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Reciting the Glorious
Qur’an*
Merits
of the Glorious Qur’an
The
most important virtue of the Glorious Qur’an is that it is the
Word of Allah Most High, Who describes His Book, saying: [And this
is a book, which We have sent down.] (Al-An`am 6:92) and [Verily
this Qur’an doth guide to that which is most right.] (Al-Israa’
17:9)
Ibn
`Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, “(On the Day of Judgment,)
it will be said to the people of the Qur’an, ‘Read (the
Qur’an) and occupy your high degrees. Recite (the Qur’an) as you
used to recite it in the world, for your position will be at the end
of the last (Qur’anic) verse you read.’” (Reported by
At-Tirmidhi)
Furthermore,
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) is reported to
have said, “I saw the Lord of Might in a vision and asked, ‘O
Lord! What is most virtuous act that devout people should do
to bring themselves nearer to You?’ He Most High said,
‘(Reading) My Words, O Ahmad.’ I said, ‘O Lord! Should it be
with understanding?’ ‘It may be with or without
understanding,’ He declared.”
The
Etiquette of Reciting the Glorious Qur’an
One
who recites the Glorious Qur’an is recommended to have wudu’
(ablution) and be pure. Reciting the Glorious Qur’an in Prayer,
while one is standing, is more virtuous than reciting it in any
other situation. Likewise, one is recommended to read the Glorious
Qur’an in the mosque.
As
to the period in which one should finish reciting the whole
Qur’an, early Muslims were of diverse stances on this point. Some
of them used to finish reciting the whole Qur’an every day. Others
used to finish it in three, seven, or thirty days. This varied
according to each one’s circumstances. So, one is recommended to
read as much as one can of the Qur’an so long as one reflects upon
and understands what one recites and does not ignore one’s worldly
duties.
In
this regard, Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “To
me, it is better to correctly recite only Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat
Aal `Imran and reflect upon their meanings than to heedlessly recite
the whole Qur’an.”
Ibn
Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Whoever finishes
reciting the whole Qur’an, will have a du`aa’ (supplication)
that will be responded to by Allah.” On finishing the recitation
of the whole Qur’an, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) used to
gather his family and make du`aa’.
Reciting
the Glorious Qur’an with Sweet Voice
Reciting
the Glorious Qur’an with a sweet voice is recommended. However, if
one is not able to read the Glorious Qur’an with a sweet voice,
one has to exert oneself to do so.
Likewise,
reading the Glorious Qur’an in a low voice is recommended. In this
context, a hadith says, “The superiority of reading (the Glorious
Qur’an) in a low voice over reading (it) in a loud voice is like
the superiority of giving alms in secret over giving it in
public.” (Reported by An-Nasa’i)
But
we should keep in mind that reciting the Glorious Qur’an in a loud
voice is recommended in certain situations such as teaching the
Qur’an and awakening a sleeping person. Also one should read in a
mode that permits one to hear one’s recitation.
On
the reading the Glorious Qur’an, one should bear in mind the glory
of the Speaker Most High and reflect upon what he reads.
Furthermore, a reader of the Glorious Qur’an should steer clear of
what hinders the understanding of the Glorious Qur’an, such as
concerning himself only with the correct pronunciation of sounds,
committing sins, and following his vain desires and whims.
Also,
a reader of the Glorious Qur’an should consider the Glorious
Qur’an as addressing him, and, therefore, act according to its
instructions.
You
can also read:
* Based on Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi's Mukhtasar
Minhaj Al-Qasidin (Mansourah, Egypt: Dar al-Manarah,
2002)
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