(9/157), and Ahmad (2/231 and 384), through the route of ‘Umarah ibn al-Qa‘qa‘: Abu Zur‘ah—whose name was Haram ibn ‘Amr ibn Jarir—narrated to us that he heard Abu Hurayrah say: The Messenger of Allah said: … They related it, each adding something to the other; Ahmad’s wording is given here.

This hadith has many routes from Abu Hurayrah, in both longer and shorter versions. A full discussion of their documentation and of the differences between them would be very lengthy. Some of them have preceded under no. 2896. *

3499—“Verses the like of which has never before been revealed to me have been sent down to me: ‘Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak,’ to the end of the surah, and ‘Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,’ to the end of the surah.”

I say: It is narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, through several routes:

The first: from Qays, from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, from the Prophet, who said: … and he mentioned it.

It was recorded by Muslim (2/200), al-Darimi (2/462), al-Tirmidhi (2902 and 3367)—who authenticated it—al-Nasa’i (1/151 and 2/313), whose wording is given here, and Ahmad (4/144, 150, 151, and 152).

The second: from Abu ‘Imran, from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, who said:

I followed the Messenger of Allah while he was riding, placed my hand on his foot, and said, “Teach me Surah Hud or Surah Yusuf.” He replied:

“You will not recite anything of greater import before Allah than ‘Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak.’ [So, if you are able not to miss it, then do so.]”

It was also recorded by al-Nasa’i, Ibn Hibban (2/84/792), al-Hakim (2/540), and Ahmad (4/149 and 159), whose wording is given here.