Merits of the Noble Qur'an

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged his Ummah to read the Qur’an, and said that if they do so, on the Day of Resurrection Allah, the Almighty, will make the reward of their Qur'an recitation come in the form of an independent entity who will intercede for those who had read the Qur'an, those who were preoccupied with it, and those who abided by its commands and prohibitions.

1-بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي. 2-دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، دار الكتاب العربي-بيروت. 3-رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. 4-شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. 5-صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. 6-نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that any Muslim who recites one letter from the Book of Allah will be credited with a good deed for it, and the reward gets multiplied for him up to tenfold. To illustrate this, he said: "I am not saying that 'Alif-Lām-Mīm' is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter." Thus, they are three and equal thirty good deeds.

1. The Hadīth urges us to recite the Qur’an a lot.
2. For every single letter of every word, the reciter receives a good deed multiplied tenfold.
3. It shows the vastness of Allah’s mercy and generosity as He multiplies the rewards for His servants, as a favor and bounty from Him.
4. It demonstrates the superiority of the Qur’an over other speech and that it is recited as a form of worship because it is the speech of Allah Almighty.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 33) (2910). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 229). سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة، للألباني (7/ 970). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 655). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (1/ 742).

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to recite the Qur’an with a melodious voice. The Arabic word "yataghanna", as mentioned in the Hadīth, has two possible meanings: 1. The one who does not make his voice melodious when reciting the Qur’an is not someone following our path and guidance. 2. The one who does not suffice with the Qur’an, seeking guidance elsewhere, is not one of us. Without a doubt, whoever seeks guidance in anything other than the Qur’an, Allah will lead him astray; we seek refuge with Allah. Hence, the Hadīth shows that a Muslim should recite the Qur’an with a melodious voice and find sufficiency in it from anything else.

1- بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي.-الطبعة الأولى 1418ه. 2- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. 3- سنن أبي داود؛ للإمام أبي داود سليمان بن الأشعث السجستاني، تعليق عزت الدعاس وغيره، دار ابن حزم-بيروت، الطبعة الأولى، 1418هـ. 4- شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. 5- صحيح سنن أبي داود؛ تأليف الشيخ محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، غراس-الكويت، الطبعة الأولى، 1423هـ. 6- نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. 7- دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين -المؤلف: محمد علي بن محمد بن علان الصديقي-اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا-دار المعرفة للطباعة والنشر والتوزيع، بيروت – لبنان-الطبعة: الرابعة، 1425 هـ - 2004 م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the one who recites the Qur’an with strong memorization, precision, and proficiency will have the reward in the Hereafter of being in the rank of the noble and obedient angel-scribes. As for the one who recites the Qur’an while stuttering and rehearsing in his recitation due to weak memorization, yet continues to maintain his connection with the Qur’an despite its difficulty for him, he will have two rewards: one reward for his recitation and another for the difficulty and his rehearsing in his recitation.

1. Encouraging memorization of the Qur'an, mastering its recitation, and frequently reciting it to attain the reward and recompense, along with highlighting the elevated status of those who do so.
2. Al-Qādi said: It does not mean that the one who stutters in the recitation has a greater reward than the proficient reciter. Rather, the proficient reciter is superior and has a greater reward because he is with the angel-scribes and receives multiple rewards. This elevated status was not mentioned to anyone else. How could someone who has not shown the same dedication to the Book of Allah, its memorization, mastery, frequent recitation, and understanding until he has excelled in it be equal to him?!
3. Ibn Bāz said: The one who recites the Qur’an proficiently, mastering its recitation and memorizing it well, will be with the noble and obedient angel-scribes, i.e., if he recites it both in word and action—not merely recitation alone. He excels in reciting it and acting upon it, i.e., he adheres to it both in word and meaning.

صحيح البخاري (6/ 166) (4937). صحيح مسلم (1/ 549) (798). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 226). تحفة الأحوذي بشرح جامع الترمذي، لمحمد المباركفوري (8/ 174). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص580). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 639). شرح كتاب التوحيد من صحيح البخاري، لعبدالله الغنيمان (2/ 592). فتح الباري بشرح صحيح البخاري، لابن حجر العسقلاني (9/ 127). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (12/ 562). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (1/ 740).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the regular recitation of the Qur’an, for it will intercede on the Day of Judgment for those who recite it and act upon it. He then emphasized the recitation of Surat al-Baqarah and Āl ‘Imrān, referring to them as "Az-Zahrāwayn"—the two radiant ones—due to their light and guidance. The reward of reciting them, reflecting on their meanings, and acting upon their teachings will come on the Day of Judgment in the form of two clouds, or something similar, or two flocks of birds with outstretched wings joined together, offering shade to their companion and defending him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) further emphasized the importance of consistently reciting Surat al-Baqarah, reflecting on its meanings, and acting upon its teachings. He stated that doing so brings immense blessing and benefit in both this world and the Hereafter, while abandoning it brings regret and sorrow on the Day of Judgment. Among the virtues of this surah is that magicians are unable to harm those who recite it.

1. The command to recite the Qur’an frequently, and that it will intercede for its companions on the Day of Judgment—those who recite it, adhere to its guidance, uphold what it commands, and refrain from what it forbids.
2. The merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Āl ‘Imrān and their great reward.
3. The merit of Surat al-Baqarah and that it protects its companion from magic.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 553) (804). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (4/ 1460). التنوير شرح الجامع الصغير، لمحمد الصنعاني (2/ 606). شرح الأربعين النووية، لابن عثيمين (ص232). معارج القبول بشرح سلم الوصول إلى علم الأصول، لحافظ الحكمي (2/ 846). التَّحبير لإيضَاح مَعَاني التَّيسير، لمحمد الصنعاني (2/ 9). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل المبارك (ص579).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that Allah Almighty gave a parable likening Islam to a straight extended path that has no crookedness. On the two sides of this path there are two walls surrounding it. These two walls are the limits set by Allah, and within them there are open doors, which are Allah's prohibitions. On these doors, there are curtains that do not allow passersby to see who is inside. There is a caller at the beginning of this path who directs people and says to them: Walk on this path and do not deviate from it towards the sides. This caller is the Book of Allah. There is another caller above the path. When anyone walking on the path wants to open any of the curtains above these doors a little bit, he forbids him saying: Woe unto you; do not open it! If you open it, you will pass through, and you will not be able to prevent yourself from entering. This caller is Allah's admonishment in the heart of every Muslim.

1. Islam is the true religion, and it is the straight path that leads us to Paradise.
2. We must abide by the limits set by Allah and observe what He declared lawful and unlawful. Whoever takes these things lightly will be ruined.
3. The Hadīth points out the great merit of the Qur’an and urges us to act upon it, which yields guidance, light, and success.
4. It is Allah's mercy towards His servants and the sense of admonition He has put within their hearts that prevent them from falling into ruinous sins.
5. Out of His mercy, Allah put barriers that prevent His servants from falling into sins.
6. Giving parables is a method of education, which is intended to make the meaning clearer and easier to understand.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 539) (2859)، مسند أحمد (29/ 181، 183) (17634)، جامع العلوم والحكم (2/161)، فيض القدير (4/253)، التنوير شرح الجامع الصغير (7/100)، الفتح الرباني لترتيب مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل الشيباني (1/ 83).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that the reward for reciting three verses during the prayer is better for a person than finding three large, fat, pregnant she-camels in his house.

1. The Hadīth points out the merit of reciting the Qur’an during the prayer.
2. Righteous deeds are better and longer lasting than transient worldly pleasures.
3. This merit is not restricted to the recitation of three verses only. Rather, the more verses a person recites in his prayer, the greater reward he gets, which is better than having the same number of such she-camels.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 552) (802)، إكمال المعلم (3/172)، الإفصاح عن معاني الصِّحاح (8/65)، فتح المنعم شرح صحيح مسلم (3/620)، البحر المحيط الثجاج (16/343).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that it will be said to the reciter of the Qur’an, who acts upon it and devotes himself to it, in terms of recitation and memorization, when he enters Paradise: Read the Qur’an and ascend thereby in the degrees of Paradise. Recite in a measured and calm manner as you used to recite in the worldly life, for your rank will be at the last verse you recite.

1. Rewards are given according to the deeds, in terms of their amount and the manner of performing them.
2. The Hadīth urges us to recite the Qur’an and master, memorize, ponder, and act upon it.
3. Paradise contains numerous ranks and degrees, of which the reciters of the Qur’an attain the highest.

سنن أبي داود (2/ 592) (1464)، سنن الترمذي (5/ 35) (2914)، مسند أحمد (11/ 403) (6799)، السنن الكبرى للنسائي (7/ 272) (8002)، معالم السنن (1/290)، تحفة الأحوذي (8/187)، عون المعبود وحاشية ابن القيم (4/ 237).