Narrator:Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd
وَعَن ابْن مَسْعُود قَالَ: فُضِّلَ النَّاسَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ بِأَرْبَعٍ: بِذِكْرِ الْأُسَارَى يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ أَمَرَ بِقَتْلِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى [لَوْلَا كِتَابٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَا أَخَذْتُم عَذَاب عَظِيم] وَبِذِكْرِهِ الْحِجَابَ أَمَرَ نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَحْتَجِبْنَ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ زَيْنَبُ: وَإِنَّكَ عَلَيْنَا يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ وَالْوَحْيُ يَنْزِلُ فِي بُيُوتِنَا؟ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى [وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ من وَرَاء حجاب] وَبِدَعْوَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدِ الْإِسْلَامَ بِعُمَرَ» وَبِرَأْيِهِ فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ كَانَ أول نَاس بَايعه. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد
Ibn Mas'ud said `Umar was declared superior to mankind for four reasons:
(1) By the mention of the prisoners at the battle of Badr. He ordered that they be killed and God most high sent down, "Were it not that a decree had come previously from God a severe punishment would have come to you for what you took[1]." (2) By his mention of the seclusion. He commanded the Prophet's wives to seclude themselves and Zainab said to him, "Have you been set over us, son of al-Khattab, when the revelation comes down in our houses?" Then God most high sent down, "And when you ask them for anything ask them from behind a screen[2]." (3) By the Prophet's supplication, "0 God, strengthen Islam by `Umar." (4) By his opinion about Abu Bakr to whom he was the first to swear allegiance. Quran, 8:68. Quran, 33:53. Ahmad transmitted it.
Reported by Ahmad (No. 4132). Cited in Mishkat al-Masabih (No. 6052).