Bayhaqi 4047 — On al-Mu'awwidhatayn

Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I was walking ahead of the she-camel of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), leading it, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Uqbah! Shall I not teach you the two best surahs that are recited?" I said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah!" He (peace and blessings be upon him) taught me "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak" [Surah al-Falaq: 1] and "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind" [Surah al-Nas: 1]. He (peace and blessings be upon him) sensed that I was not very pleased. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) led the morning prayer and recited these two surahs (the Mu'awwidhatayn). Then he said to me: "O Uqbah! What do you think (of these surahs)?"
This is how al-Ala' bin Kathir narrated it; Ibn Wahb narrated it from Mu'awiyah from al-Ala' bin al-Harith, and that is more correct.