Abd Allah ibn Sa'd

During his time as a scriber, Muhammad would dictate to him a revelation to be written down, as he did with other scribes. al-Sarh left Islam and fled to Mecca after claiming that he had realised Muhammad was fabricating revelations.[5][6][7] Abi Saleh, narrated from Ibn Abbas, recorded that:

"the Messenger of Allah invited him so that he could write him the revelation, so when the verse 23:12 ("And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay") was revealed, the Prophet called Ibn Abi al-Sarh, and dictated it to him and when the Prophet reached the end of 23:14 ("...Thus, We formed him into a new creation") Abdullâh said in amazement ("فتبارک اللّٰہ احسن الخالقین So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!!"). The Prophet said:” Write these words too (i.e., فتبارک اللّٰہ احسن الخالقین "So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!!"), as these words have also been revealed to me.”[8]

Al-Sarh claimed that this made him doubt, and he is recorded as having said: "If Muhammad is truthful then I (am also a prophet, as I also) received the revelation, and if Muhammad lied, then I say of the like of his speech (i.e. neither his speech nor mine speech are the words of Allah)".[9][10] Al-Sarh further tested his doubts, with Muslim historians Waqidi, Ibn al-Athir and Tabari writing that Muhammad dictated him: "عليم حکيم" i.e. "Allah is All Knowing All-Wise", which al-Sarh deliberately wrote in the opposite order, i.e. "حکيم عليم, All-Wise All Knowing". He then recited it to Muhammad, who did not detect any changes.[9] Waqidi wrote that "(Ibn Abi Sarh said): Muhammad didn’t know what he dictated, and I wrote (in Quran) whatever I wished. And what I wrote, it was a revelation upon me, just like it was a revelation upon Muhammad."[9]

After leaving Islam, al-Sarh told the Meccans "دينكم خير من دينه" (i.e. "your religion is better than Muhammad’s religion"). When Muhammad learned of this, he soon thereafter revealed Quran 6:93; "And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or says, "It has been inspired to me," while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, "I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed."

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari recorded in his Tafsir of the Quran;

"Al-Qasim told us... "I can reveal like what Allah hath revealed" was revealed about Abdullah bin Sa'd bin Abi Al-Sarh, the brother of Bani (children of) Amir bin Lu'ai. He [Abdullah] used to write for the Prophet (SAW), and while he [Mohammad] was dictating "Exalted in power, full of Wisdom", he [Abdullah] would write it "Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful", thus changing it. Then he [Abdullah] would read the changed verses to him [Mohammad], and he [Mohammad] would say, "Yes [in approval], it's like this". So, he [Abdullah] reverted from Islam and followed Quraysh telling them, "He [Mohammad] used to recite to me Exalted in power, full of Wisdom', and I would change it when I write it down, and he would tell me, 'Yes [in approval], it's the same [meaning]."[6]

When Muhammad had gathered enough troops to besiege Mecca, he issued an order to his followers that Abdallah al-Surh was to be killed. Al-Sarh fled to his adopted brother Uthman ibn Affan to plead for help, knowing Uthman to be an important ally for Muhammad. Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 2683 records that:

"on the day when Mecca was conquered, the Messenger of Allah gave protection to the People except four men and two women and he named them. Ibn AbuSarh was one of them. He then narrated the tradition. He said: Ibn AbuSarh hid himself with Uthman ibn Affan. When the Messenger of Allah called the people to take the oath of allegiance, he brought him and made him stand before the Messenger of Allah. He said: Messenger of Allah, receive the oath of allegiance from him. He raised his head and looked at him thrice, denying him every time. After the third time he received his oath."

After Uthman and al-Surh had left, Muhammad turned to his Companions and said:

"Is not there any intelligent man among you who would stand to this (man) when he saw me desisting from receiving the oath of allegiance, and kill him?" and that "I kept silent so that one of you might get up and strike off his head!".[11] They replied: We do not know, Messenger of Allah, what lies in your heart; did you not give us a hint with your eye? He said: It is not proper for a Prophet to have a treacherous eye.[12]

Regardless, Al-Sarh's life was thus spared with the aid of Uthman's intervention, and he came back into the fold of Islam. In his History, al-Tabari briefly records about Abd Allah and Muhammad that "Abd Allah b. Sa`d b. Abi Sarh used to write for him. He apostatised from Islam and later returned to Islam on the day of the conquest of Mecca".[13]