The Recitation of The Holy Qur'an And The Virtues of Its Knowledge

The Holy Qur'an says:

''Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks…" (Surah Al-Mujadilah, 58:11) In another Verse the Almighty Allah says:

" It is not (possible) for any human being unto whom Allah had given the Scripture and Wisdom and the Prophethood that he should afterwards have said unto mankind: Be slaves of me instead of Allah (what he said was): Be faithful servants of the Lord by virtue of your constant teaching of the Scripture and of your constant study." (Surah Al-i-'Imran, 3: 79)

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying: "One who is skilled in the Qur'an is associated with the noble, upright recording angels; and he who falters when reciting the Qur'an and finds it difficult for him will have a double reward." (Bukhari and Muslim transmitted it)

The following tradition is also reported in Sahih al-Bukhari:

"Hadrat 'Uthman (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying; “The best amongst you is he who learns the Qur'an and teaches it."”

Abu Umama (Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying: “Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite it. Recite the two shinning ones Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Al-i-'Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for those who recite them. Recite Surah al-Baqarah, for reciting it produces blessing and abandoning it produces regret, and the slothful are unable to recite it.” (Muslim transmitted it)

An-Nawwas Ibn Sam'an (Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard the Apostle of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying: “On the Day of Resurrection the Qur'an and those who acted according to it will be brought with Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Al-i-'lmran preceding them. The! Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) likened them to three things, which I did not forget afterwards. He (the Holy Prophet) likened them to two clouds or two black canopies with light between them, or like two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for one who recited them.” (Reported by Muslim)

'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (Allah be pressed with him) reported Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying: “If anyone recites a letter of the Holy Qur'an, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward. I do not say that A.L.M (alif, laam, mim) are one letter, But alif is a letter lam is a letter and mim is a letter.” (Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a hasan sahih hadith)

'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “On the Day of Judgment it will be said to the reciters of the Qur'an "Go on reciting the Qur'an and continue ascending the storeys of Jannah (paradise) and in measure you had been reading in worldly life; your final abode will be where you reach at the time of the last ayat (verse) of your recitation." (Reported by Ahmad and Tirmidhi)

A similar tradition is reported on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) in Musnad of Imam Ahmad but with the following additional words:

"He will go on ascending and for every Verse Allah will exalt him to one step higher in the ranks till he reads the last Verse."

A marfu' hadith is reported on the authority of Imam Ahmad Buraida (Allah be pleased with him) as follows:

"Obtain the knowledge of Sura al-Baqarah."

And after the above directive similar words are repeated which have been narrated earlier in the preceding pages while describing the virtues of Sura al-Baqarah and Sura Ali-i-'Imran. However this tradition contains the following additional words:

“On the Day of Resurrection the Holy Qur'an will appear in the guise of a lean human being and will say, "Do you recognize me?" He will reply, "No, I do not recognize you." The Holy Qur'an will say, "I am your companion, the Holy Qur'an who kept you thirsty in the scorching heat and awake at night. Every trader expects to be benefited from his articles of trade and today you are under the shade of your all kinds of articles of trade. Then he will be given kingship in his right hand and the warrant permission for entry into Paradise in his left hand. He will be made to wear the crown of respect and dignity. His parents will be made to wear two silky robes. The worldly people did not attach any importance to them. They will ask, "Why they have been made to wear this dress?" They will be told that your son obtained knowledge of the Holy Qur'an. Then his son will be asked to start recitation of the Holy Qur'an, and for every Verse (ayat) read by the child, status of the parents will be raised to the next higher grade of the Paradise (jannat) till the recitation of the Holy Qur'an is completed.”

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Those who act upon the Injunctions of the Holy Qur'an are the favorites and friends of Allah.” (Ahmad and Nisa'i transmitted it)