He would also recite between sixty and one hundred verses (1).
It is said that Abū Barzah died in Basra; others say in Khurasan; still others that it was in the desert expanse (2) between Herat and Sijistān. Some maintain that he was present at Ṣiffīn on ʿAlī’s side. According to one report he died before Muʿāwiyah, in the year 60 AH. Al-Ḥākim, however, says he passed away in 64 AH, while Ibn Saʿd states that he died in Marw. It is further related that Abū Barzah and Abū Bakrah had entered into a pact of brotherhood (3).
Al-Anṣārī relates: ʿAwf narrated to us, Abū al-Minhāl narrated to us, who said:
“When Ibn Ziyād fled, Marwān had been installed in Syria and Ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca, my father became deeply distressed and said, ‘Come with me to Abū Barzah al-Aslamī.’ So we went to him at his home and he said, ‘O Abū Barzah, do you not see what is happening?’ He replied, ‘I look to Allah for my recompense, for this morning I find myself angry with the living (4) folk of Quraysh…,’ and he went on to recount the rest of the report (5).
(1) The printed edition mistakenly reads “bi-s-sunan.” Ahmad records the report in his Musnad, 4/419, through the chain: Yazid ibn Harun – Sulayman al-Taymi – Siyyar Abu al-Minhal – Abu Barza, stating that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite between sixty and one hundred verses in the dawn prayer. The isnad is sound.
(2) In the printed text it has been corrupted to “bi-maghara.”
(3) Ibn Saʿd, Tabaqat, 7/9.
(4) Misprinted in the published version as “akhyar.”
(5) The report is incomplete in Ibn Saʿd, 4/300. Abu Nuʿaym cites it in Hilyat al-awliyaʾ, 2/32, via al-Harith ibn Abi Usama – Hawdah ibn Khalifah – ʿAwf al-Aʿrabi – Abu al-Minhal. The full wording is: “You Arabs were in the condition you know—ignorance, few in number, humiliation and misguidance—until Allah revived you with Islam and with Muhammad ﷺ, the best of mankind, so that you reached your present state. It is this world that has corrupted relations among you. By Allah, the man in Syria is fighting only for this world, and those around you whom you call your reciters—by Allah, they too will fight only for this world.” He continued: “When he had not spared anyone, my father asked him, ‘What do you then command?’ He replied, ‘I see no good in people today except in a small group wrapped in their cloaks, their bellies empty of other men’s wealth and their backs light of their blood.’” All the transmitters are reliable.