Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 3530

Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever among you prays (voluntary) prayer at night should recite aloud, for the angels pray following his prayer and listen to his recitation. The believers among the jinn who dwell in the air, and those who live alongside him in his dwelling, also pray following his prayer and listen to his recitation. By reciting aloud, such a person drives away the sinful jinn and the rebellious devils from his house and from the houses around it. The house in which the Qur'an is recited has a tent made of light over it, by which the inhabitants of the heavens find their way just as one finds one's way by a brilliant star at sea and in a barren land. When the companion of the Qur'an dies, that tent is lifted. The angels look from the heavens and do not see that light. Then the angels receive him (his soul) from one heaven to the next, and the angels send mercy upon his soul among all the souls. Then the guardian angels who used to be with him come before him, and then the angels keep seeking forgiveness for him until the day he is resurrected. Whoever acquires knowledge of the Book of Allah Almighty and then prays (voluntary) prayer for an hour of the night, the passing night enjoins the coming night concerning him, that it should wake him at his particular hour and that it should be light upon him. When that person dies and his family are preparing him for burial, the Qur'an comes in a handsome and beautiful form and stands at his head until it comes within his shroud; the Qur'an is upon his chest beneath the shroud. When he is placed in his grave, the earth is levelled over him, and his companions leave him, Munkar and Nakir come to him and sit him up in his grave. Then the Qur'an comes and places itself between him and the two angels. The two angels say to the Qur'an: 'Move aside so that we may question him.' The Qur'an says: 'No! By the Lord of the Ka'bah, he is my companion and my friend, and I will not forsake him in any situation. If you two have been commanded to do something, then carry out what you have been commanded, but leave me in my place, for I will not part from him until I have admitted him into Paradise.' Then the Qur'an looks at its companion and says: 'I am the Qur'an that you used to recite aloud and recite quietly, and you loved me, so I am your beloved; and whomever I love, Allah Almighty also loves. After the questioning of Munkar and Nakir, there will be no worry or grief upon you.' Munkar and Nakir question him and then ascend, and the person and the Qur'an remain (in the grave). The Qur'an says: 'I will have a soft bed spread for you and will provide you with a fine covering, because you stayed awake at night and toiled during the day.'" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then the Qur'an ascends to the heaven faster than the blink of an eye and asks Allah Almighty, and Allah Almighty grants it these things. Then a thousand thousand (that is, a million) angels from among the angels brought near of the sixth heaven descend with it. The Qur'an comes, greets the person and asks: 'Did you feel lonely? Since I parted from you, I have done nothing but speak to Allah Almighty, until Allah Almighty granted you a bed, a covering and a key. I have brought them to you; now get up, so that the angels may spread your bed.'" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The angels raise him gently. Then his grave is widened to the distance of a journey of four hundred years. Then a bed is spread for him whose lining is of green silk and which is filled with fragrant musk (misk adhfar). Cushions of green sundus and istabraq (fine and heavy silk) are placed at his feet and at his head. Two lamps lit from the light of Paradise are lit for him, one at his head and one at his feet; they (the lamps) will keep shining until the Day of Resurrection. Then the angels lay him on his right side, facing the qiblah. Then jasmine of Paradise is brought, and the angels leave him and ascend, and the person and the Qur'an remain. The Qur'an takes the jasmine and places it on the person's nose, and he will keep smelling it until he is resurrected. Then the Qur'an goes to his family and gives them news every day. It looks after him just as a kind father looks after his child with goodness. If any of the person's children acquires knowledge of the Qur'an, the Qur'an congratulates him on that; and if his descendants have fallen into corruption, the Qur'an supplicates for them to be reformed and set right," or as he mentioned it.
Al-Bazzar recorded it and said: Khalid bin Ma'dan did not hear from Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him). Its meaning is that the reward of the Qur'an comes, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A single morsel will come on the Day of Resurrection like Mount Uhud," meaning that its reward will come.
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Its chain contains a narrator for whom I have not found anyone who has written a biography.