I remarked, “This statement must be interpreted, for others had already led congregational prayer reciting the Qur’an before ʿAbd Allah.”

Abu Dawud records in his Sunan: “Abu Salamah related to us—Hammad ibn Salamah related to us—from Thabit, from Anas:
‘The Prophet ﷺ established a bond of brotherhood between al-Zubayr and Ibn Masʿud.’ (1)

A similar report was transmitted by Sufyan ibn Husayn, from Yaʿla ibn Muslim, from Abu al-Shaʿthaʾ, from Ibn ʿAbbas.

Al-Hakim also included it in his Mustadrak (2).

In that work there is a report through Mujahid, from ʿAbd Allah ibn Sakhbarah (3), who said: “I saw Ibn Masʿud—dark-skinned, slight of build, with little flesh.”

I add: In most cases the Prophet ﷺ paired one Emigrant (muhājir) with one Helper (anṣārī) as brothers.

Musa ibn ʿUqbah said: “Among those who returned from the emigrants to Abyssinia—the first hijra—to Mecca and presented themselves to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿud; afterwards he migrated to Medina.”

Yahya al-Himmani narrated: “Yahya ibn Salamah ibn Kuhayl related to us, from his father, from ʿIkrimah, that Ibn ʿAbbas said:
‘No one remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the Day of Uhud except four men; one of them was Ibn Masʿud.’ (4)”

Shuʿbah narrated, from Abu Ishaq, from Abu al-Ahwas: “I heard Abu Masʿud and Abu Musa—”