a sermon: "O people of Kufa! I make it obligatory upon the person who has called me 'the one with thick hair on the chest' to stand up." So, due to his making this obligatory, they became worried, and it was said that whoever stands up and admits that he gave you this name will be killed. Ibn Aun says that 'Adi was the one who gave him this name.

It is narrated from Abdul Malik bin Abjar (may Allah have mercy on him) that people were talking when Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out; Aqeel was with him, and Aqeel had a ram with him. The narrator says that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Someone among us is being spoken ill of." Hazrat Aqeel said, "Well, neither I nor my ram is being spoken ill of, in any case."

It is narrated from Hazrat Mujamma’ (may Allah have mercy on him) that Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila (may Allah have mercy on him) came to Hajjaj. Hajjaj said to his companions, “If you wish to see the man who insults Hazrat Ameer-ul-Mu'mineen Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), then here is Abdur Rahman before you, look at him.” Hazrat Abdur Rahman (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “O Ameer! I seek refuge with Allah from saying anything bad about Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Three verses from the Book of Allah prevent me from this. Allah Almighty says: { لِلْفُقَرَائِ الْمُہَاجِرِینَ الَّذِینَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِیَارِہِمْ وَأَمْوَالِہِمْ یَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِنَ اللہِ وَرِضْوَانًا وَیَنْصُرُونَ اللَّہَ وَرَسُولَہُ أُولَئِکَ ہُمَ الصَّادِقُونَ } (For the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking Allah’s bounty and pleasure, and helping Allah and His Messenger; they are the truthful.) Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was among these people. Then he recited: { وَالَّذِینَ تَبَوَّؤُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِیمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِہِمْ } (And those who settled in the city and [adopted] faith before them.) My father was among these people. { وَالَّذِینَ جَاؤُوا مِنْ بَعْدِہِمْ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلاِِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِینَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإِیمَانِ } (And those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith.’) I am among these people.” Hajjaj said, “You have spoken the truth.”

Ata bin Saib says that Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked me, "Which people are you from?" He says, I replied, "From those people whom others dislike, that is, from Thaqif."

Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Mughira bin Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that you should appoint those two men, i.e., Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) and Talha (may Allah be pleased with him), as governors of Kufa and Basra, and appoint Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) as governor of Syria; in this way, they will be pleased with you. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “I am not one to do a lowly act in my religion.” The narrator says that later Hazrat Mughira (may Allah be pleased with him) met Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), so Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him, “Are you the one who said that?” He replied, “Yes!” He said, “By Allah, no one but Allah could save from the evil of that statement.”

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Musa, may Allah have mercy on him, that Ziyad wrote a letter to Hazrat Ummul Momineen Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, in this manner: "From Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan..." in the hope that she would also address him as "Ibn Abi Sufyan." The narrator says that in reply, she wrote: "From Ummul Momineen Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, to her son Ziyad."

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Aslam who says: I have not sat with anyone among the Ahl al-Bayt of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) like Ali ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Musa that a man said to Hasan, "O Abu Saeed! By Allah, I do not see you making mistakes in speech." He replied, "O my nephew! I have moved beyond making mistakes in speech."

Hazrat Abdullah bin Shaddad narrates that Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said to me, "Shall I not tell you something astonishing?" Then he said, "One day I was in my house and had already lain down on my bed for a siesta. I was told that there is a man at the door. I said, 'This person must have come for some need at this time; let him in.' He says that the man entered. I asked, 'For what need have you come?' He said, 'When will you bring that person out of the grave?' I asked, 'Which person?' He replied, 'Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).' I said, 'He will be raised from the grave only when Allah Almighty raises the people of the graves.' He said, 'Do you also say the same thing that these foolish people say?' I said, 'Remove this man from my presence.'"

Hazrat Abdul Malik bin Abjar narrates that Sha'bi came upon two men who were engaged in backbiting him and speaking ill of him. He said, "Our honor and dignity are delicious and pleasant for 'Izzah, which he has considered lawful without any ailment."

Abdul Malik ibn Abjar (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Sa'id ibn Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) came to Hajjaj. Hajjaj said, "You are wretched and the son of a broken man." He replied, "I am fortunate and the son of one who is whole." Hajjaj said, "I will kill you." He replied, "If you kill me, then my mother indeed named me correctly."

It is narrated from Hazrat Aswad that I asked Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that a man who was freed at the conquest of Makkah is being pledged allegiance to, meaning Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Do not be surprised; this is the kingdom of Allah, He grants it to whom He wills.

Hazrat Waleed bin Uqbah says that there has never been a prophethood after which there was not kingship.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Qalabah (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man from the Quraysh, who was called Thumamah and was the governor of Sana'a, when the news of the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) reached him, he began to weep and wept profusely. When he regained his composure, he said: "Today, prophethood has been taken away," or he said, "the caliphate of prophethood has been taken away from the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ, and this caliphate has been turned into kingship and coercive rule; whoever overpowers something will seize it."

It is narrated from Ayyub, may Allah have mercy on him, who says: Hasan said to me, "Are you not amazed at Sa'id bin Jubair, may Allah have mercy on him, that he came to me and began to ask me about fighting against Hajjaj, and with him were some leaders as well, that is, the companions of Ibn al-Ash'ath."

Hazrat Qais (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I heard Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) during his illness of death, and at that time he had rolled up his sleeves and he looked like the branches of a date palm, and he was saying that I will not live among you for more than three days. People said that you will go towards Allah's mercy and forgiveness. He replied, Allah Almighty does whatever He wills, and if He dislikes something, He changes it. Ibn Bishr has added to this that "The world is just what we have recognized and what we have experienced."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Burdah, may Allah have mercy on him, who says that Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I fought with Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, solely because of Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.

It is narrated from Hazrat Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) that a young man from the Quraysh came to Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and spoke harshly to him. Hazrat (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O nephew! I forbid you from going to the king, for surely the king becomes angry like a child and seizes like a lion."

Hazrat Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Ziyad said: The Commander of the Faithful did not surpass me in any aspect of governance except in one matter. I appointed a man as the governor of a region, and he reduced its revenue. Fearing my reproach, he fled to the Commander of the Faithful. I wrote to him that this action was contrary to the practice of the earlier people. He wrote back to me: It is not appropriate for you and me to treat people with the same policy. If we are lenient with everyone, then all will fall into sin, and if we are harsh with everyone, then it will be leading people on the path of destruction. The correct way is that you are suitable for firmness, severity, and strictness, and I am suitable for gentleness, love, and mercy.

Hazrat Aamir (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I heard Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) say that the result of sectarianism in any nation is that the people of falsehood overpower the people of truth, except for this Ummah.

Hazrat Saeed bin Suwaid (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) led us in the Friday prayer at the time of decline at the place of Nakhila, then delivered a sermon to us and said: I did not fight you so that you would start praying, nor so that you would start fasting, nor so that you would start performing Hajj, nor so that you would start giving Zakat. I know very well that you do all these things. I fought you so that I may rule over you, so Allah the Exalted has given me this authority and you dislike it.

Hazrat Huzail bin Shurahbeel (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon to us and said: O people! You have come and you have pledged allegiance to me with happiness, and if you had pledged allegiance to an Abyssinian slave whose ears and nose were cut off, I too would have gone with you to pledge allegiance at his hand. The narrator says that when he descended from the pulpit, Hazrat Amr bin Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Do you know what you have done today? You think that people have pledged allegiance to you with happiness, and if they had pledged allegiance to an Abyssinian slave whose ears and nose were cut off, you too would have gone with them to pledge allegiance at his hand. The narrator says that upon hearing this, Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) ascended the pulpit and said: O people! Is there anyone more deserving of this matter than me?

It is narrated from Hazrat Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) that Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Forbearance is nothing but the name of experiences.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Buraidah (may Allah have mercy on him) that Hazrat Husain bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Today I am giving you such a gift that I have never given to anyone before you, and among the Arabs, I will not give such a gift to anyone after you." Saying this, he gave him four hundred thousand, and he (Hazrat Husain) accepted it.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Buraidah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I and my respected father went to Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). He seated my father on the throne, then food was brought and we ate it. Then a drink was brought and we drank it. Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There is nothing that I used to find delicious in my youth and now I still take it, except for milk and good speech, that I still take them.

Hazrat Amir, may Allah have mercy on him, says that a man came to Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, and said, "O Commander of the Faithful! Fulfill the promise you made to me." He, may Allah be pleased with him, asked, "What promise did I make to you?" The man said, "You promised that you would increase my stipend by one hundred dirhams." He said, "Did you do any work?" The man replied, "Yes!" He asked, "Who knows about this?" The man said, "Aswad," or he said, "Ibn al-Aswad." He said, "O Ibn al-Aswad, what does he say?" He replied, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful, you had increased his stipend." He ordered that the increase be given. Then he struck one hand on the other and said, "I do not grieve over the fact that I ordered an increase of one hundred dirhams for a man, but I regret my own negligence that I increased the stipend of one of the Muhajireen by one hundred dirhams and then forgot about them." Upon this, Ibn al-Aswad said, "O Commander of the Faithful! Will he be fearless regarding these dirhams?" He replied, "Yes!" He said, "By Allah, you did not increase anything for him, but whoever invites me to testify for him regarding money he receives from a chief, I testify for him. Likewise, whoever asks me to testify for him regarding the removal of some harm he fears from a person of status, I testify for him."

Hazrat Wahb bin Kaysan (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I heard Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) saying that in the year of unity, Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Hazrat Busr bin Artat (may Allah have mercy on him) to Madinah Munawwarah so that he could take allegiance from the people of Madinah according to their banners and tribes. So, on the day when it was the turn for the Ansar to come to him, the Banu Salamah came to him. He asked, "Is Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) among these people?" The people replied, "No." He said, "Go back, I will not take allegiance from them until Hazrat Jabir is among them." Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that those people came to me and said, "We beseech you in the name of Allah to come with us and pledge allegiance so that your and our blood may be protected, because if you do not do so, our fighting men will be killed and our children will be taken captive." Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I asked them for respite until the night. When night fell, I went to Hazrat Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, and told her the whole matter. She said, "O my nephew! Go and pledge allegiance and protect your and your people’s blood, for I have also ordered my nephew to pledge allegiance."

It is narrated from Wahb bin Kaysan that when allegiance was pledged to Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him), a man from Iraq wrote a letter to him: "Peace be upon you! I praise Allah before you, besides whom there is no deity. To proceed! There are some signs of Allah's obedient servants and people of goodness by which they are recognized, and these things are seen in them: enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and obeying Allah. And know that the example of the Imam is like that of a marketplace, in which people come according to the kind of things that are in it. If he is a person of goodness, then good people come to him, and if he is wicked, then wicked and immoral people come to him with their wickedness and immorality."

Hazrat Saeed bin Wahb (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I was with Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him). It was said to him that Mukhtar claims that revelation comes to him. He replied, "He has spoken the truth," then he recited these verses: { ہَلْ أُنَبِّئُکُمْ عَلَی مَنْ تَنَزَّلُ الشَّیَاطِینُ تَنَزَّلُ عَلَی کُلِّ أَفَّاکٍ أَثِیمٍ }.

Hazrat Shamar narrates the statement of Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that first there will be many kings, then there will be tyrant rulers, then rebellious sovereigns will come.

Hazrat Abu Nadrah states that it was narrated among us that the people of such-and-such tribe would face the severest bloodshed. Accordingly, when this happened, four men from among them fled towards Rome and incited the Romans to attack the Muslims.

Hazrat Salim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when people were being made to pledge allegiance to Yazid bin Muawiyah, Marwan stood up and said that this is the exemplary way of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said that this is not the way of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), for he had left his own family and tribe, and when he saw a man from Banu Adi bin Ka'b who was most deserving of this task, he pledged allegiance at his hand.

Hazrat Aamir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates the statement of Hazrat Muhammad bin Ash'ath (may Allah have mercy on him) that everything prevails in turn, to the extent that even foolishness sometimes prevails over wisdom.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) dismissed Hazrat Shurahbil bin Hasnah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said, "O Umar (may Allah be pleased with you)! Have you dismissed me due to any displeasure?" He replied, "No, but we have found a man stronger than you." Hazrat Shurahbil (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Then excuse me." So Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stood on the pulpit and said, "We had appointed Shurahbil bin Hasnah as an official, then we dismissed him without any displeasure, the reason being that we found someone stronger than him. We feared Allah Almighty that we might keep him in his position while we have found someone stronger than him." After this, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw in the evening that he (Shurahbil) was going to the official who had been appointed, and Hazrat Shurahbil (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting with his hands folded alone. He (Umar) said, "The world is indeed despicable."

Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, the scribe, says that Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say that the rectification of this matter can be achieved through strictness but without coercion, and through gentleness but without weakness.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Umar bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him, may Allah have mercy on him) narrates the saying of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): By Him Who split the grain and created the living being, it is easier to move mountains from their place than to remove a predetermined kingship.

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Asma (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I was with Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), when a messenger from Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) came with a gift and said that this item has been sent by the Commander of the Faithful. Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) accepted it. When the messenger left, we asked, "O Mother of the Believers, are we not believers and is he not our leader?" She replied, "You are, God willing, believers, and he is your leader."