I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to that of mine. Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught it to me (in a different way). So, I was about to quarrel with him (during the prayer) but I waited till he finished, then I tied his garment round his neck and seized him by it and brought him to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "I have heard him reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me." The Prophet ﷺ ordered me to release him and asked Hisham to recite it. When he recited it, Allah s Apostle said, "It was revealed in this way." He then asked me to recite it. When I recited it, he said, "It was revealed in this way. The Qur'an has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easier for you."  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا وَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْجَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ لِي أَرْسِلْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ قَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مِنْهُ مَا تَيَسَّرَ  

I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited in several different ways which Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. I was about to jump over him during his prayer, but I controlled my temper, and when he had completed his prayer, I put his upper garment around his neck and seized him by it and said, "Who taught you this Sura which I heard you reciting?" He replied, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me." I said, "You have told a lie, for Messenger of Allah ﷺ has taught it to me in a different way from yours." So I dragged him to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said (to Messenger of Allah ﷺ), "I heard this person reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way which you haven't taught me!" On that Allah's Apostle said, "Release him, (O ʿUmar!) Recite, O Hisham!" Then he recited in the same way as I heard him reciting. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It was revealed in this way," and added, "Recite, O ʿUmar!" I recited it as he had taught me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "It was revealed in this way. This Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever (way) is easier for you (or read as much of it as may be easy for you).  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَتَصَبَّرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَأُ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا قَرَأْتَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ بِسُورَةِ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَذَلِكَ أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَذَلِكَ أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ  

I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several ways which Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. So I was on the point of attacking him in the prayer, but I waited till he finished his prayer, and then I seized him by the collar and said, "Who taught you this Surah which I have heard you reciting?" He replied, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me." I said, "You are telling a lie; By Allah! Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me (in a different way) this very Surah which I have heard you reciting." So I took him, leading him to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I heard this person reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me, and you have taught me Surat-al-Furqan." The Prophet said, "O Hisham, recite!" So he recited in the same way as I heard him recite it before. On that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Recite, O ʿUmar!" So I recited it as he had taught me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Allah" Apostle added, "The Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in several different ways, so recite of it that which is easier for you."  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَانْتَظَرْتُهُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَبَبْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَأُ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَهُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقُودُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَإِنَّكَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَالَ يَا هِشَامُ اقْرَأْهَا فَقَرَأَهَا الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُهَا الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ  

I heard Hisham bin Al-Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several different ways which Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. So I was about to jump over him during his Salat (prayer) but I waited till he finished his Salat (prayer) whereupon I put, either his upper garment or my upper garment around his neck and seized him by it and asked him, "Who has taught you this Surah?" He replied: "Messenger of Allah ﷺ has taught it to me." I said (to him), "You have told a lie! By Allah, Messenger of Allah ﷺ has taught me this Surah which I have heard you reciting." So I dragged him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: "O Messenger of Allah I have heard this man reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way in which you have not taught me, and you did teach me Surah Al-Furqan." On that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O 'Umar, release him! Recite, O Hisham". So Hisham recited before him in the way as I heard him reciting. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It has been revealed like this." Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Recite, O 'Umar" So recited it. The Prophet ﷺ said, "It has been revealed like this." And then he added, "This Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite it whichever way is easier for you."  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَذَلِكَ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَانْتَظَرْتُهُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ أَوْ بِرِدَائِي فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ بِسُورَةِ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَؤُهَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ  

I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I listened to his recitation and noticed that he was reciting in a way that Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. I was about to jump over him while He was still in prayer, but I waited patiently and when he finished his prayer, I put my sheet round his neck (and pulled him) and said, "Who has taught you this Sura which I have heard you reciting?" Hisham said, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me." I said, "You are telling a lie, for he taught it to me in a way different from the way you have recited it!" Then I started leading (dragged) him to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said (to the Prophet), " I have heard this man reciting Surat-al- Furqan in a way that you have not taught me." The Prophet ﷺ said: "(O ʿUmar) release him! Recite, O Hisham." Hisham recited in the way I heard him reciting. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It was revealed like this." Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Recite, O ʿUmar!" I recited in the way he had taught me, whereupon he said, "It was revealed like this," and added, "The Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever is easy for you ." (See Hadith No. 514, Vol. 6)  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَتَصَبَّرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَبَبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَأُ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا قَرَأْتَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا فَقَالَ أَرْسِلْهُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَذَلِكَ أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي فَقَالَ كَذَلِكَ أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ  

I heard Hisham b. Hakim b. Hizam reciting Surah al-Furqan in a style different from that in which I used to recite it, and in which Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I was about to dispute with him (on this style) but I delayed till he had finished that (the recitation). Then I caught hold of his cloak and brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a style different from the one in which you taught me to recite. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told (me) to leave him alone and asked him to recite. He then recited in the style in which I beard him recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said: Thus was it sent down. He then told me to recite and I recited it, and he said: Thus was it sent down. The Qur'an was sent down in seven dialects. So recite what seems easy therefrom.  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْجَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِيَ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ  

Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting: Surat Al-Furqan, in a way that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. I said: 'Who taught you this Surah?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' I said: 'You are lying; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not teach you like that. 'I took him by the hand and brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you taught me Surat Al-Furqan, but I heard this man reciting it in a way that you did not teach me.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Recite, O Hisham.' So he recited it as he had recited it (before). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then he said: 'Recite, O Umar.' So I recited it, and he said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The Quran was revealed to be recited in seven different modes.'"  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَرَأَ فِيهَا حُرُوفًا لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا قُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ مَا هَكَذَا أَقْرَأَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ فِيهَا حُرُوفًا لَمْ تَكُنْ أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ كَمَا كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

"I heard Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, say: 'I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat Al-Furqan, in a way that I had not been taught, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me. I was about to interrupt him (in his prayer), but I left him alone until he had finished. Then I grabbed him by his garment and brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: 'Recite.' So he recited it in the way that I had heard him recite. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then he said to me: 'Recite.' So I recited it and he said: 'It was revealed like this. This Quran has been revealed in seven different modes, so recite as much of the Quran as may be easy for you.'"  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْجَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ { فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ }  

They heard Umar bin Al-Khattab say: "I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so I listened to his recitation and he was reciting it in a way that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. I was about to jump on him while he was praying, but I waited patiently until he said the Salam (at the end of the prayer). When he had said the Salam I grabbed him by his garment and said: 'Who taught you this Surah that I heard you reciting?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me it. I said: 'You are lying, by Allah! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is the one who taught me this Surah that I heard you reciting.' I took him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me, but you taught me Surat Al-Furqan.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:' Let him go, O Umar. Recite, O Hisham.' So I recited it to him in the way that I had heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Recite, O Umar.' So I recited it in the way that he had taught me. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'This Quran has been revealed to be recited in seven different modes, so recite as much of the Quran as may be easy for you.'"  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَتَصَبَّرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا فَقَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ هُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَؤُهَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ { فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ }  

I heard Hisham b. Hakim (b. Hizam) reciting Surah al-Furqan in a different manner from my way of reciting, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had finished. Then I caught his cloak at the neck, and I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which you taught me to recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ the told him to recite it. He then recited in the manner I heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Thus was it sent down. He then said to me: Recite, I recited (it). He then said: Thus was it sent down. He said: The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what comes most easily.  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْجَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ  

"I passed by Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam while he was reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several different ways, which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. I was about to jump over him during his Salat, but waited until he said the Salam. When he had said the Salam, I strangled him with his upper-garment and said: 'Who taught you this Surah which I heard you reciting?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me.' I said to him: 'You lie! By Allah! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me this Surah which you were reciting.' I dragged him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! I heard this one reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a manner different from how you taught me, and you taught me Surat Al-Furqan.' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Release him O 'Umar! Recite O Hisham.' So he recited it for him as I had heard him reciting. Then the Prophet ﷺ said to me: 'This is how it was revealed.' Then the Prophet ﷺ said to me, 'Recite O 'Umar.' So I recited the recitation which the Prophet ﷺ taught me. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'This is how it was revealed.' Then the Prophet ﷺ said 'Indeed this Qur'an was revealed in seven modes, so recite of it what is easier for you.'"  

مَرَرْتُ بِهِشَامِ بْنِ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ قِرَاءَتَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَنَظَرْتُهُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا فَقَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَهُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي تَقْرَؤُهَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ بِالْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَقَدْ رَوَى مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ الْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ  

I heard Hisham bin Hakeem reciting Sooratul-Furqan in prayer in a manner other than I recited it, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught it to me. I caught him by his garment and brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I heard this man reciting Sooratul Furqan in a manner other than you taught it to me. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿRecite it.” He recited it in the manner in which I had heard him recite, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿThus it was revealed.” Then he said to me: ʿRecite it.” So I recited it and he said: “Thus it was revealed. This Qurʿan has been revealed in seven modes of recitation, so recite whatever is easy for you.ʿ It was narrated that al Miswar bin Makhramah and ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Abdul-Qari heard ‘Umar say: I passed by Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam when he was reciting Sooratul Furqan... and he mentioned a similar hadeeth.  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي الصَّلاةِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَأَخَذْتُ بِثَوْبِهِ فَذَهَبْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْهُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي اقْرَأْ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ  

I passed by Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam when he was reciting Sooratal-Furqan during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I listened to his recitation and he was reciting in a manner different from the way in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I was about to interrupt him whilst he was praying, but I waited until he finished his prayer, and then I tied his garment around his neck. I said to him: Who taught you this soorah that you are reciting? He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me. I said to him: You are lying by Allah! He taught me this soorah that you recited. I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ʿO Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I heard this man reciting Sooratal-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me, and you taught me Sooratal-Furqan, The Prophet ﷺ said: Let him go, O ʿUmar: Recite it, O Hisham. So he recited it to him as I had heard him recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ʿThus it was revealed.ʿ Then he said to me, ʿRecite it,” so I recited it and he said, “Thus it was revealed.ʿ Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is said: ʿThis Qurʿan has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easiest for you.” It was narrated from al Miswar bin Makhramah and ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Abdul-Qari that they heard Umar bin al Khattab say: I passed by Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam when he was reciting Sooratal-Furqan during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I listened to his recitation and he was reciting in a way different from the way in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I was about to interrupt him whilst he was praying, but I waited until he said the tasleem, and when he had said the tasleem,... and he narrated a similar report.  

مَرَرْتُ بِهِشَامِ بْنِ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ قِرَاءَتَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أُسَاوِرَهُ فِي الصَّلاةِ فَنَظَرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي تَقْرَؤُهَا؟ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللهِ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَهُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي تَقْرَؤُهَا قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ! فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَؤُوا مِنْهُ مَا تَيَسَّرَ  

I heard Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam reciting Sooratal-Furqan and he recited some words differently from how the Prophet of Allah had taught it to me. I wanted to argue with him, but I was praying. When I finished, I said: Who taught you this recitation? He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: You are lying; by Allah, this is not how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to you. I took him by the hand and brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ , you taught me how to recite Soorat al Furqaan, and I heard this man reciting some words in a way that was not the way you taught them to me. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿRecite it, O. Hisham.” He recited it as he recited it before. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿThus it was revealed.” Then he said: ʿRecite it, O Umar.” So I recited it and he said: “Thus it was revealed.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The Qur'an has been revealed in seven different ways.ʿ  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَرَأَ فِيهَا حُرُوفًا لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيُّ اللهِ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا قَالَ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُسَاوِرَهُ وأنا فِي الصَّلاةِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ؟ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ وَاللهِ مَا هَكَذَا أَقْرَأَكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ أَقُودُهُ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّكَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ فِيهَا حُرُوفًا لَمْ تَكُنْ أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ كَمَا كَانَ قَرَأَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أنَزَلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

I heard Hisham b. Hakim (b. Hizam) reciting Surah al-Furqan in a different manner from my way of reciting, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had finished. Then I caught his cloak at the neck, and I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which you taught me to recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ the told him to recite it. He then recited in the manner I heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Thus was it sent down. He then said to me: Recite, I recited (it). He then said: Thus was it sent down. He said: The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what comes most easily. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1475)  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ فَقَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْجَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ»  

Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting: Surat Al-Furqan, in a way that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. I said: 'Who taught you this Surah?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' I said: 'You are lying; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not teach you like that. 'I took him by the hand and brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you taught me Surat Al-Furqan, but I heard this man reciting it in a way that you did not teach me.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Recite, O Hisham.' So he recited it as he had recited it (before). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then he said: 'Recite, O Umar.' So I recited it, and he said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The Quran was revealed to be recited in seven different modes.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 936)   

أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَرَأَ فِيهَا حُرُوفًا لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا قُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ؟ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ كَذَبْتُ مَا كَذَلِكَ أَقْرَأَكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّكَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ فِيهَا حُرُوفًا لَمْ تَكُنْ أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ» فَقَرَأَ كَمَا كَانَ قَرَأَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ» فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

I heard Hisham b. Hakim (b. Hizam) reciting Surah al-Furqan in a different manner from my way of reciting, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had finished. Then I caught his cloak at the neck, and I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which you taught me to recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ the told him to recite it. He then recited in the manner I heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Thus was it sent down. He then said to me: Recite, I recited (it). He then said: Thus was it sent down. He said: The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what comes most easily. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1475)  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَعْجَلُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلِ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ»  

I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several ways which Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not taught me. So I was on the point of attacking him in the prayer, but I waited till he finished his prayer, and then I seized him by the collar and said, "Who taught you this Surah which I have heard you reciting?" He replied, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me." I said, "You are telling a lie; By Allah! Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me (in a different way) this very Surah which I have heard you reciting." So I took him, leading him to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I heard this person reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me, and you have taught me Surat-al-Furqan." The Prophet said, "O Hisham, recite!" So he recited in the same way as I heard him recite it before. On that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Recite, O ʿUmar!" So I recited it as he had taught me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Allah" Apostle added, "The Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in several different ways, so recite of it that which is easier for you." (Using translation from Bukhārī 5041)  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَتَصَبَّرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا؟ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَهُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ» فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَؤُهَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ» فَقَرَأْتُ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ»  

I heard Hisham b. Hakim (b. Hizam) reciting Surah al-Furqan in a different manner from my way of reciting, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had finished. Then I caught his cloak at the neck, and I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which you taught me to recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ the told him to recite it. He then recited in the manner I heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Thus was it sent down. He then said to me: Recite, I recited (it). He then said: Thus was it sent down. He said: The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what comes most easily. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1475)  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَعْجَلُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ «إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا» فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ»  

I heard Hisham b. Hakim (b. Hizam) reciting Surah al-Furqan in a different manner from my way of reciting, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had finished. Then I caught his cloak at the neck, and I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which you taught me to recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ the told him to recite it. He then recited in the manner I heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Thus was it sent down. He then said to me: Recite, I recited (it). He then said: Thus was it sent down. He said: The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what comes most easily. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1475)  

سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأُهَا عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَعْجَلُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اقْرَأْ» فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ «هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ»  

I passed by Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam when he was reciting Sooratal-Furqan during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I listened to his recitation and he was reciting in a manner different from the way in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I was about to interrupt him whilst he was praying, but I waited until he finished his prayer, and then I tied his garment around his neck. I said to him: Who taught you this soorah that you are reciting? He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught it to me. I said to him: You are lying by Allah! He taught me this soorah that you recited. I brought him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ʿO Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I heard this man reciting Sooratal-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me, and you taught me Sooratal-Furqan, The Prophet ﷺ said: Let him go, O ʿUmar: Recite it, O Hisham. So he recited it to him as I had heard him recite it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ʿThus it was revealed.ʿ Then he said to me, ʿRecite it,” so I recited it and he said, “Thus it was revealed.ʿ Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is said: ʿThis Qurʿan has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easiest for you.” It was narrated from al Miswar bin Makhramah and ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Abdul-Qari that they heard Umar bin al Khattab say: I passed by Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam when he was reciting Sooratal-Furqan during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I listened to his recitation and he was reciting in a way different from the way in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught me to recite it. I was about to interrupt him whilst he was praying, but I waited until he said the tasleem, and when he had said the tasleem,... and he narrated a similar report. (Using translation from Aḥmad 296)   

مَرَرْتُ بِهِشَامِ بْنِ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَمَعْتُ قِرَاءَتَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أُسَاوِرَهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَانْتَظَرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ لَبَبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي أَسْمَعُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا؟ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ وَاللهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَهُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي تَقْرَؤُهَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ اقْرَأْهَا يَا هِشَامُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَرَأْتُ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزَلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مِنْهُ مَا تَيَسَّرَ  

"سمعت هشام بن حكيم يقرأُ سورة الفُرقان في الصلاة علي غير ما أقرؤُها، وكان رسول الله ﷺ أقرَأَنيهَا، فأخذتُ بثوبهِ فذهبتُ به إلى رسول الله ﷺ فقلتُ؟ يا رسول الله! إني سمعته يقرأُ سورة الفُرقان على غير ما أقرأتَنِيها، فقال: اقرأ؛ فقرأ القراءة التي سمعتُها منه، فقال: هكذَا أُنْزلت، ثم قال لي: اقرأ، فقرأتُ، فقال: هكذا أُنْزلت، إن هذا القرآن نزل على أربعةِ أحرف، فاقرأوا ما تيسر منه".  

I said to Ibn ʿAbbas, "Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses." Ibn ʿAbbas said, "Allah's enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Kaʿb told us that the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, 'I.' Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, 'Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.' Moses said, 'O my Lord! How can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish.' Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yushaʿ bin Noon, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet ﷺ pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), 'Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, 'Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.' So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, 'That was what we were seeking after.' So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, 'How do people greet each other in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man asked, 'Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.' He said, 'O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.' Moses asked, 'May I follow you?' He said, 'But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?' (Moses said, 'You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.') So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.' Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, 'What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you I have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.' Al-Khadir replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?' Moses replied, 'Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.' So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, "Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al-Khadir said, "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?' Moses said "If I ask you about anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.' Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, "These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir said, "This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient." The Prophet ﷺ added, "We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet ﷺ said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.")  

قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبَكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُوسَى آخَرُ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَلَى لِي عَبْدٌ بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ وَمَنْ لِي بِهِ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ أَىْ رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ حُوتًا فَتَجْعَلُهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ حَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّهْ وَأَخَذَ حُوتًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ وَضَعَا رُءُوسَهُمَا فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فَخَرَجَ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا فَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ فَصَارَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا مِثْلُ الطَّاقِ فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَتِهِمَا وَيَوْمَهُمَا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهِ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَلَهُمَا عَجَبًا قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا رَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ مُوسَى فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رَشَدًا قَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ اللَّهُ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ قَالَ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ قَالَ {إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا * وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {إِمْرًا} فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ كَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ جَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً أَوْ نَقْرَتَيْنِ قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ يَا مُوسَى مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ بِمِنْقَارِهِ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ أَخَذَ الْفَأْسَ فَنَزَعَ لَوْحًا قَالَ فَلَمْ يَفْجَأْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ وَقَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا بِالْقَدُّومِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى مَا صَنَعْتَ قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا فَكَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا مِنَ الْبَحْرِ مَرُّوا بِغُلاَمٍ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَقَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا وَأَوْمَأَ سُفْيَانُ بِأَطْرَافِ أَصَابِعِهِ كَأَنَّهُ يَقْطِفُ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ مَائِلاً أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا وَأَشَارَ سُفْيَانُ كَأَنَّهُ يَمْسَحُ شَيْئًا إِلَى فَوْقُ فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ سُفْيَانَ يَذْكُرُ مَائِلاً إِلاَّ مَرَّةً قَالَ قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا عَمَدْتَ إِلَى حَائِطِهِمْ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ فَقَصَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى لَوْ كَانَ صَبَرَ يُقَصُّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا وَقَرَأَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي سُفْيَانُ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْهُ قِيلَ لِسُفْيَانَ حَفِظْتَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْمَعَهُ مِنْ عَمْرٍو أَوْ تَحَفَّظْتَهُ مِنْ إِنْسَانٍ فَقَالَ مِمَّنْ أَتَحَفَّظُهُ وَرَوَاهُ أَحَدٌ عَنْ عَمْرٍو غَيْرِي سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا وَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْهُ  

I said to Ibn ʿAbbas, "Nauf Al-Bikali claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not the Moses of the children of Israel" Ibn ʿAbbas said, "The enemy of Allah (Nauf) told a lie." Narrated Ubai bin Kaʿb that he heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Moses got up to deliver a speech before the children of Israel and he was asked, Who is the most learned person among the people?' Moses replied, 'I (am the most learned).' Allah admonished him for he did not ascribe knowledge to Allah alone. So Allah revealed to him: 'At the junction of the two seas there is a slave of Ours who is more learned than you.' Moses asked, 'O my Lord, how can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a basket (and set out), and where you, will lose the fish, you will find him.' So Moses (took a fish and put it in a basket and) set out, along with his boy-servant Yushaʿ bin Noon, till they reached a rock (on which) they both lay their heads and slept. The fish moved vigorously in the basket and got out of it and fell into the sea and there it took its way through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel). (18.61) Allah stopped the current of water on both sides of the way created by the fish, and so that way was like a tunnel. When Moses got up, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, and so they carried on their journey during the rest of the day and the whole night. The next morning Moses asked his boy-servant 'Bring us our early meal; no doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' (18.62) Moses did not get tired till he had passed the place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy-servant then said to him,' 'Do you remember when we be-took ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish, none but Satan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a marvelous way.' (18.63) There was a tunnel for the fish and for Moses and his boy-servant there was astonishment. Moses said, 'That is what we have been seeking'. So they went back retracing their footsteps. (18.64) They both returned, retracing their steps till they reached the rock. Behold ! There they found a man covered with a garment. Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir said astonishingly. 'Is there such a greeting in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' He said, 'Are you the Moses of the children of Israel?' Moses said, 'I have come to you so that you may teach me of what you have been taught. Al-Khadir said, 'You will not be able to have patience with me. (18.66) O Moses! I have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon me but you do not know it; and you too, have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon you, but I do not know it." Moses said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in anything.' (18.6) Al-Khadir said to him. 'If you then follow me, do not ask me about anything until I myself speak to you concerning it.' (18.70), After that both of them proceeded along the sea coast, till a boat passed by and they requested the crew to let them go on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and allowed them to get on board free of charge. When they got on board suddenly Moses saw that Al-Khadir had pulled out one of the planks of the boat with an adze. Moses said to him.' These people gave us a free lift, yet you have scuttled their boat so as to drown its people! Truly, you have done a dreadful thing.' (18.71) Al-Khadir said, 'Didn't I say that you can have no patience with me ?' (18.72) Moses said, 'Call me not to account for what I forgot and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you.)" (18.73) Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The first excuse given by Moses, was that he had forgotten. Then a sparrow came and sat over the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once in the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'My knowledge and your knowledge, compared to Allah's knowledge is like what this sparrow has taken out of the sea.' Then they both got out of the boat, and while they were walking on the sea shore, Al-Khadir saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir got hold of the head of that boy and pulled it out with his hands and killed him. Moses said, 'Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed nobody! Truly, you have done an illegal thing.' (18.74) He said, "Didn't I tell you that you can have no patience with me?' (18.75) (The sub narrator said, the second blame was stronger than the first one.) Moses said, 'If I ask you about anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.' (18.76) Then they both proceeded until they came to the inhabitants of a town. They asked them food but they refused to entertain them. (In that town) they found there a wall on the point of falling down. (18.77) Al-Khadir set it up straight with his own hands. Moses said, 'These are people to whom we came, but they neither fed us nor received us as guests. If you had wished, you could surely have exacted some recompense for it. Al-Khadir said, 'This is the parting between me and you ..that is the interpretation of (those things) over which you were unable to hold patience.' (18.78-82) Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "We wished that Moses could have been more patient so that Allah might have described to us more about their story."  

قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبَكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ لِي عَبْدًا بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ مُوسَى يَا رَبِّ فَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ مَعَكَ حُوتًا فَتَجْعَلُهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّ فَأَخَذَ حُوتًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ بِفَتَاهُ يُوشَعَ بْنِ نُونٍ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ وَضَعَا رُءُوسَهُمَا فَنَامَا وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ فَصَارَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ نَسِيَ صَاحِبُهُ أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ بِالْحُوتِ فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتَهُمَا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا قَالَ وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهِ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا قَالَ فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَلِمُوسَى وَلِفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا فَقَالَ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا قَالَ رَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى ثَوْبًا فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رَشَدًا قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِي صَبْرًا يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ أَنْتَ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ فَقَالَ مُوسَى سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ سَفِينَةٌ فَكَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ لَمْ يَفْجَأْ إِلاَّ وَالْخَضِرُ قَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ بِالْقَدُومِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِي صَبْرًا قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا قَالَ وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ مَا عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلُ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذْ أَبْصَرَ الْخَضِرُ غُلاَمًا يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ رَأْسَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَاكِيَةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِي صَبْرًا قَالَ وَهَذَا أَشَدُّ مِنَ الأُولَى قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ قَالَ مَائِلٌ فَقَامَ الْخَضِرُ فَأَقَامَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا قَالَ {هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {ذَلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا} فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَقُصَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ فَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ  

I said to Ibn ʿAbbas, "Nauf-al-Bakali " claims that Moses of Bani Israel was not Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir." Ibn ʿAbbas said, "Allah's enemy tells a lie! Ubai bin Kaʿb narrated to us that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Moses got up to deliver a sermon before Bani Israel and he was asked, 'Who is the most learned person among the people?' Moses replied, 'I (am the most learned).' Allah then admonished Moses for he did not ascribe all knowledge to Allah only (Then) came the Divine Inspiration:-- 'Yes, one of Our slaves at the junction of the two seas is more learned than you.' Moses said, 'O my Lord ! How can meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish in a basket and wherever the fish is lost, follow it (you will find him at that place). So Moses set out along with his attendant Yushaʿ bin Noon, and they carried with them a fish till they reached a rock and rested there. Moses put his head down and slept. (Sufyan, a sub-narrator said that somebody other than ʿAmr said) 'At the rock there was a water spring called 'Al-Hayat' and none came in touch with its water but became alive. So some of the water of that spring fell over that fish, so it moved and slipped out of the basket and entered the sea. When Moses woke up, he asked his attendant, 'Bring our early meal' (18.62). The narrator added: Moses did not suffer from fatigue except after he had passed the place he had been ordered to observe. His attendant Yushaʿ bin Noon said to him, 'Do you remember (what happened) when we betook ourselves to the rock? I did indeed forget (about) the fish ...' (18.63) The narrator added: So they came back, retracing their steps and then they found in the sea, the way of the fish looking like a tunnel. So there was an astonishing event for his attendant, and there was tunnel for the fish. When they reached the rock, they found a man covered with a garment. Moses greeted him. The man said astonishingly, 'Is there any such greeting in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man said, 'Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes,' and added, 'may I follow you so that you teach me something of the Knowledge which you have been taught?' (18.66). Al-Khadir said to him, 'O Moses! You have something of Allah's knowledge which Allah has taught you and which I do not know; and I have something of Allah's knowledge which Allah has taught me and which you do not know.' Moses said, 'But I will follow you.' Al-Khadir said, 'Then if you follow me, ask me no question about anything until I myself speak to you concerning it.' (18.70). After that both of them proceeded along the seashore. There passed by them a boat whose crew recognized Al-Khadir and received them on board free of charge. So they both got on board. A sparrow came and sat on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak unto the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses. 'My knowledge and your knowledge and all the creation's knowledge compared to Allah's knowledge is not more than the water taken by this sparrow's beak.' Then Moses was startled by Al-Khadir's action of taking an adze and scuttling the boat with it. Moses said to him, 'These people gave us a free lift, but you intentionally scuttled their boat so as to drown them. Surely you have...' (18.71) Then they both proceeded and found a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of him by the head and cut it off. Moses said to him, 'Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed nobody? Surely you have done an illegal thing! ' (18.74) He said, "Didn't I tell you that you will not be able to have patient with me up to ..but they refused to entertain them as their guests. There they found a wall therein at the point of collapsing.' (18.75-77) Al-Khadir moved his hand thus and set it upright (repaired it). Moses said to him, 'When we entered this town, they neither gave us hospitality nor fed us; if you had wished, you could have taken wages for it,' Al- Khadir said, 'This is the parting between you and me I will tell you the interpretation of (those things) about which you were unable to hold patience.'...(18.78) Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'We wished that Moses could have been more patient so that He (Allah) could have described to us more about their story.' Ibn ʿAbbas used to recite:-- 'And in front (ahead) of them there was a king who used to seize every (serviceable) boat by force. (18.79) ...and as for the boy he was a disbeliever. "  

قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبَكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَيْسَ بِمُوسَى الْخَضِرِ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ قَامَ مُوسَى خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ أَنَا فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ وَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ بَلَى عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ كَيْفَ السَّبِيلُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَاتَّبِعْهُ قَالَ فَخَرَجَ مُوسَى وَمَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ وَمَعَهُمَا الْحُوتُ حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَنَزَلاَ عِنْدَهَا قَالَ فَوَضَعَ مُوسَى رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَفِي حَدِيثِ غَيْرِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ وَفِي أَصْلِ الصَّخْرَةِ عَيْنٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْحَيَاةُ لاَ يُصِيبُ مِنْ مَائِهَا شَىْءٌ إِلاَّ حَيِيَ فَأَصَابَ الْحُوتَ مِنْ مَاءِ تِلْكَ الْعَيْنِ قَالَ فَتَحَرَّكَ وَانْسَلَّ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَدَخَلَ الْبَحْرَ فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ مُوسَى {قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا} الآيَةَ قَالَ وَلَمْ يَجِدِ النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ مَا أُمِرَ بِهِ قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ {أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ} الآيَةَ قَالَ فَرَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ فِي آثَارِهِمَا فَوَجَدَا فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالطَّاقِ مَمَرَّ الْحُوتِ فَكَانَ لِفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا وَلِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا قَالَ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ إِذْ هُمَا بِرَجُلٍ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى قَالَ وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رَشَدًا قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّكَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ اللَّهُ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ قَالَ بَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ فَعُرِفَ الْخَضِرُ فَحَمَلُوهُمْ فِي سَفِينَتِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ يَقُولُ بِغَيْرِ أَجْرٍ فَرَكِبَا السَّفِينَةَ قَالَ وَوَقَعَ عُصْفُورٌ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ فَغَمَسَ مِنْقَارَهُ الْبَحْرَ فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ لِمُوسَى مَا عِلْمُكَ وَعِلْمِي وَعِلْمُ الْخَلاَئِقِ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِقْدَارُ مَا غَمَسَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنْقَارَهُ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَفْجَأْ مُوسَى إِذْ عَمَدَ الْخَضِرُ إِلَى قَدُومٍ فَخَرَقَ السَّفِينَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا {لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ} الآيَةَ فَانْطَلَقَا إِذَا هُمَا بِغُلاَمٍ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَقَطَعَهُ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى {أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا * قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ} فَقَالَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا فَأَقَامَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى إِنَّا دَخَلْنَا هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا وَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى صَبَرَ حَتَّى يُقَصَّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا قَالَ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا  

I said to Ibn Abbas that Nauf al-Bikali was of the opinion that Moses (peace be upon him), the Apostle of Bani Isra'il, was not the same who accompanied Khadir, whereupon he said: The enemy of Allah tells a lie. I heard Ubayy b. Ka'b say: Moses (peace be upon him) stood up to give sermon to the people of Isra'il. He was asked as to who amongst the people has the best knowledge, whereupon he said: I have the best knowledge. Thereupon Allah was annoyed with him that he did not attribute (the best knowledge) to Him. He revealed to him: A servant amongst My servants is at the junction of two rivers who has more knowledge than yours. Moses said: How can I meet him? It was said to him: Carry a fish in the large basket and the place where you find it missing there you will find him. Thereupon Moses proceeded forth along with a young man (Yusha'). Joshua b. Nun and Moses (peace be upon him) put the fish in the basket and there went along with him the young man (Yusha') until they came to a certain rock and Moses and his companion went to sleep and the fish stirred in that basket and fell into the ocean and Allah stopped the current of water like a vault until the way was made for the fish. Moses and his young companion were astonished and they walked for the rest of the day and the night and the friend of Moses forgot to inform him of this incident. When it was morning, Moses (peace be upon him) said to the young man: Bring for us the breakfast for we are dead tired because of this journey, and they did not feel exhausted until they had passed that place where they had been commanded (to stay). He said: Don't you know that when we reached the Sakhra (rock) I forgot the fish and nothing made me forget it but Satan that I could not remember it? How strange is it that the fish found a way in the river? Moses said: That was what we had been aiming at. Then both of them retraced their steps until they reached Sakhra; there they saw a man covered with a cloth. Moses greeted him. Khadir said to him: Where is as-Salam in our country.? He said: I am Moses, whereupon he (Khadir) said: You mean the Moses of Bani Isra'il? He said: Yes. He (Khadir) said: You have a knowledge out of the knowledge of Allah which in fact Allah imparted to you and about that I know nothing and I have knowledge out of Allah's knowledge which He imparted to me and about that you do not know. Moses (peace be upon him) said to him: May I follow you so that you may teach me that with which you have been taught righteousness. He said: You will not be able to bear with me; how you will be able to bear that about which you do not know? Moses said: Thou wilt find me patient, nor shalt I disobey you in aught. Khadir said to him: If you were to follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I myself speak to you about it. He said: Yes. So Khadir and Moses set forth on the bank of the river that there came before them a boat. Both of them talked to them (the owners of the boat) so that they might carry both of them. They had recognised Khadir and they carried them free. Khadir thereupon took hold of a plank in the boat and broke it away. Moses said: These people have carried us without any charge and you attempt to break their boat so that the people sailing in the boat may drown. This is (something) grievous that you have done. He said: Did I not say that you would not bear with me? He said: Blame me not for what I forgot and be not hard upon what I did. Then both of them got down from the boat and began to walk along the coastline that they saw a boy who had been playing with other boys. Khadir pulled up his head and killed him. Moses said: Have you killed an innocent person who is in no way guilty of slaying another? You have done something horrible. Thereupon he said: Did I not say to you that you will not be able to bear with me? He (Moses) said: This (act) is more grievous than the first one. He (Moses) further said. If I ask you about anything after this, keep not company with me, then you would no doubt find (a plausible) excuse for this. Then they both walked on until they reached the inhabitants of a village. They asked its inhabitants for food but they refused to entertain them as their guests. They found in it a wall which had been bent on one side and was about to fall. Khadir set it right with his own hand. Moses, said to him: It is the people to whom we came but they showed us no hospitality and they did not serve us food. If you wish you can get wages for it. He (Khadir) said: This is the parting of ways between me and you. Now I wish to reveal to you the significance of that for which you could not bear with me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. May Allah have mercy upon Moses! I wish if Moses could show patience and a (fuller) story of both of them could have been told. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that the first thing which Moses said was out of forgetfulness. Then there came a sparrow until it perched on the wall of the boat and took water from the ocean. Thereupon, Khadir said: My knowledge and your knowledge in comparison with the knowledge of Allah is even less than the water taken by the sparrow in its beak in comparison to the water of the ocean, and Sa'id b. Jubair used to recite (verses 79 and 80 of Sura Kahf) in this way: There was before them a king who used to seize every boat by force which was in order, the boy was an unbeliever.  

قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبِكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ صَاحِبَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ سَمِعْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ قَامَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ قَالَ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ مُوسَى أَىْ رَبِّ كَيْفَ لِي بِهِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ احْمِلْ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُ تَفْقِدُ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ فَانْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ وَهُوَ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ فَحَمَلَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ وَانْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يَمْشِيَانِ حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَفَتَاهُ فَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ قَالَ وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى كَانَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَكَانَ لِمُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتِهِمَا وَنَسِيَ صَاحِبُ مُوسَى أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا قَالَ وَلَمْ يَنْصَبْ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أُمِرَ بِهِ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا قَالَ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا قَالَ يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً مُسَجًّى عَلَيْهِ بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ أَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا قَالَ نَعَمْ فَانْطَلَقَ الْخَضِرُ وَمُوسَى يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ فَكَلَّمَاهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمَا فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ فَعَمَدَ الْخَضِرُ إِلَى لَوْحٍ مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ فَنَزَعَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذَا غُلاَمٌ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَقَالَ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَاكِيَةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الأُولَى قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ يَقُولُ مَائِلٌ قَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا وَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا لَوْ شِئْتَ لَتَخِذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يُقَصَّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمَا قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا قَالَ وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ حَتَّى وَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ ثُمَّ نَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا  

"I said to Ibn 'Abbas: 'Nawf Al-Bikali claims that Musa, of Banu Isra'il is not the companion of Al-Khidr. He said: 'The enemy of Allah has lied. I heard Ubayy bin Ka'b saying: "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say 'Musa stood to deliver a Khutbah to the children of Isra'il. He was asked: "Who is the most knowledgeable among the people?" He said: "I am the most knowledgeable." So Allah admonished him, since he did not refer the knowledge back to Him. Allah revealed to him: "A slave, among My slaves at the junction of the two seas, is more knowledgeable than you." So Musa said: "O Lord! How can I meet him?" He said to him: "Carry a fish in a basket, wherever you lose the fish, then he is there." So he set off, and his boy set off with him - and he was Yusha' bin Nun. Musa put a fish in a basket, he and the boy set off walking, until when they reached a rock, Musa and his boy fell asleep. The fish was flopping around in the basket, falling into the sea.' He said: 'Allah held back the flow of water until it was like a tunnel, and the fish could glide. Musa and his boy were amazed. They set off the remainder of the day and the night, and Musa's companion forgot to inform him (of the escape of the fish). When Musa arose in the morning, he said to his boy: Bring us our morning meal; truly we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey (18:62).' He said: 'He had not gotten tired until he passed the place which Allah had ordered him to go. He said: Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed forgot the fish, none but Shaitan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a strange way (18:63). Musa said: That is what we have been seeking. So they went back, retracing their tracks (18:64). He said: 'So they began retracing their tracks.'" Sufyan (one of the narrators) said: "People claim that there is a spring of life at that rock, no dying person has its water poured over him, but he becomes alive, and the fish came in contact with some of it, so when the water dropped on it he became alive." "He [the Prophet ﷺ] said: 'They retraced their tracks until they arrived at the rock to see a man covered in a garment. Musa greeted him, and he replied: Is there such a greeting in your land? He said: I am Musa. He said: Musa of the children of Isra'il? He said: Yes. He said: O Musa! Indeed you have some knowledge from Allah, which Allah taught you, which I have not been taught, and I have some knowledge from Allah, which Allah taught me, which you have not been taught.' So Musa said: May I follow you so that you may teach me something of the knowledge which you have been taught? (18:66) He said: Verily, you will not be able to have patience with me! And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not? He said: If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you at all (18:67-69). Al-Khadir said to him: Then if you follow me, ask me not about anything until I myself mention it to you (18:70). Musa said: Yes. So Musa and Al-Khadir set off walking along the shore of the sea. A boat was passing by them, and they spoke to them (the crew) asking them to let them get on board. They recognized Al-Khadir so they let the two of them ride without charge. Al-Khadir took one of the planks (in the boat) and removed it, so Musa said to him: These people gave us a ride free of charge, yet you sabotaged their boat so that its people will drown. Indeed you have done a dreadful thing (18:71). He said: Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me? (18:72). He said call me not to account for what I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my affair (18:73). Then they exited the boat, and while they were walking upon the shore, they saw a boy playing with two other boys. So Al-Khadir took him by his head, pulling it off with his hands, and he killed him. So Musa said to him: Have you killed an innocent person who killed no one! Verily you have done a horrendous thing (18:74). He said: Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me? (18:75) - he (the narrator) said: - "This was more severe than the first one" - He said: If I ask you about anything after this, you have received an excuse from me. So they both proceeded until they came to the inhabitants of a town. They asked them for food but they refused to entertain them. There they found a wall on the verge of falling down (18:76 & 77). He (the narrator) said: - meaning leaning over - 'So Al-Khadir took his hand like this, so he set it up straight (18:77) so Musa said to him: We arrived at these people, they did not treat us as guests nor feed us. If you wished, surely you could have taken wages for it! He said: "This is the parting between you and I. I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were not able to be patient (18:77 & 78).'" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'May Allah have mercy upon Musa! We wish that he would have had patience, so that we could have more knowledge about that two of them.' He said: 'So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The first time Musa had forgotten.' He said: 'And a sparrow came, until it perched on the edge of a boat, and pecked at the sea. So Al-Khadir said to him: My knowledge and your knowledge do not diminish anything from the knowledge of Allah, but like what this sparrow diminishes of the sea.' Sa'eed bin Jubair said: "and he would" - meaning Ibn 'Abbas - "recite: 'And there was before them a king who would take every useful boat by force (18:79).' And he would recite: 'As for the boy, he was a disbeliever (18:80).'"  

قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبِكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَيْسَ بِمُوسَى صَاحِبِ الْخَضِرِ قَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ سَمِعْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ قَامَ مُوسَى خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ مُوسَى أَىْ رَبِّ فَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ احْمِلْ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُ تَفْقِدُ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ فَانْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ وَهُوَ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ وَيُقَالُ يُوسَعُ فَحَمَلَ مُوسَى حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَانْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يَمْشِيَانِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ فَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ قَالَ وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى كَانَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ وَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَكَانَ لِمُوسَى وَلِفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا فَاَنْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتِهِمَا وَنُسِّيَ صَاحِبُ مُوسَى أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ مُوسَى قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ (آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا ) قَالَ وَلَمْ يَنْصَبْ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أُمِرَ بِهِ (قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ) قَالَ مُوسَى ( ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا ) قَالَ فَكَانَا يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ يَزْعُمُ نَاسٌ أَنَّ تِلْكَ الصَّخْرَةَ عِنْدَهَا عَيْنُ الْحَيَاةِ وَلاَ يُصِيبُ مَاؤُهَا مَيِّتًا إِلاَّ عَاشَ قَالَ وَكَانَ الْحُوتُ قَدْ أُكِلَ مِنْهُ فَلَمَّا قَطَرَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءُ عَاشَ قَالَ فَقَصَّا آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً مُسَجًّى عَلَيْهِ بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى فَقَالَ أَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّكَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ فَقَالَ مُوسَى ( هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا * قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا * وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا * قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا ) قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ (فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا ) قَالَ نَعَمْ فَانْطَلَقَ الْخَضِرُ وَمُوسَى يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ فَكَلَّمَاهُ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمَا فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ فَعَمَدَ الْخَضِرُ إِلَى لَوْحٍ مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ فَنَزَعَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا ( لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا * قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا * قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا ) ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ وَإِذَا غُلاَمٌ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى ( أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا * قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا ) قَالَ وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الأُولَى ( قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا * فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ ) يَقُولُ مَائِلٌ فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ( فَأَقَامَهُ ) فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا وَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا ( إِنْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا * قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ) قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى لَوَدِدْنَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَقُصَّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمَا قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الأُولَى كَانَتْ مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانٌ قَالَ وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ حَتَّى وَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ ثُمَّ نَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ وَكَانَ يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا  

خَرَجَ كَعْبٌ وَبُجَيْرٌ ابْنَا زُهَيْرٍ حَتَّى أَتَيَا أَبْرَقَ الْعَزَّافِ فَقَالَ بُجَيْرٌ لِكَعْبٍ اثْبُتْ فِي عَجَلِ هَذَا الْمَكَانَ حَتَّى آتِيَ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ يَعْنِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَسْمَعَ مَا يَقُولُ فَثَبَتَ كَعْبٌ وَخَرَجَ بُجَيْرٌ «فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ الْإِسْلَامَ» فَأَسْلَمَ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ كَعْبًا فَقَالَ [البحر الطويل] أَلَا أَبْلِغَا عَنِّي بُجَيْرًا رِسَالَةً عَلَى أَيٍّ شَيْءٍ وَيْحَ غَيْرِكَ دَلَّكَا عَلَى خَلْقٍ لَمْ تَلْفَ أُمًّا وَلَا أَبًا عَلَيْهِ وَلَمْ تُدْرِكْ عَلَيْهِ أَخًا لَكَا سَقَاكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِكَأْسٍ رَوِيَّةٍ وَأَنْهَلَكَ الْمَأْمُونُ مِنْهَا وَعَلَّكَا فَلَمَّا بَلَغَتِ الْأَبْيَاتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَهْدَرَ دَمَهُ فَقَالَ «مَنْ لَقِيَ كَعْبًا فَلْيَقْتُلْهُ» فَكَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ بُجَيْرٌ إِلَى أَخِيهِ يَذْكُرُ لَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ أَهْدَرَ دَمَهُ وَيَقُولُ لَهُ النَّجَا وَمَا أَرَاكَ تَفْلِتُ ثُمَّ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَا يَأْتِيَهُ أَحَدٌ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَّا قَبِلَ ذَلِكَ فَإِذَا جَاءَكَ كِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَسْلِمْ وَأَقْبِلْ فَأَسْلَمَ كَعْبٌ وَقَالَ الْقَصِيدَةَ الَّتِي يَمْدَحُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ بِبَابِ مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ مَكَانَ الْمَائِدَةِ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ مُتَحَلِّقُونَ مَعَهُ حَلْقَةً دُونَ حَلْقَةٍ يَلْتَفِتُ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ مَرَّةً فَيُحَدِّثُهُمْ وَإِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ مَرَّةً فَيُحَدِّثُهُمْ قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَأَنَخْتُ رَاحِلَتِي بِبَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَعَرَفْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالصِّفَةِ فَتَخَطَّيْتُ حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَأَسْلَمْتُ فَقُلْتُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ الْأَمَانُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ «وَمَنْ أَنْتَ؟» قُلْتُ أَنَا كَعْبُ بْنُ زُهَيْرٍ قَالَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ قَالَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَأَنْشَدَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ سَقَاكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِكَأْسٍ رَوِيَّةٍ وَانْهَلَكَ الْمَأْمُورُ مِنْهَا وَعَلَّكَا قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا قُلْتُ هَكَذَا قَالَ «وَكَيْفَ قُلْتَ» قَالَ إِنَّمَا قُلْتُ سَقَاكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِكَأْسٍ رَوِيَّةً وَأَنْهَلَكَ الْمَأْمُونُ مِنْهَا وَعَلَّكَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَأْمُونٌ وَاللَّهِ» ثُمَّ أَنْشَدَهُ الْقَصِيدَةَ كُلَّهَا حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَى آخِرِهَا وَأَمْلَاهَا عَلَى الْحَجَّاجِ بْنِ ذِي الرُّقَيْبَةِ حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَى آخِرِهَا وَهِيَ هَذِهِ الْقَصِيدَةُ [البحر البسيط] بَانَتْ سُعَادُ فَقَلْبِي الْيَوْمَ مَتْبُولُ مُتَيَّمٌ إِثْرَهَا لَمْ يُفْدَ مَكْبُولُ وَمَا سُعَادُ غَدَاةَ الْبَيْنِ إِذْ ظَعَنُوا إِلَّا أَغَنٌّ غَضِيضُ الطَّرْفِ مَكْحُولُ تَجْلُو عَوَارِضَ ذِي ظَلْمٍ إِذَا ابْتَسَمَتْ كَأَنَّهَا مُنْهَلٌّ بِالْكَأْسِ مَعْلُولُ شَجَّ السُّقَاةُ عَلَيْهِ مَاءَ مَحْنَيةٍ مِنْ مَاءِ أَبْطَحَ أَضْحَى وَهْوَ مَشْمُولُ تَنْفِي الرِّيَاحُ الْقَذَى عَنْهُ وَأَفْرَطَهُ مِنْ صَوْبِ سَارِيَةٍ بِيضٍ يَعَالِيلُ سَقْيًا لَهَا خُلَّةً لَوْ أَنَّهَا صَدَقَتْ مَوْعُودَهَا وَلَوْ أَنَّ النُّصْحَ مَقْبُولُ لَكِنَّهَا خُلَّةٌ قَدْ سِيطَ مِنْ دَمِهَا فْجْعٌ وَوَلْعٌ وَإِخْلَافٌ وَتَبْدِيلُ فَمَا تَدُومَ عَلَى حَالٍ تَكُونُ بِهَا كَمَا تَلَوَّنَ فِي أَثْوَابِهَا الْغُولُ فَلَا تَمَسَّكُ بِالْوَصْلِ الَّذِي زَعَمَتْ إِلَّا كَمَا يُمْسِكُ الْمَاءَ الْغَرَابِيلُ كَانَتْ مَوَاعِيدُ عُرْقُوبٍ لَهَا مَثَلًا وَمَا مَوَاعِيدُهَا إِلَّا الْأَبَاطِيلُ فَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ مَا مَنَّتْ وَمَا وَعَدَتْ إِلَّا الْأَمَانِيَّ وَالْأَحْلَامَ تَضْلِيلُ أَرْجُو أَوْ آمُلُ أَنْ تَدْنُوَ مَوَدَّتُهَا وَمَا إِخَالُ لَدَيْنَا مِنْكِ تَنْوِيلُ أَمْسَتْ سُعَادُ بِأَرْضٍ مَا يُبَلِّغُهَا إِلَّا الْعِتَاقُ النَّجِيبَاتُ الْمَرَاسِيلُ وَلَنْ تَبْلُغَهَا إِلَّا عَذَافِرَةٌ فِيهَا عَلَى الْأَيْنِ إِرْقَالٌ وَتَبْغِيلُ مِنْ كُلِّ نَضَّاخَةِ الذَّفْرَى إِذَا عَرِقَتْ عَرَضْتُهَا طَامِسُ الْأَعْلَامِ مَجْهُولُ يَمْشِي الْقُرَادُ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ يَزْلِقُهُ مِنْهَا لِبَانٌ وَأَقْرَابٌ زَهَالِيلُ عَيْرَانَةٌ قَذَفَتْ بِالنَّحْضِ عَنْ عَرَضٍ وَمِرْفَقُهَا عَنْ ضُلُوعِ الزُّورِ مَفْتُولُ كَأَنَّمَا قَابَ عَيْنَيْهَا وَمَذْبَحِهَا مِنْ خُطُمِهَا وَمِنَ اللَّحْيَيْنِ بِرْطِيلُ تَمْرٌ مِثْلُ عَسِيبِ النَّحْلِ إِذَا خَصَلَ فِي غَارِ زَلْمٍ تَخُونُهُ الْأَحَالِيلُ قَنْوَاءُ فِي حَرَّتَيْهَا لِلْبَصِيرِ بِهَا عَتَقٌ مُبِينٌ وَفِي الْخَدَّيْنِ تَسْهِيلُ تَخْذَى عَلَى يَسَرَاتٍ وَهْيَ لَاحِقَةٌ ذَا وَبَلٍ مَسَّهُنَّ الْأَرْضُ تَحْلِيلُ حَرْفٌ أَبُوهَا أَخُوهَا مِنْ مَهْجَنَةٍ وَعَمُّهَا خَالُهَا قَوْدَاءٌ شَمْلِيلُ سَمَرَ الْعَجَايَاتِ يُتْرَكُنَّ الْحَصَازَيْمَا مَا إِنَّ تَقَيَّهُنَّ حَدَّ الْأَكْمِ تَنْعِيلُ يَوْمًا تَظَلُّ حِدَابُ الْأَرْضِ يَرْفَعُهَا مِنَ اللَّوَامِعِ تَخْلِيطٌ وَتَرْجِيلُ كَانَ أَوْبُ يَدَيْهَا بَعْدَمَا نَجَدَتْ وَقَدْ تَلَفَّعَ بِالْقُورِ الْعَسَاقِيلُ يَوْمًا يَظَلُّ بِهِ الْحَرْبَاءُ مُصْطَخَدًا كَانَ ضَاحِيَةً بِالشَّمْسِ مَمْلُولُ أَوْبٌ بَدَا نَأْكُلُ سَمْطَاءَ مَعْوَلَةً قَامَتْ تُجَاوِبُهَا سَمْطٌ مَثَاكِيلُ نُوَاحَةَ رَخْوَةَ الضَّبْعَيْنِ لَيْسَ لَهَا لَمَّا نَعَى بَكْرَهَا النَّاعُونَ مَعْقُولُ تَسْعَى الْوُشَاةُ جَنَابَيْهَا وَقِيلِهِمُ إِنَّكَ يَا ابْنَ أَبِي سُلْمَى لَمَقْتُولُ خَلُّوا الطَّرِيقَ يَدَيْهَا لَا أَبَا لَكُمُ فَكُلُّ مَا قَدَّرَ الرَّحْمَنُ مَفْعُولُ كُلُّ ابْنِ أُنْثَى وَإِنْ طَالَتْ سَلَامَتُهُ يَوْمًا عَلَى آلَةٍ حَدْبَاءَ مَحْمُولُ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَوْعَدَنِي وَالْعَفْوُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَأْمُولُ فَقَدْ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مُعْتَذِرًا وَالْعُذْرُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَقْبُولُ مَهْلًا رَسُولَ الَّذِي أَعْطَاكَ نَافِلَةَ الْقُرْآنِ فِيهَا مَوَاعِيظٌ وَتَفْصِيلُ لَا تَأْخُذَنِّي بِأَقْوَالِ الْوُشَاةِ وَلَمْ أُجْرِمْ وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ عَنِّي الْأَقَاوِيلُ لَقَدْ أَقُومُ مَقَامًا لَوْ يَقُومُ لَهُ أَرَى وَأَسْمَعُ مَا لَوْ يَسْمَعُ الْفِيلُ لَظَلَّ يُرْعَدُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ عِنْدَ الرَّسُولِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ تَنْوِيلُ حَتَّى وَضَعْتُ يَمِينِي لَا أُنَازِعُهُ فِي كَفٍّ ذِي نَقِمَاتٍ قَوْلُهُ الْقِيلُ فَكَانَ أَخْوَفَ عِنْدِي إِذَا كَلَّمَهُ إِذْ قِيلَ إِنَّكَ مَنْسُوبٌ وَمَسْئُولُ مِنْ خَادِرٍ شِيكِ الْأَنْيَابِ طَاعَ لَهُ بِبَطْنِ عَثَّرَ غِيلٌ دُونَهُ غِيلُ يَغْدُو فَيَلْحُمُ ضِرْغَامَيْنِ عِنْدَهُمَا لَحْمٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ مَنْثُورٌ خَرَادِيلُ مِنْهُ تَظَلُّ حَمِيرُ الْوَحْشِ ضَامِرَةً وَلَا تَمْشِي بِوَادِيهِ الْأَرَاجِيلُ وَلَا تَزَالُ بِوَادِيهِ أَخَا ثِقَةٍ مُطَّرِحِ الْبَزِّ وَالدَّرْسَانِ مَأْكُولُ إِنَّ الرَّسُولَ لَنُورٌ يُسْتَضَاءُ بِهِ وَصَارِمٌ مِنْ سُيُوفِ اللَّهِ مَسْلُولُ فِي فِتْيَةٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ قَالَ قَائِلُهُمْ بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ لَمَّا أَسْلَمُوا زُولُوا زَالُوا فَمَا زَالَ الْكَأْسُ وَلَا كُشُفٌ عِنْدَ اللِّقَاءِ وَلَا مَيْلٌ مَعَازِيلُ شُمُّ الْعَرَانِينِ أَبْطَالٌ لُبُوسُهُمْ مِنْ نَسْجِ دَاوُدَ فِي الْهَيْجَا سَرَابِيلُ بِيضٌ سَوَابِغُ قَدْ شُكَّتْ لَهَا حِلَقٌ كَأَنَّهَا حِلَقُ الْقَفْعَاءِ مَجْدُولُ يَمْشُونَ مَشْيَ الْجَمَالِ الزُّهْرِ يَعْصِمُهُمُ ضَرْبٌ إِذَا عَرَّدَ السُّودُ التَّنَابِيلُ لَا يَفْرَحُونَ إِذَا زَالَتْ رِمَاحُهُمُ قَوْمًا وَلَيْسُوا مَجَازِيعَا إِذَا نِيلُوا مَا يَقَعُ الطَّعْنُ إِلَّا فِي نُحُورِهُمُ وَمَا لَهُمْ عَنْ حِيَاضِ الْمَوْتِ تَهْلِيلُ  

I said to Ibn ʿAbbas, "Nauf-Al-Bakali claims that Moses (the companion of Khadir) was not the Moses of Bani Israel but he was another Moses." Ibn ʿAbbas remarked that the enemy of Allah (Nauf) was a liar. Narrated Ubai bin Kaʿb: The Prophet ﷺ said, "Once the Prophet ﷺ Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked, "Who is the most learned man amongst the people. He said, "I am the most learned." Allah admonished Moses as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So Allah inspired to him "At the junction of the two seas there is a slave amongst my slaves who is more learned than you." Moses said, "O my Lord! How can I meet him?" Allah said: Take a fish in a large basket (and proceed) and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish. So Moses set out along with his (servant) boy, Yushaʿ bin Noon and carried a fish in a large basket till they reached a rock, where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish came out of the basket and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing thing for both Moses and his (servant) boy. They proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. When the day broke, Moses said to his (servant) boy: "Bring us our early meal. No doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey." Moses did not get tired till he passed the place about which he was told. There the (servant) boy told Moses, "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish." Moses remarked, "That is what we have been seeking. So they went back retracing their footsteps, till they reached the rock. There they saw a man covered with a garment (or covering himself with his own garment). Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir replied saying, "How do people greet each other in your land?" Moses said, "I am Moses." He asked, "The Moses of Bani Israel?" Moses replied in the affirmative and added, "May I follow you so that you teach me of that knowledge which you have been taught." Al-Khadir replied, "Verily! You will not be able to remain patient with me, O Moses! I have some of the knowledge of Allah which He has taught me and which you do not know, while you have some knowledge which Allah has taught you which I do not know." Moses said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient and I will disobey no order of yours. So both of them set out walking along the seashore, as they did not have a boat. In the meantime a boat passed by them and they requested the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and took them on board without fare. Then a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khadir said: "O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak." Al- Khadir went to one of the planks of the boat and plucked it out. Moses said, "These people gave us a free lift but you have broken their boat and scuttled it so as to drown its people." Al-Khadir replied, "Didn't I tell you that you will not be able to remain patient with me." Moses said, "Call me not to account for what I forgot." The first (excuse) of Moses was that he had forgotten. Then they proceeded further and found a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boy's head from the top and plucked it out with his hands (i.e. killed him). Moses said, "Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed none." Al-Khadir replied, "Did I not tell you that you cannot remain patient with me?" Then they both proceeded till when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found there a wall on the point of collapsing. Al-Khadir repaired it with his own hands. Moses said, "If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir replied, "This is the parting between you and me." The Prophet added, "May Allah be Merciful to Moses! Would that he could have been more patient to learn more about his story with Al-Khadir. " (Using translation from Bukhārī 122)   

قُلْتُ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبَكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَيْسَ بِمُوسَى الْخَضِرِ قَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللهِ حَدَّثَنَا أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ قَامَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ؟ قَالَ أَنَا قَالَ فَعَتَبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَوْحَى اللهُ إِلَيْهِ بَلْ عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ فَكَيْفَ السَّبِيلُ إِلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَاتْبَعْهُ فَخَرَجَ مُوسَى وَمَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ وَمَعَهُمَا الْحُوتُ حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى صَخْرَةٍ فَنَزَلَا عِنْدَهَا فَوَضَعَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ فِي غَيْرِ حَدِيثِ عَمْرٍو وَفِي أَصْلِ الصَّخْرَةِ عَيْنٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْحَيَاةُ لَا يُصِيبُ شَيْءٌ مِنْ مَائِهَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا حَيِيَ فَأَصَابَ الْحُوتُ مِنْ مَاءِ تِلْكَ الْعَيْنِ فَتَحَرَّكَ وَانْسَلَّ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَدَخَلَ الْبَحْرَ فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ مُوسَى قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ {آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا} [الكهف 62] قَالَ فَلَمْ يَجِدِ النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ مَا أُمِرَ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ {أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ} [الكهف 63] قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى {ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا} [الكهف 64] فَرَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا وَجَدَا سَرَبًا فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالطَّاقِ مَمَرَّ الْحُوتِ فَكَانَ لَهُمَا عَجَبًا وَلِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ إِذَا هُمَا بِرَجُلٍ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلَامُ؟ [164] قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ {هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا} [الكهف 66] قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّكَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللهُ وَأَنَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ اللهُ لَا تَعْلَمُهُ قَالَ بَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ قَالَ {فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا} [الكهف 71] يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمْ سَفِينَةٌ فَعُرِفَ الْخَضِرُ فَحَمَلُوهُمْ فِي السَّفِينَةِ فَرَكِبَا فَوَقَعَ عُصْفُورٌ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ فَغَمَسَ مِنْقَارَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ يَا مُوسَى مَا عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ وَعِلْمُ الْخَلَائِقِ فِي عِلْمِ اللهِ إِلَّا مِقْدَارُ مَا غَمَسَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورِ مِنْقَارَهُ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَفْجَأْ مُوسَى إِذْ عَمَدَ الْخَضِرُ إِلَى قُدَّامِ السَّفِينَةِ فَخَرَقَ السَّفِينَةَ فَقَالَ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا {لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا} [الكهف 71] فَإِذَا هُمَا بِغُلَامٍ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ رَأْسَهُ فَقَطَعَهُ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى {أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلَا تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا} [الكهف 74] فَمَرَّ الْخَضِرُ بِجِدَارٍ {يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ} [الكهف 77] قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى إِنَّا دَخَلْنَا هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا {لَوْ شِئْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا} [الكهف 77] قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى صَبَرَ حَتَّى يُقَصَّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا» وَكَانَ ابْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ يَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا  

There lived a king before you and he had a (court) magician. As he (the magician) grew old, he said to the king: I have grown old, send some young boy to me so that I should teach him magic. He (the king) sent to him a young man so that he should train him (in magic). And on his way (to the magician) he (the young man) found a monk sitting there. He (the young man) listened to his (the monk's) talk and was impressed by it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician he met the monk and set there and he came to the magician (late). He (the magician) beat him because of delay. He made a complaint of that to the monk and he said to him: When you feel afraid of the magician, say: Members of my family had detained me. And when you feel afraid of your family you should say: The magician had detained me. It so happened that there came a huge beast (of prey) and it blocked the way of the people, and he (the young boy) said: I will come to know today whether the magician is superior or the monk is superior. He picked up a stone and said: O Allah, if the affair of the monk is dearer to Thee than the affair of the magician, cause death to this animal so that the people should be able to move about freely. He threw that stone towards it and killed it and the people began to move about (on the path freely). He (the young man) then came to that monk and Informed him and the monk said: Sonny, today you are superior to me. Your affair has come to a stage where I find that you would be soon put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial don't give my clue. That young man began to treat the blind and those suffering from leprosy and he in fact began to cure people from (all kinds) of illness. When a companion of the king who had gone blind heard about him, he came to him with numerous gifts and said: If you cure me all these things collected together here would be yours. Be said: I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah Who cures and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate Allah to cure you. He affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him and he came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him: Who restored your eyesight? He said: My Lord. Thereupon he said: It means that your Lord is One besides me. He said: My Lord and your Lord is Allah, so he (the king) took hold of him and tormented him till he gave a clue of that boy. The young man was thus summoned and the king said to him: O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so much proficient in your magic that you cure the blind and those suffering from leprosy and you do such and such things. Thereupon he said: I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Who cures, and he (the king) took hold of him and began to torment him. So he gave a clue of the monk. The monk was thus summoned and it was said to him: You should turn back from your religion. He, however, refused to do so. He (ordered) for a saw to be brought (and when it was done) he (the king) placed it in the middle of his head and tore it into parts till a part fell down. Then the courtier of the king was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. Arid he refused to do so, and the saw was placed in the midst of his head and it was torn till a part fell down. Then that young boy was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. He refused to do so and he was handed over to a group of his courtiers. And he 'said to them: Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb up that mountain and when you reach its top (ask him to renounce his faith) but if he refuses to do so, then throw him (down the mountain). So they took him and made him climb up the mountain and he said: O Allah, save me from them (in any way) Thou likest and the mountain began to quake and they all fell down and that person came walking to the king. The king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them. He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said: Take him and carry him in a small boat and when you reach the middle of the ocean (ask him to renounce) his religion, but if he does not renounce his religion throw him (into the water). So they took him and he said: O Allah, save me from them and what they want to do. It was quite soon that the boat turned over and they were drowned and he came walking to the king, and the king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them, and he said to the king: You cannot kill me until you do what I ask you to do. And he said: What is that? He said: You should gather people in a plain and hang me by the trunk (of a tree). Then take hold of an arrow from the quiver and say: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; then shoot an arrow and if you do that then you would be able to kill me. So he (the king) called the people in an open plain and tied him (the boy) to the trunk of a tree, then he took hold of an arrow from his quiver and then placed the arrow in the bow and then said: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; he then shot an arrow and it bit his temple. He (the boy) placed his hands upon the temple where the arrow had bit him and he died and the people said: We affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man. The courtiers came to the king and it was said to him: Do you see that Allah has actually done what you aimed at averting. They (the people) have affirmed their faith in the Lord. He (the king) commanded ditches to be dug at important points in the path. When these ditches were dug, and the fire was lit in them it was said (to the people): He who would not turn back from his (boy's) religion would be thrown in the fire or it would be said to them to jump in that. (The people courted death but did not renounce religion) till a woman came with her child and she felt hesitant in jumping into the fire and the child said to her: 0 mother, endure (this ordeal) for it is the Truth. (Using translation from Muslim 3005)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ كَانَ مَلِكٌ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَكَانَ لَهُ سَاحِرٌ فَلَمَّا كَبِرَ السَّاحِرُ قَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَحَضَرَ أَجْلِي فَادْفَعْ إِلَيَّ غُلَامًا فَلَأُعَلِّمُهُ السِّحْرَ فَدَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ غُلَامًا وَكَانَ يُعَلِّمُهُ السِّحْرَ وَكَانَ بَيْنَ السَّاحِرِ وَبَيْنَ الْمَلِكِ رَاهِبٌ فَأَتَى الْغُلَامُ الرَّاهِبَ فَسَمِعَ كَلَامَهُ فَأَعْجَبَهُ نَحْوُهُ وَكَلَامُهُ فَكَانَ إِذَا أَتَى عَلَى السَّاحِرِ ضَرَبَهُ وَقَالَ مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ فَإِذَا أَتَى أَهْلَهُ جَلَسَ عِنْدَ الرَّاهِبِ فَإِذَا أَتَى أَهْلَهَ ضَرَبُوهُ وَقَالُوا مَا حَبَسَكَ؟ فَشَكَى ذَلِكَ إِلَى الرَّاهِبِ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَرَادَ السَّاحِرُ أَنْ يَضْرِبَكَ فَقُلْ حَبَسَنِي أَهْلِي وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَهْلُكَ أَنْ يَضْرِبُوكَ فَقُلْ حَبَسَنِي السَّاحِرُ [330] فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَتَى يَوْمًا عَلَى دَابَّةٍ فَظِيعَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ قَدْ حَبَسَتِ النَّاسَ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ أَنْ يَجُوزُوا وَقَالَ الْيَوْمَ أَعْلَمُ أَمْرُ الرَّاهِبِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ أَمْ أَمْرُ السَّاحِرِ وَأَخَذَ حَجَرًا وَقَالَ اللهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ أَمْرُ الرَّاهِبِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكَ وَأَرْضَى لَكَ مِنْ أَمْرِ السَّاحِرِ فَاقْتُلْ هَذِهِ الدَّابَّةَ حَتَّى يَجُوزَ النَّاسُ فَرَمَاهَا فَقَتَلَهَا وَمَضَى النَّاسُ فَأَخْبَرَ الرَّاهِبَ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَيْ بُنَيَّ أَنْتَ أَفْضَلُ مِنِّي وَإِنَّكَ سَتُبْتَلَى فَإِنِ ابْتُلِيتَ فَلَا تَدُلَّ عَلَيَّ وَكَانَ الْغُلَامُ يُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَسَائِرَ الْأَدْوَاءِ وَيَشْفِيهِمْ وَكَانَ جَلِيسٌ لِلْمَلِكِ فَعَمِيَ فَسَمِعَ بِهِ فَأَتَاهُ بِهَدَايَا كَثِيرَةٍ فَقَالَ اشْفِنِي وَلَكَ مَا هَاهُنَا أَجْمَعُ فَقَالَ مَا أَشْفِي أَنَا أَحَدًا إِنَّمَا يَشْفِي اللهُ ﷻ فَإِنْ آمَنْتَ بِاللهِ دَعَوْتُ اللهَ فَشَفَاكَ فَآمَنَ فَدَعَا اللهَ ﷻ لَهُ فَشَفَاهُ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْمَلِكَ فَجَلَسَ مِنْهُ نَحْوَ مَا كَانَ يَجْلِسُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ يَا فُلَانُ مَنْ رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ؟ قَالَ رَبِّي قَالَ أَنَا؟ قَالَ لَا وَلَكِنَّ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكَ اللهُ قَالَ وَلَكَ رَبٌّ غَيْرِي؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُعَذِّبُهُ حَتَّى دَلَّ عَلَى الْغُلَامِ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَيْ بُنَيَّ قَدْ بَلَغَ مِنْ سِحْرِكَ أَنَّكَ تُبْرِئُ الْأَكَمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَهَذِهِ الْأَدْوَاءَ فَقَالَ مَا أَشْفِي أَنَا أَحَدًا مَا يَشْفِي غَيْرُ اللهِ قَالَ أَنَا؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ وَإِنَّ لَكَ رَبًّا غَيْرِي؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللهُ قَالَ فَأَخَذَهُ أَيْضًا بِالْعَذَابِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِهِ حَتَّى دَلَّ عَلَى الرَّاهِبِ فَأُتِيَ الرَّاهِبُ فَقِيلَ ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ فَأَبَى فَوُضِعَ الْمِنْشَارُ عَلَى مَفْرِقِ رَأْسِهِ حَتَّى وَقَعَ شِقَّاهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَقَالَ لِلْأَعْمَى ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ فَأَبَى فَوُضِعَ الْمِنْشَارُ عَلَى مَفْرِقِ رَأْسِهِ حَتَّى وَقَعَ شِقَّاهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ [331] فَقَالَ لِلْغُلَامِ ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ فَأَبَى فَبَعَثَ مَعَهُ نَفَرًا إِلَى جَبَلِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَقَالَ إِذَا بَلَغْتُمْ ذُرْوَتَهُ فَإِنْ رَجَعَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَإِلَّا فَدَهْدِهُوهُ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ فَذَهَبُوا بِهِ فَلَمَّا عَلَوْا بِهِ الْجَبَلَ قَالَ اللهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ فَرَجَفَ الْجَبَلُ فَتَدَهْدَهُوا أَجْمَعُونَ وَجَاءَ الْغُلَامُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَ مَا فَعَلَ أَصْحَابُكَ؟ قَالَ كَفَانِيهِمُ اللهُ ﷻ فَبَعَثَ مَعَهُ نَفَرًا فِي قُرْقُورَةٍ وَقَالَ إِذَا لَجَجْتُمْ مَعَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَإِنْ رَجَعَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَإِلَّا فَغَرِّقُوهُ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بَعْضُ حُرُوفِ غَرِّقُوهُ سَقَطَ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ فَلَجَّجُوا بِهِ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ الْغُلَامُ اللهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ فَغَرِقُوا أَجْمَعُونَ وَجَاءَ الْغُلَامُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَ مَا فَعَلَ أَصْحَابُكَ؟ قَالَ كَفَانِيهِمُ اللهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ بِقَاتِلِي حَتَّى تَفْعَلَ مَا آمُرُكَ فَإِنْ أَنْتَ فَعَلْتَ مَا آمُرُكَ بِهِ قَتَلْتَنِي قَالَ وَمَا هُوَ؟ قَالَ تَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ فِي صَعِيدٍ ثُمَّ تَصْلُبُنِي عَلَى جِذْعٍ فَتَأْخُذُ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِي ثُمَّ تَقُولُ بِاسْمِ رَبِّ الْغُلَامِ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ قَتَلْتَنِي فَفَعَلَ فَوَضَعَ السَّهْمَ فِي كَبِدِ قَوْسِهِ ثُمَّ رَمَى وَقَالَ بِاسْمِ رَبِّ الْغُلَامِ فَوَقَعَ السَّهْمُ فِي صُدْغِهِ فَوَضَعَ الْغُلَامُ يَدَهُ عَلَى مَوْضِعِ السَّهْمِ وَمَاتَ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْغُلَامِ فَقِيلَ لِلْمَلِكِ أَرَأَيْتَ مَا كُنْتَ تَحْذَرُ فَقَدْ وَاللهِ نَزَلَ بِكَ قَدْ آمَنَ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ فَأَمَرَ بِأَفْوَاهِ السِّكَكِ فَخُدَّتْ فِيهَا الْأَخَادِيدُ وَأُضْرِمَتْ فِيهَا النِّيرَانُ وَقَالَ مَنْ يَرْجِعُ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَدَعُوهُ وَإِلَّا فَأَقْحِمُوهُ فِيهَا وَكَانُوا يَتَنَازَعُونَ وَيَتَدَافَعُونَ فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ بِابْنٍ لَهَا تُرْضِعُهُ فَكَأَنَّهَا تَقَاعَسَتْ أَنْ تَقَعَ فِي النِّيرَانِ فَقَالَ الصَّبِيُّ اصْبِرِي فَإِنَّكَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ  

"عن أسلم قال: سمعت عمرَو بن العاص يومًا ذكرَ عمرَ فترحَّم عليه ثم قال: ما رأَيتُ أحدًا بعد نبى اللَّه ﷺ وأبى بكر أخوفَ للَّه من عمرَ؛ لا يبالى على من وقعَ الحقُّ على ولد أو والد، ثم قال: واللَّه إِنِّى لفى منزلى ضحًى بمصرَ إذا أتانى آتٍ فقال: قدم عبد اللَّه وعبد الرحمنِ ابنا عمر غَازِيَيْن، فقلت للذى أخبرنى: أين نزلا؟ فقال: في موضع كذا وكذا -لأقصى مصر- (وقد كتب إلىَّ عمر: إياك أن يقدم عليك أحد من أهل بيتى فَتَحْبُوَهُ بأمر) لا تصنعه بغيره فأفعل بك ما أنت أهلُه، فأنا لا أستطيع أن أُهدى لهما ولا آتيهما في منزلهما خوفًا من أبيهما، فواللَّه إنِّى لعلى ما أَنَا عليه، إلى أن قال قائلٌ: هذا عبد الرحمن بن عمر وأَبو سروعة على الباب يستأذنان، فقلت: يدخلان، فدخلا (وهما) (منكسران) وتالا: أقم علينا حد اللَّه؛ فإنا قد أصبنا البارحة شرابا فسكرنا، فزبرتهما وطردْتُهما، فقال عبد الرحمن: إن لم تفعل أخبرت أَبى إذا قدمت عليه فحضرنى، (رأى) وعلمت إن لم أُقِمْ عليهما الحدَّ غضب علىَّ عمرُ في ذلك وعَزَلنى، وخالفه ما صنعت، فنحن على ما نحن عليه إذا دخل عبد اللَّه بن عمر، فقمت إليه ورحبت به، وأردت أن أجلسه على صدر مجلسى، فأبى على وقال: (إن) أَبى نهانى أن أدخل عليك إلا أن لا أجد بُدًا، وإنى لم أجد بُدًا من الدخول عليك إن أخى لا يُحْلَقُ (على) رءوس الناس أبدا، فأما الضربُ فاصنع ما بدا لك، قال: وكانوا يحلقون مع الحد، قال: فأخرجتهما إلى (صحن) الدار فضربتهما الحد، ودخل ابن عمر بأخيه عبد الرحمن إلى بيت من الدار فحلق رأسه، ورأس أَبى سروعة، فواللَّه ما كتبت إلى عمرَ بحرف مما كان

حتى إذا تحينت (كتابى) (فإذا هو يطم) فيه: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ عَبْد اللَّه عُمَرَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى الْعَاصِى ابْنِ الْعَاصِى، فَعَجِبْتُ لَكَ يَا بْنَ العَاصِ وَلِجُرْأَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَخِلَافِ عَهْدِى! ! أَمَا إِنِّى قَدْ خَالَفْتُ فِيكَ أَصْحَابَ بَدْر مِمَّنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ وَاخْتَرْتُكَ لِجُرْأَتِكَ (عَنِّى) وَإنْفَاذِ عَهْدِى، فَأَرَاكَ تَلَوَّثْتَ بِمَا (قَدْ) تَلَوَّثْتَ (فَمَا) أُرَانِى إِلَّا عَازِلَكَ (وَمَنْشَى) عَزْلِكَ: تَضْرِبُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عُمَرَ فِى بَيْتِكَ وَتَحْلِقُ رَأسَهُ فِى بَيْتِكَ، وَقَدْ عَرَفْتَ أَنَّ هَذَا يُخَالِفُنِى؟ ! إِنَّمَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ رَعيَّتِكَ تَصْنَعُ بِهِ مَا تَصْنَعُ بِغَيْر مِنَ المُسْلِمِينَ، وَلَكِنْ قُلْتَ: هُوَ وَلَدُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَقَدْ عَرَفْتَ أَنْ لَا هَوَادَةَ لأَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ عِنْدِى فِى حَقٍّ يَجِبُ للَّه عَلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا جَاءَكَ كِتَابِى هَذَا فَابْعَثْ بِهِ فِى عَبَاءَةٍ عَلَى قَتَبٍ حَتَّى يَعْرِفَ سَوءَ مَا صَنَعَ، فبعثت به كما قال أبوه، وأقرأت ابن عمر كتابَ أبيه، وكتبت إلى عمرَ كتابًا أعتذر فيه وأخبره أنى ضَرَبْتُه في صحنِ دارى، وبِاللَّه الذى لا يُحْلَفُ بأعظمَ مِنْهُ إِنِّى لأقيمُ الحدودَ في صحن دارى على الذِّمِّىِّ وَالْمُسْلِمِ، وبعثت بالكتاب مع عبد اللَّه بن عمرَ، قال أسلم: فقُدِمَ بعبد الرحمن على أبيه، فدخل عليه وعليه عباءة ولا يستطيع المشى من مَرْكَبِهِ، فقال: يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ فَعَلتَ وفَعَلَتِ السِّيَاطُ، فكلمه عبد الرحمن بن عوف، فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين قد (أقيم) عليه الحد مرة فما عليه أن تقيمه ثانيةً، فلم يلتفت إلى هذا عمر (وزبره)، فجعل عبد الرحمن يصيح: إنى مريض وأنت قاتلى، فضربه الثانية الحدَّ وحبسه، ثم مرض فمات".  

"خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ بِالْهَاجِرَةِ فَصَلَّى، ثُمَّ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَامَ النَّاسُ فَقَالَ: اجْلِسُوا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ فَإِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا قُمْتُ مُقَامِي هَذَا لأَمْرٍ يَنْقُصُكُمْ لِرَغْبَةٍ وَلَا لِرَهْبَةٍ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فِي سَاعَةٍ لَمْ يَصْعَدْ فِيهَا، وَلَكِنَّ تَمِيمًا الدَّارِي أَتَانِي فَأَخْبَرَنِي خَبَرًا [مَنَعَنِي القَيْلُولَةَ] مِنَ الْفَرَحِ وَقُرَّةِ الْعَيْنِ، فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أُبَشِّرَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَرَحَ نَبِيِّكُّمْ، أَلا إِنَّ تَمِيمًا أَخْبَرنِي أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْ بَنِي عَمِّهِ رَكِبُوا البَحْرَ فَأَصَابهُمْ عَاصِفٌ مِنْ رِيحٍ أَلْجَأَتْهُم إِلَى جَزِيرَةٍ لَا يَعْرِفُونَهَا، فَقَعَدُوا فِي قَوَارِبِ السَّفِينَةِ حَتَّى خَرَجُوا إِلَى الْجَزِيرَةِ، فَإِذَا هُمْ بشيء أَسْوَدَ أَهْلَبَ كَثيرِ الشَّعَرِ لَا يَدْرُونَ هُوَ رَجُلٌ أَوِ امْرَأَةٌ، قَالُوا لَهُ: مَا أَنْتَ؟ قَالَتْ: أَنَا الْجَسَّاسَةُ، قَالُوا: أَخْبِرينَا [مَا أَنْت؟ ]، قَالَتْ: مَا أَنَا بِمُخْبِرَتِكُمْ شَيئًا وَلَا سَائِلَتِكُمْ، وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا الدَّيرَ قَدْ رَمَقْتُمُوُهُ فَأتُوهُ فَإِنَّ فيه رَجُلًا بِالأَشْوَاقِ إِلَى أَنْ تُخْبِرُوهُ بِخَبَرِكُمْ، فَانْطَلَقُوا حَتَى أتوا الدَّير فَاسْتَأذَنُوا فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُمْ بِشيخٍ مُوثَقٍ شَدِيد الوثَاقِ يُظْهِرُ الْحُزْنَ، شَدِيد [التَّشَكِّي] فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتُمْ؟ قَالُوا: مِنَ الشَّامِ، فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامَ، قَالَ: مَمَّنْ أَنْتُمْ؟ قَالُوا: مِنَ الْعَرَبِ، قَالَ: مَا فَعَلَتِ الْعَرَبُ؟ خَرَجَ نَبِيُّهُمْ بَعْدُ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي خَرَجَ فِيكُمْ؟ قَالُوا: خَيْرًا، نَاوَأَهُ قَوْمُهُ [دينَهُ] فَأَظْهَرَهُ الله - تَعَالَى- عَلَيْهم فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوا [اللهَ] منهُمُ الْيَوْمَ جَمِيعٌ إِلَهُهُمْ وَاحِدٌ، وَدِينُهُمْ وَاحِدٌ، قَالَ: ذَاكَ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ قَالَ: مَا فَعَلَتْ عَيْنُ زُغَرَ؟ قَالُوا: خَيْرًا يَسْقُونَ فِيهَا زُرُوعَهُمْ، وَيَسْقُونَ مِنْهَا لِسَقْيِهمْ، قَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ [نَخْلٌ] بَيْنَ عَمَّانَ وَبَيْسَانَ؟ قَالُوا: يُطْعِمُ [ثَمَرَةُ] كُلَّ عَامٍ، قَالَ: مَا فَعَلَتْ بُحَيْرَةُ الطّبَرَّيةِ قَالُوا: مَلأَى تَدَفَّق جَنَبَاتُهَا مِنْ كَثْرَةِ الْمَاءِ، فَزَفَرَ ثَلَاثَ زَفَرَاتٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَو انْفَلَتُّ مِنْ وَثَاقِي هَذَا لَمْ أَدَعْ أَرْضًا إِلّا وَطِئْتُهَا بِرِجْلَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ إِلا طِيْبَةَ لَيْسَ لِيَ عَلَيْهَا سَبِيلٌ وَلَا سُلْطَانٌ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ : إِلَى هَذَا انْتَهَى فَرَحِي، هَذِهِ طِيْبَةُ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ هَذِهِ طِيْبَةُ، وَلَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللهُ - تَعَالَى- حَرَمِي عَلَى الدَّجَّالِ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهُ، ثُمَّ حَلَفَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَا فِيهَا طَرِيقٌ [ضَيِّقٌ] وَلَا وَاسِعٌ، وَلَا سَهْلٌ وَلَا جَبَلٌ، إِلا وَعَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ شَاهِرٌ سَيْفَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، مَا يَسْتَطِيعُ الدَّجَّالُ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهَا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا، قَالَ مُجَالِدٌ: فَأخْبَرنَي عَامِرٌ قَالَ: ذَكَرْت هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ لِلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، فَقَالَ الْقَاسِمُ: أَشْهَدُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ لَحَدَّثَتَنْي هَذَا الْحدِيثَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ: الْحَرَمَانِ عَلَيْهِ حَرَامٌ: مَكَّةُ وَالْمَدِينَةُ، قَالَ عَامِرٌ: فَلَقِيتُ الْمُحْرِزَ بْنَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ حَدِيث فَاطِمَةَ [فقال]: أَشْهَدُ عَلَى أَبِي أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَنِي كَمَا حَدَّثَتْكَ فَاطِمَةُ، مَا نَقَصَ حَرْفًا وَاحِدًا غَيْرَ أَنَّ أَبِي زَادَ فِيهِ بَابًا وَاحِدًا، قَالَ: فَخَطَّ النَّبيُّ ﷺ بِيَدهِ نَحْوَ الْمَشْرِقِ مَا هُوَ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ نَحْوِ عِشْرِينَ مَرَّةً".  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Gabriel recited the Qur'an to me in one way. Then I requested him (to read it in another way), and continued asking him to recite it in other ways, and he recited it in several ways till he ultimately recited it in seven different ways."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَيَزِيدُنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

Gabriel taught me to recite in one style. I replied to him and kept asking him to give more (styles), till he reached seven modes (of recitation). Ibn Shibab said: It has reached me that these seven styles are essentially one, not differing about what is permitted and what is forbidden.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ فَيَزِيدُنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ تِلْكَ السَّبْعَةَ الأَحْرُفَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ فِي الأَمْرِ الَّذِي يَكُونُ وَاحِدًا لاَ يَخْتَلِفُ فِي حَلاَلٍ وَلاَ حَرَامٍ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Gabriel recited the Qur'an to me in one way. Then I requested him (to read it in another way), and continued asking him to recite it in other ways, and he recited it in several ways till he ultimately recited it in seven different ways." (Using translation from Bukhārī 4991)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَيَزِيدُنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

[Machine] Narrated by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , he said: Gabriel recited to me a letter and I reviewed it repeatedly, and I never cease to increase it, and it continues to increase me until it reached seven letters.  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَيَزِيدُنِي فَانْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said, "Gabriel recited the Quran to me, and I reviewed it with him. I continued to do so and he increased my understanding, until it reached seven verses. Al-Zuhri said, 'These seven verses are not disputed in terms of what is permissible and what is forbidden.'"  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي جَبْرَائِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَيَزِيدُنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ وَإِنَّمَا هَذِهِ الْأَحْرُفُ فِي الْأَمْرِ الْوَاحِدِ لَيْسَ يُخْتَلَفُ فِي حَلَالٍ وَلَا حَرَامٍ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Gabriel read the Qur'an to me in one way (i.e. dialect) and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Gabriel read the Qur'an to me in one way (i.e. dialect) and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways." (Using translation from Bukhārī 3219)   

"اقْرَأَنِى جِبْريلُ القرآن عَلَى حَرْفٍ، فَرَاجَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أستزيدهُ فيزيدُنى حتى انْتهى إلى سبعةٍ أحرفٍ ".  

(the wife of the Prophet) The commencement (of the Divine Inspiration) to Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in the form of true dreams in his sleep, for he never had a dream but it turned out to be true and clear as the bright daylight. Then he began to like seclusions, so he used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship Allah continuously for many nights before going back to his family to take the necessary provision (of food) for the stay. He come back to (his wife) Khadija again to take his provision (of food) likewise, till one day he received the Guidance while he was in the cave of Hira. An Angel came to him and asked him to read. Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "I do not know how to read." The Prophet ﷺ added, "Then the Angel held me (forcibly) and pressed me so hard that I felt distressed. Then he released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he held me again and pressed me for the second time till I felt distressed. He then released me and asked me to read, but again I replied. 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he held me for the third time and pressed me till I got distressed, and then he released me and said, 'Read, in the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists), has created man out of a clot, Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not." (96.1-5). Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned with that experience; and the muscles between his neck and shoulders were trembling till he came upon Khadija (his wife) and said, "Cover me!" They covered him, and when the state of fear was over, he said to Khadija, "O Khadija! What is wrong with me? I was afraid that something bad might happen to me." Then he told her the story. Khadija said, "Nay! But receive the good tidings! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you, for by Allah, you keep good relations with your Kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, entertain your guests generously and assist those who are stricken with calamities." Khadija then took him to Waraqa bin Naufil, the son of Khadija's paternal uncle. Waraqa had been converted to Christianity in the Pre-lslamic Period and used to write Arabic and write of the Gospel in Arabic as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said (to Waraqa), "O my cousin! Listen to what your nephew is going to say." Waraqa said, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" The Prophet ﷺ then described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, "This is the same Angel (Gabriel) who was sent to Moses. I wish I were young." He added some other statement. Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked, "Will these people drive me out?" Waraqa said, "Yes, for nobody brought the like of what you have brought, but was treated with hostility. If I were to remain alive till your day (when you start preaching). then I would support you strongly." But a short while later Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was paused (stopped) for a while so that Messenger of Allah ﷺ was very much grieved.  

كَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةُ فِي النَّوْمِ فَكَانَ لاَ يَرَى رُؤْيَا إِلاَّ جَاءَتْ مِثْلَ فَلَقِ الصُّبْحِ ثُمَّ حُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلاَءُ فَكَانَ يَلْحَقُ بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَيَتَحَنَّثُ فِيهِ قَالَ وَالتَّحَنُّثُ التَّعَبُّدُ اللَّيَالِيَ ذَوَاتِ الْعَدَدِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ وَيَتَزَوَّدُ لِذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى خَدِيجَةَ فَيَتَزَوَّدُ بِمِثْلِهَا حَتَّى فَجِئَهُ الْحَقُّ وَهْوَ فِي غَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَجَاءَهُ الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ قَالَ فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجُهْدُ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ قُلْتُ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي الثَّانِيِةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجُهْدُ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ قُلْتُ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي الثَّالِثَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجُهْدُ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ * خَلَقَ الإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ * اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الأَكْرَمُ * الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ} الآيَاتِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {عَلَّمَ الإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ} فَرَجَعَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَرْجُفُ بَوَادِرُهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى خَدِيجَةَ فَقَالَ زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي فَزَمَّلُوهُ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الرَّوْعُ قَالَ لِخَدِيجَةَ أَىْ خَدِيجَةُ مَا لِي لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي فَأَخْبَرَهَا الْخَبَرَ قَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ كَلاَّ أَبْشِرْ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يُخْزِيكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ وَتَصْدُقُ الْحَدِيثَ وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ وَتَكْسِبُ الْمَعْدُومَ وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ فَانْطَلَقَتْ بِهِ خَدِيجَةُ حَتَّى أَتَتْ بِهِ وَرَقَةَ بْنَ نَوْفَلٍ وَهْوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ خَدِيجَةَ أَخِي أَبِيهَا وَكَانَ امْرَأً تَنَصَّرَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الْكِتَابَ الْعَرَبِيَّ وَيَكْتُبُ مِنَ الإِنْجِيلِ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ وَكَانَ شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا قَدْ عَمِيَ فَقَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ يَا ابْنَ عَمِّ اسْمَعْ مِنِ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ قَالَ وَرَقَةُ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي مَاذَا تَرَى فَأَخْبَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ خَبَرَ مَا رَأَى فَقَالَ وَرَقَةُ هَذَا النَّامُوسُ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُوسَى لَيْتَنِي فِيهَا جَذَعًا لَيْتَنِي أَكُونُ حَيًّا ذَكَرَ حَرْفًا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوَمُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ قَالَ وَرَقَةُ نَعَمْ لَمْ يَأْتِ رَجُلٌ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أُوذِيَ وَإِنْ يُدْرِكْنِي يَوْمُكَ حَيًّا أَنْصُرْكَ نَصْرًا مُؤَزَّرًا ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْشَبْ وَرَقَةُ أَنْ تُوُفِّيَ وَفَتَرَ الْوَحْىُ فَتْرَةً حَتَّى حَزِنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

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.  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَضَاةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ قَالَ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى ثَلاَثَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي لاَ تُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ أُمَّتُكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَأَيُّمَا حَرْفٍ قَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَصَابُوا  

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 came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was in the appearance of the tribe of Ghifar, and he said, "Indeed, Allah commands you to recite the Qur'an to your nation on one dialect (harf) only." The Prophet said, "I ask Allah for His forgiveness and His pardon." He mentioned the narration until he said, "Indeed, Allah commands you to recite the Qur'an to your nation on seven dialects (ahuruf). So whoever recites a dialect (harf) from them, then it is as he said."  

أَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَهُوَ بِأَضَاءَةِ بَنِي غِفَارٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ وَاحِدٍ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ مُعَافَاتَهُ وَمَغْفِرَتَهُ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُقْرِئَ أُمَّتَكَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَمَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْهَا فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ  

"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".  

We were in the company of Abdullah b 'Amr that we made a mention of a hadith from Abdullah b. Mas'ud; thereupon he said: That is a person whose love ever remains (fresh in my heart) after I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: Learn Qur'an from four persons: Ibn Umm 'Abd, i e. Abdullah b. Mas'ud and he started from his name-then Ubayy b. Ka'b and Mu'adh b Jabal. Zuhri did not make a mention of the words yaquluhu in his narration  

إِنَّ ذَاكَ الرَّجُلَ لاَ أَزَالُ أُحِبُّهُ بَعْدَ شَىْءٍ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُهُ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ اقْرَءُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ نَفَرٍ مِنِ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ فَبَدَأَ بِهِ وَمِنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ وَمِنْ سَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَمِنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ وَحَرْفٌ لَمْ يَذْكُرْهُ زُهَيْرٌ قَوْلُهُ يَقُولُهُ  

" What I did in secret." And in the hadith narrated by Ibn 'Uyaina there is some addition.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَمَّا حَدِيثُ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ فَاتَّفَقَ لَفْظُهُ مَعَ حَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ لَمْ يَخْتَلِفَا إِلاَّ فِي حَرْفَيْنِ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ مَكَانَ قَيَّامُ قَيِّمُ وَقَالَ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَأَمَّا حَدِيثُ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ فَفِيهِ بَعْضُ زِيَادَةٍ وَيُخَالِفُ مَالِكًا وَابْنَ جُرَيْجٍ فِي أَحْرُفٍ  

I was in the mosque when a man entered and prayed and recited (the Qur'in) in a style to which I objected. Then another man entered (the mosque) and recited in a style different from that of his companion. When we had finished the prayer, we all went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said to him: This man recited in a style to which I objected, and the other entered and recited in a style different from that of his companion. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked them to recite and so they recited, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ expressed approval of their affairs (their modes of recitation). and there occurred In my mind a sort of denial which did not occur even during the Days of Ignorance. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw how I was affected (by a wrong idea), he struck my chest, whereupon I broke into sweating and felt as though I were looking at Allah with fear. He (the Holy Prophet) said to me: Ubayy. a message was sent to me to recite the Qur'an in one dialect, and I replied: Make (things) easy for my people. It was conveyed to me for the second time that it should be recited in two dialects. I again replied to him: Make affairs easy for my people. It was again conveyed to me for the third time to recite in seven dialects And (I was further told): You have got a seeking for every reply that I sent you, which you should seek from Me. I said: O Allah! forgive my people, forgive my people, and I have deferred the third one for the day on which the entire creation will turn to me, including even Ibrahim (peace be upon him) (for intercession).  

كُنْتُ فِي المَسْجِدِ، فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ يُصَلِّي، فَقَرَأ قِراءَةً أنْكَرْتُها عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ آخَرُ فَقَرَأ قِراءَةً سِوى قَراءَةِ صاحِبِهِ، فَلَمّا قَضَيْنا الصَّلاةَ دَخَلْنا جَمِيعًا عَلى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ، فَقُلْتُ: إنَّ هَذا قَرَأ قِراءَةً أنْكَرْتُها عَلَيْهِ، ودَخَلَ آخَرُ فَقَرَأ سِوى قِراءَةِ صاحِبِهِ، فَأمَرَهُما رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ، فَقَرَآ، فَحَسَّنَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ شَأْنَهُما، فَسَقَطَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنَ التَّكْذِيبِ، ولا إذْ كُنْتُ فِي الجاهِلِيَّةِ، فَلَمّا رَأى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ما قَدْ غَشِيَنِي، ضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي، فَفِضْتُ عَرَقًا وكَأنَّما أنْظُرُ إلى اللهِ ﷻ فَرَقًا، فَقالَ لِي: «يا أُبَيُّ أُرْسِلَ إلَيَّ أنِ اقْرَأِ القُرْآنَ عَلى حَرْفٍ، فَرَدَدْتُ إلَيْهِ أنْ هَوِّنْ عَلى أُمَّتِي، فَرَدَّ إلَيَّ الثّانِيَةَ اقْرَأْهُ عَلى حَرْفَيْنِ، فَرَدَدْتُ إلَيْهِ أنْ هَوِّنْ عَلى أُمَّتِي، فَرَدَّ إلَيَّ الثّالِثَةَ اقْرَأْهُ عَلى سَبْعَةِ أحْرُفٍ، فَلَكَ بِكُلِّ رَدَّةٍ رَدَدْتُكَها مَسْألَةٌ تَسْألُنِيها، فَقُلْتُ: اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي، اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي، وأخَّرْتُ الثّالِثَةَ لِيَوْمٍ يَرْغَبُ إلَيَّ الخَلْقُ كُلُّهُمْ، حَتّى إبْراهِيمُ ﷺ»  

[Machine] I was in the mosque when a man entered and recited a reading that I disapproved of. Then another man entered and recited a different reading than his companion's. We all got up and went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and I said, "O Messenger of Allah, this man recited a reading that I disapproved of, and then this man entered and recited a reading different from his companion's." The Prophet ﷺ said to both of them, "Recite." They recited, and he said, "Both of you are correct." When the Prophet ﷺ said what was difficult for me to bear, as I was still a new convert to Islam, the man who had overwhelmed me struck my chest, causing me to sweat and making me feel as if I were seeing Allah separately. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, my Lord has sent me a message to recite the Quran perfectly, but I asked Him to make it easy for my Ummah (community). He then sent me a message to recite it on two letters, but again I asked Him to make it easy for my Ummah. He finally sent me a message to recite it on seven letters, and with each repetition, there is a matter of importance that I must answer." He said, "What did you say in response?" I said, "O Allah, forgive my Ummah. O Allah, forgive my Ummah." And I saved the third repetition for a day that the creation would desire me until the Day of Judgment, referring to the day of the Prophet's ascension (Isra' and Mi'raj), when Allah honored him.  

كُنْتُ فِي الْمَسْجِدَ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ آخَرُ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَقُمْنَا جَمِيعًا فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ هَذَا قَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ هَذَا فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً غَيْرَ قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ اقْرَآ فَقَرَآ قَالَ أَصَبْتُمَا فَلَمَّا قَالَ لَهُمَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الَّذِي قَالَ كَبُرَ عَلَيَّ وَلَا إِذْ كُنْتُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى الَّذِي غَشِيَنِي ضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي فَفِضْتُ عَرَقًا وَكَأَنَّمَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَى اللهِ فَرَقًا فَقَالَ يَا أُبَيُّ إِنَّ رَبِّي أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ أَنْ اقْرَأِ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ أَنْ اقْرَأْهُ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ فَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ أَنْ اقْرَأْهُ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ وَلَكَ بِكُلِّ رَدَّةٍ مَسْأَلَةٌ تَسْأَلُنِيهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي وَأَخَّرْتُ الثَّالِثَةَ لِيَوْمٍ يَرْغَبُ إِلَيَّ فِيهِ الْخَلْقُ حَتَّى إِبْرَاهِيمَ  

[Machine] I was in the mosque when a man entered and prayed, reciting a verse that I disliked. Then another man entered and prayed, reciting a different verse than his companion. After we finished the prayer, we went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I said, "O Messenger of Allah, this man recited a verse that I disliked, and then this man entered and recited a verse other than his companion." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to both of them, "Recite." So they recited. Then he said, "You both did well." In my heart, I denied [his words], as if I was still in the time of ignorance [before Islam]. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw what had covered me, he struck my chest, causing me to sweat and it felt as if I were looking at my Lord with distinctness. He said to me, "O Ubayy, indeed my Lord has sent to me and told me to recite upon a letter, so I replied, 'Make it easy for my Ummah.' He replied to me, 'I have made it easy for your Ummah for reciting upon two letters.' So I replied, 'Make it easy for my Ummah.' He replied to me, 'I have made it easy for your Ummah for reciting upon three letters.' So I replied, 'Make it easy for my Ummah.' He replied to me, 'I have made it easy for your Ummah for reciting upon seven letters.' And for every repetition, I will give you what you ask." So I said, "O Allah, forgive my Ummah, O Allah, forgive my Ummah." And I delayed the third one for a day that people desire to be near to me — the Day of Judgement — until even Ibrahim ﷺ finds enjoyment in me. This is the rest of the narration from Anas ibn Malik, from Ubayy ibn Ka'b.  

كُنْتُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَصَلَّى فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا الصَّلَاةَ دَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ هَذَا قَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ فَدَخَلَ هَذَا فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ اقْرَءُوا فَقَرَءُوا فَقَالَ قَدْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ فَسَقَطَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنَ التَّكْذِيبِ وَلَا إِذْ كُنْتُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَا قَدْ غَشِيَنِي ضَرَبَ صَدْرِي قَالَ فَفِضْتُ عَرَقًا وَكَأَنَّمَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رَبِّي فَرَقًا فَقَالَ لِي أُبَيٌّ إِنَّ رَبِّي أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ لِي اقْرَأْ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي فَرَدَّ إِلَيَّ أَنْاقْرَأْ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ فَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ أَنْ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ أَنْ اقْرَأْ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ وَلَكَ بِكُلِّ رَدَّةٍ رَدَدْتُكَهَا سُؤْلَكَ أُعْطِيكَهَا فَقُلْتُ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي وَأَخَّرْتُ الثَّالِثَةَ لِيَوْمٍ يَرْغَبُ إِلَيَّ فِيهِ الْخَلْقُ حَتَّى إِبْرَاهِيمَ بَقِيَّةُ حَدِيثِ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ