and a hypocrite and a wicked person.” Bashir said: I asked al-Walid, “Who are these three?” He replied, “The hypocrite disbelieves in it, the wicked person uses it to earn a living, and the believer believes in it.”

Al-Hakim said, “Its chain of transmission is authentic,” and al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

I say: Its narrators are trustworthy, except that this al-Walid was declared trustworthy only by Ibn Hibban and al-‘Ijli. Nevertheless, a number of people narrated from him, and al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib, “Acceptable.” Thus, his hadith can be graded good; in any case, it is a sound supporting report.

The hadith has other supporting reports from a number of Companions that confirm its authenticity, which must be mentioned, Allah willing.

259 — “Recite, for all of it is good. There will come people who will render it with precise articulation as an arrow is straightened, seeking its immediate reward and not deferring it.”

Abu Dawud narrated it (1/132, al-Taziyah edition): Wahb ibn Baqiyyah related to us: Khalid informed us, from Humayd al-A‘raj, from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, from Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, who said:

“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came out to us while we were reciting the Quran, among us being both Arabs of the desert and non-Arabs. He said”—and he then mentioned it.