question #1 Sahih Muslim 677f, Book 5, Hadith 383 : What was the significance of the seventy men referred to as ‘reciters’ in early Islamic history?

Never did I ace the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) so much grieved (at the loss of a) small army as I saw him grieved at those seventy men who were called” reciters” (and were killed) at Bi’r Ma’una; and he invoked curse for full one month upon their murderers.