Beautifying the voice when reciting the Qur'an and the proprieties of recitation

Beautifying voice when reciting the Qur'an:

• Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah does not listen to anything, (more approvingly) as He listens to a Prophet reciting loudly the Qur'an in a sweet voice."[1]

Abu Dawud reported from the Hadith of Abu Lubabah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "He who does not recite the Qur'an in a pleasant tone is not of us."[2]

• Al Hakim reported from the Hadith of Al Bara' ibn `Azib that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Beautify the Qur'an with your voices, for sweet voice increases the beauty of the Qur'an."[3]

• Ibn Majah reported from the Hadith of Jabir ibn `Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Among the people who recite the Qur'an with the most beautiful voices is the man who, when you hear, you think that he fears Allah."[4]

Proprieties of reciting the Qur'an:

The people of knowledge mentioned many proprieties in reciting the Qur'an which we can mention in the following:

• Recitation should be solely for the sake of Allah alone.

• Reciting the Qur'an after learning it at the hand of well-established reciters who know the rulings of Tajwid.

• A reciter should perform ablution before recitation because the Qur'an is the best kind of Adhkar (invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis).

• Reciting the Qur'an in a clean and pure place, and the best places are masjids.

• A reciter should sit facing the Qiblah in comfort and reverence.

• A reciter should clean his mouth with Arak tooth brush (miswak).

• A reciter should seek refuge with Allah (Exalted be He) against the cursed Satan at the beginning of recitation.

• Recitation should be performed in reverence and understanding to the meanings of Ayahs.

• A reciter should beautify his voice while reciting the Qur'an along with taking into consideration the rulings of Tajwid.

• A reciter should not interrupt his recitation but for a necessity because he is reciting the words of Allah (may He be Exalted).

• Do not recite the Qur'an in abnormal ways of recitations that were not frequently reported.

• Recitation should be performed according to the arrangement of the chapters of the Qur'an, and a reciter should be keen to recite the entire volume of the Qur'an every three days.

• When a person recites an Ayah in which Paradise is mentioned, he should ask Allah for Paradise, and when he recites an Ayah in which Hell is mentioned, he should seek refuge in Allah against it. When he recites an Ayah in which forgiveness is mentioned, he should ask Allah for forgiveness, and when he recites an Ayah in which an invocation is mentioned, he should invoke Allah for goodness.

• A reciter should be keen to act according to the Ayahs of the Qur'an during his life so as not to make the Qur'an a proof against him on the Day of Recompense.[5]