Abu Musa reported, I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ accompanied by two men from the Ashari tribe, one on my right and the other on my left. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was using his tooth-stick, and both men made a request.He said, "Abu Musa," or "Abdullah bin Qays."I replied, "By the One who sent you with the truth, they did not disclose to me what was in their hearts, and I had no idea they were seeking appointment to office."It is as if I can still see his tooth-stick beneath his lip, which had drawn back. He said, "We will never," or "We do not appoint to our service anyone who seeks it. But you go, Abu Musa," or "Abdullah bin Qays, to Yemen."Then he sent Muaz bin Jabal after him. When Muaz arrived, Abu Musa laid out a cushion for him and said, "Dismount."There was a man bound in fetters beside him. Muaz asked, "Who is this?"Abu Musa replied, "He was a Jew, then he embraced Islam, then he reverted to Judaism."Muaz said, "Sit down."Abu Musa said, "I will not sit until he is killed, by the judgment of Allah and His Messenger," repeating it three times. So the order was given and the man was executed.Then the two of them discussed praying at night. One of them said, "As for me, I pray part of the night and sleep part of it, and I hope for the same reward in my sleep as I hope for in my standing in prayer."
أقبلت إلى رسول الله ﷺ ومعي رجلان من الأشعريين أحدهما عن يميني، والآخر عن يساري، ورسول الله ﷺ يستاك، فكلاهما سأل، فقال: يا أبا موسى، - أو يا عبد الله بن قيس- قال: قلت: والذي بعثك بالحق ما أطلعاني على ما في أنفسهما، وما شعرت أنهما يطلبان العمل. فكأني أنظر إلى سواكه تحت شفته قلصت، فقال: لن- أولا- نستعمل على عملنا من أراده، ولكن اذهب أنت يا أبا موسى- أو يا عبد الله بن قيس- إلى اليمن، ثم أتبعه معاذ بن جبل، فلما قدم عليه ألقى له وسادة قال: انزل، فإذا رجل عنده موثق، قال: ما هذا؟ قال: كان يهوديا فأسلم ثم تهود. قال: اجلس. قال: لا أجلس حتى يقتل، قضاء الله ورسوله (ثلاث مرات)، فأمر به فقتل. ثم تذاكرا قيام الليل، فقال أحدهما: أما أنا فأقوم وأنام، وأرجو في نومتي ما أرجو في قومتي.
Bukhari related it in the Chapter on the Repentance of Apostates (6923), and Muslim in the Book of Leadership (1733:15), both of them through Yahya bin Saeed Qattan, who said, Qurra bin Khalid narrated to us, who said, Humayd bin Hilal narrated to me, who said, Abu Burda narrated to me, who said, Abu Musa said, and he related it.