Hadith 4994

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ بْنِ قَيْسٍ ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ ، يَقُولُ : فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ والْكَهْفِ ومَرْيَمَ وطَهَ والْأَنْبِيَاءِ : " إِنَّهُنَّ مِنَ الْعِتَاقِ الْأُوَلِ وَهُنَّ مِنْ تِلَادِي " .
Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas`ud: Surat Bani-lsrael, Al-Kahf (The Cave), Maryam, Taha, Al-Anbiya' (The prophets) are amongst my first earnings and my old property, and (in fact) they are my old property.
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب فضائل القرآن / 4994
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
That is, these surahs were earlier in revelation, but in the ‘Uthmani codex (mushaf), the order of the surahs is not according to the sequence of revelation. Rather, the longer surahs have been placed first, followed by the shorter surahs, and this order has mostly been derived from the recitation of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
In some places, personal judgment was also applied; for example, in the hadith, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said Surah al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imran, thus placing Surah al-Baqarah before Surah Aal ‘Imran.
Similarly, in the mushaf, Surah al-Baqarah has also been placed first. In any case, the present noble mushaf is arranged exactly in accordance with the divine will.
There is no doubt about it.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 4994
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
These five surahs were revealed earlier, but in the Uthmani codex (mushaf), their arrangement is not according to the order of their revelation; rather, the longer surahs have been placed earlier in the order of recitation.

2.
The intent of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu is that these five surahs are extremely eloquent and articulate, and each one contains highly captivating subject matter, such as the incident of the Mi'raj, the story of the Companions of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf), the event of the birth of 'Isa, the greatness of the Prophets, and the circumstances of their nations, and he had memorized them beforehand.

The intent of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is that the aforementioned five surahs were revealed in Makkah al-Mukarramah, but in the Uthmani codex they are placed later; however, in the mushaf of Ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu, their arrangement is the same as in the Uthmani codex.

And Allah knows best.

(Fath al-Bari: 9/53)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 4994