45/2. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2876 — Learn and Recite Qur'an
What Has Been Related About Surat Al-Baqarah and Ayat Al-Kursi
Hadith About Learning the Qur'an and Surat Al-Baqarah
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2876
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2876
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلاَّلُ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، مَوْلَى أَبِي أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْثًا وَهُمْ ذُو عَدَدٍ فَاسْتَقْرَأَهُمْ فَاسْتَقْرَأَ كُلَّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ مَا مَعَهُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَأَتَى عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ أَحْدَثِهِمْ سِنًّا فَقَالَ " مَا مَعَكَ يَا فُلاَنُ " . قَالَ مَعِي كَذَا وَكَذَا وَسُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ . قَالَ " أَمَعَكَ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ " . فَقَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " فَاذْهَبْ فَأَنْتَ أَمِيرُهُمْ " . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَشْرَافِهِمْ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا مَنَعَنِي أَنْ أَتَعَلَّمَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ إِلاَّ خَشْيَةَ أَلاَّ أَقُومَ بِهَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " تَعَلَّمُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَاقْرَءُوهُ وَأَقْرِئُوهُ فَإِنَّ مَثَلَ الْقُرْآنِ لِمَنْ تَعَلَّمَهُ فَقَرَأَهُ وَقَامَ بِهِ كَمَثَلِ جِرَابٍ مَحْشُوٍّ مِسْكًا يَفُوحُ بِرِيحِهِ كُلُّ مَكَانٍ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَهُ فَيَرْقُدُ وَهُوَ فِي جَوْفِهِ كَمَثَلِ جِرَابٍ وُكِئَ عَلَى مِسْكٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ . وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، مَوْلَى أَبِي أَحْمَدَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ . حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ فَذَكَرَهُ .
Narrated Abu Hurairah: "The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Sent An Expedition Force [Comprised] Of Many, And He Asked Each What He Could Recite, So Each One Of Them Mentioned What He Could Recite - Meaning What He Had Memorized Of The Qur'An. He Came To One Of The Youngest Men Among Them And Said: 'What Have You Memorized O So-And-So?' He Said: 'I Memorized This And That And Surat Al-Baqarah.' He Said: 'You Memorized Surat Al-Baqarah?' He Said: "Yes.' He Said: "Then Go, For You Are Their Commander.' A Man Among Their Chief Said: 'By Allah [O Messenger Of Allah]! Nothing Prevented Me From Learning Surat Al-Baqarah Except Fearing That I Would Not Be Able To Stand With (In Voluntary Night Prayer).' The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'Learn The Qur'An To Recite It, For Indeed The Parable Of The Qur'An For The One Who Recites It And Stands With It (In Prayer) Is That Of A Bag Full Of Musk Whose Scent Fills The Air All Around. And The Parable Of The One Who Learns It Then Sleeps While It Is In His Memory Is That Of A Bag Containing Musk That Is Tied Shut.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2876In-book reference : Book 45, Hadith 2English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 2876
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2876
This hadith about learning the Qur'an shows the honor given to Qur'an knowledge. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sent an expedition and asked each person what he could recite. A younger man had memorized Surat Al-Baqarah, so the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) appointed him as commander. When another man said he had avoided learning it out of fear of not standing with it in prayer, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: learn the Qur'an, recite it, and teach it. He then gave a parable. The one who learns it, recites it, and stands with it is like a bag filled with musk spreading scent everywhere. The one who learns it but sleeps while it remains inside him is like a tied bag of musk.
What we learn from this hadith
- Qur'an knowledge was treated as a reason for honor and leadership in this report.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) encouraged learning, reciting, and teaching the Qur'an.
- Reciting and standing with the Qur'an is compared to musk spreading its scent.
- Keeping the Qur'an in memory without using it is compared to musk tied shut.
