Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: A man recited a verse. I had recited that verse differently from him. I asked him: Who taught you to recite this verse? He replied: The Messenger of Allah taught me to recite it. Sayyiduna Ubayy says: I went to the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! You taught me to recite such and such verses. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes! That man said: You taught me to recite such and such verses. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes! Jibreel and Mikaeel came to me. Jibreel sat on my right side and Mikaeel sat on my left side. Jibreel said: O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), recite the Qur'an according to one mode (harf). Mikaeel said: Ask for more. So I said: Tell me more ways. Then Jibreel said: Recite it according to two modes. Mikaeel said: Ask for more, until it reached seven modes. Then Jibreel said: Recite it up to seven modes. Each of them is sufficient and complete.
Hadith Referenceصحیح ابن حبان / كتاب الرقائق / 737
Hadith Gradingفضيلة الشيخ الإمام محمد ناصر الدين الألبانيصحيح - «صحيح أبي داود» (1327)، «الصحيحة» (843).فضيلة الشيخ العلّامة شُعيب الأرناؤوطإسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين، أبو خيثمة: هو زهير بن حرب بن شداد النسائي.