3. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Waleed, may Allah grant him mercy, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan al-Saffar, from Ibrahim bin Hashim, from Hasan bin Mahbub, from Ali bin Ri’aab, from Muhammed bin Qais, that he said: I heard Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, speak

Hayee and Abu Yasir, the two sons of Akhtub, and some from the Jews of Najran came to the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, and said to him: Is not from what you mention that among what Allah sent down upon you, is «Alif Laam Meem»? He said: Sure. They said: Did Jibra’eel bring it to you from Allah, Exalted is He? He said: Yes. They said: There are Prophets who have been sent before you, and we do not know of a Prophet who informed us of the duration of his reign and the time of his nation, except for you. He said: Then Hayee bin Akhtub approached his companions and said to them: The «Alif» is one, the «Laam» is thirty and the «Meem» is forty, so these are seventy one years. How strange is it of someone who enters into a religion whose duration of its reign and time of its nation is seventy one years! He said: Then he approached the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, and said to him: O Muhammed, is there more to this? He said: Yes. He said: Bring it. He said: «Alif Laam Meem Ssaad». He said: This is heavier and longer; the «Alif» is one, the «Laam» is thirty, the «Meem» is forty and the «Ssaad» are ninety, so these are one hundred and sixty one years. Then he said to the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: Is there more to this? He said: Yes. He said: Bring it. He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: «Alif Laam Raa’». He said: This is heavier and longe; the «Alif» is one, the «Laam» is thirty and the «Raa’» is two hundred. Then he said to the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: Is there more to this? He said: Yes. He said: Bring it. He said: «Alif Laam Meem Raa’». He said: This is heavier and longer; «the «Alif» is one, the «Laam» is thirty, the «Meem» is forty and the «Raa’» is two hundred. Then he said to him: Is there more to this? He said: Yes. They said: Your matter has been of confusion to us, so we do not know what you have given! Then they stood up from him, and then Abu Yasir said to Hayee, his brother: What would you know? Perhaps for Muhammed, it has been gathered all of this and more than it. He said: Then Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, mentioned that from these verses were sent down for their sake; among them are clear verses who are the Foundation of the Book, and others are not clear. He said: And they go in another direction, other than the interpretation of Hayee, Abu Yasir and their companions.