It is narrated in mursal form from al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) concerning the words of Allah Almighty: "Indeed, with hardship comes ease" [Surah al-Sharh: 6] , that he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out one day in a state of joy and delight, laughing, and he was saying: "One hardship will never overcome two eases: 'Indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.'" [Surah al-Sharh: 5-6]

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the words of Allah Almighty: "By the fig and the olive" [Surah al-Tin: 1] , that he said: "These are the very fruits (fig and olive) that people eat." And concerning "And by Mount Sinai (Tur Sinin)" [Surah al-Tin: 2] , he said: "Tur means the mountain, and Sinin means blessed." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "Whoever reads the Qur'an (and acts upon it) will not be returned to the most decrepit age (that state of old age) in which he knows nothing after having knowledge. And this is the meaning of the words of Allah Almighty: 'Then We returned him to the lowest of the low, except those who believed' [Surah al-Tin: 5-6] , meaning: except those who read the Qur'an." The chain of this hadith is sahih (authentic), but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "The first surah of the Qur'an to be revealed was: 'Read in the name of your Lord who created' [Surah al-Alaq: 1] ." (Imam al-Hakim says that) Ibn Uyaynah did not hear it from al-Zuhri, so (another chain is presented):

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "The first surah of the Qur'an to be revealed was: 'Read in the name of your Lord' [Surah al-Alaq: 1] ." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the Cave of Hira when an angel came to him bringing a silk cloth on which was written: "Read in the name of your Lord who created" up to "what he did not know" [Surah al-Alaq: 1-5] .

(Imam al-Hakim says that) I heard Abu Ali al-Hafiz say: The mention of Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) in its chain is an error. Then he narrated it to us in mursal form through the chain of Muhammad bin Ishaq al-Thaqafi from Amr bin Dinar: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in the Cave of Hira," and then mentioned the hadith in the same way. All the narrators of the first, connected hadith are trustworthy, and I have built this book upon the principle that an addition from a trustworthy narrator is accepted. As for the prostration in "Read in the name of your Lord", Imam Muslim recorded it through the chain of Abu al-Tahir, from al-A'raj, from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "The obligatory ('aza'im) verses of prostration in the Qur'an are: 'Alif Lam Mim. The revelation' [Surah al-Sajdah: 1-2] , 'Ha Mim. The revelation', that is, the Sajdah [Surah Fussilat: 1-2] , Surah al-Najm, and 'Read in the name of your Lord who created' [Surah al-Alaq: 1] ." (Imam al-Hakim says:) And I am amazed at the one who narrates hadith to me and does not prostrate in the Mufassal surahs.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the words of Allah Almighty: "Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr)" [Surah al-Qadr: 1] , that he said: "The Qur'an was sent down on the Night of Decree all at once (from the Preserved Tablet) to the lowest heaven, and it was placed at the positions of the stars (mawaqi' al-nujum). Then Allah Almighty kept sending it down upon His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) little by little." And he also recited: "And the disbelievers said: 'Why was the whole Qur'an not sent down upon him all at once?' (O Prophet,) We did so in order to strengthen your heart thereby, and We have recited it in measured stages" [Surah al-Furqan: 32] . This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "The Qur'an was sent down on the Night of Decree from the highest heaven to the lowest heaven all at once, then it was sent down in portions over the (various) years." And he recited this verse: "So I swear by the positions of the stars, and indeed it is a mighty oath, if you only knew" [Surah al-Waqi'ah: 75-76] . This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.