English Translation

Abu Bakr ibn Ayyash told us: Asim told me, from Zirr, from Ibn Mas'ud, who said: "I used to herd sheep for Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayt. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr passed by me, and he said: 'O boy, do you have any milk?' I said: 'Yes, but I am entrusted with these sheep.' He said: 'Do you have a ewe that the ram has not mounted?' So I brought him a ewe, and he wiped its udder, and milk came down, so he milked it into a vessel and drank, and gave Abu Bakr to drink. Then he said to the udder: 'Contract,' and it contracted." He said: "Then I came to him after this and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me some of these words.' He said: So he wiped my head and said: 'May Allah have mercy on you, for you are a young boy who has been taught.'" Affan told us: Hammad ibn Salamah told us, from Asim with his chain of narration, he said: "So Abu Bakr brought him a hollowed-out rock, and he milked into it, and he drank, and Abu Bakr drank, and I drank." He said: "Then I came to him after that and said: 'Teach me some of this Qur'an.' He said: 'You are indeed a young boy who has been taught.'" He said: "So I took from his mouth seventy surahs."