Sunan An-Nabi

Chapter 20: The Adab of recitation of the Glorious Qur’an

1. From al-Shaykh in al-Majalis: Narrated from Abi al-Dunya from Amir al-Mu’minin (as) who said: Nothing would stop the Holy Prophet (S) from reciting the Qur’an except Janabah (ritual impurity).[^1]

2. al-Tabarsi in Majma’ al-Bayan: From Umm Salamah who said: The Holy Prophet (S) would pause his recitation ayah by ayah.[^2]

3. From Shaykh Abi al-Fattuh in his commentary: The Noble Prophet (S) would not sleep until he had recited the ‘Musabbihat’ saying: “In these suwar[^3] there is an ayah which is better than a thousand ayat.” They asked: “And what are the ‘Musabbihat’?” He said: “Surah al-Hadid, al-Hashr, al-Saff, al-Jumu’ah and al-Taghabun.”[^4]

Note: A similar narration can also be found in Majma’ al-Bayan from al-’Irbas ibn Sariyah.[^5]

4. From Ibn Abi Jamhur in Durar al-La’ali from Jabir who said: The Holy Prophet (S) would not go to sleep until he had recited ‘Tabarak’ (Surah al-Mulk) and ‘Alif Lam Mim al-Tanzil’ (Surah al-Sajdah).[^6]

5. In Majma’ al-Bayan: Narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) who said: The Holy Prophet (S) used to like this Surah - ‘Sabbihisma Rabbikal A’la’ (Surah al-A’la); and the first person to say ‘Subhana Rabbiyal A’la’ (Praise be to my Lord the Most High) was (the angel) Mika’il (as).[^7]

Note: The first part has also been narrated in al-Bihar and from Suyuti in al-Durr al-Manthur.[^8]

6. Also: From Ibn ‘Abbas: Whenever the Noble Prophet (S) recited ‘Sabbihisma Rabbikal A’la’ he would say “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la.” This has also been narrated by ‘Ali (as).[^9]

7. In Suyuti’s al-Durr al-Manthur: From Abi Umamah who said: I prayed with the Holy Prophet (S) after his (last) pilgrimage and he used to frequently recite ‘La Uqsimu bi Yawmil Qiyamah’ (Surah al-Qiyamah) and when he recited:

“Is He not able to give life to the dead?” (Surat al-Qiyamah (75): 40)

I heard him say: “Yes indeed, and I am a witness to this.”[^10]

Note: There are other similar narrations which indicate that he (S) said something different (from what is mentioned in this narration).[^11]

8. Also: From Ibn ‘Abbas who said: When the Holy Prophet would recite the ayah:

“And the soul and He who made it perfect. Then He inspired it understand what is right and wrong for it.” (Surat al-Shams: 7-8)

He would stop and then say:

“O Allah! Give my soul its inspiration and purify it for You are the best of those who purify it, You are its Lord and Master”.

He said: And he would do this while he was in the salah.[^12]

Addendum to this Chapter

1. In al-Bihar from al-Dhikra: From Abi Sa’id al-Khudhri: The Noble Prophet (S) would say:

I seek protection with Allah from the accursed Shaitan, before reciting the Holy Qur’an.[^13]

2. In Tafsir al-’Ayyashi: From Zayd ibn ‘Ali from Abi Ja’far (as) who said that the Holy Prophet (S) recited the Qur’an with the best voice from all the people.[^14]

3. In al-Da’awat al-Rawandi: From the Noble Prophet (S) who said: Jibra’il told me to recite the Qur’an while standing.[^15]

4. In Majma’ al-Bayan: From Anas who said: He (S) would draw out his voice (while reciting the Qur’an).[^16]

5. In al-Kafi: From ‘Abdullah ibn Farqad and al-Mu’alla ibn al-Khunays from Abi ‘Abdillah (as) who said: “As for us, we recite according to the recitation of Ubay.”[^17]

Note: There are some other narrations that imply the permissibility of reciting according to the other seven (known) recitations, as mentioned in al-Khisal.[^18]

6. In Majma’ al-Bayan, in the commentary of Surah al-Teen, from Muqatil: Qatadah said: When the Holy Prophet (S) completed a Surah, he would say: “Yes indeed, and I am a witnesses to this.”[^19]

7. In al-Durr al-Manthur: When the Holy Prophet (S) recited the ayah:

“Is He not able to give life to the dead?” (Surat al-Qiyamah (75): 40)

He would say:

“Praise be to You O Allah - Yes indeed.”[^20]

Note: This has been narrated by Shaykh Tusi in his commentary al-Tibyan, from Qatadah from Abi Ja’far and Abi ‘Abdillah (as).[^21]

8. In Majma’ al-Bayan, in the commentary for the ayah:

“And you are not (engaged) in any affair, nor do you recite concerning it any portion of the Qur’an, nor do you do any work but we are witnesses over you when you enter into it, and there does not lie concealed from your Lord the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heaven, nor anything less than that nor greater but it is in a clear book.”[^22] (Surat Yunus (10): 61)

He said: When the Holy Prophet (S) recited this ayah he wept incessantly.[^23]

9. In Majma’ al-Bayan, under the commentary of Surah al-Ikhlas: The Holy Prophet (S) would stop at the end of every ayah of this Surah.[^24]

10. In al-Durr al-Manthur: From Ahmad, Ibn al-Dharees and al-Bayhaqi from ‘Ayisha who said: I would wake up with the Prophet (S) at night and he (S) would recite from (Surah) al-Baqarah, ale ‘Imran and al-Nisa and when he came to an ayah that gave glad tidings (to the believers) he would supplicate and hope, and when he came to an ayah that threatened (disbelievers) he would supplicate and seek refuge.[^25]

11. In Thawab al-A’mal in his narration from Husayn ibn Abi al-Ula’ from Abi ‘Abdillah (as) who said: Whoever recites Surah al-Talaq and al-Tahrim in his obligatory (prayers) will be protected by Allah from being among those who are afraid and dejected on the Day of Judgment, he will be protected from the Hellfire and Allah will put him in Paradise because of his recitation of these two (Surahs) and his acting upon them; because these Surahs are for the Noble Prophet (S).[^26]

12. In al-Mizan from al-Durr al-Manthur: From Ibn ‘Abbas who said: When the Qur’an was revealed to the Holy Prophet (S), he would make haste in reciting it in order to preserve it, so the ayah:

“Do not move your tongue with it to make haste with it’ was revealed.”
(al-Durr al-Manthur 6:289 – Surat al-Qiyamah (75), al-Mizan 20:116 – Surat al-Waqi’ah (56))

13. Also: After this, whenever Jibra’il came to the Holy Prophet, he (S) would remain silent and listen, and when he had gone he (S) would recite (the ayat) as had been revealed to him by Allah.^27

14. Also: The Noble Prophet (S) would not know the end of a Surah until ‘Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim’ was revealed to him.^28

15. In Tafsir al-Qummi: The Holy Prophet (S) would sit in his room and recite the Holy Qur’an.[^29]

[^1]: Bihar al-Anwar 81:68 and 92:216, al-Mustadrak 1:465

[^2]: Majma’ al-Bayan 10:378 – Surat al-Muzammil, Fayd’ al-Qadir 5:238

[^3]: Plural of Surah. (Tr.)

[^4]: Ruh al-Jinan of Abi al-Fattuh al-Razi 11:30 – Surat al-Hadid (57), al-Durr al-Manthur 6:170 – Surat al-Hadid (57), Bihar al-Anwar 92:312

[^5]: Majma’ al-Bayan 9:229 – Surat al-Hadid (57)

[^6]: We found this reference in Majma’ al-Bayan 8:325 and Bihar al-Anwar 92:316

[^7]: Majma’ al-Bayan 10:472, 473 – Surat al-A’la (87)

[^8]: Bihar al-Anwar 92:322, al-Durr al-Manthur 6:337

[^9]: Majma’ al-Bayan 10:473 – Surat al-A’la (87)

[^10]: al-Durr al-Manthur 6:296 – Surat al-Qiyamah (75) and from him in Bihar al-Anwar 92:219

[^11]: Bihar al-Anwar 92:291-220

[^12]: al-Durr al-Manthur 6:356 – Surat al-Shams (91), Bihar al-Anwar 92:220

[^13]: Bihar al-Anwar 85:5

[^14]: Tafsir al-`Ayyashi 2:295 – Surat al-Isra` (17), Bihar al-Anwar 92:326, Tafsir Furat al-Kufi: 85 and from him in al-Mustadrak 4:185

[^15]: al-Da`awat: 47 and from him in al-Mustadrak 4:427

[^16]: Majma’ al-Bayan 10:378 – Surat al-Muzammil

[^17]: al-Kafi 2:634

[^18]: al-Khisal: 358

[^19]: Majma’ al-Bayan 10:512

[^20]: al-Durr al-Manthur 6:296 – Surat al-Qiyamah (75) and from him in Bihar al-Anwar 92:219

[^21]: al-Tibyan 10:203 – Surat al-Qiyamah (75)

[^22]: Surat Yunus (10): 61

[^23]: Majma’ al-Bayan 5:116 – Surat Yunus (10)

[^24]: Majma’ al-Bayan 10:567 – Surat al-Ikhlas (112)

[^25]: al-Durr al-Manthur 1:18 – Surat al-Baqarah (2)

[^26]: Thawab al-a’mal: 146

[^29]: Tafsir al-Qummi 2:393 – Surat al-Muddathir (74), Bihar al-Anwar 9:245