the Qur'an, so he recited it to them for a period. They said: "O Messenger of Allah, if only you would narrate to us [stories]," so Allah revealed: "Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book" up to His saying: "We relate to you the best of stories," so he recited it to them for a period.

11324 - My father narrated to us, [saying] Isma'il ibn al-Khalil narrated to us, [saying] ‘Ali ibn Mushir narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ishaq, from Khalifah ibn Qays, from Khalid ibn ‘Urfutah, [who] said: I was with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab when a man from ‘Abd al-Qays, whose residence was in al-Sus, was brought to him. ‘Umar said to him: "Are you so-and-so the ‘Abdi?" He said: "Yes." He said: "And you are the one who resides in al-Sus?" He then struck him with a staff he had with him. The ‘Abdi said: "What [did I do] to deserve this?" He then recited to him: "Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book" up to His saying: "...and indeed, you were, before it, among the unaware." He recited it to him three times and struck him three times. Then ‘Umar said to him: "Are you the one who copied the book of Daniel?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Go, erase it with hot water and white wool, and do not read it yourself, nor have it read by any of the people."

11325 - My father narrated to us, [saying] Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umar al-‘Adani narrated to us, [saying] Sufyan narrated to us, from al-Mas’udi, from al-Qasim, [who] said: The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, became weary, so they said: "Narrate to us, O Messenger of Allah," so Allah revealed: "We relate to you the best of stories." Then they became weary again, and they said: "O Messenger of Allah, narrate to us," so it was revealed: "Allah has sent down the best of statements." Then they became weary again, and they said: "Narrate to us, O Messenger of Allah," so Allah revealed: "Has the time not yet come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah?"

11326 - ‘Ali ibn al-Hasan narrated to us, [saying] Abu al-Jumahir narrated to us, [saying] Sa’id ibn Bashir informed us, from Qatadah, [regarding] His saying: "We relate to you the best of stories," he said: "In the past books and the affairs of Allah concerning the ancient nations, by what We have revealed to you [of] this Qur'an."

His saying, the Almighty: "...and indeed, you were, before it, among the unaware."

11327 - And by the same chain, from Qatadah: "...and indeed, you were, before it, among the unaware," meaning: before this Qur'an.