Ibn Abi Sarh and the Writing Down of the Qur’an

I asked him (i.e. the Imam) about the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic: “Who is a greater wrong-doer than him who fabricates a lie against Allah, or says, ‘It has been revealed to me,’ while nothing has been revealed to him” (6:93). He (i.e. the Imam) said: It came down about Ibn Abi Sarh whom Uthman had made governor over Egypt while he was the one whose blood the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله had made permissible (to be shed) on the day of the conquest of Mecca. He used to write (the revelation) for the Messenger of Allahصلى الله عليه وآله so if Allah Mighty and Majestic sends down “Verily Allah is Mighty, Wise” he (i.e. Ibn Abi Sarh) writes (instead) “Verily Allah is Knowledgeable, Wise” so the Messenger of Allahصلى الله عليه وآله would say to him ‘let it be - for Allah is indeed Knowledgeable, Wise’. Ibn Abi Sarh used to say to the hypocrites: ‘I say from my own self (i.e. of my own accord) the like of what he (i.e. the prophet) comes with but he does not require me to change it’. Then Allah Blessed and Elevated sent down about him what he sent down