Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: After accepting Islam, no doubt ever entered my heart, but one day it happened that I recited a verse and another man recited the same verse in a different manner. I said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught me to recite it this way. That man said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also taught me. We both went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). I said: O Messenger of Allah! Did you not teach me such-and-such verse in this manner? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Yes." The other man said: Did you not teach me in this way? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Yes." Jibril and Mika'il came to me. Jibril sat on my right side and Mika'il on my left. Jibril said: Recite the Qur'an in one mode. Mika'il said: Allow more. Then Jibril said: Recite the Qur'an in two modes. Mika'il said: Allow more. (This repetition continued) until permission was granted to recite the Qur'an in seven modes, and Jibril said: Each of these modes is complete and sufficient."