Ibn Masoud's Quran Burned

After Uthman compiled the Quran, he ordered that all other Qurans be burned. This tremendously displeased Ibn Masoud, who claimed to have known the Quran and its revelations better than anyone.

Narrated Abdullah: Ibn Abi Raja(3) narrated to us, saying: Israel narrated to us from Abu Ishaq from Humayd bin Malik from Abdullah, who said: "When the order for the mushafs was given, Abdullah bin Mas'ud was displeased. He said: 'Whoever among you can conceal a mushaf, let him conceal a mushaf.'"

حدثنا عبد الله قال: حدثنا ابن أبي رجاء(٣) قال: أخبرنا إسرائيل عن أبي إسحاق عن حميد بن مالك عن عبد الله قال: لما أمر بالمصاحف ساء ذلك عبد الله بن مسعود قال: من استطاع منكم أن يغل مصحفا فليغل مصحفا.

Kitab Al Masahif Ibn Abu Dawud p. 21

This expression from Ibn Masoud can be understood in different ways:

من استطاع منكم أن يغل مصحفا فليغل مصحفا

• "Whoever among you all is able that he conceals a mushaf, then let him conceal a mushaf."

• "Whoever among you all is able that he bind a mushaf, then let him bind a mushaf."

• "Whoever among you all is able that he misappropriates a mushaf, then let him misappropriate a mushaf."

In other narrations, he cites 3:161, which limits the meaning to either misappropriation or conceal. So either Masoud is challenging people to wrongfully take his mushaf with the threat that they have to answer for it on the Day of Resurrection or commanding people to conceal their mushafs.

[3:161] Even the prophet cannot take more of the spoils of war than he is entitled to. Anyone who takes more than his rightful share will have to account for it on the Day of Resurrection. That is when each soul is paid for whatever it earned without the least injustice.

(١٦١) وَمَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَغُلَّ وَمَن يَغْلُلْ يَأْتِ بِمَا غَلَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

Here is the word-by-word breakdown of the verse:

1	wamā	وَمَا	And not
2	kāna	كَانَ	it was
3	linabiyyin	لِنَبِىٍّ	for a prophet
4	an	أَن	that
5	yaghulla	يَغُلَّ	he conceals / misappropriates (*takes more than his share).
6	waman	وَمَن	And whoever
7	yaghlul	يَغْلُلْ	he conceals / misappropriates (*takes more than their share)
8	yati	يَأْتِ	He will bring
9	bimā	بِمَا	[of] what
10	ghalla	غَلَّ	he concealed / misappropriated
11	yawma	يَوْمَ	(on the) Day (of)
12	l-qiyāmati	ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ	[the] Resurrection.
13	thumma	ثُمَّ	Then
14	tuwaffā	تُوَفَّىٰ	[it] will be paid back in full
15	kullu	كُلُّ	every
16	nafsin	نَفْسٍ	soul
17	mā	مَّا	what
18	kasabat	كَسَبَتْ	it earned
19	wahum	وَهُمْ	and they (will)
20	lā	لَا	not
21	yuẓ'lamūna	يُظْلَمُونَ	[they] be wronged.

Narrated Abdullah: Younis bin Habib narrated to us, saying: Abu Dawood narrated to us, saying: Amr bin Thabit narrated to us, from Abu Ishaq, from Humayd bin Malik, who said: I heard Ibn Mas'ud say: "If anyone can wrongfully take a mushaf, let him wrongfully take it, for Allah says: {Whoever misappropriates something will come with what he misappropriated on the Day of Resurrection} (S 3:161) and I took seventy surahs directly from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while Zaid bin Thabit was a young boy playing among the boys."

حدثنا عبد الله قال: حدثنا يونس بن حبيب قال: حدثنا أبو داود قال: حدثنا عمرو بن ثابت، عن أبي إسحاق، عن حميد بن مالك قال: سمعت ابن مسعود يقول: إن غلّ مصحفا، فمن استطاع أن يغلّ مصحفا فليغلّه فإن الله يقول {ومن يغلل يأت بما غلّ يوم القيامة} (س 3:161) * ولقد أخذت من في رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سبعين سورة، وأن زيد بن ثابت لصبي بين الصبيان أفأراك آخذ ما أخذت من في رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Kitab Al Masahif Ibn Abu Dawud p. 22

Narrated Abdullah: Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab al-Ajeeli narrated to us, saying: Abu Bakr bin Salama narrated to us, saying: Abu Shihab narrated to us from Abu Asim, from Abu Wa'il, from Abdullah, who recited {Whoever misappropriates something will come with what he misappropriated on the Day of Resurrection} and said: "Conceal your mushafs, how do you command me to read the recitation of Zaid, while I have taken seventy surahs directly from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and Zaid bin Thabit was a young boy playing among the boys."

حدثنا عبد الله قال: حدثنا محمد بن عبد الوهاب العجيلي: حدثنا أبو بكر بن سلمة، حدثنا أبو شهاب، عن أبي عاصم، عن أبي وائل، عن عبد الله قال قرأ {ومن يغلل يأت بما غل يوم القيامة} فغلّوا مصاحفكم، كيف تأمروني أن أقرأ قراءة زيد، ولقد قرأت من في رسول الله نصف وسبعين سورة ولزيد ذؤابتان يلعب بين الصبيان.

Kitab Al Masahif Ibn Abu Dawud p. 22

He also said: "O people of Kufa, or O people of Iraq, conceal the mushafs that you have and keep them hidden, for Allah says: {Whoever misappropriates something will come with what he misappropriated on the Day of Resurrection} (Sura 3:161), and throw the mushafs into the fire." Al-Zuhri said: "It has reached me that some men from among the best of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) disliked this statement from Ibn Mas'ud." Ibn Abi Dawood said: "Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was from the early Muslims and this is not related to the Battle of Badr, but he was trusted because he was the scribe of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)."

وأنه لفي صلب أبيه كافر، أريد زيد بن ثابت. وكذلك قال عبد الله بن مسعود: يا أهل الكوفة أو يا أهل العراق، اكتموا المصاحف التي عندكم واغلوها فإن الله يقول {سورة 3:161} وَمَنْ يَغْلُلْ يَأْتِ بِمَا غَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فالقوا به المصاحف. قال الزهري: فبلغني أن ذلك كره من مقالة ابن مسعود رجال أفضل من أصحاب النبي ﷺ. قال ابن أبي داود: عبد الله بن مسعود بدري وذلك ليس هو ببدري وإنما ولوه لأنه كاتب رسول الله ﷺ.

Kitab Al Masahif Ibn Abu Dawud p. 25