The Way of Reciting the Qur’aan

By Imaam ibn Kathir [d.774H]

Concerning Allaah’s statement,

“And Rattil the Qur’aan Tartil.” [Al-Muzzammil 73:4]

Meaning, recite it slowly, for that will help in understanding the Qur’aan and contemplating it. This is how the Prophet [sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] used to recite. ‘A’ishah said, “He [the Prophet] used to recite the chapter slowly, so much so that it would be longer than chapters that were actually longer than it.” [1]

In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is recorded from Anas that he was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allaah [sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam], so he replied, “He used to elongate the letters.” Then he [Anas] recited,

“In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” [Al-Fatihah 1:1], and he elongated “In the Name of Allaah,” and he elongated “The Most Gracious,” and he elongated “The Most Merciful.” [2]

Ibn Jurayj reported from Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who narrated from Umm Salamah that she was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allaah [sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam], so she said, “He used to pause in his recitation, verse by verse.

‘In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is Allaah’s, the Lord of all that exists. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense.’ [Al-Fatihah 1:1-4].”

This was recorded by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. [3] We have already mentioned the Hadiths which prove the recommendation of slow rhythmic recitation and beautification of the voice while reciting at the beginning of this Tafsir. For example, the Hadith which states,

“Beautify the Qur’aan with your voices.” [4] And the Hadith,

“He is not of us who does not chant nicely with the recitation of the Qur’aan.” [5] And the Hadith,

“Verily, he has been given this windpipe from the windpipes of the family of Dawud.” [6] Referring to Abu Musa.

Abu Musa replied, “If I knew that you had been listening to my recitation, I would have truly beautified it for you.” It has been narrated from Ibn Mas’ud that he said, “Do not scatter the ]recitation of] Qur’aan out like the scattering of sand, and do not rush through it like the hasty recitation of poetry. Stop at its amazing parts and make your heart move with it. None of you should let his concern be to reach the end of the chapter.” This has been recorded by Al-Baghawi. [7] Al-Bukhari recorded from Abi Wa’il that he said, “A man came to Ibn Mas`ud and said, ‘I read the Mufassal chapters ]from Qaf to An-Nas] last night in one unit of prayer.’ Ibn Mas`ud said, ‘This is rushing like the haste of reciting poetry. Verily, I know the pairs [of chapters] that the Messenger of Allaah [sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] used to combine between them [in prayer].’ Then he mentioned twenty chapters from the Mufassal chapters, and said that the Prophet [sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] used to recite two in each unit.” [8]

Footnotes:

[1] Muslim 1:507
[2] Fath Al-Bari 8:709
[3] Ahmad 6:302, Abu Dawud 4:294, and Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi 8:241
[4] Fath Al-Bari 13:527
[5] Fath Al-Bari 13:510
[6] Fath Al-Bari 8:710
[7] Ma’alim At-Tanzil 8:215
[8] Fath Al-Bari 2:298

Transcribed [by islamictexts.wordpress.com] from: Tafseer ibn Kathir, Vol. 10, Pgs. 219-221, By Imaam ibn Kathir [d.774H], Abridged by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahmaan al-Mubarakpuri, Published by Darussalam