Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
bayhaqi:5125Abū Bakr Aḥmad b. al-Ḥasan al-Qāḍī > Abū Sahl Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Ziyād al-Qaṭṭān > ʿAbd al-Karīm b. al-Haytham > Abū al-Yamān > Shuʿayb b. Abū Ḥamzah > al-Zuhrī > ʿĀmir b. Wāthilah al-Laythī > Nāfiʿ b. ʿAbd al-Ḥārith

Whom have you appointed as your deputy over the people of the valley? He said: I have appointed Ibn Abza over them, ‘Umar said: Who is Ibn Abza? Nafiʼ said: One of our freed slaves. ‘Umar said: Have you appointed a freed slave over them? Nafi’ said: He has great knowledge of the Book of Allah, is well versed in the rules of inheritance (al­-fara'id) and is a (good) qadi (judge). 'Umar said. Indeed your Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah raises some people (in status) by means of this Book and brings others low by means of it.” (Using translation from Aḥmad 232)   

البيهقي:٥١٢٥أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْقَاضِي أنبأ أَبُو سَهْلٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ الْقَطَّانُ ثنا عَبْدُ الْكَرِيمِ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ ثنا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ ثنا شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَامِرُ بْنُ وَاثِلَةَ اللَّيْثِيُّ أَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ الْخُزَاعِيَّ لَقِيَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ بِعُسْفَانَ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ ؓ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فَقَالَ

لَهُ عُمَرُ ؓ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي؟ فَقَالَ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَ أَبْزَى فَقَالَ عُمَرُ مَنِ ابْنُ أَبْزَى؟ فَقَالَ نَافِعٌ مَوْلًى مِنْ مَوَالِينَا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ وَاسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى؟ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللهِ عَالِمٌ بِالْفَرَائِضِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ؓ أَمَا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَدْ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَأَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْيَمَانِ

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Dārimī, Ibn Ḥibbān
ibnmajah:218Abū Marwān Muḥammad b. ʿUthmān al-ʿUthmānī > Ibrāhīm b. Saʿd > Ibn Shihāb > ʿĀmir b. Wāthilah Abū al-Ṭufayl

'Umar asked: "Whom have you appointed as your deputy over the people of the valley?" He said: "I have appointed Ibn Abza over them." 'Umar said: "Who is Ibn Abza?" Nafi' said: "One of our freed slaves." 'Umar said: "Have you appointed a freed slave over them?" Nafi' said: "He has great knowledge of the Book of Allah, is well versed in the rules of inheritance (Fara'id) and is a (good) judge." 'Umar said: "Did not your prophet say: 'Allah raises some people (in status) because of this book and brings others low because of it?'"  

ابن ماجة:٢١٨حَدَّثَنَا 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 ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ  

ahmad:232[Chain 1] Abū Kāmil > Ibrāhīm b. Saʿd > Ibn Shihāb [Chain 2] Maʿmar > al-Zuhrī al-Maʿná > Abū al-Ṭufayl ʿĀmir b.

Whom have you appointed as your deputy over the people of the valley? He said: I have appointed Ibn Abza over them, ‘Umar said: Who is Ibn Abza? Nafiʼ said: One of our freed slaves. ‘Umar said: Have you appointed a freed slave over them? Nafi’ said: He has great knowledge of the Book of Allah, is well versed in the rules of inheritance (al­-fara'id) and is a (good) qadi (judge). 'Umar said. Indeed your Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah raises some people (in status) by means of this Book and brings others low by means of it.”  

أحمد:٢٣٢حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ (ح) وحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ الْمَعْنَى عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَأَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ لَقِيَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ بِعُسْفَانَ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ عَلَى مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ

لَهُ عُمَرُ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي؟ قَالَ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَ أَبْزَى فقَالَ وَمَا ابْنُ أَبْزَى؟ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ مَوَالِينَا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى! فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللهِ عَالِمٌ بِالْفَرَائِضِ قَاضٍ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَا إِنَّ نَبِيَّكُمْ ﷺ قَدْ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ  

darimi:3408al-Ḥakam b. Nāfiʿ > Shuʿayb b. Abū Ḥamzah > al-Zuhrī > ʿĀmir b. Wāthilah

Whom have you appointed as your deputy over the people of the valley? He said: I have appointed Ibn Abza over them, ‘Umar said: Who is Ibn Abza? Nafiʼ said: One of our freed slaves. ‘Umar said: Have you appointed a freed slave over them? Nafi’ said: He has great knowledge of the Book of Allah, is well versed in the rules of inheritance (al­-fara'id) and is a (good) qadi (judge). 'Umar said. Indeed your Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah raises some people (in status) by means of this Book and brings others low by means of it.” (Using translation from Aḥmad 232)   

الدارمي:٣٤٠٨أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَكَمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ حَدَّثَنِي عَامِرُ بْنُ وَاثِلَةَ أَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ لَقِيَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ بِعُسْفَانَ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فَقَالَ

لَهُ عُمَرُ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي؟ فَقَالَ نَافِعٌ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ ابْنَ أَبْزَى فَقَالَ عُمَرُ وَمَنْ ابْنُ أَبْزَى؟ فَقَالَ مَوْلًى مِنْ مَوَالِينَا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَاسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى؟ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَالِمٌ بِالْفَرَائِضِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَا إن رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ قَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ»  

ذِكْرُ الْبَيَانِ بِأَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ يَرْتَفِعُ بِهِ أَقْوَامٌ وَيَتَّضِعُ بِهِ آخَرُونَ عَلَى حَسَبِ نِيَّاتِهِمْ فِي قِرَاءَتِهِمْ

ibnhibban:772Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan b. Qutaybah > Ibn Abū al-Sarī > ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > al-Zuhrī > Abū al-Ṭufayl ʿĀmir b. Wāthilah

Whom have you appointed as your deputy over the people of the valley? He said: I have appointed Ibn Abza over them, ‘Umar said: Who is Ibn Abza? Nafiʼ said: One of our freed slaves. ‘Umar said: Have you appointed a freed slave over them? Nafi’ said: He has great knowledge of the Book of Allah, is well versed in the rules of inheritance (al­-fara'id) and is a (good) qadi (judge). 'Umar said. Indeed your Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah raises some people (in status) by means of this Book and brings others low by means of it.” (Using translation from Aḥmad 232)   

ابن حبّان:٧٧٢أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي السَّرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الطُّفَيْلِ عَامِرُ بْنُ وَاثِلَةَ أَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ تَلَقَّى عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ إِلَى عُسْفَانَ وَكَانَ نَافِعٌ عَامِلًا لِعُمَرَ عَلَى مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ

عُمَرُ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي؟ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ قَالَ ابْنَ أَبْزَى قَالَ وَمَنِ ابْنُ أَبْزَى؟ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمَوَالِي قَالَ عُمَرُ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّ نَبِيَّكُمْ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ»