8/20. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1471 — Recite Beautifully as Much as Possible
How It Is Recommended To Recite (The Qur'an) With Tartil
Chant the Qur'an as Much as You Can: Hadith on Voice and Effort
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1471
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1471
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ بْنُ الْوَرْدِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي يَزِيدَ مَرَّ بِنَا أَبُو لُبَابَةَ فَاتَّبَعْنَاهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ بَيْتَهُ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ رَثُّ الْبَيْتِ رَثُّ الْهَيْئَةِ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ " . قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ حَسَنَ الصَّوْتِ قَالَ يُحَسِّنُهُ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ .
Narrated AbuLubabah: Ubaydullah ibn Yazid said: AbuLubabah passed by us and we followed him till he entered his house, and we also entered it. There was a man in a rusty house and in shabby condition. I heard him say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: He is not one of us who does not chant the Qur'an. I (the narrator AbdulJabbar) said to Ibn AbuMulaykah: AbuMuhammad, what do you think if a person does not have pleasant voice? He said: He should recite with pleasant voice as much as possible.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1471In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 56English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1466
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1471
This hadith adds a helpful balance to the topic of beautiful Qur'an recitation. Abu Lubabah narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah say that the one who does not chant the Qur'an is not one of us. Then the narrator asked Ibn Abi Mulaykah about someone who does not have a pleasant voice. His answer was simple and kind: he should recite with a pleasant voice as much as possible. This is an important point for anyone worried about not having a naturally beautiful voice. The hadith points to effort, not showing off. The goal is to honor the Qur'an with the best voice one can manage, while accepting that people have different abilities.
What we learn from this hadith
- Chanting the Qur'an is encouraged in recitation.
- A person without a naturally pleasant voice should still try their best.
- The focus is sincere effort, not perfect sound.
- Improving one's recitation is a practical way to respect the Qur'an.
