'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 ﷺ 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.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ قَدِمْنَا الشَّامَ فَأَتَانَا أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَقَالَ أَفِيكُمْ أَحَدٌ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ أَنَا . قَالَ فَكَيْفَ سَمِعْتَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ يَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ { وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى} قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ { وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى * وَالذَّكَرِ وَالأُنْثَى} . قَالَ وَأَنَا وَاللَّهِ هَكَذَا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقْرَؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ وَمَا خَلَقَ . فَلاَ أُتَابِعُهُمْ .