[Machine] Ziyad sent Masruq as a worker in the chain, and when Masruq left, some of the people of Kufa accompanied him to bid him farewell. Among them was a young man riding a horse. When they returned and only a few of Masruq's companions remained, the young man approached him and said, "Surely, you are the leader of the people of Kufa and their top reciter. If it is asked who among them is the best, it will be said Masruq. And if it is asked who among them is the most knowledgeable, it will be said Masruq. And if it is asked who among them is the most understanding, it will be said Masruq. Indeed, your beauty is their beauty, and your ugliness is their ugliness. I implore you by Allah, do not make yourself suffer from poverty or long expectation." Masruq replied to him, "Will you not assist me in my situation?" He said, "By Allah, I am not satisfied with what you are in, so how can I assist you with it? Depart!" When the young man left, Masruq said, "He did not benefit me with any advice. His advice did not reach me." Sufyan said, "When Masruq returned from his work, Abu Wa'il came to him and Masruq said to him, 'I have not done any work that I fear will drag me into the fire. I did not wrong any Muslim or covenant holder. But I do not know what this burden is that neither the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , nor Abu Bakr, nor Umar have commanded me with.' Abu Wa'il asked him, 'What led you to do it?' Masruq replied, 'Shuraih and Ibn Ziyad pressured me, and the devil tempted me.'"  

بَعَثَ زِيَادٌ مَسْرُوقًا عَامِلًا عَلَى السِّلْسِلَةِ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ مَسْرُوقٌ خَرَجَ مَعَهُ قُرَّاءُ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ يُشَيِّعُونَهُ فَكَانَ فِيهِمْ شَابٌّ عَلَى فَرَسٍ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ وَبَقِيَ مَسْرُوقٌ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ دَنَا مِنْهُ الْفَتَى فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ سَيِّدُ قُرَّاءِ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ وَقَرِيعُهُمْ إِنْ قِيلَ مَنْ أَفْضَلُهُمْ؟ قِيلَ مَسْرُوقٌ وَإِنْ قِيلَ مَنْ أَعْلَمُهُمْ؟ قِيلَ مَسْرُوقٌ وَإِنْ قِيلَ مَنْ أَفْقَهُهُمْ؟ قِيلَ مَسْرُوقٌ وَإِنَّ زَيْنَكَ لَهُمْ زَيْنٌ وَإِنَّ شَيْنَكَ لَهُمْ شَيْنٌ وَإِنِّي أَنْشُدُكَ اللَّهَ أَوْ قَالَ أُعِيذُكَ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ تُحَدِّثَ نَفْسَكَ بِفَقْرٍ أَوْ بِطُولِ أَمَلٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَسْرُوقٌ أَلَا تُعِينُنِي عَلَى مَا أَنَا فِيهِ؟ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَرْضَى لَكَ مَا أَنْتَ فِيهِ فَكَيْفَ أُعِينُكَ عَلَيْهِ؟ انْصَرِفْ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ الْفَتَى قَالَ مَسْرُوقٌ مَا بَلَغَتْ مِنِّي مَوْعِظَةٌ مَا بَلَغَتْ مَوْعِظَةُ هَذَا الْفَتَى قَالَ سُفْيَانُ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مَسْرُوقٌ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ ذَلِكَ أَتَاهُ أَبُو وَائِلٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَسْرُوقٌ مَا عَمِلْتُ عَمَلًا أَنَا مِنْهُ أَخْوَفُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَنِي النَّارَ مِنْ عَمَلِي هَذَا وَمَا ظَلَمْتُ فِيهِ مُسْلِمًا وَلَا مُعَاهَدًا وَلَكِنِّي مَا أَدْرِي مَا هَذَا الْحِمْلُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَسُنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَا عُمَرُ؟ قَالَ أَبُو وَائِلٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ اكْتَنَفَنِي شُرَيْحٌ وَابْنُ زِيَادٍ وَالشَّيْطَانُ