8. The Excellent Qualities of the Qur'an

وَعَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: مَنْ قَرَأَ آخِرَ آلِ عِمْرَانَ فِي لَيْلَة كتب لَهُ قيام لَيْلَة. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

‘Uthmān b. ‘Affān said, “If anyone recites the end of Āl ‘Imrān (Qur’ān, 3) on a night, the reward for a night spent in prayer will be recorded for him.” Transmitted by Dārimī.

وَعَنْ مَكْحُولٍ قَالَ: مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ آلِ عِمْرَانَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ صَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِلَى اللَّيْل. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

Makhūl said, “If anyone recites Āl ‘Imrān on a Friday, the angels will invoke blessings on him till night comes.” Transmitted by Dārimī.

وَعَن جُبَير بن نفير رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَتَمَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ بِآيَتَيْنِ أُعْطِيتُهُمَا مِنْ كَنْزِهِ الَّذِي تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ فَتَعَلَّمُوهُنَّ وَعَلِّمُوهُنَّ نِسَاءَكُمْ فَإِنَّهَا صَلَاةٌ وقربان وَدُعَاء» . رَوَاهُ الدِّرَامِي مُرْسلا

Jubair b. Nufair reported God’s messenger as saying, “God finished sūra al Baqara with two verses which I have been given from His treasure which is under the Throne ; so learn them and teach them to your womenfolk, for they are a blessing, a means of approach and a supplication.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

وَعَن كَعْب رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ: «اقرؤوا سُورَة هود يَوْم الْجُمُعَة» . رَوَاهُ الدِّرَامِي مُرْسلا

Ka‘b reported God's messenger as saying, “Recite sūra Hūd (Qur’ān, 9) on Fridays.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «من قَرَأَ سُورَة الْكَهْف فِي يَوْم الْجُمُعَة أَضَاء لَهُ النُّور مَا بَيْنَ الْجُمْعَتَيْنِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي الدَّعَوَاتِ الْكَبِير

Abū Sa'id reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone recites sūra al-Kahf (Qur’ān, 18) on Friday, light will shine brightly for him till the next Friday.” Baihaqī transmitted it in al-Da‘awāt al-kabir.

وَعَن خَالِد بن معدان قَالَ: اقرؤوا المنجية وَهِي (آلم تَنْزِيل) فَإِن بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَجُلًا كَانَ يَقْرَؤُهَا مَا يَقْرَأُ شَيْئًا غَيْرَهَا وَكَانَ كَثِيرَ الْخَطَايَا فَنَشَرَتْ جَنَاحَهَا عَلَيْهِ قَالَتْ: رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يُكْثِرُ قِرَاءَتِي فَشَفَّعَهَا الرَّبُّ تَعَالَى فِيهِ وَقَالَ: اكْتُبُوا لَهُ بِكُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ وَارْفَعُوا لَهُ دَرَجَةً ". وَقَالَ أَيْضًا: " إِنَّهَا تُجَادِلُ عَنْ صَاحِبِهَا فِي الْقَبْرِ تَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتُ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ لَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ فَامْحُنِي عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهَا تَكُونُ كَالطَّيْرِ تَجْعَلُ جَنَاحَهَا عَلَيْهِ فَتَشْفَعُ لَهُ فَتَمْنَعُهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْر " وَقَالَ فِي (تبَارك) مثله. وَكَانَ خَالِد لَا يَبِيتُ حَتَّى يَقْرَأَهُمَا. وَقَالَ طَاوُوسُ: فُضِّلَتَا عَلَى كُلِّ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ بِسِتِّينَ حَسَنَةً. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

Recite the rescuer, which is A.L.M. The sending down (Qur’ān, 32) for I have heard that a man who had committed many sins used to recite it and nothing else. It spread its wing over him and said, “My Lord, forgive him, for he often used to recite me so the Lord most high made it an intercessor for him and said, “Record for him a good deed and raise him a degree in place of every sin.” Khālid said also: It will dispute on behalf of the one who recites it when he is in his grave saying, “O God, if I am a part of Thy Book, make me an intercessor for him; but if I am not a part of Thy Book, blot me out of it.” It will be like a bird putting its wing on him, it will intercede for him and will protect him from the punishment in the grave. He said the same about “Blessed is He.” (Qur’ān, 67) Khālid did not go to sleep at night till he had recited them. Tā’ūs said they were given sixty virtues more than any other sūra in the Qur’ān. Dārimī transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ قَالَ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ (يس) فِي صَدْرِ النَّهَارِ قضيت حَوَائِجه» رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ مُرْسلا

‘Atā b. Abū Rabāh told of hearing that God’s messenger said, “If anyone recites Yā’ Sīn at the beginning of the day, his wants will be supplied.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

وَعَن معقل بن يسَار الْمُزنِيّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ (يس) ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنبه فاقرؤوها عِنْدَ مَوْتَاكُمْ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ

Ma'qil b. Yasār al-Muzanī reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone recites Yā’ Sīn (Qur’ān, 36) out of a desire for God's favour, his past sins will be forgiven him; so recite it over those of you who are dying.” Baihaqī transmitted it in Shu'ab al-īmān.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَنَامًا وَإِنَّ سَنَامَ الْقُرْآنِ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ لُبَابًا وَإِنَّ لباب الْقُرْآن الْمفصل. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

37, 45, 47, 48, 50, 61, 67, and 93. The name is most appropriately explained as meaning that this is the section of the Qur’ān which contains many shorter sūras. Dārimī transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يَقُول: «لكل شَيْء عروس وعروس الْقُرْآن الرَّحْمَن» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

‘Alī told that he heard God’s messenger say, “Everything has an adornment, and the adornment of the Qur’ān is ar-Rahmān” (Qur’ān, 57) Transmitted by Baihaqī in Shu'ab al-īmān.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْوَاقِعَةِ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ لَمْ تُصِبْهُ فَاقَةٌ أَبَدًا» . وَكَانَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ يَأْمُرُ بَنَاتَهُ يَقْرَأْنَ بهَا فِي كل لَيْلَة. رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

Ibn Mas’ūd reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who recites sūra al-Waqi'a (Qur’ān, 56) every night will never be afflicted by want.” Ibn Mas’ūd used to order his daughters to recite it every night. Transmitted by Baihaqī in Shu'ab al-īmān.

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: " كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يجب هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ (سَبِّحِ اسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى) رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

‘Alī said that God's messenger used to like this sūra, “Glorify the name of thy most high Lord.”(Qur’ān, 87) Ahmad transmitted it.

وَعَن عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: أَتَى رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَقْرِئْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: " اقْرَأْ ثَلَاثًا مِنْ ذَوَاتِ (ألر) فَقَالَ: كَبُرَتْ سِنِّي وَاشْتَدَّ قَلْبِي وَغَلُظَ لِسَانِي قَالَ: " فَاقْرَأْ ثَلَاثًا مِنْ ذَوَاتِ (حم) فَقَالَ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِهِ. قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَقْرِئْنِي سُورَةً جَامِعَةً فَأَقْرَأَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ (إِذَا زُلْزِلَتْ الأَرْض) حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْهَا فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لَا أَزِيد عَلَيْهَا أبدا ثمَّ أدبر الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَفْلَحَ الرُّوَيْجِلُ " مَرَّتَيْنِ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ

‘Abdallāh b. ‘Amr told of a man coming to the Prophet and asking him to teach him to recite. On being told to recite three of the sūras with A. L. R (Qur’ān, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15) he replied, “I am old, my heart has difficulty in remem­bering, and my tongue is sluggish.” When told that in that case he should recite three with Hā’ Mīm (Qur’ān, 40 to 46) he gave the same reply and then asked God’s messenger to teach him to recite a comprehensive sūra. He taught him to recite “When is shaken” (Qur’ān, 99) up to the end, and the man said, “I swear by Him who has sent you with the truth that I shall never recite more than that.” Then when the man turned away God's messenger said twice, “The little man has come into a state of felicity.” Ahmad and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ أَلْفَ آيَةٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ؟» قَالُوا: وَمَنْ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ أَلْفَ آيَةٍ فِي كل يَوْم؟ قَالَ: " أَمَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ: (أَلْهَاكُمُ التكاثر) ؟) رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Can one of you not recite a thousand verses daily?” Then when he was asked who could recite a thousand verses daily he replied, “Can one of you not recite ‘Rivalry has distracted you’?”(Qur’ān, 102) Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-īmān.

وَعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ مُرْسَلًا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ (قل هُوَ الله أحد) عشر مَرَّات بني لَهُ بِهَا قَصْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَمَنْ قَرَأَ عِشْرِينَ مَرَّةً بُنِي لَهُ بِهَا قَصْرَانِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَمَنْ قَرَأَهَا ثَلَاثِينَ مَرَّةً بُنِيَ لَهُ بِهَا ثَلَاثَةُ قُصُورٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ» . فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذَا لَنُكَثِّرَنَّ قُصُورَنَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اللَّهُ أَوْسَعُ من ذَلِك» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

Sa'īd b. al-Musayyib reported in mursal form that the Prophet said, “If anyone recites ten times ‘Say, He is God, One’, a palace will be built for him in paradise because of it; if anyone recites twenty times two palaces will be built for him in paradise because of it; and if anyone recites it thirty times three palaces will be built for him in paradise be­cause of it.” ‘Umar b. al-Khattāb said, “I swear by God, messenger of God, that we shall then produce many palaces for ourselves;” to which he replied, “God's abundant grace is even more comprehensive than that.” Dārimī transmitted it.

وَعَنِ الْحَسَنِ مُرْسَلًا: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مِائَةَ آيَةٍ لَمْ يُحَاجِّهِ الْقُرْآنُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ وَمَنْ قَرَأَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مِائَتَيْ آيَةٍ كُتِبَ لَهُ قُنُوتُ لَيْلَةٍ وَمَنْ قَرَأَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ خَمْسَمِائَةً إِلَى الْأَلْفِ أَصْبَحَ وَلَهُ قِنْطَارٌ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ» . قَالُوا: وَمَا الْقِنْطَارُ؟ قَالَ: «اثْنَا عَشَرَ ألفا» . رَوَاهُ الدِّرَامِي

Al-Hasan reported in mursal form that the Prophet said, “If anyone recites a hundred verses in a night the Qur’ān will not argue against him that night; if anyone recites two hundred verses in a night he will be recorded as having spent a night standing in prayer; and if anyone recites five hundred to a thousand verses in a night, in the morning he will have a reward equivalent to a qintār*. He was asked what a qintar was and replied that it was twelve thousand . *This is the measure to which many different values have been ascribed. Dārimī transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «تَعَاهَدُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَهْوَ أَشَدُّ تَفَصِّيًا مِنَ الْإِبِلِ فِي عُقُلِهَا»

Abū Mūsā al-Ash’arī reported God’s messenger as saying, “Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Qur’ān, for I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that it is more liable to escape than camels which are tethered.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: " بئس مالأحدهم أَنْ يَقُولَ: نَسِيتُ آيَةَ كَيْتَ وَكَيْتَ بَلْ نُسِّيَ وَاسْتَذْكِرُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَإِنَّهُ أَشَدُّ تَفَصِّيًا مِنْ صُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النَّعَمِ ". مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ. وَزَادَ مُسلم: «بعقلها»

Ibn Mas’ūd reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is wrong for one to say that he has forgotten such and such a verse, for he has been made to forget. Study the Qur’ān, for it is more apt to escape from men’s minds than animals.” (Bukhārī and Muslim, Muslim adding "which are tethered”.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ»

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Prophet as saying, “He who studies the Qur’ān is like the owner of tethered camels. If he pays attention to them he keeps hold of them, but if he lets them loose they go away." (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ جُنْدُبِ بْنِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «اقرؤوا الْقُرْآنَ مَا ائْتَلَفَتْ عَلَيْهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ فَإِذَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فَقومُوا عَنهُ»

Jundub b. ‘Abdallāh reported God’s messenger as saying, “Recite the Qur’ān as long as you can concentrate on it, but when your concentra­tion flags give it up.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)