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Today I heard someone saying that Uthman ibn Affan read the whole Quran in one rakah and this verse from Surah Az-Zumar was about him:

Quran 39:9

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ ۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.

Is this claim true?

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  • Even though it is true one should consider that az-zumar was revelead in Mecca so the Quran might not been that long as it is now.
    – Kilise
    May 7, 2017 at 9:38
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    Maybe relevant: وقال الحافظ ابن حجر في الفتح: ففي كتاب محمد بن نصر وغيره، بإسناد صحيح عن السائب بن يزيد أن عثمان قرأ القرآن ليلة في ركعة لم يصل غيرها. وسيأتي في المغازي حديث عبد الله بن ثعلبة أن سعدا أوتر بركعة، وسيأتي في المناقب عن معاوية أنه أوتر بركعة، وأن ابن عباس استصوبه. ـ
    – Kilise
    May 7, 2017 at 10:10

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This claim is grounded in tradition and not a modern fabrication. Though as Kilise mentions in the comments, the whole Quran had not been revealed when the verse 39:9 was revealed.

From Tafsir Ibn Kathir:

ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما يقرأ { أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَـٰجِداً وَقَآئِماً يَحْذَرُ ٱلأَخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُواْ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ } قال ابن عمر ذاك عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه. وإنما قال ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما ذلك لكثرة صلاة أمير المؤمنين عثمان رضي الله عنه بالليل وقراءته، حتى إنه ربما قرأ القرآن في ركعة

Ibn Umar recited this verse and said that this virtue was present in Uthman bin Affan, he used to offer Tahajud prayers at night in excess and used to recite long portions of the Quran, so much that sometimes he finished the Quran in a single Rakah.

From Tafsir Al Qurtubi

واختلف في تعيين القانت هاهنا، فذكر يحيـى بن سلام أنه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. وقال ابن عباس في رواية الضحاك عنه: هو أبو بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما. وقال ابن عمر: هو عثمان رضي الله عنه. وقال مقاتل: إنه عمّار بن ياسِر. الكلبي: صُهَيب وأبو ذرّ وابن مسعود. وعن الكلبي أيضاً مرسل فيمن كان على هذه الحال

There is difference of opinion about who is referred to by qanit. Yahya bin Salam said: This refers to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Ibn Abbas said, Zahak narrates from him, This refers to Abu Bakr and Umar, Ibn Umar said: This refers to Uthman Bin Affan. Muqatil said: This refers to Ammar bin Yasir. Kalbi said that this refers to Suhaib, Abu Zara and Ibn Masud. It is also narrated from Kalbi that this means every person who is in this state.

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    Great! I was going to answer with something similar, but was on my phone. Mentioning that the quran might not have been long or completed as it is today when that verse was revelead, might also make it sound more logically that it was possible that he would recite the "whole quran"
    – Kilise
    May 7, 2017 at 10:57

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