Fiqh

The holy Prophet (Pbuh) recited the Quran in a manner that each letter and verse could be heard distinctively.


1. Purification

The Quran is the sacred Word of Allah Almighty and must be treated as such. One must not touch it unless one is in a perfect state of purity. One must have performed Wudu, or if need be Ghusl, before handling it. The Quran says:


“Only those people touch it who are in a perfect state of purity”. (59:79).


One may listen to the Quran during the menstrual discharge, or the bleeding after childbirth, or when one is in a state of impurity due to sexual intercourse, but one should not touch or recite it in those states. In the state of ordinary impurity, when one is without Wudu, one is allowed to recite the Quran without touching it. Hazrath A’ishah (RA) has reported: “The holy Prophet used to recite the Quran in all states, whether he was in a state of Wudu or without it, but he would never recite it when he was in a state of impurity due to sexual intercourse.” Hazrath Umar (RA) says : “The women having the menses and the men polluted by sexual intercourse are forbidden to recite anything from the Quran”. (Tirmidhi)



2. Sincerity of Intention

The intention should be to seek Allah’s approval and pleasure and not to impress people by one’s sweet voice, show of piety, or to win people’s applause. Worldly people with such low objectives cannot obtain any guidance from the Quran. The heart which is polluted with base and mean intentions remains devoid of the deep and true meaning of the Quran and unaware of its real value and worth.


3. Regularity

The Quran needs to be recited daily with great regularity at any time convenient to oneself, but the most suitable time for the recital is in the morning. Fortunate among the people are those who have committed the Quran to memory. They should make it a duty to recite daily, otherwise they might forget it, which is highly sinful. The holy Prophet has said: “Take care of the Quran, otherwise it will quit your minds. By God! the Quran quits the mind even due to a little carelessness and negligence shown by the one who has committed it to memory just like the camel who runs away if his string is loosened a bit.” (Muslim)


Then he has exhorted the Muslims also to recite it with regularity, saying: “The person who has learnt to read the Quran and then recites it daily, is like a basket full of musk whose smell spreads all around. On the other hand, the person who has learnt to read the Quran, but does not recite it regularly, is like a bottle of musk which has been closed tightly with a cork”. (Tirmidhi)


4. Accuracy in Pronunciation and Eloquence

The Quran has to be recited with full attention and regard, for the pronunciation and distinction between the sounds of letters, and in a leisurely manner. This benefits both the reciter and the listener spiritually, and motivates them to action. Reciting the Quran inattentively and mechanically and without regard for proper utterance of sounds of letters and words is undesirable. One has to observe pauses and stops and join words and verses wherever required. The holy Prophet recited the Quran in a manner that each letter and verse could be heard distinctively. He has instructed: “Beautify the recitation of the Quran with your tone and sweet accent”. One should, however, be careful not to become unnatural in his recital, lest it should cause one’s mind to turn away from God and give an impression of showing off and display. One should, however, know that producing a musical effect in one’s recital is highly undesirable and must be avoided.


5. Listening to the Quran

The Quran has to be listened to with the same zeal, as it needs to be recited. The holy Prophet loved to hear the Quran recited by others. Once he asked Hazrath Abdullah bin Mas’ud to recite the Quran for him. Hazrath Abdullah said, “how shall I recite it to you, whereas it has been revealed, to you ?” The Prophet replied: “Yes, recite it to me: I love to hear it recited by others”. Then, Hazrath Abdullah bin Mas’ud began to recite Surah An-Nisa, when he came to verse 41, which reads: “Just imagine how they will fare when We shall bring forward a witness from every community and, raise you (O Muhammad) as a witness in regard to these people......”(4:41). The Prophet stopped him, saying: ‘That will do, that will do! ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud says, “When I looked up found that the holy Prophet had been moved to tears”. (Bukhari)


Hazrath Abu Musa was well-known for his recitation of the Quran. Whenever Hazrath Umar happened to meet him, he would say: “Abu Musa! Make us remember our Lord !” And Abu Musa would start recitation of the Quran. (Sunan Darimi)


6. Understanding and Reflecting on the Meaning

One should form the habit of reciting the Quran with due understanding and giving deep thought to the wisdom of its invitation and message. One should have the intention of following its commands and injunctions which have the divine sanction and avoiding its prohibitions. Allah says: “The Book that we have sent down to you is blessed that people may ponder over its verses, and the thoughtful ones may learn lessons”. (38:29). Reciting a little from the Quran with due attention and understanding of its meanings is better than reading large portions of it inattentively. Hazrath Abdullah bin Abbas used to say: “I consider the recital of short Surahs like Al-Qadr with due understanding better than the recital of longer Surahs like Al-Baqarah and Al-Imran without understanding a word from them”.


The Prophet once said: “The hearts also get rusted sometimes just as iron does due to moisture”.

The Companions asked, “Then how can the rust be removed, O Prophet of Allah ‘?”

The Prophet replied: “By remembering death frequently, and by reciting the Quran.”


7. Concentration and Humility

One should recite the Quran with full concentration, due attention and humility with one’s face turned towards the Qiblah. It has not been approved to look side-ways, here and there, showing disregard and indifference, indulge in conversation with others, or in something which causes distraction.


8. Ta’awwuz and Tasmiyah

Before starting the recital, one should begin with Ta’awwuz:


“A’uzu billahi min ash-Shaitan-ir-rajim” “I seek Allah’s refuge from Satan, the accursed”. If after reciting Ta’awwuz, one has to attend to something or somebody, one should repeat Ta’awwuz.


9. Receptiveness

One should recite the Quran with a receptive attitude of the mind and should display it, but not unduly, lest one’s pious intents and good acts should be ruined. When one recites the verses conveying good news of the rewards and blissful life in Paradise, Allah’s forgiveness for the believers and their successful and eternal life in Divine Presence in the Hereafter, one should express pleasure on the other hand, when verses containing a mention of Allah’s chastisement, torment and punishment in the Hereafter and the wailings of the dwellers of Hell are recited, one should feel the tinge of depression and sadness, and cry if one can. The Prophet’s practice was that when he recited a verse containing a mention of the torment of the Hereafter, he would pray for Allah’s mercy, and when he recited a verse giving a happy tiding, he would glorify Allah with His praises”. (Keemiya-i Sa’adat, p. 115).


10. Moderate Intonation

The Quran should be recited neither with too loud a voice nor with too low, but with moderate intonation, the object being that one should neither be distracted nor distract others, but should recite the verses with due attention to the meaning. The Quran says: “Pray neither with too loud a voice nor with too low, but follow a middle way between these two”. (17:110)


11. Recital in Tahajjud

Recital of the Quran in the Tahajjud prayer has the highest merit, because the Tahajjud time is free from many a disadvantage: it is a time of perfect peace and tranquility; there can be no question of display and exhibitionism and one can easily turn one’s whole attention towards Allah and devote oneself duly to His praise and service with perfect peace of mind.


12. Care and Absorption

The Quran being the Word of Allah needs to be recited with the greatest care, concentration and absorption. People who read it inattentively, indifferently and carelessly, need to correct their attitude, because it shows lack of the religious sense and decorum, besides being sinful. The Prophet has said that a believer can attain the closest nearness to Allah by reciting the Quran with due care and attention.


13. Supplication after Recital

One would be doing well to recite the following supplication after recital of the Quran as was the practice of the holy Prophet


Allahumm-ar-hamni bil-Qurani waj’alhu li imaman-wa nuran wa hudan-wa rahmata, Allahumma zakkir-ni min-hu ma nasitu wa allim-ni min-hu ma jahiltu war-zuqni tilawata-hu ana ‘al-laili wa alraf-an nahari waj’alhu li hujjatan-ya Rabb al-’alamin.


“O Allah ! Have compassion on me because of the Quran, and make it my guide, and a light and guidance and mercy for me. O Allah! cause me to remember whatever I forget from it, and cause me to learn from it that which I do not know and give me power and strength to recite it in a part of the night, and in the morning and evening, and make it a proof for me, O Lord of the universe !”


(Everyday Fiqh by Mohammad Yusuf Islahi-Hanafite Viewpoint)