The Excellence of Reciting the Qur'an

Prophetic Guidance Regarding the Excellence of Reciting the Qur'an.



'Recite the Qur'an. It will appear on the Day of Rising as an intercessor for its people.'
[Muslim]



On the Day of Rising the Qur'an will be brought with the people who used to act by it in this world, preceded by Surat al-Baqara (2) and Ali 'Imran (3), arguing on behalf of those who knew them.'
[Muslim]



The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it.'
[al-Bukhari]



Verily the one who recites the Qur'an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim, Agreed upon]



It will be said to the companion of the Qur'an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunya! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi - sahih]



The metaphor of a believer who recites the Qur'an is that of a citron - its scent is fragrant and its taste is good. The metaphor of a believer who does not recite the Qur'an is that of a date - it has no scent but its taste is sweet. The metaphor of a hypocrite who recites the Qur'an is that of basil - its scent is fragrant but its taste is bitter. The metaphor of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is that of colocynth - it has no scent and its taste is bitter.
[Agreed upon]



By this Book Allah elevates some people and abases others.
[Muslim]



The Qur'an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.
[At-Tabarani, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud - sahih]



There was once a man who had a horse tied with two ropes (due to the horse's strength) and was reading Surah Al-Kahf. Then a cloud came over them, such that it began to twirl and come closer. His horse began to flee from it. So when he (the man) woke up he came to the Prophet and told him (what happened). He said: This is the tranquility that descended due to the Qur'an.
[Bukhari, Muslim]



You can only have envy for two things: for a man to whom Allah has given the Qur'an and he gets up and recites it throughout the night, and for a man to whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it throughout the night and the day.
[Agreed upon]



A man was reciting Surat al-Kahf (18) and he had a horse with him tethered by two ropes. Then a cloud came over him and began to draw near and his horse began to shy away from it. In the morning he went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and mentioned that to him and he said, 'That was the Sakina which descended on account of the Qur'an.'
[Agreed upon]



Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah earns a good deed, and each good deed is worth ten like it. I do not say that 'Alif-lam-mim' is one letter, but that alif is a letter, lam is a letter, mim is a letter.
[at-Tirmidhi]



A person who has nothing of the Qur'an inside him is like a ruined house.
[at-Tirmidhi]



And the Qur'an is a proof for you or against you.
[Muslim]



Will not any of you go to the Masjid and learn or read two verses from the Book of Allah, The Exalted, Mighty and Glorified be He? (For) that is better for him than two she-camels, and three (verses) are better for him than three (she-camels), and four (verses) are better for him than four (she-camels). And the number (of verses read in total) are better than the same number of camels..
[Muslim]



It will be said to those who know the Qur'an, 'Recite and ascend. Recite slowly as you did in the world below. Your station will be at the last verse you recite.'
[Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]



Undoubtedly, the heart gets rusted like metal gets rusted when water goes over it. The People asked, "How can they [hearts] be cleaned." The Prophet replied, "To remember death in abundance and to recite the Holy Qur'an.
[Mishkat]



Whoever read the Qur'an and memorized it and believed its' Halal to be Halal, and its Haram to be Haram [i.e., accepted it commandments of Halal and Haram], Allah will accept the intercession for such 10 people on from him whom Hell had already become Wajib.
[at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, Darimi]



Decorate the Qur'an with your (good) voices
[Mishkat]



Engender the Qur'an with your voices, for verily the voice of beauty increases the beauty of the Qur'an.
[Al-Hakim from Bara ibn 'Azib - Sahih]



Verily the best of people with regard to voices, is he whom you feel fears Allah, when he recites.
[Ad-Darimi and others - Sahih]



Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede for the slave on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: 'Oh my Rabb! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him.' And the Qur'an will say: 'I prevented him from sleep during the night, so accept my intercession for him.' He ! said: "And they will (be allowed to) intercede."
[Ahmad, At-Tabarani, Al-Hakim, and others from Abdullah ibn Umar ibn Al-Aas - Sahih]



O People of the Qur'an, do not make the Qur'an a pillow, that is do not be lazy and be careless, and read the Qur'an in the day and night like it is the Haq of Recitation, and spread it, that is, read with good voices or do not take compensation for it, and whatever is in it, reflect upon itso that you may attain success, and do not hurry in its reward because the reward for it is great (which will be given in the Akhirah).
[Bayhaqi]



Read the Qur'an, put it into practice, do not abandon it, do not put grudges (upon others) through it, and do not eat and gain wealth through it.
[Ahmad, at-Tabarani, and others from Abdul Rahman ibn Shibl - Sahih]



He who recites the Qur'an well and clearly is equal in rank to the Angels who record creation's deeds. These Angels are gracious, honourable and of lofty rank. He who finds difficulty in reciting the Qur'an will obtain a double reward.
[Bukhari, Muslim]



Continue reciting the Qur'an because on the Day of Qiyaamah it will appear as an intercessor for the reciter.
[Muslim]



Maintain the Qur'an. For verily, by He in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is in, it (the Qur'an) is more intense in escaping (memory) than a camel from its rein.
[Bukhari, Muslim]



Maintain learning the Qur'an, by heart for verily it is greater in escaping from the chests of men than camels from their reins.
[Bukhari, Muslim]



Verily the likeness of the beholder of the Qur'an is like that of a reined camel. If he were to undertake it, he would grasp it. And if he were to leave it, it would escape.
[Bukhari, Muslim]



The Qur'an will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, along with its companions who used to act by it, at the front being Surah al-Baqarah and Al 'Imran like two black clouds or canopies with light, or two flocks of birds pleading for their companion
[Muslim]



Do not turn your homes into a graveyard [by giving up reading the Qur'an]. Satan flees from a house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited
[Muslim]



May Allah make us of the people of the Qur'an and help us to act by His Book.
Ameen.



Sources:
Imam Nawawi’s Gardens of the Righteous (Riyad al-Salihin)
Hayaat-ul-Muslimeen by Mohammad Ashraf Ali Thanvi
Miscellaneous ahadith collections