I sat in a gathering in which the chiefs of the Ansar were present, and ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Abu Laila was amongst them. I mentioned the narration of ʿAbdullah bin ʿUtba regarding the question of Subai'a bint Al-Harith. ʿAbdur-Rahman said, "But ʿAbdullah's uncle used not to say so." I said, "I am too brave if I tell a lie concerning a person who is now in Al-Kufa," and I raised my voice. Then I went out and met Malik bin 'Amir or Malik bin ʿAuf, and said, "What was the verdict of Ibn Masʿud about the pregnant widow whose husband had died?" He replied, "Ibn Masʿud said, 'Why do you impose on her the hard order and don't let her make use of the leave? The shorter Sura of women (i.e. Surat-at- Talaq) was revealed after the longer Sura (i.e. Surat-al-Baqara)." (i.e. Her 'Idda is up till she delivers.)  

عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَلَكِنَّ عَمَّهُ كَانَ لاَ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي لَجَرِيءٌ إِنْ كَذَبْتُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فِي جَانِبِ الْكُوفَةِ وَرَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ قَالَ ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ فَلَقِيتُ مَالِكَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ أَوْ مَالِكَ بْنَ عَوْفٍ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ قَوْلُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فِي الْمُتَوَفَّى عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا وَهْىَ حَامِلٌ فَقَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَتَجْعَلُونَ عَلَيْهَا التَّغْلِيظَ وَلاَ تَجْعَلُونَ لَهَا الرُّخْصَةَ لَنَزَلَتْ سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ الْقُصْرَى بَعْدَ الطُّولَى وَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ لَقِيتُ أَبَا عَطِيَّةَ مَالِكَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ