Sűrah An-Nisâ (The Woman) IV, Ayât 41 & Ayât 42:

Upon hearing this, the Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam eyes flooded with tears and he waved to Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu saying, "Enough, enough, Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu."

Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu himself talked proudly about Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala bounty upon him. "By Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, there is no Sűrah in the Book of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala about which I do not know where and in what context it was revealed. I have a better understanding of the Book of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala than you do, and if I were to know that someone had a better understanding than I and I could reach him on the back of a mule, I would definitely go to him on a camel's back, but I am not better than you are."

The Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam Companions witnessed this for him.  'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu said about him," He was filled with knowledge." Also Abű Műsa Al- Ash'ariy Radi-Allahu ‘anhu said about him, "Don't ask me about any matter as long as you have this scholar among you." He was not only praised for his knowledge of Qur'ân Al Kareem and Al-Fiqh, but also for his piety and Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala consciousness. Hudhaifa Radi-Allahu ‘anhu said about him, "I have never seen anyone more like the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam in his way of life and characteristics than Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu." He also said, "The lucky Companions of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam realized that Ibn Um Abdullâh Radi-Allahu ‘anhu is the nearest one of them to Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala."

One day a number of Companions were gathered at the house of Ali bin Abi Tâlib Radi-Allahu 'anhu and said to him, "O 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu, we have never seen a man who is more virtuous, more learned, more companionable, friendly, and Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala fearing than Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu." Ali bin Abi Tâlib Radi-Allahu 'anhu said, "I beg you by Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, is this true from your hearts?" They said, "Yes." `Ali bin Abi Tâlib Radi-Allahu 'anhu said, "O Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, I testify in front of You that I say about him like what they said and more. He read the Qur'ân Al Kareem and did what is lawful in it and avoided what is forbidden. He was knowledgeable in religion and scholarly in Sunnah."

The Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam Companions said about him, "He was admitted to the company of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, whereas we were detained, and he was present in his company, whereas we were absent." This means he used to have more privileges than the others. He used to enter the Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam house and sit with him more than anybody else. He was the one the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam entrusted with his secrets to the extent that he was entitled "The Secretary."

Abű Műsa Al-Ash'ariy Radi-Allahu ‘anhu said in this context, "I came to Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and thought that Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu was among the members of his family." This means that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam loved him dearly for his piety and intelligence. He said about him, "If I were to appoint a commander without consulting the Muslims, I would have appointed lbn Um Abdullâh Radi-Allahu ‘anhu," and as mentioned before, the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam asked his Companions to "Stick to the method of lbn Um Abdullâh Radi-Allahu ‘anhu."

He was so near to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and so trusted by him that he was given more privileges than anyone else was given. The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam told him, "My permission to you is that you may raise the curtains." This indicates his being allowed to knock at the Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam door at any time during the day or night. This is why the Companions said, "He was admitted to the company of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, whereas we were detained, and he was present in his company, whereas we were absent."

He was really up to this standard. Although such a close relationship could have created some sort of intimacy, Ibn Mas'űd's Radi-Allahu ‘anhu attitude towards the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam was always one of respect and politeness. This was even after the Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam death. Although he seldom mentioned the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam after his death, in most cases when he did mention him, he began to tremble and shake, and all the signs of worry and perplexity appeared on him. This occurred whenever his lips began to murmur, "I heard the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam say lest he should forget or change one single letter of what was said.

Let us hear what his brothers in Islâm said about such behaviour. `Amr Ibn Maimun reported, "I was frequently visited by Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu for about a year, during which time I did not hear him speak about the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam. But one day he was talking and he uttered, "The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam said..." At this moment he was badly troubled and started to sweat and corrected himself, "The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam said something like that."

`Alqama Ibn Qais reported, "Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu used to speak to people every Thursday night. I never heard him saying, "The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam said," but he once said it and he was leaning on a stick that started to shake in his hand.

Also, Masruq narrated on the authority of Abdullâh Radi-Allahu 'anhu, "One day Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu was speaking and he said, "I heard the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam. . ." On this he and his clothes started to shake. Then he corrected himself, `something like this."

Thus the veneration of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam in his heart was that great, and this was a sign of his intelligence. Such a man, who accompanied the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam more than anybody else, was the best to realize how great the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam was. Therefore, he maintained the same manner concerning him during his life and after his death.

Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu never missed the company of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam either while travelling or at home. He participated in all the battles, and on the Day of Badr his role was significant, especially with Abű Jahl. The Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam Khalifah, were also fully aware of his proper value. The 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu appointed him as director of the treasury (Bait Al-Maal) in Kűfah and he said to the people there, "By Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, there is no god but He. You know that I have given you a preference over myself when I sent him to you to learn from him."

The people of Kűfah liked him as they never liked anyone before him. It was a real miracle that the whole people of Kűfah agreed on liking somebody because they were known to be a people of rebellion and mutiny. They hardly agreed on one kind of food, and they did not tolerate peace and tranquillity. Their love for him was so great that when the Khalifah Uthmân bin Affan Radi-Allahu 'anhu wanted to discharge him of his office, they surrounded him and said, "Stay with us and don't go. We will protect you against anything that you don't like." But Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu gave them an answer that really reflected his greatness and piety. He said, "He has the right of obedience on me. There will be turbulence coming and I hate to be the first to open the door to it."

This wonderful situation discloses to us the nature of the relationship between Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu and Uthmân bin Affan Radi-Allahu 'anhu. They had an argument and a disagreement between them which ended with the Khalifah cutting Ibn Mas'űd's Radi-Allahu ‘anhu salary from the Bait Al-Maal. In return, Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu never spoke ill of the Khalifah. On the contrary, he used to defend him. When he heard about the attempted assassinations on Uthmân bin Affan Radi-Allahu 'anhu, he said his famous words, "If they kill him they will not find anyone like him to succeed ." Some of Abdullâh's Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu friends said, "We never heard him uttering a bad word about Uthmân bin Affan Radi-Allahu 'anhu." Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala endowed lbn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu 'anhu with wisdom along with his piety.

He had an insight that enabled him to see facts beyond the surface, and the capability to express such facts in an intelligent style. For example, he summarized the life of `Umar bin Al- Khattab Radi-Allahu 'anhu in one concise sentence: " Umar's bin Al- Khattab Radi-Allahu 'anhu Islâm was an opening, his Hijrah was a victory, and his rule was a mercy.

He once expressed the idea of the relativity of time saying, "Your Lord does not have day or night because the light of the earth and the skies is but from the light of His face."

In another context he praised the value of work in raising the social standard of man: "I hate a man living in leisure with nothing to do, either for his worldly life or the life to come. The next is a comprehensive phrase: "The best wealth is the wealth of the soul. The best provision is right conduct. The most major of sins is lying, the most evil earning is usury, and the most evil of what can be eaten is eating up the property of orphans. Whoever excuses others, will be excused by Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, and whoever forgives others will be forgiven by others."

That was Abdullâh Ibn Mas'űd Radi-Allahu ‘anhu, the Prophet Muhammad's Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam Companion, and that is but one glimpse of the heroic life he lived in the way of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, His Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and His religion. That was the man who had been as small as a bird. He was so thin and short that he was the same height as a sitting person. He had very thin legs. He once climbed a tree to pick some Arâk sticks for the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, and when the Companions saw how thin his legs were they laughed. The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam said, "Are you laughing at Ibn Mas'űd's Radi-Allahu ‘anhu legs? On Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala scales of justice they are heavier than the mountain of Uhud." Indeed that was the poor, weak hired boy who became by faith an Imam (leader) guiding people to the light.

It was Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala bounty on him that he was counted among the first ten Companions of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam who were promised to enter Paradise while they were still alive. He participated in all the victorious wars with the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and his Khalifah's. He witnessed how the two greatest empires opened their gates in submission to the banners of Islâm. He saw the high positions and lucrative money pouring into the hands of the Muslims, but his mind was never obsessed by such matters. Instead, he was pre-occupied with how to fulfil the pledge he offered to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, and he was also never tempted to give up the life of humbleness and self- denial that he used to lead. He had only one wish that he dreamed all his life might come true.

Let us hear him speaking about it: While I was with the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam at the Battle of Tabűk, I woke up at midnight to see a flame of fire near the place of the army. I followed it and found the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, Abű Bakr As Siddîq Radi-Allahu 'anhu and Umar bin Al- Khattab Radi-Allahu 'anhu digging a grave to bury `Abdullâh Dhul Bijaadain Al-Muzaniy Radi-Allahu 'anhu who died at the time. The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam was in the grave and asked Abű Bakr As Siddîq Radi-Allahu 'anhu and Umar's bin Al- Khattab Radi-Allahu 'anhu, "hand your brother to me," and they did. After he put his body in the grave he said, "O Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, in this night I am fully satisfied and pleased with him. So be you pleased with him." I wished I was the one being buried in that hole.

This was his sole wish in his life. It was not related to what people were racing at in this life, such as wealth, social status or glory. It was the wish of a man who possessed a kind heart, a noble soul, and a strong faith. Such a man was guided by Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, educated by the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, and enlightened by Qur'ân Al Kareem.