Why Abdur Rahman ibn Auf (RA) Learned Quran from Ibn Abbas (RA)
‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf (May Allah be pleased with him), a Student of Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him)
Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) stated:
● « كَانَ عُمَرُ يُدْخِلُنِي مَعَ أَشْيَاخِ بَدْرٍ»
“Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to make me sit with the elder companions who participated in Badr.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 4294]
Upon this, ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) raised an objection. Thus, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) himself narrates that:
«فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ: إِنَّ لَنَا أَبْنَاءً مِثْلَهُ »
“‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘We also have sons like him.'” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 3627]
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that one day Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) called those elder companions and called me as well. I understood that he had called me that day so that he could show them my knowledge.
Then he asked: “What is your opinion regarding ﴿إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ…الخ﴾ [When the help of Allah and the victory comes…]?”
Someone said: “In this verse, we are commanded to praise Allah and seek His forgiveness since He helped us and granted us victory.”
Some said: “We do not know anything about this.”
And some did not give any answer. Then he asked me: “Ibn ‘Abbas! Do you hold the same view?”
I replied: “No.”
He asked: “Then what do you say?”
I said: “It is an indication of the demise of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). When the help of Allah and victory arrived—meaning the Conquest of Makkah—that was the sign of his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) demise. Therefore, you should glorify the praises of your Lord and ask for His forgiveness, for He is the Acceptor of repentance.”
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I do not understand anything from it except what you have said.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 4294]
● After this incident, ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) began learning the Quran from Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and made him his teacher in the knowledge of the Quran.
Therefore, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) states:
« كُنْتُ أُقْرِئُ رِجَالًا مِنَ المُهَاجِرِينَ، مِنْهُمْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ {فِي خِلَافَةِ عُمَرَ} » [صحيح البخاري 6830 مصنف عبد الرزاق 5/ 439 وإسناده صحيح مابين المعكوفتين عنده]
“During the caliphate of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), I used to teach (the Noble Quran) to several Muhajirun (Emigrants). ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was also one of them.”
In a narration by Ibn Hibban, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated:
«فَلَمْ أَرَ رَجُلاً يَجِدُ مِنَ الاقْشَعْرِيرَةِ مَا يَجِدُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ عِنْدَ الْقِرَاءَةِ»
“I have never seen any man who felt the shivering of the skin (i.e., awe and humility) during the recitation of the Quran as much as ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) did.” [Sahih Ibn Hibban: (2/ 466) and its chain is authentic]
Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
«أما إقراء ابْن عَبَّاس لمثل عبد الرَّحْمَن بن عَوْف فَفِيهِ تَنْبِيه على أَخذ الْعلم من أَهله وَإِن صغرت أسنانهم أَو قلت أقدارهم.»
“As for Ibn ‘Abbas teaching the Quran to a great elder like ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf, there is a notification and indication in this that knowledge should be acquired from the people of knowledge, even if they are younger in age or lower in status and rank.” [Kashf Al-Mushkil min Hadith As-Sahihayn 1/ 63]
(Kifayatullah Sanabli)
