We were sitting with Ibn Masud when Khabbab came and said, "O Abu ʿAbdur-Rahman! Can these young fellows recite Qur'an as you do?" Ibn Masʿud said, "If you wish I can order one of them to recite (Qur'an) for you ." Khabbab replied, "Yes. "Ibn Masʿud said, "Recite, O 'Alqama!" On that, Zaid bin Hudair, the brother of Ziyad bin Hudair said, (to Ibn Masʿud), "Why have you ordered 'Alqama to recite though he does not recite better than we?" Ibn Masʿud said, "If you like, I would tell you what the Prophet ﷺ said about your nation and his (i.e. 'Alqama's) nation." So I recited fifty Verses from Sura-Maryam. ʿAbdullah (bin Masʿud) said to Khabbab, "What do you think (about 'Alqama's recitation)?" Khabbab said, "He has recited well." ʿAbdullah said, "Whatever I recite, 'Alqama recites." Then ʿAbdullah turned towards Khabbab and saw that he was wearing a gold ring, whereupon he said, "Hasn't the time for its throwing away come yet?" Khabbab said, "You will not see me wearing it after today," and he throw it away.

يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَيَسْتَطِيعُ هَؤُلاَءِ الشَّبَابُ أَنْ يَقْرَءُوا كَمَا تَقْرَأُ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَمَرْتُ بَعْضَهُمْ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ قَالَ أَجَلْ قَالَ اقْرَأْ يَا عَلْقَمَةُ فَقَالَ زَيْدُ بْنُ حُدَيْرٍ أَخُو زِيَادِ بْنِ حُدَيْرٍ أَتَأْمُرُ عَلْقَمَةَ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ وَلَيْسَ بِأَقْرَئِنَا قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّكَ إِنْ شِئْتَ أَخْبَرْتُكَ بِمَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي قَوْمِكَ وَقَوْمِهِ فَقَرَأْتُ خَمْسِينَ آيَةً مِنْ سُورَةِ مَرْيَمَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَرَى قَالَ قَدْ أَحْسَنَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ مَا أَقْرَأُ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يَقْرَؤُهُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى خَبَّابٍ وَعَلَيْهِ خَاتَمٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَقَالَ أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِهَذَا الْخَاتَمِ أَنْ يُلْقَى قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَرَاهُ عَلَىَّ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ فَأَلْقَاهُ رَوَاهُ غُنْدَرٌ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ

[Machine] O Abu Abdur-Rahman, do all these people recite as you recite? He said: If you wish, I can order some of them, so he recited upon you. He said: Yes, and he said to me: Recite. Ibn Hudair said: You order him to recite, and he is not the best of us in recitation. He said: By Allah, if you wish, I will inform you what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to your people and his people. He said: So I recited fifty verses from Maryam, and Habab said: You did well. Abdullah said: I do not recite anything but he recites it, then Abdullah said to Habab: Is it not time for this ring to be thrown away? He said: Surely, you will not see it on me after today, and the ring is gold.

يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كُلُّ هَؤُلَاءِ يَقْرَأُ كَمَا تَقْرَأُ؟ فَقَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ أَمَرْتَ بَعْضَهُمْ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْكَ قَالَ أَجَلْ فَقَالَ لِي اقْرَأْ فَقَالَ ابْنُ حُدَيْرٍ تَأْمُرُهُ يَقْرَأُ وَلَيْسَ بِأَقْرَئِنَا فَقَالَ أَمَا وَاللهِ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَأَخْبَرْتُكَ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لِقَوْمِكَ وَقَوْمِهِ قَالَ فَقَرَأْتُ خَمْسِينَ آيَةً مِنْ مَرْيَمَ فَقَالَ خَبَّابٌ أَحْسَنْتَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ مَا أَقْرَأُ شَيْئًا إِلَّا هُوَ يقَرَؤهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ لِخَبَّابٍ أَمَا آنَ لِهَذَا الْخَاتَمِ أَنْ يُلْقَى قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَا تَرَاهُ عَلَيَّ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ وَالْخَاتَمُ ذَهَبٌ