I heard Abu Burda who accompanied Yazid bin Abi Kabsha on a journey. Yazid used to observe fasting on journeys. Abu Burda said to him, “I heard Abu Musa several times saying that Allah’s Apostle said, ‘When a slave falls ill or travels, then he will get reward similar to that he gets for good deeds practiced at home when in good health.”
‘Alqama went to Sham and when he entered the mosque, he said, “O Allah ! Bless me with a pious companion.” So he sat with Abu Ad-Darda. Abu Ad-Darda’ asked him, “Where are you from?” ‘Alqama replied, “From the people of Kufa.” Abu Ad-Darda said, “Isn’t there amongst you the Keeper of the secret which nobody else knows i.e. Hudhaifa?” Al-qama said, “Yes.” Then Abu Ad-Darda further said, “Isn’t there amongst you the person whom Allah gave Refuge from Satan through the invocation of His Prophet namely `Ammar?” Alqama replied in the affirmative Abu Ad-Darda said, “Isn’t there amongst you the person who carries the Siwak (or the Secret) (i.e. of the Prophet (ﷺ) namely `Abdullah bin Massud)?” Alqama said, “Yes.” Then Abu Ad-Darda asked, “How (Abdullah bin Masud) used to recite the Sura starting with: “By the night as it envelopes; By the day as it appears in brightness?” (92.1-2). Alqama said “And by male and female.” Abu Ad-Darda then said, “These people (of Sham) tried hard to make me accept something other than what I had heard from the Prophet.”
The companions of `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud) came to Abu Darda’, (and before they arrived at his home), he looked for them and found them. Then he asked them,: ‘Who among you can recite (Qur’an) as `Abdullah recites it?” They replied, “All of us.” He asked, “Who among you knows it by heart?” They pointed at ‘Alqama. Then he asked Alqama. “How did you hear `Abdullah bin Mas`ud reciting Surat Al-Lail (The Night)?” Alqama recited: ‘By the male and the female.’ Abu Ad-Darda said, “I testify that I heard me Prophet reciting it likewise, but these people want me to recite it:– ‘And by Him Who created male and female.’ but by Allah, I will not follow them.”
I asked Al-Aswad, “Did you ask `Aisha, Mother of the Believers, about the containers in which it is disliked to prepare (non-alcoholic) drinks?” He said, “Yes, I said to her, ‘O Mother of the Believers! What containers did the Prophet (ﷺ) forbid to use for preparing (non-alcoholic) drinks?” She said, ‘The Prophet forbade us, (his family), to prepare (nonalcoholic) drinks in Ad-Dubba and Al-Muzaffat.’ I asked, ‘Didn’t you mention Al Jar and Al Hantam?’ She said, ‘I tell what I have heard; shall I tell you what I have not heard?’ “
‘Alaqama went to Sham and came to the mosque and offered a two-rak`at prayer, and invoked Allah: “O Allah! Bless me with a (pious) good companion.” So he sat beside Abu Ad-Darda’ who asked, “From where are you?” He said, “From the people of Kufa.” Abu Darda’ said, “Wasn’t there among you the person who keeps the secrets (of the Prophet (ﷺ) ) which nobody knew except him (i.e., Hudhaifa (bin Al-Yaman)). And isn’t there among you the person whom Allah gave refuge from Satan through the request (tongue) of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)? (i.e., `Ammar). Isn’t there among you the one who used to carry the Siwak and the cushion (or pillows (of the Prophets)? (i.e., Ibn Mas`ud). How did Ibn Mas`ud use to recite ‘By the night as it conceals (the light)?” (Sura 92). ‘Alqama said, “Wadhdhakari Wal Untha’ (And by male and female.”) Abu Ad-Darda added. ‘These people continued to argue with me regarding it till they were about to cause me to have doubts although I heard it from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ).”
I heard ‘Abd al-Rahman as saying; ‘Uthman led us four rak’ahs of prayer at Mina. It was reported to Abdullah b. Mas’ud and he recited:” Surely we are Allah’s and to Him shall we return,” and then said: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Mina two rak’ahs of prayer. I prayed along with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq two rak’ahs of prayer at Mina. I prayed along with ‘Umar b. Khattab two rak’ahs of prayer at Mina. I wish I had my share of the two rak’ahs acceptable (to God) for the four rak’ahs.
Should I recite it to you while it has been sent down or revealed to you? He (the Holy Prophet) said: I love to hear it from someone else. So he (‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud) recited to him (from the beginning of Surat al Nisa’ up to the verse:” How shall then it be when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against them?” He (the Holy Prophet) wept (on listening to it). It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud through another chain of transmitters that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also said that he had been a witness to his people as long as (said he): I lived among them or I had been among them.
‘Alqama came to Syria and entered the mosque and prayed there and then went to a (place where people were sitting in a) circle and he sat therein. Then a person came there and I perceived that the people were annoyed and perturbed (on this arrival). and he sat on my side and then said: Do you remember how ‘Abdullah used to recite (the Qur’an)? And then the rest of the hadith was narrated.
I said to Aswad if he had asked the Mother of the Believers (in which utensils) he (the Holy Prophet) disapproved the preparation of Nabidh. He (Aswad) said: Yes. I said: Mother of the Believers, inform me about the utensils in which) Allah’s Apostle forbade to prepare Nabidh. She (Hadrat ‘A’isha) said: He forbade us, the members of his family, to prepare Nabidh in gourd, or varnished jar. I said to him: Do you remember green pitcher, and pitcher? He said: I narrated to you what I have heard; should I narrate to you which I did not hear?