Sahih Muslim Book - 6, Hadith - 1904

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِى حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِى خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِى لَيْلَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ فِى الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ يُصَلِّى فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ آخَرُ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا الصَّلاَةَ دَخَلْنَا جَمِيعًا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ هَذَا قَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً أَنْكَرْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ وَدَخَلَ آخَرُ فَقَرَأَ سِوَى قِرَاءَةِ صَاحِبِهِ فَأَمَرَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَرَءَا فَحَسَّنَ النَّبِىُّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- شَأْنَهُمَا فَسُقِطَ فِى نَفْسِى مِنَ التَّكْذِيبِ وَلاَ إِذْ كُنْتُ فِى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مَا قَدْ غَشِيَنِى ضَرَبَ فِى صَدْرِى فَفِضْتُ عَرَقًا وَكَأَنَّمَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَرَقًا فَقَالَ لِى « يَا أُبَىُّ أُرْسِلَ إِلَىَّ أَنِ اقْرَإِ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِى. فَرَدَّ إِلَىَّ الثَّانِيَةَ اقْرَأْهُ عَلَى حَرْفَيْنِ. فَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ هَوِّنْ عَلَى أُمَّتِى. فَرَدَّ إِلَىَّ الثَّالِثَةَ اقْرَأْهُ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَلَكَ بِكُلِّ رَدَّةٍ رَدَدْتُكَهَا مَسْأَلَةٌ تَسْأَلُنِيهَا. فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لأُمَّتِى. اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لأُمَّتِى. وَأَخَّرْتُ الثَّالِثَةَ لِيَوْمٍ يَرْغَبُ إِلَىَّ الْخَلْقُ كُلُّهُمْ حَتَّى إِبْرَاهِيمُ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- ».

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "I was in the Masjid, and a man came in and offered prayers, and (in it) he recited in a manner which I found strange. Then another man came in and recited in a manner different from his companion. When we had finished the prayer, we all entered upon the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and I said: 'This man recited in a manner which I found strange, then another man came in and recited in a manner different from his companion.' The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) told them to recite, and they did so, and the Prophet (s.a.w) expressed his approval. I felt in my heart a kind of doubt such as I had never felt even during the Jahiliyyah. When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) saw that I was affected and had broken into a sweat, as if I was looking at Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, with fear, he said to me: 'O Ubayy, it was conveyed to me that I should recite the Qur'an in one mode of recitation, and I replied: Make it easy for my Ummah. It was conveyed to me the second time that I should recite it in two modes of recitation. I replied: Make it easy for my Ummah. It was conveyed to me the third time that I should recite it in seven modes of recitation, and: For each time you replied, you may ask Me for something. I said: O Allah, forgive my Ummah; O Allah, forgive my Ummah, and I have delayed the third one for the Day when all of mankind will tum to me, even Ibrahim, peace be upon him."'