“Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and al-Hafiz endorsed it in several places in al-Fath (7/127 and 8/725). He also said (11/257): “Its chain is good.”

I say: The basic assessment of this chain is only that it is sound, owing to the well-known disagreement concerning Asim—namely, Ibn Abi al-Najud—as a hadith narrator. However, since he was personally truthful and was a trustworthy leading authority in Qur’anic recitation, and since he studied recitation under his teacher in this hadith, Zirr ibn Hubaysh—and the hadith concerns recitation—it pertains to his particular field of expertise. One can therefore be more confident that he preserved it well than other hadiths unrelated to recitation. This is quite clear, and for this reason al-Diya included it in al-Mukhtarah (3/368–369).

The hadith under discussion has another route recorded by al-Tabarani in al-Muʿjam al-Kabir (1/170/542), through a weak chain from al-Shaʿbi, from Ibn Abbas, from Ubayy, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “If a person had two valleys of wealth...” However, it has an authentic chain from Ibn Abbas, recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others. It has been referenced in Ahadith al-Mushkilah (18/14), and will appear in another version under the following number.

The passage concerning the recitation to him has another route, narrated by Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Abza, from his father, from Ubayy, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “Indeed, Allah Most High commanded me to recite the Quran to you.” He said: “And did my Lord mention me to you by name?” He replied: “By the bounty of Allah and by His mercy—in that let them rejoice.” This is how Ubayy recited it. Another narration adds: “I said to him: ‘O Abu al-Mundhir, did you rejoice at that?’ He said: ‘And what could prevent me? By Allah, He says: “Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy—in that let them rejoice. That is better than what they amass.”’”