Abu Ishaq reported that he heard Abu'l-Ahwas say: I was along with Abu Musa and Abu Mas'ud as Ibn Mas'ud died and one of them said to the other: Do you find one like him besides him? Thereupon he said: Do you say this (no one can be his rival)? He was admitted (to the company of the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم )) whereas we were detained and he had been present in the company of Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) whereas we had been absent.

Abu Ahwas reported: We were in the house of Abu Musa along with some of the companions of 'Abdullah and they were looking at the Holy Book. 'Abdullah stood up, whereupon Abu Mas'ud said: I do not know whether Allah's Messenger, ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) has left after him one having a better knowledge (of Islam) than the man who is standing. Abu Musa said: If you say this, that is correct, because he had been present when we had been absent and he was permitted when we were detained.

It was narrated to me by al-Qasim ibn Zakariyya, who said: 'Ubaydullah (he is Ibn Musa) narrated to us, from Shayban, from al-A'mash, from Malik ibn al-Harith, from Abu al-Ahwas, who said: I came to Abu Musa and found 'Abdullah and Abu Musa.

And it was narrated to us by Abu Kurayb, who said: Muhammad ibn Abi 'Ubaydah narrated to us, my father narrated to us, from al-A'mash, from Zayd ibn Wahb, who said: I was sitting with Hudhayfah and Abu Musa, and he mentioned the hadith, and the hadith of Qutbah is more complete and longer.