Abu Dawud

1391. Commentary: From these ahadith, it is understood that completing the Qur’an in a single night is disliked (makruh) and incorrect. And some people who narrate about their imams that they would perform the Fajr prayer with the ablution (wudu) of the night, pray a thousand units (rak‘at) during the night, and complete the entire Qur’an—then all these things are fabrications of ignorant admirers. In these, errors and opposition to the Sunnah are attributed to those elders, whereas the noble imams were lovers of the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and adherents and practitioners of it. Such baseless statements in no way elevate their rank or status. (See: Mi‘yar al-Haqq by Shaykh al-Kull Sayyid Nazir Husayn Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah.)

It is worth pondering that the nights of average days are twelve hours long. If we exclude the times of ‘Isha and Fajr, which are more or less four hours, then only eight hours, that is, 480 minutes, remain. If a thousand units (rak‘at) are to be prayed in this duration, then barely twenty to twenty-five seconds would be available for each unit. In the end, at the speed with which the prayer would be performed in such a time, would it be worship or play? Rather, one would become like a machine. Therefore, it is certain that such statements have been fabricated by devotees and attributed to the imam, whereas the imam himself did not do such things.

Hadith Commentary:
In this hadith as well, a specific duration for the completion of the Qur’an has been prescribed.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The implication of the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is that the Qur’an should not be completed in less than seven days, even though it is transmitted from the predecessors (aslaf) that they would complete it in a shorter period.
It is possible that the aforementioned instruction of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was in consideration of the weakness and inability of the person being addressed.
It is also possible that the aforementioned prohibition is not for the purpose of making it unlawful (tahrim), just as in this hadith the command of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is not for obligation (wujub) but rather for recommendation (istihbab). This is evident from all the various chains and the context of the hadith.
➋
The position of the literalists (Ahl al-Zahir) is questionable, that completing the Qur’an in less than three days is unlawful (haram).
Imam Nawawi rahimahullah states that according to most scholars, there is no fixed limit for this; rather, it depends on a person’s strength and energy, and this can vary according to circumstances and individuals.
And Allah knows best.
(Fath al-Bari: 9/122)

Explanation:
Completing (the Qur’an) in one day or three days, reciting it with pauses and deliberation, and reciting it (in this manner) is more preferable.

Note:
(In the chain, Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i is a mudallis and has undergone ikhtilat (confusion in memory).
Also, in the hadith it is stated: “Akhitmuhu fi khams,” meaning, “Complete the Qur’an in five days.”
Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As says that he had the strength to recite more than that, but the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not permit him to complete the Qur’an in less than that.

Imam al-Tirmidhi calls this hadith hasan sahih gharib,
and says that its strangeness (gharabah) is in the chain of Abu Burdah from Abdullah ibn Amr.
It should be noted that in Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr (radi Allahu anhuma) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to him: “Iqra’ al-Qur’an fi kulli shahr,”
He said: “I am able to do more.” He continued to say this until (the Prophet) said:
“In three (days),” i.e., “Complete the Qur’an in every month.”
He said: “I am able to do more than that,” and he kept repeating that he was able to do more, so the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Complete the Qur’an in three days.” (Bukhari/Kitab al-Siyam 54 (1978),
and Sahih al-Bukhari (Fada’il al-Qur’an: 34, 5054),
and Sahih Muslim (Siyam 35/182), and Abu Dawud/Kitab al-Salat 325 (1388), it is narrated from Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahman:
“Faqra’hu fi kulli sab‘ wa la tazid ‘ala dhalik,” meaning, “Complete the Qur’an every seven days, and do not do more than that.”
So from this it is known that the phrase “fa ma rakhkhasa li” — “He did not permit me to do it in less than five days” — is shaadh (anomalous),
and the permission to complete the Qur’an in three days is preserved and established,
and likewise, in another narration, permission is given to complete it in seven days. (And the reason for weakness is Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i.)

1390. Commentary: The recitation of the Noble Qur’an should be based on understanding. Whether it is little or much, for common people and non-Arabs, recitation without understanding is certainly a source of reward and merit, and is also desirable. However, the importance and priority of knowledge and understanding is undeniable. The rectification of one’s personal actions and the fulfillment of the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil (amr bil-ma‘ruf wa nahi ‘anil-munkar) are based upon this.

1395. Commentary: According to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, the words [لم ينزل من سبع] in this are not authentic. Because in the authentic narration (1391), the instruction is to recite it within three days.

1388. Commentary: The Qur’an should be completed at least once a week, and this is preferable. However, to complete the Qur’an in less than three days is extremely disliked (makruh), as will be mentioned in the following narration. In accordance with this, the Qur’an has been divided into thirty parts (ajza’) and seven sections (manazil). However, this division is not from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in), but rather it is a later development.

Urdu marginal note:
“In five days.” Under Hadith: 2392, it has already been mentioned that in the end, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam permitted the completion of the Qur’an in three days. The details may be seen there.