Allah revealed the Quran to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he recited it to them for some time. Then they said, "Messenger of Allah, why not tell us a story?"So Allah revealed, "Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book. We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran, that you may understand. We relate to you the finest of stories through what We have revealed to you of this Quran, though before it you were among those unaware" [Yusuf 12:1–3].The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited it to them for some time, and then they said, "Messenger of Allah, why not speak to us?"So Allah revealed, "Allah has sent down the finest of speech, a Book consistent within itself, repeating its themes, at which the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver. Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah, by which He guides whom He wills. And whomever Allah leaves astray has no guide at all" [Zumar 39:23].
أنزل الله القرآن على رسول الله ﷺ فتلاه عليهم، زمانا فقالوا: يارسول الله! لو قصصت علينا؟ فأنزل الله: {الر تلك ءايت الكتب المبين إنا أنزلنه قرءانا عربيا لعلكم تعقلون نحن نقص عليك أحسن القصص بما أوحينا إليك هذا القرءان وإن كنت من قبله لمن الغفلين}، فتلاها عليهم رسول الله ﷺ زمانا، فقالوا: يا رسول الله! لو حدثتنا؟ فأنزل الله: {الله نزل أحسن الحديث كتبا متشبها مثاني تقشعر منه جلود الذين يخشون ربهم ثم تلين جلودهم وقلوبهم إلى ذكر الله ذلك هدى الله يهدى به من يشاء ومن يضلل الله فما له من هاد} [الزمر: ٢٣].
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Bazzar narrated it in his Musnad (1153), Abu Yaala in his Musnad (740), and Ibn Hibban graded it sahih (2609), as did Hakim (2/345), all of them from the hadith of Amr bin Muhammad Anqazi Qurashi, who said, Khallad bin Muslim Saffar narrated to us, from Amr bin Qays Mulai, from Amr bin Mura, from Musab bin Saad, from Saad bin Abu Waqqas, who said, then he related it.Hakim said, "This hadith has a sahih chain of transmission." Hafiz said in Matalib Aliyah (4013), "This hadith is hasan."I say, its chain of transmission is hasan because of Khallad bin Muslim Saffar, for his hadith is hasan.As for his saying, "the best of stories" [Yusuf 12:3], what is meant is the story of Yusuf. He called it the best of stories because of the lessons and wisdom it contains, which are beneficial for both religion and worldly life.