Hadith No: 1
Who is Imam al-Nasa'i, who was killed when he criticized Muawiya?!
Ibn Kathir - Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya - Year 303 AH - Those who died in it from notable figures
Volume: (14) - Page Number: (794)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... Ibn Yunus said: Al-Nasa'i was an imam in hadith, trustworthy, established, and a حافظ (memorizer). His departure from Egypt was in the year 302 AH.
- .... Ibn Adi said: I heard Mansur al-Faqih and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Salama al-Tahawi both say: Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa'i was an imam among the imams of the Muslims. Many other imams also praised him and testified to his excellence and advancement in this field, and he had been appointed to rule in the city of Homs.
- .... I heard it from our shaykh al-Mizzi, from the narration of al-Tabarani in his Mu'jam al-Awsat, where he said: Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb al-Hakim narrated to us in Homs, and they mentioned that he had four wives and that his face was extraordinarily handsome, as if he were a lantern. He would eat a chicken every day and drink it with a mixture of halal grape juice, and it was said of him that he was thought to have some inclination towards Shi'ism. They said he entered Damascus, so its people asked him to narrate something about the virtues of Muawiya. He replied: Is it not enough for Muawiya to go head to head without needing virtues to be narrated for him? Then they stood up to him and began to attack him in his groin until he was expelled from the congregational mosque. He then went from them to Mecca and died there in this year. His grave there was like this, as al-Hakim narrated from Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Isbahani, from his shaykhs.
- .... Al-Daraqutni said: He was the most knowledgeable among the scholars of Egypt in his era and the most familiar with what is authentic and weak in narrations, as well as the most knowledgeable of men. When he reached this point, they envied him, so he went out to Ramla. He was asked about the virtues of Muawiya and he refrained from answering, so they beat him in the mosque. He said: Take me out to Mecca, and they took him out while he was ill, and he died in Mecca, killed, a martyr, although he was granted many virtues, including the blessing of martyrdom in the last year of his life. He died in Mecca in the year 303 AH.

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Reference: Al-Bidaayah wa al-Nihaayah Book 14

Hadith No: 2
Ibn Kathir - Al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah - Year 303 AH - Notable Deaths in that Year
Volume: (14) - Page Number: (795)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... Ibn Khalkan narrated that he died in Sha'ban of this year and that he only compiled the al-Khassais in favor of Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt because he saw the people of Damascus, when he arrived in the year 302 AH, having an aversion to Ali. When they asked him about Mu'awiyah, he said what he said, so they scrutinized him regarding his two testicles and he died.

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Reference: Al-Bidaayah wa al-Nihaayah Book 14

Hadith No: 3
Al-Dhahabi - Siyar A'lām al-Nubalā' - Sahābah (May Allah be pleased with them) - Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan
Volume: (3) - Page Number: (132)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... al-Aṣamm: "My father narrated to us that he heard Ibn Rahwayh say: 'Nothing authentic can be reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) regarding the virtue of Mu'awiyah.'"

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Reference: Seyar A'laam al-Nobalaa Book 3

Hadith No: 4
Al-Dhahabi - Siyar A'lam al-Nubalā' - Volume 17 - al-Nasa'i
Part: (14) - Page Number: (132)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... Abu Abdullah ibn Mundah narrated from Hamzah al-Aqbi al-Masri and others that al-Nasa'i left Egypt in the last years of his life and went to Damascus. There, he was asked about Mu'awiyah and what had been reported regarding his virtues. He replied: "He will not be satisfied, head to head, until he is considered superior." They continued to push against him in his lap until he was ousted from the mosque, and then he was taken to Mecca, where he died." Thus he said, and the correct information is that he was taken to Ramleh.

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Reference: Seyar A'laam al-Nobalaa Book 14

Hadith No: 5
Al-Dhahabi - Tadhkirat al-Huffaz = Tabaqat al-Huffaz by al-Dhahabi - Volume 10 - 719: al-Nasa'i
Volume: (2) - Page Number: (194/195)
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719 - 65/10 - al-Nasa'i: Al-Hafiz, the Imam, Sheikh of Islam, Abu Abd al-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb ibn Ali ibn Sinan ibn Bahr al-Khurasani, the judge, author of the Sunan: .... He said: And Abu Abd Allah ibn Mundih from Hamza al-Aqbi al-Masri and others: that al-Nasa'i left Egypt in the last part of his life for Damascus and was questioned there about Muawiya and what had come regarding his virtues. He replied: "Will he not be satisfied with one head to head until he is preferred?" He said: They continued to push against him in his groin until he was expelled from the mosque and then he was taken to Mecca, where he died. Thus, it is stated in this narration, "to Mecca," but the correct information is Ramla.

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Reference: Tazkeratul Huffaz Book 2

Hadith No: 6
Al-Dhahabi - Tarikh al-Islam wa Wafat al-Mashahir wal-A'lam
Volume 23: Years 301 - 320
The Thirty-First Generation - Biographies of the Men of This Generation - Year 303 AH - Letter Alif
117 - Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb ibn Ali ibn Sinan ibn Bahr, Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa'i
Part: (23) - Page Number: (109)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... And Abu Abd al-Rahman ibn Mundah narrated from Hamza al-Aqbi al-Masri and others that al-Nasa'i left Egypt in the latter part of his life for Damascus, and he was asked there about Mu'awiya and what had been narrated concerning his virtues. He said: "He does not approve of being compared head to head unless he is favored." He continued: "They kept pushing against him in his arms until he was expelled from the mosque, and then he was carried to Ramla, where he died." May Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him.

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Reference: Taarikh al islaam wa wafyaat al mushaheer wal a'alaam Book 23

Hadith No: 7
Al-Mizzi - Tahdhib al-Kamal fi Asma' al-Rijal - Chapter on the letter Alif - Those Named Ahmad
Among the imams of the Muslims: What do you say about Al-Baqi? Then he mentioned some words...
Volume: (1) - Page Number: (338/339)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- .... Al-Hakim Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz said: I heard Ali ibn Umar say: Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasai was the most knowledgeable among the scholars of Egypt in his time, the most familiar with what was authentic and weak in narrations, and the most learned about men. When he reached this level, they became envious of him, so he left for al-Ramla. He was asked about the virtues of Muawiya, and he refrained from answering. They beat him in the mosque, and he said: Take me out to Mecca. So they took him out to Mecca while he was ill, and he died there, killed as a martyr.
- .... Al-Hakim Abu Abdullah said: Along with all the virtues Abu Abd al-Rahman had gathered, he was granted martyrdom at the end of his life. Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Isbahani narrated to me, saying: I heard our teachers in Egypt mention that Abu Abd al-Rahman left Egypt in the last part of his life and went to Damascus. There, he was asked about Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan and what had been narrated of his virtues, to which he replied: Would Muawiya not be satisfied to be considered equal to heads until he is preferred? They kept pushing against him until he was expelled from the mosque and then was carried to Mecca, where he died in the year 303 AH, and he is buried in Mecca.

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Reference: Tahzeeb al-Kamaal fi Asmaa al-Rejaal Book 1

Hadith No: 8
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani - Tahdhib al-Tahdhib - Letter Alif
66 - Ahmad ibn Shu'aib ibn Ali ibn Sinan ibn Bahr ibn Dinar Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa'i
Volume: (1) - Page Number: (36 > 38)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
66 - Ahmad ibn Shu'aib ibn Ali ibn Sinan ibn Bahr ibn Dinar Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa'i, the judge, hafiz, author of the book al-Sunan, heard from countless beings whose number cannot be counted.... Al-Hakim said: I heard Ali ibn Umar al-Hafiz say more than once: "Abu Abd al-Rahman is superior to everyone mentioned in this knowledge from among the people of his time." He also said once: I heard Ali ibn Umar say: "al-Nasa'i is the most knowledgeable among the scholars of his time, the most familiar with what is authentic and what is weak, and the most learned about men." When he reached this level, they envied him, so he went out to al-Ramla, and he was asked about the virtues of Muawiya, but he withheld his response. They beat him in the mosque, and he said: "Take me out to Mecca," so they expelled him while he was unwell, and he died, killed, a martyr.
- .... Al-Darqatni said: Abu Bakr ibn al-Haddad, the jurist, was very talkative and did not narrate from anyone except Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa'i. He said: "I am pleased with him as a proof between me and Allah, the Exalted." Abu Bakr al-Mamuni said: I asked him about his writing the book al-Khasa'is. He replied: "I entered Damascus, and there were many people deviating from Ali, and I wrote the book al-Khasa'is in the hope that Allah would guide them," and then he later wrote the book on the virtues of the companions and read it to the people. He was asked: "Am I present? Will you not mention the virtues of Muawiya?" He replied: "What should I mention?" Then he added: "O Allah, do not let his stomach be satisfied," and he fell silent, as did the questioner.

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Reference: Tazheeb al Tahzeeb Book 1

Hadith No: 9
Al-Zarkali - Al-A'lam - Ahm - al-Nasa'i
Volume: (1) - Page Number: (171/172)
- Al-Nasa'i: (215-303 AH / = 830-915 CE) Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Shu'aib ibn Ali ibn Sinan ibn Bahr ibn Dinar, Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa'i, the author of Al-Sunan, a judge, hafiz, and Sheikh of Islam. His origins were from Nasa (in Khurasan), and he roamed the lands, eventually settling in Egypt. However, the scholars there envied him and he left for Ramla (in Palestine). He was asked about the virtues of Muawiya, and he withheld his response, so they beat him in the mosque and expelled him in poor health, and he died and was buried in Jerusalem. It is said that he set out for Hajj and died in Mecca. He authored (Al-Sunan al-Kubra) in hadith, and (Al-Mujtaba - India edition), which is Al-Sunan al-Sughra, as well as other works in the Six Books of hadith, including (Al-Du'afa wa al-Matrukin - India edition), a small book on the narrators of hadith, (Khasais Ali), (Musnad Ali), (Musnad Malik), and others.

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Reference: al'Aelam Book 1