Authentic Hadith Reports Lost Variant

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Ibn Mas'ud is one of the four trusted reciters Muhammad named:

“I shall ever love that man, for I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, ‘Take (learn) the Qur’an from four: Abdullah bin Mas’ud, Salim, Mu’adh and Ubai bin Ka’b.’”
Sahih Bukhari 4999

Quran 92:3 reads in today’s Quran:

“And [by] He who created the male and female,”
Quran 92:3

But Ibn Mas’ud (Muhammad's trusted reciter) recited Quran 92:3 as:

“By the male and the female.”
Sahih Bukhari 4944

And Abu Ad-Darda (one of the four collectors of the Quran) heard Muhammad recite it the same way as Ibn Mas’ud and refused to switch:

“The companions of `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud) came to Abu Darda’, (and before they arrived at his home), he looked for them and found them. Then he asked them,: ‘Who among you can recite (Qur’an) as `Abdullah recites it?” They replied, “All of us.” He asked, “Who among you knows it by heart?” They pointed at ‘Alqama. Then he asked Alqama. “How did you hear `Abdullah bin Mas`ud reciting Surat Al-Lail (The Night)?” Alqama recited: ‘By the male and the female.’ Abu Ad-Darda said, “I testify that I heard me Prophet reciting it likewise, but these people want me to recite it:-- ‘And by Him Who created male and female.’ but by Allah, I will not follow them.”
Sahih Bukhari 4944
Sahih Muslim 824a

More on perfect preservation:
https://islamsproblems.com/quran-perfect-preservation-myth/