The merits of ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:

Allah's Apostle neither talked in an insulting manner nor did he ever speak evil intentionally. He used to say, "The most beloved to me amongst you is the one who has the best character and manners." He added, " Learn the Qur'an from (any of these) four persons. 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubai bin Ka'b, and Mu'adh bin Jabal."

حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مَسْرُوقًا، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَكُنْ فَاحِشًا وَلاَ مُتَفَحِّشًا وَقَالَ " إِنَّ مِنْ أَحَبِّكُمْ إِلَىَّ أَحْسَنَكُمْ أَخْلاَقًا ". وَقَالَ " اسْتَقْرِئُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، وَسَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ، وَأُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، وَمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ ".

Narrated Alqama:

I went to Sham and was offering a two-Rak'at prayer;
I said, "O Allah! Bless me with a (pious) companion." Then I saw an old man coming towards me, and when he came near I said, (to myself), "I hope Allah has given me my request." The man asked (me), "Where are you from?" I replied, "I am from the people of Kufa." He said, "Weren't there amongst you the Carrier of the (Prophet's) shoes, Siwak and the ablution water container? Weren't there amongst you the man who was given Allah's Refuge from the Satan? And weren't there amongst you the man who used to keep the (Prophet's) secrets which nobody else knew? How did Ibn Um 'Abd (i.e. 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud) use to recite Surat-al-lail (the Night:92)?" I recited:-- "By the Night as it envelops By the Day as it appears in brightness. And by male and female." (92.1-3) On that, Abu Darda said, "By Allah, the Prophet made me read the Verse in this way after listening to him, but these people (of Sham) tried their best to let me say something different."

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، عَنْ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، دَخَلْتُ الشَّأْمَ فَصَلَّيْتُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ يَسِّرْ لِي جَلِيسًا. فَرَأَيْتُ شَيْخًا مُقْبِلاً، فَلَمَّا دَنَا قُلْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ اسْتَجَابَ. قَالَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ. قَالَ أَفَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكُمْ صَاحِبُ النَّعْلَيْنِ وَالْوِسَادِ وَالْمِطْهَرَةِ أَوَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكُمُ الَّذِي أُجِيرَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ أَوَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكُمْ صَاحِبُ السِّرِّ الَّذِي لاَ يَعْلَمُهُ غَيْرُهُ كَيْفَ قَرَأَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ {وَاللَّيْلِ} فَقَرَأْتُ {وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى * وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى * وَالذَّكَرِ وَالأُنْثَى}. قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَاهُ إِلَى فِيَّ، فَمَا زَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ حَتَّى كَادُوا يَرُدُّونِي.

Narrated 'Abdur-Rahman bin Yazid:

We asked Hudhaifa to tell us of a person resembling (to some extent) the Prophet in good appearance and straight forward behavior so that we may learn from him (good manners and acceptable conduct). Hudhaifa replied, "I do not know anybody resembling the Prophet (to some extent) in appearance and conduct more than Ibn Um 'Abd.

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ،، قَالَ سَأَلْنَا حُذَيْفَةَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ، قَرِيبِ السَّمْتِ وَالْهَدْىِ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ حَتَّى نَأْخُذَ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ مَا أَعْرِفُ أَحَدًا أَقْرَبَ سَمْتًا وَهَدْيًا وَدَلاًّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِنِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ.