Recitation of the Quran

Alqamah said: I recited the Qur'an before Sayyiduna Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "May my father and mother be ransomed for you, recite with tartil (measured recitation), for it is the adornment of the Qur'an."

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) explained the meaning of the verse {And recite the Qur'an with measured recitation} [al-Muzzammil: 4] as follows: Recite the Qur'an making it very clear.

Mujahid explained the meaning of the verse {And recite the Qur'an with measured recitation} [al-Muzzammil: 4] as follows: Recite the Qur'an in sequence, one part after another.

Abu Wa'il said: A man from Banu Bajilah named Nahik bin Sinan came to Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "O Abu Abd al-Rahman! How do you recite this word, with ya' or with alif? That is, do you recite 'min ma'in ghayri yasin' or 'min ma'in ghayri asin' (of water unaltered)?" Sayyiduna Abdullah said to him: "Have you memorised and understood the whole Qur'an apart from this place?" He said: "I recite the Mufassal in one rak'ah." Sayyiduna Abdullah said: "You rattle off the Qur'an without reflection, just like poetry! There are people who recite the Qur'an, but it does not go down beyond their throats. The Qur'an benefits when it enters the heart and becomes firmly rooted there. The best part of prayer is bowing and prostration." Sayyiduna Abdullah also said: "I know the similar (paired) surahs which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite."

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the recitation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite drawing out the sound of the words at great length.

Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite 'Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim, al-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-'alamin' (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds) letter by letter.

Ayyub said: When Muhammad (bin Sirin) recited, he would keep going on in his recitation.

Ata and Mujahid used to recite the Qur'an rapidly.

Muhammad bin Ka'b al-Qurazi said: That I should spend the whole night reciting Surah al-Zalzalah and Surah al-Qari'ah over and over, reflecting on them, is dearer to me than rapidly reciting the whole Qur'an in one night.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Do not recite the Qur'an rapidly and without reflection like poetry, and do not scatter it about like poor-quality dates. Stop at its wonders and reflect, and move the hearts during its recitation.

Ibn Abi Mulaykah said: One of the pure wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about his (peace and blessings be upon him) recitation. She said: "You do not have the ability for it." She was asked: "Please tell us." So she recited for them in a slow, measured manner.

Mujahid was asked about two men, one of whom recited Surah al-Baqarah and the other recited Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Al Imran. Their bowing, prostration and sitting were equal; which of them did the better deed? Mujahid said: The one who recited Surah al-Baqarah. Then Mujahid recited this verse: {And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts) so that you may recite it to the people at a deliberate pace, and We have sent it down in stages} [al-Isra: 106].

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Sometimes the one who recites the Qur'an the most is a hypocrite who leaves out neither an alif nor a waw; his tongue moves the way a cow's tongue moves when it chews, but the Qur'an does not go beyond his throat.