[Machine] I was sitting in the mosque when a man entered and read a recitation that I disliked. Then another man entered and read a recitation different from his companion's. After they left, we entered upon the Messenger of Allah and I said, "O Messenger of Allah, this man read a recitation that I disliked and then he read a recitation different from his companion's." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the man, "Read." So he recited. Then he said to the other man, "Read." So he recited. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You have done well or you have succeeded." When I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approving of both of them, I became satisfied in my heart and wished that I had remained ignorant (of my opinion). He said: "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw what had happened to me, he struck me lightly on my chest with his hand until I saw Allah as a light, then he said, 'O Ubayy bin Ka'b, indeed my Lord has commanded me to recite the Quran in a specific manner.' I replied, 'O Lord, make it easy for my Ummah.' So he made it easy for me once. I said, 'O Lord, make it easy for my Ummah.' So he made it easy for me once again. I said, 'O Lord, make it easy for my Ummah.' So he made it easy for me three times. Each time, I requested something and he granted it. I said, 'O Allah, forgive my Ummah, O Allah, forgive my Ummah.' And I delayed the third request until the Day of Resurrection, when the creation will be eagerly seeking something from me, even Ibrahim ﷺ .
كُنْتُ جَالِسًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَا دَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذَا قِرَاءَةً سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لِلرَّجُلِ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْآخَرِ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ فَقَالَ أَحْسَنْتُمَا أَوْ أَصَبْتُمَا فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ حَسَّنَ شَأْنَهُمَا سَقَطَ فِي نَفْسِي وَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي كُنْتُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا رَأَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَا غَشِيَنِي ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ فِي صَدْرِي فَفِضْتُ عَرَقًا وَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى اللهِ فَرَقًا ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أُبَيُّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ إِنَّ رَبِّي أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ قَالَ فَرَدَدْتُ عَلَيْهِ يَا رَبِّ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ الثَّانِيَةَ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَبِّ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ الثَّالِثَةَ أَنِ اقْرَأْ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ وَلَكَ بِكُلِّ رَدَّةٍ رُدِدْتَهَا مَسْأَلَةٌ تَسْأَلَنِيهَا فَقُلْتُ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي وَأَخَّرْتُ الثَّالِثَةَ إِلَى يَوْمٍ يَرْغَبُ إِلَيَّ فِيهِ الْخَلْقُ حَتَّى إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ