The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was by a pond belonging to Banu Ghifar when Jibril, peace be upon him, came to him and said: "Allah commands you to teach your Ummah the Quran with one way of recitation." He said: "I ask my Lord for protection and forgiveness, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then he came to him a second time and said: "Allah commands you to teach your Ummah the Quran with two ways of recitation." He said: ""I ask my Lord for protection and forgiveness, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then he came to him a third time and said: "Allah commands you to teach your Ummah the Quran with three ways of recitation." He said: "I ask my Lord for protection and forgiveness, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then he came to him a fourth time and said: "Allah commands you to teach your Ummah the Quran with seven ways of recitation, and whichever the way they recite it will be correct."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَضَاةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثَلاَثَةِ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَأَيُّمَا حَرْفٍ قَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ خُولِفَ فِيهِ الْحَكَمُ خَالَفَهُ مَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْمُعْتَمِرِ رَوَاهُ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ مُرْسَلاً  

The Prophet ﷺ was present at the pool of Banu Ghifar, Gabriel came to him and said: "Allah has commanded you to make your community read (the Qur'an) in one harf. He (the Prophet) said: 'I beg Allah His pardon and forgiveness; my community has not strength to do so'. He then came for the second time and told him the same thing till he reached up to seven harfs. Finally, he said: 'Allah has commanded you to make your community read (the Qur'an) in seven harfs; in whichever mode they read, that will be correct.  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَضَاةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ إِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ ثَانِيَةً فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ هَذَا حَتَّى بَلَغَ سَبْعَةَ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَأَيُّمَا حَرْفٍ قَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا  

Allah has commanded you to recite to your people the Qur'an in one dialect. Upon this he said: I ask from Allah pardon and forgiveness. My people are not capable of doing it. He then came for the second time and said: Allah has commanded you that you should recite the Qur'an to your people in two dialects. Upon this he (the Holy prophet) again said: I seek pardon and forgiveness from Allah, my people would not be able to do so. He (Gabriel) came for the third time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in three dialects. Upon this he said: I ask pardon and forgiveness from Allah. My people would not be able to do it. He then came to him for the fourth time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in seven dialects, and in whichever dialect they would recite, they would be right. (Using translation from Muslim 821a)  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَضَاَةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ قَالَ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُوَمَغْفِرَتَهُ إِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثلاثة أَحْرُفٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ فَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهُ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآَنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَأَيُّمَا حَرْفٍ قَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا  

[Machine] That Gabriel ﷺ came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was with the Abbasids and said, "O Muhammad, indeed Allah commands you to recite this Quran to your Ummah on one letter." So the Prophet ﷺ said, "I ask Allah for His forgiveness and mercy, or His assistance and mercy. Ask Him for them to be relieved, as they will not be able to bear that." Then Gabriel left and came back again, saying, "Indeed, Allah commands you to recite this Quran to your Ummah on two letters." The Prophet ﷺ responded with the same answer. Then Gabriel left and returned once more, saying, "Indeed, Allah commands you to recite this Quran to your Ummah on three letters." And the Prophet ﷺ gave the same response. Then Gabriel left and returned again, saying, "Indeed, Allah commands you to recite this Quran to your Ummah on seven letters. Whoever recites a letter from it, they will receive the reward of reciting it."  

أَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَهُوَ بِأَضَاةِ بَنِي غِفَارَ فَقَالَ «يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ وَاحِدٍ فَقَالَ ﷺ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ أَوْ مَعُونَتَهُ وَمُعَافَاتَهُ سَلْ لَهُمُ التَّخْفِيفَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُطِيقُوا ذَلِكَ فَانْطَلَقَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ أَوْ مَعُونَتَهُ وَمُعَافَاتَهُ سَلْ لَهُمُ التَّخْفِيفَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُطِيقُوا ذَلِكَ فَانْطَلَقَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ أَوْ مَعُونَتَهُ وَمُعَافَاتَهُ سَلْ لَهُمُ التَّخْفِيفَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُطِيقُوا ذَاكَ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنَّ تَقْرَأَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَمَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْهَا فَهُوَ كَمَا قَرَأَ»  

Allah has commanded you to recite to your people the Qur'an in one dialect. Upon this he said: I ask from Allah pardon and forgiveness. My people are not capable of doing it. He then came for the second time and said: Allah has commanded you that you should recite the Qur'an to your people in two dialects. Upon this he (the Holy prophet) again said: I seek pardon and forgiveness from Allah, my people would not be able to do so. He (Gabriel) came for the third time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in three dialects. Upon this he said: I ask pardon and forgiveness from Allah. My people would not be able to do it. He then came to him for the fourth time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in seven dialects, and in whichever dialect they would recite, they would be right. (Using translation from Muslim 821a)  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَضَاةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ قَالَ «أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ» ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ قَالَ «أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ» ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ «أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ فَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ» ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ «اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَأَيُّمَا حَرْفٍ قَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا» قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مَنْصُورٌ خَالَفَ الْحَكَمَ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ رَوَاهُ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ مُرْسَلًا  

Allah has commanded you to recite to your people the Qur'an in one dialect. Upon this he said: I ask from Allah pardon and forgiveness. My people are not capable of doing it. He then came for the second time and said: Allah has commanded you that you should recite the Qur'an to your people in two dialects. Upon this he (the Holy prophet) again said: I seek pardon and forgiveness from Allah, my people would not be able to do so. He (Gabriel) came for the third time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in three dialects. Upon this he said: I ask pardon and forgiveness from Allah. My people would not be able to do it. He then came to him for the fourth time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in seven dialects, and in whichever dialect they would recite, they would be right. (Using translation from Muslim 821a)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ وَهُوَ عِنْدَ أَضَاةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْتَ وَأُمَّتَكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ إِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْتَ وَأُمَّتَكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ هَذَا ثُمَّ عَادَ فَقَالَ اللهُ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْتَ وَأُمَّتَكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ إِنَّ أُمَّتِي لَا تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْتَ وَأُمَّتَكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ أِيُّ حَرْفٍ قَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا  

Allah has commanded you to recite to your people the Qur'an in one dialect. Upon this he said: I ask from Allah pardon and forgiveness. My people are not capable of doing it. He then came for the second time and said: Allah has commanded you that you should recite the Qur'an to your people in two dialects. Upon this he (the Holy prophet) again said: I seek pardon and forgiveness from Allah, my people would not be able to do so. He (Gabriel) came for the third time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in three dialects. Upon this he said: I ask pardon and forgiveness from Allah. My people would not be able to do it. He then came to him for the fourth time and said: Allah has commanded you to recite the Qur'an to your people in seven dialects, and in whichever dialect they would recite, they would be right. (Using translation from Muslim 821a)   

"أتانى جبريلُ فقال: إن الله يأمُرُكَ أن تُقْرِئ أُمّتك القُرآن على حرفٍ، فقلت: أسألُ الله معافاته ومَغْفِرته، فإنَّ أمتى لا تُطيق ذلك، ثم أتانى الثانيةَ فقال إِنَّ الله يَأمُرُكَ أنْ تُقْرأَ أُمَّتَكَ القُرآنَ عَلَي حَرْفَيْنِ، أَسْألُ الله مُعَافَاته وَمَغْفِرتِه وإِنّ أُمَّتىِ لا تُطَيقُ ذَلِكَ ثم جَاءَنِى الثَّالثَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله يأمُرُكَ انْ تُقْرِأَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرآنَ عَلَىَ ثَلاَثةِ أَحرَفٍ، فقلت: أسألُ الله معافاته ومغفرته، وإنّ أمتى لا تطيق ذلك، ثم جاءنى الرابعة فقال: إن الله يأمرك أن تقرئ أمتك القرآن على سبعة أحرف، فأيُّما حرفٍ قرءوا عليه فقد أصابوا".  

"أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَضَاةِ بَنِى غِفَارٍ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ: الله يَأمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَقَالَ: أَسْأَلُ الله مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ، وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِى لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الله يَأمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أمَّتُكَ الْقُرآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: أَسْأَلُ الله مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ، وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِى لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الله يَأمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثَلاَثَةِ أَحْرَفٍ، فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ الله مُعافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِى لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقالَ: إِنَّ الله يَأمْرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَأيُّمَا حَرْفٍ قَرَأُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا".