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  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the mosque while Abu Bakr and Umar were with him. They saw Ibn Mas'ud praying and reciting the Quran in a low voice. He continued until he reached one hundred verses. Then, Ibn Mas'ud started making supplications while still standing in prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Ask, and you shall be granted. Ask, and you shall be granted." Then he said, "Whoever wants to recite the Quran as it was revealed should recite it in the manner of Ibn Umm Abd." The next morning, Abu Bakr went to him to give him the good news and asked, "What did you ask Allah for last night?" Ibn Mas'ud replied, "I asked Allah for unwavering faith that never falters, endless blessings, and to be in the company of Muhammad in the highest level of Paradise." Then Umar came and was told that Abu Bakr had preceded him. Umar said, "May Allah have mercy on Abu Bakr. I have never preceded him to any good except this time."  

دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَسْجِدَ وَهُوَ بَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَإِذَا ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ يُصَلِّي وَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ النِّسَاءَ فَانْتَهَى إِلَى رَأْسِ الْمِائَةِ فَجَعَلَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ يَدْعُو وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ اسْأَلْ تُعْطَهْ اسْأَلْ تُعْطَهْ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ غَضًّا كَمَا أُنْزِلَ فَلْيَقْرَأْهُ بِقِرَاءَةِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَا إِلَيْهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِيُبَشِّرَهُ وَقَالَ لَهُ مَا سَأَلْتَ اللهَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ إِيمَانًا لَا يَرْتَدُّ وَنَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَمُرَافَقَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي أَعْلَى جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَاللهُ عَنْهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَدْ سَبَقَكَ قَالَ يَرْحَمُ اللهُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ مَا سَبَقْتُهُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهِ  

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  

[Machine] 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  

[Machine] "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»