English Translation

Affan told us, saying Sakhr bin Juwayriyah told us, saying Isma'il al-Makki told us, saying Abu Khalaf, the freedman of Banu Jumah, told me, that he entered with Ubayd bin Umayr upon Aisha, Mother of the Believers, in the shaded portico of Zamzam -- there being no shade in the mosque other than it. She said: Welcome, and greetings to Abu Asim -- meaning Ubayd bin Umayr -- what has kept you from visiting us or calling on us? He said: I was afraid I would bore you. She said: What were you going to do? He said: I came to ask you about a verse in the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic -- how the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to recite it. She said: Which verse? He said: those who give what they gave, or those who come with what they came with. She said: Which of the two is dearer to you? I said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul, one of them is dearer to me than the whole world, or the world and all that is in it. She said: Which one? I said: those who come with what they came with. She said: I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to recite it that way, and that is how it was revealed -- or she said: I bear witness that it was revealed that way, and that is how the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to recite it, but the wording is a variant reading.