Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 2935

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: We, a few of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), were sitting together, and we said to one another: If only we knew which deeds are most beloved to Allah Almighty, we would do them. At this Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed these verses: "Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do? Most hateful it is in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in ranks as though they were a structure firmly joined" [Surah al-Saff: 1-4], to the end of the surah, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this whole surah to us. Muhammad bin Kathir added in his narration that Imam al-Awza'i said to us: Yahya bin Abi Kathir recited this surah to us in the same way. Muhammad bin Kathir said: Imam al-Awza'i recited it to us to the end of the surah in the same way. Ibrahim said: Muhammad bin Kathir recited it to us to the end of the surah in the same way. Abu Amr bin al-Sammak said: Ibrahim bin al-Haytham recited it to us to the end of the surah in the same way. Imam al-Hakim says: Abu Amr bin al-Sammak recited it to us from beginning to end in the same way, and I (al-Hakim) too have recited this surah to you from beginning to end in the same way.
This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.