Publisher's Synopsis
"Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'O Abul-Mundhir! Do you know which verse from the book of Allah is the greatest? Ubay bin Ka'b said, "I replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best'. The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'O Abul-Mundhir! Do you know which verse from the book of Allah is the greatest? Ubay bin Ka'b said, "I said, "Allah! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists." Ubay bin Ka'b said, "He smacked my chest and said, "By Allah! Congratulations, Abul-Mundhir for having knowledge." Meaning congratulations for this knowledge which Allah has gifted you, facilitated for you, and has blessed you with. The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) swore by Allah exalting this status and emphasizing this ambition. Among Ubay's excellent perception and keenness (radhiallahu 'anhu) is that when the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) questioned him he continued in his search for the verse which is dedicated to clarifying the greatest matter in the Quran, At-Tawheed, an acknowledgement of its confirming proofs, and a mention of Allah's greatness and perfection which He is deserving solely to be worshipped. This was from the completeness of his understanding and excellent understanding of the religion. He didn't cite a verse clarifying praiseworthy etiquettes, subsidiary judgments, past events, horrors of the Day of resurrection or similar to that; rather, 'Ubay selected the verse which is dedicated to clarifying and acknowledging at-Tawheed. Perhaps you will grasp the full extent of his understanding in the religion; Ubay (radhiallahu 'anhu) did not choose this verse out of ten, twenty, one hundred, or two hundred verses; yet he choose it out of more than six thousand verses. How not so when he (radhiallahu 'anhu) was, "the leader of the reciters....he amassed the Quran during the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and reviewed it with the Prophet(sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and memorized from Him blessed knowledge, and was a leader in knowledge and implementation (radhiallahu 'anhu)." Among his outstanding traits (radhiallahu 'anhu) is what Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected on the authority of Anas bin Malik (radhiallahu 'anhu) that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said to Ubay, "Indeed Allah ordered me to teach you" He (i.e. Ubay) said, "Did Allah mention my name to you?" the Prophet said, "Allah mentioned your name to me" Anas bin Malik said, "Ubay began to weep." Likewise you should contemplate in order to grasp Ubay's the full extent of understanding of the religion (radhiallahu 'anhu); his response to this question wasn't after long period of time like a week or a month in which he could review the verses and contemplate its meanings; rather he (radhiallahu 'anhu) merely responded immediately after the Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) repeated the question; so he chose this blessed verse. This verse contains a concise lesson, a beneficial statement, and clarification of the three categories of at-Tawheed; it amasses the statement and clarification of at-Tawheed which is not found in any single verse; rather it is found dispersed in many verses.
