Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, delayed the evening prayer, then he later came out to the mosque to find people waiting for prayer. The Prophet said, “Are there none among the people of these religions remembering Allah at this hour besides you?” Then, Allah revealed the verse, “Yet they are not all alike: there are some among the People of the Book who are upright, who recite Allah’s revelations throughout the night, prostrating in prayer. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, encourage good and forbid evil, and race with one another in doing good. They are truly among the righteous. They will never be denied the reward for any good they have done. And Allah has knowledge of those mindful of Him.” (3:113-115)
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 3760
Grade: Sahih li ghayrihi (authentic due to external evidence) according to Al-Arna’ut
عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ أَخَّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَاةَ الْعِشَاءِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِذَا النَّاسُ يَنْتَظِرُونَ الصَّلَاةَ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْأَدْيَانِ أَحَدٌ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ غَيْرُكُمْ قَالَ وَأَنْزَلَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْآيَاتِ لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً ۗ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُولَٰئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَن يُكْفَرُوهُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ
3760 مسند أحمد بن حنبل
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