مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 3845

It was narrated that 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Abis said: A man from Hamdan, one of the companions of 'Abdullah (RA), but he did not tell us his name, told us: When 'Abdullah wanted to go to Madinah, he gathered his companions together and said: By Allah, I hope that among you are the best of the troops of the Muslims with regard to religious commitment, under- standing of religion and knowledge of Qur'an. This Qur'an was revealed with different modes of recitation but by Allah, (it so happened that) two men would dispute in the strongest terms (at the time of the Prophet (PBUH)). One reader would say: This is how I learned it. He (the Prophet (PBUH)) would say: You did well. And when the other one said (how he learned it) he would say: Both of you are good. And he taught us that truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise, and lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hell. Think of that when one of you says concerning his companion that he lied or committed some evil, and think about that if he believed him, he would say: you told the truth and you were righteous. This Qur'an does not change and does not wear out, and it does not become less precious by being recited repeatedly. Whoever Ieams it in one mode of recitation should not abandon it in favour of another mode. Whoever learns it in any mode of recitation that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) taught, should not abandon it in favour of another, for whoever denies one verse has denied all of it. Rather it is like if one of you says to his companion, 'hurry up' or 'quickly.' By Allah, if there was a man who had more knowledge of what Allah revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) i would have sought him out so that I could add his knowledge to mine. There will be people who delay the prayer, so pray on time and make your prayer with them voluntary. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to review the Qur'an every Ramadan, and I reviewed it with him twice in the year in which he died and he told me that i was good. I learned from the lips of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) seventy soorahs.