The Messenger of Allah ﷺ dispatched an expedition consisting of a number of men. He asked each man how much of the Quran he had memorized, and each one recited what he knew. He came to one of the youngest among them and asked, "How much do you have, so-and-so?"The young man replied, "I have such-and-such, along with Surah al-Baqarah."The Prophet asked, "You have Surah al-Baqarah?"He said, "Yes."The Prophet said, "Then go, for you are their commander."One of the noblemen among them said, "By Allah, Messenger of Allah, nothing kept me from learning Surah al-Baqarah except the fear that I would fail to live up to its demands."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Learn the Quran and recite it, for the example of one who learns the Quran, recites it, and lives by it is like a leather bag stuffed with musk whose fragrance spreads in every direction. The example of one who learns it but then sleeps while it remains within him is like a leather bag tied shut over musk."
حدثنا الحسن بن علي الحلواني حدثنا أبو أسامة حدثنا عبد الحميد بن جعفر عن سعيد المقبري عن عطاء مولى أبي أحمد
بعث رسول الله ﷺ بعثا وهم ذو عدد فاستقرأهم فاستقرأ كل رجل منهم ما معه من القرآن فأتى على رجل منهم من أحدثهم سنا فقال ما معك يا فلان قال معي كذا وكذا وسورة البقرة قال أمعك سورة البقرة فقال نعم قال فاذهب فأنت أميرهم فقال رجل من أشرافهم والله يا رسول الله ما منعني أن أتعلم سورة البقرة إلا خشية ألا أقوم بها فقال رسول الله ﷺ تعلموا القرآن واقرءوه فإن مثل القرآن لمن تعلمه فقرأه وقام به كمثل جراب محشو مسكا يفوح ريحه في كل مكان ومثل من تعلمه فيرقد وهو في جوفه كمثل جراب وكئ على مسك
Takhrij, its isnad is hasan. Ibn Majah narrated it in the Introduction, chapter on the merit of one who learns the Quran and teaches it, hadith no. 217, from the hadith of Abu Usama, with the same chain. Ibn Khuzayma graded it sahih, 5/3, hadith no. 1509, as did Ibn Hibban, hadith no. 1789, and Hakim according to the standard of the two Shaikhs, 443/1, and Dhahabi agreed with him.There is also a narration on this subject from Ubayy bin Kaab [Muslim, hadith no. 810].