[Machine] That there were people sitting in the mosque after sunset and among them was a man who was saying "Exalt God in such and such a way, glorify God in such and such a way, and praise God in such and such a way." Abdallah asked, "Do they say this?" He replied, "Yes." Abdallah said, "When you see them doing that, come and inform me." So he went to them while he had a stick with him, and he sat down. When he heard what they were saying, he stood up, and he was a strong man. He said, "I am Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. By the One other than whom there is no deity, have you come with a dark innovation? Have you surpassed the Companions of Muhammad in knowledge?" Mu'adh said, "By Allah, we have not come with a dark innovation, nor have we surpassed the Companions of Muhammad in knowledge." Amr ibn Uthbah said, "O Abu Abdullah, we seek forgiveness from Allah." He said, "You should follow the straight path, for by Allah, if you do so, you will definitely be ahead. And if you take the right and left paths, you will go far astray."  

أَنَّ قَوْمًا يَجْلِسُونَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَفِيهِمْ رَجُلٌ يَقُولُ كَبِّرُوا لِلَّهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وسَبِّحُوا لِلَّهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَاحْمَدُوا لِلَّهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَيَقُولُونَ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَأْتِنِي فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِمَجْلِسِهِمْ فَأَتَاهُمْ وَعَلَيْهِ بُرْنُسٌ فَجَلَسَ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ مَا يَقُولُونَ قَامَ وَكَانَ رَجُلًا حَدِيدًا [290] فَقَالَ أَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ وَالَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ لَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ بِبِدْعَةٍ ظَلْمَاءَ أَوَلَقَدْ فَضُلْتُمْ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ عِلْمًا؟ فَقَالَ مِعْضَدٌ وَاللَّهِ مَا جِئْنَا بِبِدْعَةٍ ظَلْمَاءَ وَلَا فَضُلْنَا أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ عِلْمًا فَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ عُتْبَةَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ نَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ قَالَ «عَلَيْكُمْ بِالطَّرِيقِ فَالْزَمُوهُ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ فَعَلْتُمْ لَقَدْ سَبَقْتُمْ سَبْقًا بَعِيدًا وَإِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا لَتَضِلُّوا ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا»