6/49. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 822a — Qur'an Should Reach the Heart
Slow, measured pace of recitation (tartil), and to not rush when reciting, and the permissibility of reciting two or more surahs in one rak`ah
Hadith About Qur'an Recitation: Let It Settle in the Heart
Sahih Muslim : 822a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 822a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ وَكِيعٍ، - قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، - عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ نَهِيكُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ هَذَا الْحَرْفَ أَلِفًا تَجِدُهُ أَمْ يَاءً مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ آسِنٍ أَوْ مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ يَاسِنٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَكُلَّ الْقُرْآنِ قَدْ أَحْصَيْتَ غَيْرَ هَذَا قَالَ إِنِّي لأَقْرَأُ الْمُفَصَّلَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ . فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ هَذًّا كَهَذِّ الشِّعْرِ إِنَّ أَقْوَامًا يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لاَ يُجَاوِزُ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا وَقَعَ فِي الْقَلْبِ فَرَسَخَ فِيهِ نَفَعَ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الصَّلاَةِ الرُّكُوعُ وَالسُّجُودُ إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ النَّظَائِرَ الَّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرُنُ بَيْنَهُنَّ سُورَتَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ . ثُمَّ قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَدَخَلَ عَلْقَمَةُ فِي إِثْرِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَقَالَ قَدْ أَخْبَرَنِي بِهَا . قَالَ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي بَجِيلَةَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ نَهِيكُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ .
Abu Wail Narrated from:
A person named Nabik b. Sinan came to Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) and said: Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, how do you recite this word (alif) or (ya)? Would you read It as: min ma'in ghaira asin or au min ma'in ghaira ghaira yasin. (al-Qur'an, xlvii. 15)? 'Abdullah said: You (seem to) have memorised the whole of the Qur'an except this. He (again) said: I recite all the mufassal surahs in one rak'ah.Upon this 'Abdullah said: (You must have been reciting It) hastily like the recitation of poetry. Verily. there are people who recite the Qur'an, but it does not go down beyond their collar bones. It is (a fact with the Qur'an) that it is beneficial only when it settles in the heart and is rooted deeply in it. The best of (the acts) in prayer are bowing and prostration. I am quite aware of the occasions when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined together two surahs in every rak'ah.'Abdullah then stood up and went out with 'Alqama following in his footstep. He said Ibn Numair had told him that the narration was like that:" A person belonging to Banu Bajila came to 'Abdullah," and he did not mention (the name of) Nahik b. Sinan.
[1] Referring to: "Of water the taste and smell of which are not changed." Muḥammad 47:14. [2] According to Ibn Kathîr, the correct view is that the Mufassal section of the Qur'ân begins with Sûrah Qâf until the end of the Qur'ân.Reference : Sahih Muslim 822aIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 336USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1791
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 822a
This hadith about Qur'an recitation gives a clear warning against rushing through the Qur'an without depth. A man asked 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud about a letter in a verse, then said he recited all the mufassal surahs in one rak'ah. 'Abdullah replied that this sounded like a hurried reading, like poetry. He said some people recite the Qur'an but it does not go beyond their collar bones. Then he gave the key lesson: the Qur'an is beneficial when it settles in the heart and becomes rooted in it. He also reminded them that the best parts of prayer include bowing and prostration, and he knew how the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم paired two surahs in a rak'ah. The Hadith points us to meaningful recitation, not speed for its own sake.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Qur'an should not be treated like hurried poetry.
- Recitation benefits when it settles deeply in the heart.
- Prayer includes bowing and prostration, not only long recitation.
- 'Abdullah knew examples of how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم paired surahs in prayer.
