Is this incident reliable:
قصة صاحب النقب
حدّثني أبو حاتم عن الأصمعيّ قال: حدّثنا أبو عمرو الصّفّار قال:
حاصر مسلمة حصناً فندب الناس إلى نقب منه، فما دخله أحد. فجاء رجل من عرض الجيش فدخله ففتحه اللّه عليهم، فنادى مسلمة: أين صاحب النقب؟ فما جاءه أحد، فنادى: إني قد أمرت الآذن بإدخاله ساعة يأتي، فعزمت عليه إلاّ جاء. فجاء رجل فقال: استأذن لي على الأمير. فقال له: أنت صاحب النقب؟ قال: أنا أخبركم عنه. فأتني مسلمة فأخبره عنه، فأذن له فقال له: إن صاحب النقب يأخذ عليكم ثلاثاً: ألاّ تسوّدوا اسمه في صحيفة إلى الخليفة ولا تأمروا له بشيء، ولا تسألوه ممن هو. قال: فذاك له. قال: أنا هو. فكان مسلمة لا يصلي بعدهم صلاة إلا قال: اللهم اجعلني مع صاحب النقب.
ورواها ابن عساكر في “تاريخ دمشق” من طريق الأصمعي قال: حاصر مسلمة بن عبد الملك حصنا فأصابهم فيه جهد عظيم فندب الناس إلى نقب منه فما دخله أحد فجاء رجل من الجند فدخله ففتح الله عليهم، فنادى منادي مسلمة: أين صاحب النقب؟ فما جاء أحد، حتى نادى مرتين أو ثلاثاً أو أربعاً، فجاء في الرابعة رجل فقال: أنا أيها الأمير صاحب النقب آخذ عهوداً ومواثيقاً ثلاثاً لا تسودوا اسمي في صحيفة ولا تأمروا لي بشيء ولا تشغلوني عن أمري، قال: فقال له مسلمة: قد فعلنا ذلك بك، قال: فغاب بعد ذلك فلم يُرَ، قال: فكان مسلمة بعد ذلك يقول في دبر صلاته: اللهم اجعلني مع صاحب النقب
Answer
This incident is suitable to quote, and is also cited by my Honourable Teacher, Al-Muhaddith Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (hafizahullah).
(Min Sihahil Ahadithil Qudsiyyah, pg.64 and Ma’alim Irshadiyyah, pg.65)
The translation of this inspiring incident is quoted below for the broader benefit.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us such sincerity and such hatred for fame.
Translation:
Maslamah laid siege to a fort, so the occupants took refuge in a tunnel, which no one wanted to enter. A man appeared from the side of the army and entered it, upon which Allah granted them victory, so Maslamah announced: ‘Where is the person of the tunnel?’ No one came forth. So he announced: ‘I grant permission for him to come later and I resolve that he must come. Later a man came and said: ‘I seek permission to see the Amir.’ He was asked: Are you the Companion of Naqb (The tunnel man)?. He said: ‘I will inform you with regards to him.’ Maslamah was informed about this person that came, so permission was granted and the man said to him: ‘The man of the tunnel (Naqb) wants three assurances from you under oath;
a) His name must not be mentioned in the letter to the Caliph.
b) Do not order any reward for me.
c) Do not enquire further about my family.
[He made these requests to avoid fame and publicity.]
He said: ‘Agreed.’ The man said: ‘I am him.’ From then on Maslamah would make the following suplication after every salah: ‘O Allah keep me [in the hereafter] with the Companion of Naqb’
In another narration the incident is mentioned as follows:
Maslamah ibn Abdil Malik lay siege to a fort which they experienced great difficulty in overpowering. Then the occupants took refuge in a tunnel, which no one wanted to enter.
A man from the Muslim army entered it and Allah granted them victory. An announcement was made: ‘Where is the Companion of the tunnel?’ No one came forth, so the call was mentioned again, and a third and a fourth time, upon which a man came forth and said: ‘O Amir, I am the Companion of tunnel, I take three oaths from you,
a) My name must not be mentioned in any letter.
b) Do not order any reward for me.
c) nor will you occupy me from my work. i.e, by employing me.
Maslamah said to him: ‘We will do that for you.’ Then the man went away and was never seen again. After this Maslamah use to recite after his salah: ‘O Allah make me with the Companion of Naqb (Tunnel).’
We too ask Allah Ta’ala for this privilege.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar