Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Imam Nawawi said: Various meanings of "sakinah" have been mentioned; the preferred meaning is that it is a creation of Allah Ta'ala, and within it are tranquility and mercy, and with it are also angels.

The Companion who was reciting the Qur'an was Sayyiduna Usayd ibn Hudayr, as is evident from the following detailed narration:

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri radi Allahu anhu, who said: "Indeed, Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu, while he was reciting (the Qur'an) one night in his enclosure, his horse suddenly began to prance. He recited again, and it pranced again. He recited again, and it pranced again. Usayd said: I feared that it would trample Yahya—meaning his son—so I stood up to him, and behold, there was something like a cloud above my head, in which were things resembling lamps, ascending in the sky until I could no longer see it. He said: In the morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said: O Messenger of Allah! Last night, in the middle of the night, I was reciting (the Qur'an) in my enclosure when my horse began to prance. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: 'Recite, O son of Hudayr!' I recited, and it pranced again. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: 'Recite, O son of Hudayr!' I recited, and it pranced again. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: 'Recite, O son of Hudayr!' I turned away, and Yahya was near it, so I feared it would trample him. Then I saw something like a canopy in which were things resembling lamps, ascending in the sky until I could no longer see it. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: 'Those were the angels who were listening to you. If you had continued reciting, the people would have seen them in the morning, and they would not have been concealed from them.'" (Sahih Muslim: 796, Sahih Bukhari mu'allaqan: 5018 in the form of certainty, and the wording is from Ahmad) …

One night, Sayyiduna Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu was reciting the Noble Qur'an in his enclosure, when suddenly his horse began to prance (so he became silent). Then, when he began reciting again, it pranced again. Whenever he would start reciting, it would begin to prance. Sayyiduna Usayd said: I feared that it would trample my son Yahya, so I stood up to take hold of my son. I saw that above me was a canopy like a cloud, in which lamps were shining, and it was ascending in the air until it disappeared from my sight. When morning came, I presented myself before the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said: O Messenger of Allah! At the end of last night, I was reciting the Noble Qur'an in my enclosure, when suddenly my horse began to prance. Then I related the entire incident. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "O son of Hudayr! You should have continued reciting." I said: Yes, I recited, but the horse pranced again. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam again said: "O son of Hudayr! You should have continued reciting." I said: When I recited, the horse pranced again. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam again said: "O son of Hudayr! You should have continued reciting." I said: Yes, I recited, but my son Yahya was lying nearby, and I feared that the horse might trample him. Then I saw something like a canopy, in which lamps were glittering, and it was rising in the air. Then the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Those were angels, listening to your recitation. If you had continued reciting until morning, people would have seen them, and they would not have been concealed from them."

Sayyiduna Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu used to recite the Noble Qur'an in a very beautiful voice. In these ahadith is a mention of the distinctive virtue of Sayyiduna Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu.