2045 – ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; my father narrated to me; Muʾammal narrated to us; Sufyan—and Abu ʿAwanah as well—narrated, from al-Mughirah, from al-Shaʿbi, who said:

Ziyad appointed Masruq as governor over al-Silsilah. When Masruq set out, the Qur’an-reciters of Kufa went out with him to see him off. Among them was a young man on horseback. After they had turned back and Masruq remained with a small group of his companions, the youth drew near him and said:

“You are the leader of the Qur’an-reciters of Kufa and their foremost exemplar. If people ask, ‘Who is the best of them?’ they say, ‘Masruq.’ If they ask, ‘Who is the most learned of them?’ they say, ‘Masruq.’ If they ask, ‘Who is the most versed in jurisprudence among them?’ they say, ‘Masruq.’ Your honor is their honor, and your disgrace is their disgrace. I adjure you by Allah”—or he said, “I seek Allah’s protection for you—do not let thoughts of poverty or of long worldly hopes cross your mind.”

Masruq replied, “Will you not help me with what I have undertaken?” The youth said, “By Allah, I am not satisfied for you with what you have undertaken—so how could I assist you in it? Turn back!”

When the youth departed, Masruq said, “No admonition has ever affected me the way this youth’s admonition has.”

Sufyan added: When Masruq returned from that post, Abu Waʾil visited him. Masruq said, “Of all the deeds I have done, none makes me more afraid of being cast into the Fire than this assignment. I wronged neither a Muslim nor a protected non-Muslim in it, yet I do not know what to make of this burden—one that was never undertaken by the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—nor by Abu Bakr nor by ʿUmar.”

Abu Waʾil said, “I asked him, ‘What prompted you to accept it?’ He replied, ‘Shurayḥ, Ibn Ziyad, and Satan boxed me in.’”