Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 218
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَرْوَانَ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الْعُثْمَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ، أَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ، لَقِيَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ بِعُسْفَانَ - وَكَانَ عُمَرُ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ عَلَى مَكَّةَ - فَقَالَ عُمَرُ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي قَالَ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَ أَبْزَى . قَالَ وَمَنِ ابْنُ أَبْزَى قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ مَوَالِينَا . قَالَ عُمَرُ فَاسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى قَالَ إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَالِمٌ بِالْفَرَائِضِ قَاضٍ . قَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَا إِنَّ نَبِيَّكُمْ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ " .
Abu Marwan Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Uthmani reported to us: Ibrahim ibn Sad reported to us, from Ibn Shihab, from Amir ibn Wathilah Abu al-Tufayl: Nafi ibn Abd al-Harith met Umar ibn al-Khattab at Usfan, while Umar had appointed him governor of Makkah. Umar asked, ‘Whom have you appointed over the people of the valley?’ He replied, ‘I appointed Ibn Abza.’ Umar asked, ‘Who is Ibn Abza?’ He replied, ‘A man from among our freedmen.’ Umar said, ‘You appointed a freedman over them?’ He replied, ‘He is a reciter of the Book of Allah Most High, knowledgeable about inheritance shares, and a judge.’ Umar said, ‘Your Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Through this Book Allah raises some people and lowers others.”’
Translation notes
The Arabic describes Ibn Abza as a man from among their mawali, and gives his Quran recitation, knowledge of inheritance, and judicial role.