Mishkat al-Masabih #2086

‘Abdallāh b. ‘Amr told of a man coming to the Prophet and asking him to teach him to recite. On being told to recite three of the sūras with A. L. R (Qur’ān, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15) he replied, “I am old, my heart has difficulty in remem­bering, and my tongue is sluggish.” When told that in that case he should recite three with Hā’ Mīm (Qur’ān, 40 to 46) he gave the same reply and then asked God’s messenger to teach him to recite a comprehensive sūra. He taught him to recite “When is shaken” (Qur’ān, 99) up to the end, and the man said, “I swear by Him who has sent you with the truth that I shall never recite more than that.” Then when the man turned away God's messenger said twice, “The little man has come into a state of felicity.” Ahmad and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.