Part of Al-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah (the series is completed)
· Lesson 29 of 40
Al-Shamail Al-Muhammadiya | Episode (29) | Chapter on what was mentioned in the recitation of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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With pens of longing,
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And the ink of love,
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We inscribe words more precious than gold,
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In describing the Master of all creation,
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Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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The Prophetic characteristics (Shama'il).
0:31
Chapter: What has been narrated regarding the recitation of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
0:36
That is, regarding the manner of the Prophet’s recitation,
0:41
Of the Qur'an and his reading of it,
0:43
In terms of rhythmic modulation (tartil) and elongation (madd),
0:45
And pausing, and reciting in secret or aloud.
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On the authority of Ya'la ibn Mamlak,
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That he asked Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her,
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About the recitation of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
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She described a recitation that was clearly articulated,
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Letter by letter.
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In this hadith,
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Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, was asked
1:11
About the recitation of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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And she described his recitation, peace be upon him,
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As being a clearly articulated recitation.
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A recitation is described as "clearly articulated" (mufassara)
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When it is done with deliberation and ease,
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And pausing at the appropriate places for a pause.
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It was called "clearly articulated"
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Because it helps the reciter and the listener
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To understand and reflect,
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Which is the greatest purpose of the revelation of the Noble Qur'an.
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And her saying "letter by letter,"
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This is an explanation of her saying "clearly articulated."
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The meaning is that he, peace be upon him,
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Would recite with ease in enunciating the letters and words,
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So they would be clear and distinct, and thus understood.
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On the authority of Qatadah, he said:
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I asked Anas ibn Malik,
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How was the recitation of the Messenger of Allah,
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Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him?
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He said: "He would elongate."
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In this hadith,
2:16
Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked
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About the recitation of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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That is, what was its description?
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He replied, may Allah be pleased with him,
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"His recitation was elongated,"
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Meaning, it contained elongation (madd).
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The meaning is that he, peace be upon him,
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Would elongate what required elongation.
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This is an explanation of the Prophet’s recitation, peace be upon him,
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Regarding some of its qualities.
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For his recitation, peace be upon him,
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Had numerous qualities.
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Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, sufficed
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In this hadith
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By mentioning the elongation within it.
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In a narration by Al-Bukhari,
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On the authority of Qatadah, that he asked Anas, may Allah be pleased with him,
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How was the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him?
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He said: "It was elongated,"
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Then he recited:
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"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,"
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Elongating "Bismillah,"
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And elongating "Ar-Rahman,"
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And elongating "Ar-Rahim."
3:20
So this hadith
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Contains an explanation of the manner of the elongation mentioned in the hadith.
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On the authority of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said:
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The Prophet, peace be upon him,
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Would segment his recitation.
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He would say: "All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds,"
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Then he would pause.
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Then he would say: "The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,"
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Then he would pause.
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And he would recite: "Master of the Day of Judgment."
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In this hadith,
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Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, describes
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The recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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And she said:
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The Prophet, peace be upon him,
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Would segment his recitation.
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From "segmenting" (taqti'),
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Which is making a thing piece by piece,
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Meaning he would break it up,
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Pausing at the end of every verse.
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That is why she said:
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"He says: 'All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds,'"
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Then he pauses.
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"Then he says: 'The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,'"
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Then he pauses.
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"And he would recite: 'Master of the Day of Judgment.'"
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And pausing at every verse
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Is from the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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For he used to pause at the ends of verses.
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On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abi Qays, he said:
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I asked Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her,
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About the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
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Did he recite secretly or aloud?
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She said:
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"He used to do both."
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Sometimes he would recite secretly,
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And sometimes he would recite aloud.
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I said:
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"Praise be to Allah who has made the matter flexible."
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In this hadith,
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Abdullah ibn Abi Qays asked
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The Mother of the Believers, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her,
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About the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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That is, during his night prayer (tahajjud),
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Did he recite secretly or aloud?
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She replied, may Allah be pleased with her,
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"He used to do both."
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Then she clarified that by saying:
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"Sometimes he would recite secretly,
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And sometimes he would recite aloud."
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Meaning that he, peace be upon him,
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When he was reciting in his night prayer,
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Sometimes he would recite aloud,
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Raising his voice to a degree
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That those near him could hear,
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Without raising it very high.
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And at other times he would recite secretly,
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So that no one would hear him,
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Even if they were near him.
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So Abdullah ibn Abi Qays said:
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"Praise be to Allah who has made the matter flexible,"
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Meaning He has made the matter broad for us;
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If we wish, we may recite aloud,
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And if we wish, we may recite secretly.
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Both are permissible and legislated.
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The best course is for a person to do
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In each instance what is closer to his state of humility (khushu').
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On the authority of Umm Hani, may Allah be pleased with her,
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May Allah be pleased with her, she said:
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I used to hear the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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At night while I was on my bed.
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In this hadith,
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Umm Hani, may Allah be pleased with her, says
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That she used to hear the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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At night while she was on her bed.
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The "bed" (arish) is the couch upon which one sleeps.
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It has come in a narration of Imam Ahmad
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What indicates that this listening
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Was in Makkah before the migration.
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She said, may Allah be pleased with her:
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"I hear the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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In the depth of the night,
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While I am on this bed of mine,"
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Which was near the Ka'bah.
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This indicates the legitimacy of reciting aloud
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Sometimes,
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Because that is more conducive to humility and reflection,
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And because the benefit of reciting aloud extends to others who hear the Qur'an,
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Whether they are righteous humans or jinn.
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However, if others are disturbed by the loud recitation,
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Such as someone sleeping or praying,
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Then it is not legislated;
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Rather, it is discouraged.
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On the authority of Mu'awiyah ibn Qurrah, he said:
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I heard Abdullah ibn Mughaffal, may Allah be pleased with him, say:
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I saw the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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On his she-camel on the day of the Conquest,
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And he was reciting.
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“Lo! We have given thee (O Muhammad) a signal victory,” (48:1)
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“That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is past and that which is to come, and may perfect His favour unto thee, and may guide thee on a right path,” (48:2)
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He said:
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"He recited and modulated his voice."
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Mu'awiyah ibn Qurrah said:
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"Were it not that people would gather around me,
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I would have demonstrated that voice for you,"
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Or he said:
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"The melody."
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From this hadith,
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The noble Companion Abdullah ibn Mughaffal, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
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"I saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, on his she-camel on the day of the Conquest."
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The intent by "the Conquest" here
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Is the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
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And his saying:
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"And he was reciting,"
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“Lo! We have given thee (O Muhammad) a signal victory,” (48:1)
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“That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is past and that which is to come, and may perfect His favour unto thee, and may guide thee on a right path,” (48:2)
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Meaning that he, peace be upon him, was reciting the beginning of Surah Al-Fath.
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And his saying:
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"He recited and modulated his voice."
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"Modulation" (tarji') is the vibrating of the voice.
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The intent here
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Is beautifying the voice during recitation.
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And his saying:
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"Were it not that people would gather around me,
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I would have demonstrated that voice for you,"
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Or he said:
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"The melody."
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This clarifies that the intent of "modulation" here
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Is beautifying the voice with the Qur'an.
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It contains evidence that committing an act that causes people to gather around one—a gathering
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That leads to fitnah or sin—
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Is a blameworthy matter.
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On the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, he said:
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The recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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Was sometimes heard by those in the room,
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While he was in the house.
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The "room" (hujrah) is more specific than the "house."
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In this hadith,
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would sometimes pray at night in his house,
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meaning in the courtyard of the house,
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and those in the room would hear him.
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This is because he, peace be upon him,
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would not raise his voice too high,
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nor would he whisper it so softly that no one could hear him.
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In this is an indication of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
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“Say (unto mankind): Cry unto Allah, or cry unto the Beneficent, unto whichsoever ye cry (it is the same). His are the most beautiful names. And thou (Muhammad), be not loud-voiced in thy worship nor yet silent therein, but follow a way between.” (17:110)
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"And seek a way between that."
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As the hadith indicates
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that the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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was between audible and silent.
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It is recorded in the Sunan of Abu Dawud
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on the authority of Abu Qatadah
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that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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went out one night
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and found Abu Bakr praying,
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lowering his voice.
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He said:
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"Then he passed by Umar Ibn al-Khattab,
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who was praying while raising his voice."
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He said:
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"When they both gathered at the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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he said:
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'O Abu Bakr,
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I passed by you while you were praying,
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lowering your voice.'
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He said:
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'I have let Him hear whom I am whispering to, O Messenger of Allah.'
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He said:
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'And he said to Umar:
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I passed by you while you were praying,
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raising your voice.'
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He said:
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'He replied: O Messenger of Allah,
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I am waking the sleepy one
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and driving away the devil.'
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The Prophet, peace be upon him, then said:
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'O Abu Bakr,
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raise your voice a little.'
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And he said to Umar:
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'Lower your voice a little.'"
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A point of benefit:
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Scholars have differed
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as to what is better:
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slow, measured recitation (tartil) with less volume of reading,
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or speed with a greater volume of reading.
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Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
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"The correct view on this matter is to say
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that the reward for recitation with tartil and contemplation
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is greater and higher in status,
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while the reward for the quantity of recitation
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is greater in number."
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The first is like one who gives a magnificent jewel in charity,
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or frees a slave of very high value.
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The second is like one who gives a large number of coins in charity,
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or frees a number of slaves of lesser value.
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Some scholars have said:
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A person should have two types of recitation:
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a recitation for contemplation,
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and a continuous, flowing recitation.
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Just as the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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had a portion (hizb) he would recite every day,
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approximately five parts (ajza').
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Yet, he might stand in the night repeating a single verse.
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And Allah knows best.
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A point of benefit:
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Al-Zuhri mentioned
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that the recitation of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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was verse by verse.
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This is the most excellent way:
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pausing at the end of each verse,
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even if it is grammatically linked to what follows.
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Some reciters held the view
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of following the themes and meanings,
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and pausing only when they are completed.
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However, following the guidance of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
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and his Sunnah is more appropriate.
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Among those who mentioned this
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is al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman,
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and others.
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He favored pausing at the end of verses,
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even if they are linked to what follows.
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A point of benefit:
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In the term tarji' (vibrato/trilling), there is an amount beyond simple tartil.
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In Abu Dawud,
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it is stated:
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"I spent the night with Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud in his house.
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He slept, then stood up,
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and he was reciting like a man in his neighborhood mosque,
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not raising his voice,
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letting those around him hear,
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reciting with tartil,
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and not using tarji'."
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Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abi Jamrah said:
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"The meaning of tarji'
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is beautifying the recitation,
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not the trilling of singing.
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Because recitation with the trilling of singing
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contradicts the humility
14:13
which is the purpose of recitation."
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"Melody" (lahn) also
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is meant to signify beautifying the recitation,
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not the melodies of singers,
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nor the affectation in beautifying the voice with the Qur'an.
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Al-Qari, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
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"Whoever contemplates the states of the salaf
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knows that they were free from artificiality in recitation
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through invented melodies,
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unlike natural musicality and beautification.
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The truth is that whatever was natural and innate
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was praiseworthy,
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even if one's nature helped
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to increase the beauty and adornment,
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for the sake of affecting the reciter and the listener.
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As for that which involves affectation and artificiality
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by learning the voices of singing
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and specific melodies,
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this is what the salaf disliked,
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as well as the pious among the later generations."
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The hadith has more to follow, if Allah wills.
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And Allah knows best.
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May Allah send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad,
15:16
and upon all his family and companions.