45.

Chapters on The Virtues of the Qur'an

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كتاب ثواب القرآن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

Uthman bin Affan (رضي الله تعالى عنه) narrated that the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, ‘the best of you, or the most virtuous of you, is he who learns the Qur'an and teaches it.’ Imam Tirmidhi said, this Hadith is Hasan Sahih. This is how Abdur Rahmãn bin Mahdi and others reported it from Sufyan Ath-Thawri, from Alqamah, from Marthad, from Abu Abdur Rahman, from Uthman (رضي الله تعالى عنه) from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). And Sufyan did not mention ‘from Sa'd bin Ubaidah in it. Yahya bin Sa’id Al-Qattan reported this Hadith from Sufyan and Shu'bah, from Alqamah bin Marthad, from Sa'd bin Ubaidah, from Abu Abdur Rahman, from Uthmãn (رضي الله تعالى عنه) from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). There is another chain for this Hadith and Muhammad bin Bash-shar said, ‘Sufyan's companions did not mention in it from Sufyan, 'from Sa'd bin 'Ubaidah.’ Muhammad bin Bash-shar said, ‘and it is more correct.’ Shu'bah added ‘Sa'd bin 'Ubaidah’ to the chain of this Hadith, and it appears that the narration of Sufyan is more appropriate. Ali bin 'Abdullah said, ‘Yahya bin Sa’id said, 'no one is equal to Shu'bah to me, but when Sufyan contradicts him, then take the saying of Sufyan.’ Imam Tirmidhi said, I heard Ammar mentioning that Waki said, Shu'bah said, Sufyan has a better memory than me, there is nothing that Sufyan narrated to me from anyone, and then I later asked him about it, except that I found it just as he had narrated it to me earlier. There are narrations on this topic from Ali and Sa'd (رضي الله تعالى عنهما).