'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) (may peace be upon (him) asked me to recite the Qur'an. He said: Messenger of Allah, (how) should I recite to you whereas it has been sent down to you? He (the Holy Prophet) said: I desire to hear it from someone else. So I recited Surat al-Nisa' till I reached the verse: How then shall it be when We shall bring from every people a witness and bring you against them as a witness?" (verse 41). I lifted my head or a person touched me in my side, and so I lifted my head and saw his tears falling (from the Holy Prophet's eyes).

This hadith has been narratted by A'mash with the same chain of transmitters but with this addition:" The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was on the pulpit when he asked me to recite to him."

Ibrahim reported that the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) asked 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud to recite to him (the Qur'an). He said: Should I recite it to you while it has been sent down or revealed to you? He (the Holy Prophet) said: I love to hear it from someone else. So he ('Abdullah bin Mas'ud) recited to him (from the beginning of Surat al Nisa' up to the verse:" How shall then it be when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against them?" He (the Holy Prophet) wept (on listening to it). It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud through another chain of transmitters that the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) also said that he had been a witness to his people as long as (said he): I lived among them or I had been among them.