“A group of us Companions of the Messenger of Allah sat talking, and we said: ‘If we knew which deed was most beloved to Alllah then we would do it.’ So Allah, Most High, revealed: Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is Almighty, the All-Wise. O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do?” Abdullah bin Salam said: “So the Messenger of Allah recited it to us.” Abu Salamah (one of the narrators) said: “So Ibn Salam recited it to us.” Yahya (one of the narrators) said: “So Abu Salamah narrated it to us.” Ibn Kathir said: “So Al-Awza’i recited it to us.” Abdullah said: “So Ibn Kathir recited it to us.”  

قَعَدْنَا نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَتَذَاكَرْنَا فَقُلْنَا لَوْ نَعْلَمُ أَىَّ الأَعْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ لَعَمِلْنَاهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ( سبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ * يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ ) قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا ابْنُ سَلاَمٍ قَالَ يَحْيَى فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ قَالَ ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ