Question
I am looking for the source of the incident regarding Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) that he was on the way to the Masjid and Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) commanded the Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum) to sit, so he sat outside the Masjid.
Answer
Imam Tabarani (rahimahullah) has recorded this narration:
Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sat on the pulpit on a Friday. When he sat, he said, ‘Sit down.’ ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) [who was not in the Masjid] heard this command of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and sat [immediately] in Bani Ghanm. Someone said, ‘O Rasulullah! There is Ibn Rawahah sitting in Bani Ghanm, he heard you saying to the [Sahabah] ‘Sit’, so he sat where he was.’”
(Al Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 9124, Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 9 pg. 316. Also see: Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, Hadith: 5366)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar