'Alqama reported. We went to Syria and Abu Darda' came to us and said: Is there anyone among you who recites according to the recitation of 'Abdullah? I said: Yes, it is I. He again said: How did you hear 'Abdullah reciting this verse: (wa'l-lail-i-idha yaghsha = when the night covers)? He ('Alqama) said: I heard him reciting it (like this) (wa'l-lail-i-idha yaghsha) wa-dhakar wal untha = when the night covers and the males and the females). Upon this he said: By Allah, I heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) reciting in this way, but they (the Muslims of Syria) desire us to recite: (wa ma khalaqa), but I do not yield to their desire.

Ibrahim reported: 'Alqama came to Syria and entered the mosque and prayed there and then went to a (place where people were sitting in a) circle and he sat therein. Then a person came there and I perceived that the people were annoyed and perturbed (on this arrival). and he sat on my side and then said: Do you remember how 'Abdullah used to recite (the Qur'an)? And then the rest of the hadith was narrated.

'Alqama reported: I met Abu Darda', and he said to me: To which country do you belong? I said: I am one of the people of Iraq. He again said: To which city? I replied: City of Kufa. He again said: Do you recite according to the recitation of 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud? I said: Yes. He said: Recite this verse (By the night when it covers) So I recited it: (By the night when it covers, and the day when it shines, and the creating of the male and the female). He laughed and said: I have heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) reciting like this.

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters.