I have come from Koofah, O Ameer al-­Mu'mineen, and I left behind in it a man who dictates the Mushaf From memory. ‘Umar got exceedingly angry and said: Who is he, woe to you? He said: 'Abdullah bin Mas'ood. ‘Umar began to calm down, and went back to normal, then he said: Woe to you, I do not know of anyone who is more qualified to do that than him, and I will tell you about that. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to stay up at night talking with Abu Bakr ؓ discussing some affairs of the Muslims. He stayed up talking with him one night, and I was with him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out, and we went out with him, and we saw a man standing and praying in the mosque. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ listened to his recitation, and as soon as we recognised him the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿWhoever would like to recite the Qur'an fresh as it was revealed, let him recite it according to the recitation of Ibn Umm 'Abd.ʿ Then the same man sat and offered supplication (du'a') and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started saying to him: ʿAsk, you will be given;ask, you will be given.” ‘Umar said: By Allah, I shall go to him tomorrow and tell hirm the glad tidings. I went to him the next morning to tell him the glad tidings, and I found that Abu Bakr had beaten me to it and given him the glad tidings. By Allah, I never competed with him to do good but he beat me to it.

عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ قَالَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى عُمَرَ وَهُوَ بِعَرَفَةَ قَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَحَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُعَنْ خَيْثَمَةَ عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ أَنَّهُ أَتَى عُمَرَ فَقَالَ جِئْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ وَتَرَكْتُ بِهَا رَجُلًا يُمْلِي الْمَصَاحِفَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ قَلْبِهِ فَغَضِبَ وَانْتَفَخَ حَتَّى كَادَ يَمْلَأُ مَا بَيْنَ شُعْبَتَيِ الرَّحْلِ فَقَالَ وَمَنْ هُوَ وَيْحَكَ؟ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَمَا زَالَ يُطْفَأُ وَيُسَرَّى عَنْهُ الْغَضَبُ حَتَّى عَادَ إِلَى حَالِهِ الَّتِي كَانَ عَلَيْهَاثُمَّ قَالَ وَيْحَكَ وَاللهِ مَا أَعْلَمُهُ بَقِيَ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا يَزَالُ يَسْمُرُ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ اللَّيْلَةَ كَذَاكَ فِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِنَّهُ سَمَرَ عِنْدَهُ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَخَرَجْنَا مَعَهُ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَسْتَمِعُ قِرَاءَتَهُ فَلَمَّا كِدْنَا أَنْ نَعْرِفَهُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ رَطْبًا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ قَالَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ الرَّجُلُ يَدْعُو فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَهُ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ قَالَ عُمَرُ قُلْتُ وَاللهِ لَأَغْدُوَنَّ إِلَيْهِ فَلَأُبَشِّرَنَّهُ قَالَ فَغَدَوْتُ إِلَيْهِ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ فَوَجَدْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَدْ سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ فَبَشَّرَهُ وَلا وَاللهِ مَا سَابَقْتُهُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ

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

[AI] 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

I have come from Koofah, O Ameer al-­Mu'mineen, and I left behind in it a man who dictates the Mushaf From memory. ‘Umar got exceedingly angry and said: Who is he, woe to you? He said: 'Abdullah bin Mas'ood. ‘Umar began to calm down, and went back to normal, then he said: Woe to you, I do not know of anyone who is more qualified to do that than him, and I will tell you about that. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to stay up at night talking with Abu Bakr ؓ discussing some affairs of the Muslims. He stayed up talking with him one night, and I was with him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out, and we went out with him, and we saw a man standing and praying in the mosque. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ listened to his recitation, and as soon as we recognised him the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿWhoever would like to recite the Qur'an fresh as it was revealed, let him recite it according to the recitation of Ibn Umm 'Abd.ʿ Then the same man sat and offered supplication (du'a') and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started saying to him: ʿAsk, you will be given;ask, you will be given.” ‘Umar said: By Allah, I shall go to him tomorrow and tell hirm the glad tidings. I went to him the next morning to tell him the glad tidings, and I found that Abu Bakr had beaten me to it and given him the glad tidings. By Allah, I never competed with him to do good but he beat me to it. (Using translation from Aḥmad 175)

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى عُمَرَ وَهُوَ بِعَرَفَةَ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ جِئْتُ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ وَتَرَكْتُ بِهَا مَنْ يُمْلِي الْمَصَاحِفَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ قَلْبِهِ قَالَ فَغَضِبَ عُمَرُ وَانْتَفَخَ حَتَّى كَادَ يَمْلَأُ مَا بَيْنَ شُعْبَتَيِ الرَّجُلِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَيْحَكَ مَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَمَا زَالَ يُطْفِئُ وَيُسَرِّي الْغَضَبَ حَتَّى عَادَ إِلَى حَالِهِ الَّتِي كَانَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ وَيْحَكَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْلَمُهُ بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُ سَأُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَا يَزَالُ يَسْمُرُ فِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَأَنَّهُ سَمَرَ عِنْدَهُ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَخَرَجْنَا نَمْشِي مَعَهُ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَسْتَمِعُ قِرَاءَتَهُ فَلَمَّا أَعْيَانَا أَنْ نَعْرِفَ مَنِ الرَّجُلُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ عَلَى ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ» ثُمَّ جَلَسَ الرَّجُلُ يَدْعُو فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَهُ «سَلْ تُعْطَهْ» فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَقُلْتُ «وَاللَّهِ لَأَغْدُوَنَّ إِلَيْهِ فَلَأُبَشِّرَنَّهُ» قَالَ «فَغَدَوْتُ إِلَيْهِ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ فَوَجَدْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَدْ سَبَقَنِي فَبَشَّرَهُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا سَابَقْتُهُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ» على شرط البخاري ومسلم

[AI] 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

[AI] "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

[AI] The Prophet ﷺ passed by with Abu Bakr and Umar, and they passed by Abdullah while he was praying. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O son of the mother of Abdul! Ask, and you shall be given." Umar said, "I hastened with Abu Bakr, but we could not hasten to any good except that he preceded me in it and gave him glad tidings." Abdullah said, "I do not know of any supplication that I hardly leave in my prayers except, 'O Allah, I ask You for eternal bliss that does not end, the coolness of the eye that does not wane, and the companionship of Muhammad ﷺ in the highest level of Paradise.'"

مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ فَمَرُّوا عَلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «يَا ابْنَ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ» قَالَ عُمَرُ ؓ «فَاسْتَبَقْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فَمَا اسْتَبَقْنَا إِلَى خَيْرٍ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ فَبَشَّرَهُ» قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ لَا أَدْرِي إِلَّا أَنَّ مِنْ دُعَائِي الَّذِي لَا أَكَادُ أَنْ أَدَعَهُ فِي صَلَاتِي اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَقُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَبِيدُ وَمُرَافَقَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فِي أَعْلَى جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ

[AI] 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»

[AI] A man came to Umar and said, "Indeed, I came to you from a man who recites the Quran by heart." Umar became frightened and said, "Woe to you, see what you are saying!" He became angry and said, "I did not come to you except with the truth." Umar asked, "Who is that man?" He replied, "Abdullah ibn Masud." Umar said, "I don't know anyone more deserving of that than him. I will tell you about Abdullah. One night, we stayed in a house near Abu Bakr, during a need of the Prophet ﷺ. Then we went out and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked between me and Abu Bakr. When I reached the mosque, I saw a man reciting, so the Prophet ﷺ stood and listened to him. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, have you approved me?' He gestured to me with his hand to be quiet. Then he recited, performed the bow, prostrated, and sat making supplications and seeking forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Ask, and you shall be given.' Then he said, 'Whoever wishes to recite the Quran moist as it was revealed, let him recite the recitation of Ibn Um Abd.' My companion and I realized that it was Abdullah. So, when morning came, I went to him to give him the good news. He said, 'Abu Bakr beat you to it, and I have not preceded anyone to any goodness except that he has preceded me to it.'"

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى عُمَرَ ؓ فَقَالَ إِنِّي جِئْتُكَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَجُلٍ يُمْلِي الْمَصَاحِفَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ قَلْبٍ قَالَ فَفَزِعَ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكَ انْظُرْ مَا تَقُولُ وَغَضِبَ فَقَالَ مَا جِئْتُكَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ قَالَ مَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ مَا أَعْلَمْ أَحَدًا أَحَقٌّ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ إِنَّا سَمَرْنَا لَيْلَةً فِي بَيْتٍ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ؓ فِي بَعْضِ مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ حَاجَةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ خَرَجْنَا وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَمْشِي بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ إِذَا رَجُلٌ يَقْرَأُ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَعْتَمْتَ فَغَمَزَنِي بِيَدِهِ اسْكُتْ قَالَ فَقَرَأَ وَرَكَعَ وَسَجَدَ وَجَلَسَ يَدْعُو وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «سَلْ تُعْطَهْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ رَطْبًا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْ قِرَاءَةَ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ» فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ غَدَوْتُ إِلَيْهِ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ فَقَالَ سَبَقَكَ بِهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَمَا سَابَقْتُهُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ

[AI] "O Commander of the faithful, I have left in Iraq a man who recites the Qur'an from the depths of his heart, which angered Umar until his face turned red. Umar said to him, "I know what you are saying repeatedly." The man replied, "I only inform you of the truth." Umar asked, "Who is he?" The man said, "He is the son of Umm Abd." Umar calmed down until his anger subsided, then he said, "No one on the face of the earth is more deserving of that than him." Umar continued, "Let me tell you about this: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed overnight at the house of Abu Bakr due to some need, until he was very late. When he returned between me and Abu Bakr, I reached the mosque and saw a man from the migrants praying. He stood listening to his recitation, and I and my companion did not know who he was. When he stood for an hour, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, there is a man from the migrants praying, if only you had come back while I was still bald.' He winked at me and the Prophet ﷺ began to listen to his recitation. Then he performed the bowing, and prostrated, then sat and supplicated. The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Ask, and you will be given.' I and my companion did not know who he was, until we heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever desires to recite the Qur'an as it was revealed, then let him recite it as Ibn Umm Abd recites.' He said, 'That is when I and my companion knew who he was.' He said, 'So I went to Abdullah, I wanted to give him the good news, and he said, 'Abu Bakr has already beaten you, and by the name of Allah, I have not preceded Abu Bakr to anything good except that he has preceded me.'"

يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ تَرَكْتُ بِالْعِرَاقِ رَجُلًا يُمْلِي الْمَصَاحِفَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ قَلْبٍ فَغَضِبَ عُمَرُ ؓ حَتَّى احْمَرَّ وَجْهُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ اعْلَمْ مَا تَقُولُهُ مِرَارًا فَقَالَ مَا أُنَبِّئُكَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ؓ مَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ قَالَ فَسَكَنَ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الْغَضَبُ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا أَصْبَحَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ أَحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ سَمَرَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ؓ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ لِبَعْضِ حَاجَةٍ حَتَّى أَعْتَمَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ إِذَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ يُصَلِّي فَقَامَ يَسْتَمِعُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ مَا أَدْرِي أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي مَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالَ فَلَمَّا قَامَ سَاعَةً قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ يُصَلِّي لَوْ رَجَعْتَ وَقَدْ أَعْتَمْتَ قَالَ فَغَمَزَنِي وَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَسْتَمِعُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ قَالَ فَرَكَعَ وَسَجَدَ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ يَدْعُو فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ «سَلْ تُعْطَهْ سَلْ تُعْطَهْ» وَلَا أَدْرِي أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي مَنْ هُوَ حَتَّى سَمِعْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْ كَمَا يَقْرَأُ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ» قَالَ «فَذَلِكَ حِينَ عَلِمْتُ أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي مَنْ هُوَ» قَالَ «فَغَدَوْتُ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ لِأُبَشِّرَهُ فَقَالَ قَدْ سَبَقَكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَايْمُ اللهِ مَا سَابَقْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِلَى خَيْرٍ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي»

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".

"عن كمَيْل (*) قال: قال عُمَرُ بنُ الخطابِ: كُنْتُ معَ رسولِ اللَّه ﷺ وَمَعَه أبو بَكْرٍ وَمَن شَاء اللَّه، فَمَرَرْنَا بعبدِ اللَّه بنِ مسعودٍ وهو يُصَلّى؛ فقالَ رسُول اللَّه ﷺ مَنْ هَذَا الَّذِى يَقْرَأُ؟ فقيل لَهُ: هَذَا عبدُ اللَّه بنُ أُمِّ عبْدٍ، فَقَال: إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّه يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ غَضّا كما أُنزِلَ؛ فَأَثْنَى عبدُ اللَّهِ عَلَى ربِّهِ وَحَمدَه كَأَحَسْن مَا أَثْنَى عَبد عَلَى ربِّه، ثمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَأَخَفَى الَمسْأَلَةَ وسَأَلَه كَأَحْسَنِ مَسْأَلَةِ عبْد ربَّه، ثمَّ قَالَ: اللهُمَّ إِنِّى أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا لَا يَرْتَدُّ، ويقينا لا ينْفَدُ، ومرافَقَةَ محمَّدٍ ﷺ في أَعْلَى عليِّينَ فِى جَنَّاتكَ جَناتِ الخُلْدِ، وكان رَسُولُ اللَّه ﷺ يَقولُ: سَلْ تُعْطَهُ، سَلْ تُعْطَهُ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ لأُبَشِّرَه؛ فَوَجدْتُ أَبا بكرٍ سبقنى -وكَانَ سَبَّاقا بالخيرِ".