FORTY HADITHS ON THE VIRTUES AND IMPACTS OF THE HOLY QUR'AN AND THE ETIQUETTES OF THE RECITATION OF' IT 2

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FORTY HADITHS ON THE VIRTUES AND IMPACTS OF THE HOLY QUR'AN AND THE ETIQUETTES OF THE RECITATION OF' IT

 

 

In the presentation of the following forty Hadiths, I will rather stop at citing the texts of the Hadith than mention the series and ways of narrators. I will also use suitable titles according to their contents. The explanations of these Hadiths will be put off to another occasion. Finally, I will not bind myself with exactly forty Hadiths since traditions that urge on retaining forty Hadiths have not specified this number as stipulation; rather any addition to the number will be good.

 

Part 2

 

(2)               Categories of the Reciters of the Holy Qur'an and the Qualities of the True Reciters

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir is reported to have said, "The reciters of the Qur'an are of three categories: one category is represented by those who betake their recitation of the Qur'an as means for earning livelihood, flattering the rulers and acting arrogantly with people. Those will certainly be included with the inhabitants of Hellfire. Another category is represented by those who have memorized the letters of the Holy Qur'an [1] but misused its instructions. Those will certainly be included with the people of Hellfire, too. The third category is represented by those who used the remedy of the Qur'an for healing the diseases of their hearts and therefore they, for the sake of the Qur'an, spent their nights sleeplessly, abstained from eating and drinking in days, attended in the mosques and left their beds. Only for the sake of such people will the All-powerful and All-omnipotent Lord prevent misfortunes, back against the enemies and send down rain from the heavens. I swear by Allah that such reciters of the Qur'an are more precious than red sulfur." [2]

 

The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "O Observer of the Qur'an: Act modestly as regards the Qur'an and Almighty Allah will honor you; and do not act arrogantly as regards it lest Almighty Allah will humiliate you. O Observer of the Qur'an: Assume the Qur'an as your embellishment before Almighty Allah so that He will make it your embellishment; and do not assume it as your embellishment before people lest Almighty Allah will make it the source of your hideousness." [3]

 

(3)               Comprehension of the Holy Qur'an; the Closest Rank to Prophethood

The Holy Prophet is reported as saying, "As for him who comprehends the Holy Qur'an, Prophethood will be placed between his two sides except that Revelation is not addressed to him." [4]

 

(4)               Ordinal Recitation of the Holy Qur'an; the Most Excellent Course

It has been narrated that al-Zuhriy, once, asked Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn to name him the doer of the best of deeds.

The Imam answered, "The doer of the best of deeds is the leaving resident." [5] When al-Zuhriy asked for an explanation, Imam 'Ali ibn al-Husayn said, "This is the one who opens the copy of the Qur'an and recites it from the beginning up to the end. Whenever he resides at its beginning, he leaves towards its end." [6]

According to another narration, Imam Zayn al- 'Abidin explained the 'leaving resident' by saying, "The leaving resident is he who finishes the Qur'an and, without separation, commences again. His like is a traveler who resides at a point and prepares for a new journey. When the people of Makkah accomplish the recitation of the Qur'an entirely, they without delay begin a new round of recitation by reciting the Surah of al-Fatihah and the first five verses of the Surah of al-Baqarah. They have called this method as 'the leaving resident' meaning to accomplish the Qur'an and begin a new round without break."

Similarly, it has been narrated that Imam Ja'far al-sadiq was once asked about the best of men. He answered, "This is the leaving resident." When he was asked to define such a person, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq said, "The leaving resident is he who accomplishes the recitation of the Qur'an and begins a new round without break. Such a person will have his supplications responded." [7]

 

(5)               Advice of Reciting the Holy Qur'an Abundantly

In his will to Imam 'Ali, the Holy Prophet said to him, "You are advised to recite the Qur'an under all circumstances." [8]

 

(6)               The Reward of Reciting the Holy Qur'an

Imam Ja'far al-sadiq is reported to have said, "You should always recite the Qur'an, for the ranks in Paradise will be as many as the verses of the Qur'an. On the Resurrection Day, the reciters of the Qur'an will be admitted to climb a scale in Paradise with the recitation of each verse." [9]

It has been narrated on the authority of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir that the Holy Prophet said, "He who recites ten verses (of the Holy Qur'an) at a night will not be included with the inadvertent (to the duty towards Almighty Allah); and he who recites fifty verses will be included with those who remember Almighty Allah very much; and he who recites one hundred verses will be included with the obedient ones; and he who recites two hundred verses will be included with the humble-minded ones; and he who recites three hundred verses will be included with those who achieve salvation; and he who recites five hundred verses will be included with those who work hard (for Almighty Allah's sake); and he who recites one thousand verses will be awarded with a Qintar; and a Qintar is equal to fifty (or fifteen) thousand mitigals of gold; and a mitigal is equal to twenty-four carats the least of which is as huge as a mountain and the biggest of which is as enormous as whatever lies between the heavens and the earth." [10]

 

(7)               The Necessity of the Observance of the Memorized Amount of the Holy Qur'an and the Avoidance of Forgetting It

It has been narrated that Ya'qab al-Ahmar once said to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq that he was very depressed since he had been indebted and as a result of such, he was about to forget what he had memorized from the Holy Qur'an. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq advised him, "Adhere firmly to the Qur'an, for a verse and a Sarah from the Qur'an will climb one thousand ranks in Paradise on the Resurrection Day. It will say, 'Had you memorized me, I would have led you to this position' " [11]

As has been previously cited, to memorize the Holy Qur'an stands for the observance of its instructions and indications and the commitment to its dos and don'ts.

 

(8)               The Ritual Ablution Before Recitation

It has been narrated on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl that he once said to Imam 'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida that at the same time as he was reciting the Holy Qur'an, he would go to bathroom and then wash his hand and resume reciting it. Imam 'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida instructed him, "You should not return to the recitation before you perform the ritual ablution." [12]

It has been also narrated that one of the Holy Infallibles said, "As for the rewards of the reciters of the Holy Qur'an; for the recitation of each letter during the prayers while standing, the reward is one hundred excellent marks (hasanah), and while sitting, the reward is fifty excellent marks. For those who recite it at times other than the prayers while they have performed the ritual ablution, the reward will be twenty-five excellent marks; and without the ritual ablution, the reward will b e ten excellent marks. All these rewards are for each letter. For example, when they recite 'A.L.M.R', [13] they will be awarded ten excellent marks for the A, and other ten for the L, and other ten for the M, and other ten for the R." [14]

(9)               Seeking Almighty Allah's Protection Against Satan Before Recitation

It has been narrated that al-Halabiy said that he once asked Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq whether it is obligatory to recite the statement of seeking Almighty Allah's protection against Satan [15] at the beginning of each Surah. The Imam answered, "Yes, it is. You should seek Almighty Allah's protection against Satan, the accursed." [16]

Imam 'Ali is reported to have said, "Almighty Allah has commissioned His servants to say the Isti'adhah at reciting the Qur'an. He says, 'So, when you recite the Qur'an, seek Allah's protection against the accursed Satan. 16/98'

Anyone who commits himself to the ethics commissioned by Almighty Allah will have been led to the perpetual prosperity. " [17]

 

(10)           The Holy Qur'an; Almighty Allah's Covenant

Imam Ja'far al-sAdiq is reported to have said, "The Qur'an is the covenant of Almighty Allah to His servants; therefore, a believer should look into the covenant of his Creator and should read fifty verses from it each day." [18]

Accordingly, we can conclude that a believer must at least recite the Holy Qur'an wholly three times a year. The verses of the Holy Qur'an are more than six thousands. Hence, apart from the recitation in the holy month of Ramadan, the Holy Qur'an should be recited entirely in one hundred and twenty days, which is four months.

 



[1] They are those who have investigated thoroughly the rules of the recitation of the Holy Qur'an while they have been inattentive to the meanings of what they are reciting.

[2] A1-1-hurr al-'Amiliy: Wasa'il al-Shi'ah 4:836.

[3] Ibid 4:835.

[4] Ibid 4:844.

[5] Al-Kulayniy: al-Kafi 2:605.

[6] Al-Hurr al-'Amiliy: Wasa'il al-Shl'ah 4:840.

[7] Ibid (as quoted from Shaykh 'Abd al-Husayn al-Muzaffar: al-Shafi fi Sharh usul al-Kafi).

[8] Al-Hurr al-'Amiliy: wasa'il al-Shi'ah 4:839

[9] Ibid.

[10] Al-hurr al-'Amiliy: Wasa'il al-Shi'ah 4:852.

[11] Al-Hurr al-'Amiliy: Wasa'il  al-Shisah 4:846.

[12] Ibid 4:847

[13] This is the first verse in the Surah of al-A'raf (the Heights; No. 7).

[14] Al-Hurr al-amiliy: Wasa'il al-Shi'ah 4:848.

[15] This statement is known as Istidhah and its form is 'A'udhu billahi minal-Shaytan al-Rajim (I seek Allah's protection against Satan the accursed)'.

[16] Al-Hurr al-amiliy: wasa'il al-Shi'ah 4:848.

[17] Ibid.

[18] Al-Hurr al-amiliy: wasa'il al-Shi'ah 4:849.