Sunan Ibn Majah 218

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَرْوَانَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الْعُثْمَانِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏لَقِيَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ بِعُسْفَانَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَكَانَ عُمَرُ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ عَلَى مَكَّةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالَ عُمَرُ:‏‏‏‏ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَ أَبْزَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ وَمَنْ ابْنُ أَبْزَى؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ رَجُلٌ مِنْ مَوَالِينَا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ عُمَرُ:‏‏‏‏ فَاسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَالِمٌ بِالْفَرَائِضِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَاضٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ عُمَرُ:‏‏‏‏ أَمَا إِنَّ نَبِيَّكُمْ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَال:‏‏‏‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ .

It was narrated that Nafi' bin 'Abdul-Harith met 'Umar bin Khattab in 'Usfan, when 'Umar had appointed him as his governer in Makkah.: 'Umar asked: Whom have you appointed as your deputy over the people of the valley? He said: I have appointed Ibn Abza over them. 'Umar said: Who is Ibn Abza? Nafi' said: One of our freed slaves. 'Umar said: Have you appointed a freed slave over them? Nafi' said: He has great knowledge of the Book of Allah, is well versed in the rules of inheritance (Fara'id) and is a (good) judge. 'Umar said: Did not your prophet say: 'Allah raises some people (in status) because of this book and brings others low because of it?'