When Abu Bakr and I were with him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by ʿAbdullah bin Masʿood, when he was reciting [in prayer]. He stood and listened to his recitation, then ‘Abdullah bowed and prostrated, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿAsk, you will be given; ask, you will be given.ʿ Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went away and said: “Whoever would like to recite the Qurʿan fresh as it was revealed, let him learn it from Ibn Umm ʿAbd,ʿ Then I went at night to ‘Abdullah bin Masʿood to tell him the good news of what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said, and when I knocked on the door - or he said: when he heard my voice - he said: What brings you here at this time? I said: I have come to tell you the glad tidings of what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. He said: Abu Bakr beat you to it. I said: If he did that, he is always ahead in doing righteous deeds. We never competed in doing good deeds but Abu Bakr beat us to it.  

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ فَقَامَ فَتَسَمَّعَ قِرَاءَتَهُ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ عَبْدُ اللهِ وَسَجَدَ قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ مِنَ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ قَالَ فَأَدْلَجْتُ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَلَمَّا ضَرَبْتُ الْبَابَ أَوْ قَالَ لَمَّا سَمِعَ صَوْتِي قَالَ مَا جَاءَ بِكَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ؟ قُلْتُ جِئْتُ لِأُبَشِّرَكَ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ قَدْ سَبَقَكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قُلْتُ إِنْ يَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّهُ سَبَّاقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ مَا اسْتَبَقْنَا خَيْرًا قَطُّ إِلَّا سَبَقَنَا إِلَيْهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ  

[Machine] Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ was with Abu Bakr and Umar, and Abdullah was praying. The Prophet ﷺ opened the door for the women and allowed them in. Then, he said, "Whoever wishes to recite the Quran fresh, as it was revealed, should recite it according to the recitation of Ibn Umm Abd." Then, he advanced and asked for something. So, the Prophet ﷺ started saying, "Ask and you shall be given, ask and you shall be given, ask and you shall be given." Then, he said about what he asked, "O Allah, I ask You for unwavering faith, endless favor, and to be in the company of Your Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the highest gardens of everlasting paradise." Omar came to Abdullah to give him the good news, but found that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had already beaten him to it. He said, "If you had done it, you would have indeed been the first to do good."  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَتَاهُ بَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعَبْدُ اللهِ يُصَلِّي فَافْتَتَحَ النِّسَاءَ فَسَحَلَهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْيَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ سْأَلُ فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ فَقَالَ فِيمَا سَأَلَ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا لَا يَرْتَدُّ وَنَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فِي أَعْلَى جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ قَالَ فَأَتَى عُمَرُ عَبْدَ اللهِ لِيُبَشِّرَهُ فَوَجَدَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رِضْوَانُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ قَدْ سَبَقَهُ فَقَالَ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ لَقَدْ كُنْتَ سَبَّاقًا بِالْخَيْرِ  

[Machine] I was with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and with him was Abu Bakr and whoever Allah willed from his companions. We passed by Abdullah bin Mas'ud while he was praying. The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Who is this?" It was said, "It is Abdullah bin Mas'ud." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Indeed, Abdullah recites the Quran with attentiveness as it was revealed." Abdullah praised and glorified his Lord and performed the best praise for his Lord. Then, he asked the Prophet ﷺ and presented the most excellent question, a question asked by a servant to his Lord. Then, he said, "O Allah, I ask You for a faith that does not falter and a bliss that never ends, and to accompany Muhammad ﷺ in the highest ranks of Paradise, in Your Gardens of everlasting bliss." The Prophet ﷺ used to say, "Ask, and you shall be granted. Ask, and you shall be granted" twice. I quickly ran to give him the good news, but I found that Abu Bakr had already informed him, as he was always ahead in doing good.  

كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَمَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَمَرَرْنَا بِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «مَنْ هَذَا؟» فَقِيلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ» فَأَثْنَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَلَى رَبِّهِ وَحَمِدَهُ فَأَحْسَنَ فِي حَمْدِهِ عَلَى رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَأَجْمَلَ الْمَسْأَلَةَ وَسَأَلَهُ كَأَحْسَنِ مَسْأَلَةٍ سَأَلَهَا عَبْدٌ رَبَّهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا لَا يَرْتَدُّ وَنَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفُذُ وَمُرَافَقَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فِي أَعْلَى عِلِّيِّينَ فِي جِنَانِكَ جِنَانِ الْخُلْدِ قَالَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «سَلْ تُعْطَ سَلْ تُعْطَ» مَرَّتَيْنِ فَانْطَلَقْتُ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ فَوَجَدْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَدْ سَبَقَنِي وَكَانَ سَبَّاقًا بِالْخَيْرِ  

[Machine] "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by Abu Bakr and Umar while Abdullah was praying, and he began reciting Surah An-Nisa (The Women). Abdullah stumbled in his recitation, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Whoever wishes to recite the Quran as it was revealed should recite it in the manner of Ibn Umm 'Abd.' Then the Prophet ﷺ sat and asked for something, and he repeated, 'Ask and you will be given, ask and you will be given.' He said, 'O Allah, I ask You for faith that will not wane, blessings that will not diminish, and the companionship of our Prophet Muhammad in the highest paradise of eternity.' Then Umar came to Abdullah to give him glad tidings, but he found that Abu Bakr had already beaten him to it. He said, 'If you had done it, you would have been the first in goodness.'"  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَرَّ بَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ؓ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ يُصَلِّي فَافْتَتَحَ بِسُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ فَسَحَلَهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ» ثُمَّ قَعَدَ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ» فَقَالَ فِيمَا يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا لَا يَرْتَدُّ وَنَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ فِي أَعْلَى جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ فَأَتَى عُمَرُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لِيُبَشِّرَهُ فَوَجَدَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَدْ سَبَقَهُ قَالَ إِنَّكَ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ إِنَّكَ لَسَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرِ  

[Machine] That the Prophet came upon Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abdullah praying, and he opened the women's section and marked it. The Prophet ﷺ then said, "Whoever wishes to recite the Quran as it was revealed, he should recite it in the recitation of Ibn Umm Abd." Then he sat down and asked, so the Prophet ﷺ began to say, "Ask, I will give it to you, ask, I will give it to you." So he said what he asked for, "O Allah! I ask you for faith that does not waver, and blessings that never end, and the companionship of your Prophet ﷺ in the eternal Paradise." So Umar came to Abdullah bin Mas'ood to inform him and found Abu Bakr leaving before him, so he said, "If you have done so, then you are indeed ahead in good deeds."  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَتَاهُ بَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعَبْدُ اللهِ يُصَلِّي وَافْتَتَحَ النِّسَاءَ فَسَجَلَهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْ قِرَاءَةَ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ» ثُمَّ قَعَدَ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ «سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ» فَقَالَ فِيمَا سَأَلَ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا لَا يَرْتَدُّ وَنَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّكَ ﷺ فِي جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ فَأَتَى عُمَرُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يُبَشِّرُهُ فَوَجَدَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ؓ خَارِجًا وَقَدْ سَبَقَهُ فَقَالَ «إِنْ فَعَلْتَ لَقَدْ كُنْتَ سَبَّاقًا بِالْخَيْرَاتِ»  

When Abu Bakr and I were with him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by ʿAbdullah bin Masʿood, when he was reciting [in prayer]. He stood and listened to his recitation, then ‘Abdullah bowed and prostrated, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿAsk, you will be given; ask, you will be given.ʿ Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went away and said: “Whoever would like to recite the Qurʿan fresh as it was revealed, let him learn it from Ibn Umm ʿAbd,ʿ Then I went at night to ‘Abdullah bin Masʿood to tell him the good news of what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said, and when I knocked on the door - or he said: when he heard my voice - he said: What brings you here at this time? I said: I have come to tell you the glad tidings of what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. He said: Abu Bakr beat you to it. I said: If he did that, he is always ahead in doing righteous deeds. We never competed in doing good deeds but Abu Bakr beat us to it. (Using translation from Aḥmad 265)   

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ فَقَامَ يَسْتَمِعُ قِرَاءَتَهُ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ عَبْدُ اللهِ وَسَجَدَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْ مِنِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ» قَالَ فَأَدْلَجْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا ضَرَبْتُ الْبَابَ سَمِعَ صَوْتِي فَقَالَ مَا جَاءَ بِكَ؟ فَقُلْتُ جِئْتُ أُبَشِّرُكَ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ سَبَقَكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قُلْتُ إِنْ يَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّهُ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ مَا اسْتَبَقْنَا إِلَى خَيْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ  

"عن قيس بن مروان أنه أتى عمرَ فقال: جئتُ يا أميرَ المؤمنين من الكُوفةِ وتركت بها رَجلًا يُمْلى المَصَاحِف عَنْ ظهرِ قلبهِ، فَغَضِب وانتفخَ حتى كادَ يملأُ مَا بَيْنَ شُعْبَتَى الرَّحْل، فقال: مَنْ هُو وَيْحَكَ؟ ! قال عبدُ الله بن مسعودٍ، فما يزالُ يُطْفَأُ وَيُسَرِّي عنه الغضبُ حتى عادَ إلى حالهِ التي كانَ عَلَيْها، ثم قال: وَيْحَكَ! وَالله مَا أعْلَمُه بَقى من الناسِ أحدٌ هو أحقُّ بِذلِك مِنْه، وَسَأُحَدِّثُك عن ذَلِكَ: كان رسول الله ﷺ لَا يَزَال يَسْمُرُ عند أبي بكرٍ الليلةَ كذاك في الأمرِ من أمر المسلمين وَإِنَّه سمَر عِنْدَهُ ذات ليلةٍ وأنا مَعَه، فَخَرجَ رسولُ الله ﷺ وخرجنا مَعَه، فَإِذَا رجلٌ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِي في المسجد، فقامَ رسولُ الله ﷺ يسْتَمِعُ قراءته، فلما كدنا أن نعرفه قال رسول الله ﷺ : "من سرَّه أن يقرأ القرآن رطبا كما أُنزل فليقرأه على قراءة ابن أم عبد" ثم جلسَ الرجلُ يدعو، فجعل رسول

الله ﷺ يقول: "سل تُعْطه" قلتُ: والله لأغدونَّ إليه فلأبشرنه، فغدوت إليه لأبشره، فوجدتُ أبا بكر قد سبقني إليه فبشَّرَه، والله ما سابقته إلى خيرٍ قط إلَا سَبَقَنِي إِليه".