While we were in the city of Hims (in Syria), Ibn Mas`ud recited Surat Yusuf. A man said to him), "It
was not revealed in this way." Then Ibn Mas`ud said, "I recited it in this way before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
and he confirmed my recitation by saying, 'Well done!' " Ibn Mas`ud detected the smell of wine from
the man's mouth, so he said to him, "Aren't you ashamed of telling a lie about Allah's Book and (along
with this) you drink alcoholic liquors too?" Then he lashed him according to the law.
By Allah other than Whom none has the right to be worshipped! There is no Sura revealed in Allah's
Book but I know at what place it was revealed; and there is no Verse revealed in Allah's Book but I
know about whom it was revealed. And if I know that there is somebody who knows Allah's Book
better than I, and he is at a place that camels can reach, I would go to him.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 524
Hadith 5003
Chapter 8: The Qurra from among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Qatada:
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ مَنْ جَمَعَ الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَرْبَعَةٌ كُلُّهُمْ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ وَمُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ، وَزَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، وَأَبُو زَيْدٍ. تَابَعَهُ الْفَضْلُ عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ وَاقِدٍ عَنْ ثُمَامَةَ عَنْ أَنَسٍ.
I asked Anas bin Malik: "Who collected the Qur'an at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) ?" He replied, "Four, all
of whom were from the Ansar: Ubai bin Ka`b, Mu`adh bin Jabal, Zaid bin Thabit and Abu Zaid."
When the Prophet (ﷺ) died, none had collected the Qur'an but four persons;: Abu Ad-Darda'. Mu`adh bin
Jabal, Zaid bin Thabit and Abu Zaid. We were the inheritor (of Abu Zaid) as he had no offspring .
Umar said, Ubayy was the best of us in the recitation (of the Qur'an) yet we leave some of what he recites. Ubayy says, "I have taken it from the mouth of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I will not leave it for anything." But Allah said "None of Our Revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten but We
substitute something better or similar." (Quran 2:106)
While I was praying, the Prophet (ﷺ) called me but I did not respond to his call. Later I said, "O Allah's
Apostle! I was praying." He said, "Didn't Allah say: 'O you who believe! Give your response to Allah
(by obeying Him) and to His Apostle when he calls you'?" (8.24)
He then said, "Shall I not teach you the most superior Surah in the Qur'an?" He said, '(It is),
'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. ' (i.e., Surat Al-Fatiha) which consists of seven repeatedly
recited Verses and the Magnificent Qur'an which was given to me."
While we were on one of our journeys, we dismounted at a place where a slave girl came and said,
"The chief of this tribe has been stung by a scorpion and our men are not present; is there anybody
among you who can treat him (by reciting something)?" Then one of our men went along with her
though we did not think that he knew any such treatment. But he treated the chief by reciting
something, and the sick man recovered whereupon he gave him thirty sheep and gave us milk to drink
(as a reward). When he returned, we asked our friend, "Did you know how to treat with the recitation
of something?" He said, "No, but I treated him only with the recitation of the Mother of the Book (i.e.,
Al-Fatiha)." We said, "Do not say anything (about it) till we reach or ask the Prophet (ﷺ) so when we
reached Medina, we mentioned that to the Prophet (in order to know whether the sheep which we had
taken were lawful to take or not). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "How did he come to know that it (Al-Fatiha)
could be used for treatment? Distribute your reward and assign for me one share thereof as well."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 530
Hadith 5010
Chapter 10: The superiority of Surat Al-Baqarah (No.2) - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Abu Huraira:
وَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ وَكَّلَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِحِفْظِ زَكَاةِ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَانِي آتٍ فَجَعَلَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ لَنْ يَزَالَ مَعَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَافِظٌ وَلاَ يَقْرَبُكَ شَيْطَانٌ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ. وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" صَدَقَكَ وَهْوَ كَذُوبٌ ذَاكَ شَيْطَانٌ ".
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing from the foodstuff. I caught him and said, "I will take you to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" Then Abu Huraira described the whole narration and said: That person said (to me), "(Please don't take me to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you.) When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and no Satan will come near you until the morning.." (When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard the story) he said (to me), "He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; and it was a Satan."
A man was reciting Surat Al-Kahf and his horse was tied with two ropes beside him. A cloud came
down and spread over that man, and it kept on coming closer and closer to him till his horse started
jumping (as if afraid of something). When it was morning, the man came to the Prophet, and told him
of that experience. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That was As-Sakina (tranquility) which descended because of
(the recitation of) the Qur'an."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 531
Hadith 5012
Chapter 12: The superiority of Surat Al-Fath (No48) - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Aslam:
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَسِيرُ فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ وَعُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَسِيرُ مَعَهُ لَيْلاً فَسَأَلَهُ عُمَرُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ نَزَرْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ لاَ يُجِيبُكَ، قَالَ عُمَرُ فَحَرَّكْتُ بَعِيرِي حَتَّى كُنْتُ أَمَامَ النَّاسِ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ فِيَّ قُرْآنٌ فَمَا نَشِبْتُ أَنْ سَمِعْتُ صَارِخًا يَصْرُخُ ـ قَالَ ـ فَقُلْتُ لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ نَزَلَ فِيَّ قُرْآنٌ ـ قَالَ ـ فَجِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ " لَقَدْ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَىَّ اللَّيْلَةَ سُورَةٌ لَهِيَ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ ". ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا}
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was traveling on one of his journeys, and `Umar bin Al-Khattab was traveling along
with him at night. `Umar asked him about something, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not answer him. He
asked again, but he did not answer. He asked for the third time, but he did not answer. On that, `Umar
said to himself, "May your mother lose you! You have asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) three times, but he did
not answer at all!" `Umar said, "So I made my camel go fast till I was ahead of the people, and I was
afraid that something might be revealed about me. After a little while I heard a call maker calling me,
I said, 'I was afraid that some Qur'anic Verse might be revealed about me.' So I went to Allah's
Apostle and greeted him. He said, 'Tonight there has been revealed to me a Surah which is dearer to
me than that on which the sun shines (i.e. the world).' Then he recited: 'Verily! We have given you (O
Muhammad), a manifest victory.' " (Surat al-Fath) No. (48.1).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 532
Hadith 5013
Chapter 13: The superiority of Qul-Huwa Allahu Ahad (Surat Al-Ikhlas) (No.112) - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي صَعْصَعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَمِعَ رَجُلاً، يَقْرَأُ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} يُرَدِّدُهَا فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ وَكَأَنَّ الرَّجُلَ يَتَقَالُّهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّهَا لَتَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ".
A man heard another man reciting (Surat-Al-Ikhlas) 'Say He is Allah, (the) One.' (112. 1) repeatedly. The next morning he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him about it as if he thought that it was not enough to recite. On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, this Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur'an!"
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 533
Hadith 5014
Chapter 13: The superiority of Qul-Huwa Allahu Ahad (Surat Al-Ikhlas) (No.112) - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
وَزَادَ أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي صَعْصَعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَخِي، قَتَادَةُ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، قَامَ فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ مِنَ السَّحَرِ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} لاَ يَزِيدُ عَلَيْهَا، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا أَتَى رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ.
My brother, Qatada bin An-Nau'man said, "A man performed the night prayer late at night in the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he read: 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One,' (112.1) and read nothing besides that. The next morning a man went to the Prophet (ﷺ) ,~ and told him about that . (The Prophet (ﷺ) replied the same as (in Hadith 532) above.)
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions, "Is it difficult for any of you to recite one third of the Qur'an in
one night?" This suggestion was difficult for them so they said, "Who among us has the power to do
so, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" Allah Apostle replied: " Allah (the) One, the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all
creatures need.' (Surat Al-Ikhlas 112.1--to the End) is equal to one third of the Qur'an."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 534
Hadith 5016
Chapter 14: The superiority of Al-Mu’awwidhat (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) (No.113 & 114) - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated `Aisha:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا اشْتَكَى يَقْرَأُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بِالْمُعَوِّذَاتِ وَيَنْفُثُ، فَلَمَّا اشْتَدَّ وَجَعُهُ كُنْتُ أَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَمْسَحُ بِيَدِهِ رَجَاءَ بَرَكَتِهَا.
Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became sick, he would recite Mu'awwidhat (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-
Nas) and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously ill, I used to recite (these two
Suras) and rub his hands over his body hoping for its blessings.
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times.
That while he was reciting Surat Al-Baqara (The Cow) at night, and his
horse was tied beside him, the horse was suddenly startled and
troubled. When he stopped reciting, the horse became quiet, and when
he started again, the horse was startled again. Then he stopped
reciting and the horse became quiet too. He started reciting again and
the horse was startled and troubled once again. Then he stopped
reciting and his son, Yahya was beside the horse. He was afraid that
the horse might trample on him. When he took the boy away and looked
towards the sky, he could not see it. The next morning he informed the
Prophet who said, "Recite, O Ibn Hudair! Recite, O Ibn Hudair!" Ibn
Hudair replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! My son, Yahya was near the horse
and I was afraid that it might trample on him, so I looked towards the
sky, and went to him. When I looked at the sky, I saw something like a
cloud containing what looked like lamps, so I went out in order not to
see it." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do you know what that was?" Ibn Hudair
replied, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Those were Angels who came near to
you for your voice and if you had kept on reciting till dawn, it would
have remained there till morning when people would have seen it as it
would not have disappeared.
Shaddad bin Ma'qil and I entered upon Ibn `Abbas. Shaddad bin Ma'qil asked him, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ)
leave anything (besides the Qur'an)?" He replied. "He did not leave anything except what is Between
the two bindings (of the Qur'an)." Then we visited Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyya and asked him (the
same question). He replied, "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not leave except what is between the bindings (of the
Qur'an).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The example of him (a believer) who recites the Qur'an is like that of a citron
which tastes good and smells good. And he (a believer) who does not recite the Qur'an is like a date
which is good in taste but has no smell. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who recites the
Qur'an is like the Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a
dissolute wicked person who does not recite the Qur'an is like the colocynth which tastes bitter and
has no smell.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of the past nations is like the period
between the time of `Asr prayer and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians
is that of person who employed laborers and said to them, "Who will work for me till the middle of
the day for one Qirat (a special weight)?' The Jews did. He then said, "Who will work for me from the
middle of the day till the `Asr prayer for one Qirat each?" The Christians worked accordingly. Then
you (Muslims) are working from the `Asr prayer till the Maghrib prayer for two Qirats each. They (the
Jews and the Christians) said, 'We did more labor but took less wages.' He (Allah) said, 'Have I
wronged you in your rights?' They replied, 'No.' Then He said, 'This is My Blessing which I give to
whom I wish."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 539
Hadith 5022
Chapter 18: To recommend the Book of Allah عز وجل - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Talha:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكُ بْنُ مِغْوَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا طَلْحَةُ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي أَوْفَى أَوْصَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لاَ. فَقُلْتُ كَيْفَ كُتِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ الْوَصِيَّةُ، أُمِرُوا بِهَا وَلَمْ يُوصِ قَالَ أَوْصَى بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ.
I asked `Abdullah bin Abi `Aufa, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) make a will (to appoint his successor or bequeath
wealth)?" He replied, "No." I said, "How is it prescribed then for the people to make wills, and they
are ordered to do so while the Prophet (ﷺ) did not make any will?" He said, "He made a will wherein he
recommended Allah's Book."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 540
Hadith 5023
Chapter 19: Whoever does not recite the Qur'an in a pleasant tone - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Abu Huraira:
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" لَمْ يَأْذَنِ اللَّهُ لِشَىْءٍ مَا أَذِنَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَغَنَّى بِالْقُرْآنِ ". وَقَالَ صَاحِبٌ لَهُ يُرِيدُ يَجْهَرُ بِهِ.
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah does not listen to a prophet as He listens to a prophet who recites the
Qur'an in a pleasant tone." The companion of the sub-narrator (Abu Salama) said, "It means, reciting
it aloud."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 541
Hadith 5024
Chapter 19: Whoever does not recite the Qur'an in a pleasant tone - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated Abu Huraira:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
" مَا أَذِنَ اللَّهُ لِشَىْءٍ مَا أَذِنَ لِلنَّبِيِّ أَنْ يَتَغَنَّى بِالْقُرْآنِ ". قَالَ سُفْيَانُ تَفْسِيرُهُ يَسْتَغْنِي بِهِ.
The Prophet (ﷺ) I said, "Allah does not listen to a prophet as He listens to a prophet who recites the
Qur'an in a loud and pleasant tone." Sufyan said, "This saying means: a prophet who regards the
Qur'an as something that makes him dispense with many worldly pleasures."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 542
Hadith 5025
Chapter 20: Wish to be the like of the one who recites the Qur'an - كتاب فضائل القرآن
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ
" لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اثْنَتَيْنِ، رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْكِتَابَ وَقَامَ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ، وَرَجُلٌ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَهْوَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ ".
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Not to wish to be the like except of two men. A man whom Allah has given the
knowledge of the Book and he recites it during the hours of the night, and a man whom Allah has
given wealth, and he spends it in charity during the night and the hours of the day."