It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him): We, a group of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), were sitting, and we said to one another: "If only we knew which deed is most beloved to Allah Almighty, we would do it." Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this surah: "Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise" [Surah al-Saff: 1] (to the end of the surah). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this whole surah to us in this way. Al-Awza'i said: Yahya bin Abi Kathir recited this surah to us in Makkah. Muhammad bin Kathir said: Al-Awza'i recited it to us in this way. Abu al-Walid said: Ibn Kathir recited it to us in this way. Abu al-Hasan bin Uqbah said: Abu al-Walid recited it to us in this way. Imam al-Hakim said: Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Shaybani recited it to us in this way. And Imam al-Hakim Abu Abdullah recited this surah to us from its beginning to its end. Al-Walid bin Muslim narrated it from al-Awza'i and made explicit the hearing (sama') from the beginning of the chain to its end.