The Direct Recitation: “Allah Has Commanded Me”
The famous hadith: the Prophet said to Ubayy: “Allah has commanded me to recite the Quran to you.” Ubayy replied: “Has He mentioned me by name?” The Prophet said: “Yes.” Ubayy wept.
The occasion for the Prophet to recite to him — rather than the normal direction of revelation flowing down — was interpreted as an extraordinary divine honor: Allah directing the Prophet to transmit to Ubayy specifically by name. The surah recited was al-Bayyina: “Those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will not leave off [their disbelief] until there comes to them clear evidence…” (98:1)
Medinan Scholarship
Ubayy ibn Ka’b remained in Medina after the Prophet’s death and became a primary source of knowledge for the early community. When Umar ibn al-Khattab famously hesitated about whether to perform Tarawih prayers in congregation during Ramadan, it was Ubayy who led the congregation — which Umar later approved, calling it a ni’ma al-bid’a (good innovation).
He was also a source for the ruling on ‘azl (coitus interruptus): when the Companions asked the Prophet about it and the Prophet referred them to Ubayy, his opinion on the matter was authoritative.
The Four Companions of Quran
Among the famous hadith of the Prophet’s recommendation for learning Quran: “Take the Quran from four: from Abdullah ibn Masud, Salim, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, and Ubayy ibn Ka’b.” Ubayy’s name alongside Ibn Masud’s established them as the two supreme authorities on Quranic recitation in the early community.
See also: Quran Sciences, Ilm Al Hadith, Seerah Ibn Masud, Seerah Muadh Ibn Jabal, Al Alaq Surah, Noor Al Quran