Al-Kāfi - Volume 8


Book 1, Chapter 242

The story of ibn Abu Sarh
1 Ḥadīth

أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عليهما السلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ مَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَوْ قالَ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ وَ لَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ نَزَلَتْ فِي ابْنِ أَبِي سَرْحٍ الَّذِي كَانَ عُثْمَانُ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ عَلَى مِصْرَ وَ هُوَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ هَدَرَ دَمَهُ وَ كَانَ يَكْتُبُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) فَإِذَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ كَتَبَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) دَعْهَا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ وَ كَانَ ابْنُ أَبِي سَرْحٍ يَقُولُ لِلْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنِّي لَأَقُولُ مِنْ نَفْسِي مِثْلَ مَا يَجِي‏ءُ بِهِ فَمَا يُغَيِّرُ عَلَيَّ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فِيهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ.


242. Abu Ali Al-Ashary, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbaar, from Safwaan Bin Yahya, from Ibn Muskaan, from Abu Baseer, who has narrated the following: One of the Imams (a.s) said when he (a.s) was asked about the Statement of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic: “[6:93] And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah, or says: It has been revealed to me; while nothing has been revealed to him”. He (a.s) said: ‘It was Revealed regarding Ibn Abu Sarh who was the office bearer of Usman over Egypt, and he was from the ones who were with the Rasool Allah ﷺ on the Day of the conquest over Mecca whose blood was spared. And he used to write to the Rasool Allah ﷺ. So if Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic Revealed that: “Surely Allah (azwj) is Most Mighty, Most Wise”. He would write, ‘Surely Allah (azwj) is Most Aware, Most Wise’. So the Rasool Allah ﷺ said to him: ‘Leave it, although Allah (azwj) is surely Most Aware, Most Wise’. So Ibn Abu Sarh used to say to the hypocrites, ‘I am saying from myself similar to what he ﷺ has come up with, so he ﷺ does not let me alter it’. So Allah (azwj) Blessed and High Revealed regarding him what He (azwj) Revealed’.