And Mukhtasar al-Uluw (108).
The first [interpretation]: This was before it was known about the preference, but this is subject to scrutiny.
The second: He said this out of humility.
The third: This is a prohibition against asserting preference in such a situation of disputation and altercation.
The fourth: Do not prefer based on mere opinions and partisanship.
The fifth: The status of preference is not for you to decide, rather it belongs to Allah the Almighty, and your duty is to submit, surrender, and believe in Him.
485: 2567: The Disbelievers: 1: Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (1/304).
486: 2570: Except Him: 1: Imam Ahmad said: Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, Sufyan narrated to us, from Sa'id al-Jariri, from Abu al-Sulayl, from Abd Allah ibn Rabah, from Ubayy—he is Ibn Ka'b—that the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Which verse in the Book of Allah is the greatest?" He said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He repeated it several times, then Ubayy said: The Verse of the Throne (Ayat al-Kursi). He [the Prophet] said: "May knowledge be pleasant to you, O Abu al-Mundhir. By Him in whose hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips, sanctifying the King at the leg of the Throne."
Authentic. Narrated by Muslim in (Al-Musafirin, H/258), al-Tabarani (1/165). It was also narrated by Ahmad (5/58) and al-Majma' (6/321), who attributed it to him—and it is in the Sahih in abbreviated form—and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih. And Adhkar (246), al-Hawi (1/123), al-Kanz (4062, 4063).
