Hadiths Highlighting the Virtue of the Quran
Numerous hadiths from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) accentuate the virtues of the Holy Quran. Below are some noteworthy examples:
- Abu Shurayh Al-Khuza’i (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Rejoice, rejoice! Do you not bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and that I am His Messenger?” They responded affirmatively. He continued, “This Quran is a cord; one end is in the Hand of Allah, and the other is in your hands. So hold firmly to it, for you will never go astray or be ruined after it.”
- Imran bin Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “I passed by a storyteller reciting, then he asked and expressed regret. He then mentioned that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: ‘Whoever recites the Quran should ask Allah with it, for there will be people who read the Quran and ask others for help with it.’
- Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) shared that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to them while they were reading the Quran, including an Arab Bedouin and a non-Arab. He said: “Read; every reading is good. There will come people who will rush through it as an arrow is quickly shot without proper aim.”
- Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) related that a man asked him for advice. He replied: “I advise you to fear Allah, for that is the essence of all matters. Engage in jihad, for it is the monasticism of Islam. Remember Allah and recite the Quran, for it is your spirit in the heavens and your remembrance on earth.”
- Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “Purity is half of faith; praise be to Allah fills the scale; glorifying Allah and praising Him fill what is between the heavens and the earth. Prayer is light, charity is proof, patience is radiance, and the Quran is a proof for you or against you. Every person starts their day either selling themselves, freeing them, or ruining them.”
- Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) described a person who recites the Quran as being like the fragrant citrus fruit; both its taste and smell are pleasant. Conversely, one who does not recite the Quran is like a date; its taste is good, but it has no fragrance. Moreover, the sinful person who recites the Quran is akin to a basil plant; it has a pleasant aroma but a bitter taste, while the sinful person who does not recite it is like the colocynth, which is bitter and has no fragrance.
- “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a good deed for it, and the good deed is multiplied tenfold. I do not mean that ‘Alif’ is a letter, but rather ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘Lam’ is a letter, and ‘Meem’ is a letter.”
- “Indeed, Allah has people among His creation,” they asked, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “They are the people of the Quran; they are the people of Allah and His chosen ones.”
- “Recite the Quran, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection as an intercessor for its companions. Recite Al-Baqarah and Al-Imran, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or two groups of birds flying, arguing on behalf of their companions. Reciting Al-Baqarah brings blessings, while neglecting it is a cause for regret, and the sorcerers cannot handle it.”
- “It will be said to the companion of the Quran: ‘Recite and ascend, and organize your recitation as you did when you were in the worldly life, for your rank will be at the last verse you recite for the day.’
- “On the Day of Resurrection, the Quran will say: ‘O my Lord, adorn him!’ So a crown of honor will be placed upon him. Then it will say: ‘O my Lord, increase him!’ and a garment of honor will be placed upon him. Then it will say: ‘O my Lord, be pleased with him!’ It will be said: ‘Recite and ascend, for with each verse, you will receive one good deed.’
- “Learn the Book of Allah and acquire it,” he said. “And beautify it with your voices, for a beautiful voice enhances the Quran’s beauty.”
- “The proficient Quran reciter will be with the noble and righteous angels. As for the one who recites the Quran with difficulty, they will receive two rewards.”
Verses Reflecting the Virtue of the Quran
Several verses from the Quran emphasize its significance and high status, including:
- “Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah, establish prayer, and spend from what We have provided them secretly and openly, can expect a trade that will never perish. *He will fulfill their rewards and increase them out of His bounty; indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.”
- “A Book which We have sent down to you that you might bring forth mankind from darkness to light, by permission of their Lord, to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.”
- “And recite the Quran with measured recitation.”
The Virtue of Reciting the Quran
By reciting the verses of the Holy Quran, a Muslim can achieve several blessings, including:
- Being remembered by Allah and having angels descend upon the gatherings where the Quran is recited, as stated by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): “Whenever a community gathers in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them among those who are with Him.”
- The great reward and merit bestowed by Allah for reciting the Quran, calculated at ten good deeds for every letter recited.
- Intercession on their behalf on the Day of Resurrection.