عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: «يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ، أَتَدْرِي أَيُّ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللهِ مَعَكَ أَعْظَمُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ، أَتَدْرِي أَيُّ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللهِ مَعَكَ أَعْظَمُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ﱠ. فَضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي، وَقَالَ: «وَاللهِ لِيَهْنِكَ الْعِلْمُ أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ».
Ubay ibn Ka‘b narrated:
1. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which is the greatest verse of God’s Book that is with you?”
2. I said: “God and His Messenger know best”.
3. He said: “Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which is the greatest verse of God’s Book that is with you?”
4. I said: “God: there is no deity but Him, the Ever-Living, the Eternal Master of all”. .5. He patted me on my chest 6. and said: “By God! Congratulations to you on your knowledge, Abu al-Mundhir”.
Abu al-Mundhir Ubay ibn Ka‘b belonged to Madinah. He was a master reciter of the Qur’an and an highly distinguished companion of the Prophet. He took part in the second pledge given to the Prophet by the Anṣār at ‘Aqabah. He took part in the Battle of Badr and all other military expeditions with the Prophet. He was the first scribe the Prophet employed. He died during ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān’s reign, in Year 30 AH 651 CE.
