حَدَّثَنَا حِبَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، قَالَ جَلَسْتُ إِلَى مَجْلِسٍ فِيهِ عُظْمٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَفِيهِمْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى، فَذَكَرْتُ حَدِيثَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ فِي شَأْنِ سُبَيْعَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَلَكِنَّ عَمَّهُ كَانَ لاَ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي لَجَرِيءٌ إِنْ كَذَبْتُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فِي جَانِبِ الْكُوفَةِ‏.‏ وَرَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ، قَالَ ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ فَلَقِيتُ مَالِكَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ أَوْ مَالِكَ بْنَ عَوْفٍ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ قَوْلُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فِي الْمُتَوَفَّى عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا وَهْىَ حَامِلٌ فَقَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَتَجْعَلُونَ عَلَيْهَا التَّغْلِيظَ، وَلاَ تَجْعَلُونَ لَهَا الرُّخْصَةَ لَنَزَلَتْ سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ الْقُصْرَى بَعْدَ الطُّولَى‏.‏ وَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ لَقِيتُ أَبَا عَطِيَّةَ مَالِكَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ‏.‏

I sat in a gathering in which the chiefs of the Ansar were present, and `Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Laila was amongst them. I mentioned the narration of `Abdullah bin `Utba regarding the question of Subai'a bint Al-Harith. `Abdur-Rahman said, "But `Abdullah's uncle used not to say so." I said, "I am too brave if I tell a lie concerning a person who is now in Al-Kufa," and I raised my voice. Then I went out and met Malik bin 'Amir or Malik bin `Auf, and said, "What was the verdict of Ibn Mas`ud about the pregnant widow whose husband had died?" He replied, "Ibn Mas`ud said, 'Why do you impose on her the hard order and don't let her make use of the leave? The shorter Sura of women (i.e. Surat-at- Talaq) was revealed after the longer Sura (i.e. Surat-al-Baqara)." (i.e. Her 'Idda is up till she delivers.)