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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.
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