The apparent wisdom behind the initial prohibition was to keep their energies focused solely on the Qur’an, and to ensure that the Qur’an, committed to writing, remained distinct from all other Prophetic teachings, so that no confusion could arise. Once the risk and ambiguity had disappeared, and it was clear that the Qur’an could never be mistaken for human speech, permission was granted to record knowledge in writing—and Allah knows best (1).

ʿAbd Allah also transmitted reports from Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, Muʿādh, Suraqah ibn Mālik, his own father ʿAmr, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, Abu al-Dardāʾ, and others. He likewise narrated from the People of the Scripture, regularly consulting their books and taking a particular interest in them.

Among those who reported from him were his son Muḥammad—though this is disputed, Muḥammad’s narrations from him being found in the Sunan of Abu Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nasā’ī—his freedman Abu Qābūs, and his grandson Shuʿayb ibn Muḥammad, who related abundantly from him, served him, remained constantly in his company, and was reared in his care, for his father Muḥammad died during the lifetime of his grandfather ʿAbd Allah.

Others who narrated from him include his freedman Ismāʿīl, his freedman Sālim, Anas ibn Mālik, Abu Umāmah ibn Sahl, Jubayr ibn Nufayr, Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, ʿUrwah, Abu Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, Zirr ibn Hubaysh, Ḥumayd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, Khaythamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Juʿfī, Abu al-ʿAbbās al-Sāʾib ibn Farrūkh the poet, al-Sāʾib al-Thaqafī—the father of ʿAṭāʾ—Ṭāwūs, al-Shaʿbī, ʿIkrimah, ʿAṭāʾ, al-Qāsim, Mujāhid, Yazīd ibn al-Shikhkhīr, and Abu al-Malīḥ ibn Usāmah.