Sunan Ibn Majah 4127

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Sa‘id al-Qattan narrated to us; ‘Amr ibn Muhammad al-‘Anqazi narrated to us; Asbat ibn Nasr narrated to us, from al-Suddi, from Abu Sa‘d al-Azdi, the reciter of al-Azd, from Abu al-Kanud, from Khabbab, concerning Allah Most High’s words, ‘Do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening,’ through His words, ‘lest you become one of the wrongdoers.’ Khabbab said: al-Aqra‘ ibn Habis al-Tamimi and ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazari came and found the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sitting with Suhayb, Bilal, ‘Ammar, and Khabbab, among some socially vulnerable believers. When they saw them around the Prophet (ﷺ), they looked down on them. They went to him privately and said: “We want you to set aside a place for us with you, so the Arabs will recognize our distinction. Delegations of Arabs come to you, and we are embarrassed for the Arabs to see us with these slaves. When we come to you, have them move away from you; when we have finished, you may sit with them if you wish.” He said: “Yes.” They said: “Then write a document binding you to that.” He called for a sheet and summoned ‘Ali to write, while we sat to one side. Then Gabriel, peace be upon him, descended and said: ‘Do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance. You are not accountable for them, nor are they accountable for you, that you should drive them away and become one of the wrongdoers.’ Then he mentioned al-Aqra‘ ibn Habis and ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn and said: ‘Thus We have tested some of them by means of others, so that they may say, “Are these the ones whom Allah has favored among us?” Does Allah not know best those who are grateful?’ Then He said: ‘When those who believe in Our signs come to you, say, “Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself.”’ We drew so close to him that our knees touched his knees. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would sit with us; when he wished to rise, he would stand and leave us. Then Allah revealed: ‘Restrain yourself with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance, and do not let your eyes turn away from them,’—and do not sit with the nobles—‘desiring the adornment of the life of this world. Do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance’—meaning ‘Uyaynah and al-Aqra‘—‘who follows his own desire and whose affair is ruined.’ Khabbab explained “ruined” as “destruction”; he said this referred to the affair of ‘Uyaynah and al-Aqra‘. Then He set out for them the parable of two men and the parable of the life of this world. Khabbab said: We used to sit with the Prophet (ﷺ); when it was time for him to rise, we would get up and leave him, so that he could then rise.