8/20. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1469 — Chanting the Qur'an with Care
How It Is Recommended To Recite (The Qur'an) With Tartil
He Who Does Not Chant the Qur'an Is Not One of Us Hadith
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1469
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1469
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ الرَّمْلِيُّ، بِمَعْنَاهُ أَنَّ اللَّيْثَ، حَدَّثَهُمْ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، - وَقَالَ يَزِيدُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، - عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَقَالَ، قُتَيْبَةُ هُوَ فِي كِتَابِي عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ " .
Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas: (The narrator Qutaibah said: This tradition has been narrated by Sa'id b. Abu Sa'id in my collection): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who does not chant the Qur'an is not one of us.
[1] This is explained with different meanings. Some of them say it means to recite in an audible and pleasant voice, others say that it means to busy oneself with recitation of the Qur'ān rather than other than that. Others say it means to "chant" in a melodious manner, since the Arabs used to do that when riding on their camels or on other occasions, and rather than poetry or Nashid , they should chant with the Qur'ān.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1469In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 54English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1464
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1469
This hadith about chanting the Qur'an carries a strong statement. Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas narrated that the Messenger of Allah said that the one who does not chant the Qur'an is not one of us. The text points to giving the Qur'an a living voice in recitation, not reading it in a flat or careless way. The Arabic idea of taghanni is explained in nearby reports, so the safest lesson from this hadith is to recite with attention, beauty, and respect. The phrase should not be used to shame someone who is trying. Another report in this same group says a person should improve the voice as much as possible. So the focus is effort, not perfection.
What we learn from this hadith
- Qur'an recitation should be done with care and a living voice.
- The Prophet gave strong importance to chanting the Qur'an.
- A believer should avoid careless or flat recitation when able.
- Effort in improving recitation is part of honoring the Qur'an.
