It is narrated from Abd al-Rahman bin Bishr al-Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), leaned over towards him and said: "O Abu Abd al-Rahman! When will I go astray despite having knowledge?" He replied: "When rulers are placed over you such that if you obey them, they will admit you into the Fire, and if you disobey them, they will kill you." This report is mawquf (a Companion's statement) and its chain is sahih (authentic), but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it. Al-Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: These are reports that Abdullah bin Wahb mentioned in (his book) al-Malahim; I obtained them through a higher chain, so I have recorded them, even though they are not musnad (traced back to the Prophet).