Counsels on Reciting the Qur'an -- Imam Al-Haddad (Book of Assistance)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Counsels on Reciting the Qur'an

You must have a wird of recitation of the Mighty Book to be read every day. The least you should do is read one juz' [one thirtieth of the Qur'an] so that you complete it once a month, and the most is to complete it every three days.

Know that great merit attaches to reciting the Qur'an, and an influence in illuminating the heart. The Messenger of Allah, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: 'The best of my nation's devotions is the recitation of the Qur'an.' And 'Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, has said: 'The one who recites the Qur'an while standing in prayer receives one hundred rewards for each letter; the one who recites it outside the prayer but in a state of ritual purity receives twenty-five rewards for each letter; and the one who recites it without ritual purity receives ten rewards for each letter.'

Beware of concentrating, while reciting, on reciting a large amount to the exclusion of reflection and correct recitation. You must reflect and comprehend while you recite; slow, melodious recitation will assist you in this. Feel in your heart the Magnitude of the Speaker (Transcendent and Exalted is He!) and that you are before Him, reciting His Book to Him, in which He addresses His commands, prohibitions, counsels and exhortations to you. When reading verses on unification and glorification be full of reverence and awe, when reading verses of promises and threats be full of hopeful expectation and apprehension, and when reading the commands and prohibitions be thankful, acknowledge your shortcomings, ask for forgiveness and determine to show ardour. Know that the Qur'an is the ocean wherefrom the jewels of knowledge and the treasures of understanding are extracted. Any believer who is granted the way to understand it, his Opening [fath] becomes permanent, his light complete, his knowledge vast, and he never tires of reading it night and day, for he has found therein his goal and his purpose. This is the quality of the sincere seeker.

Shaykh Abu Madyan, may Allah be pleased with him, has said: 'A seeker is not a seeker until he is able to find in the Qur'an everything that he desires. 'Be careful to read those Surahs and verses which are recommended in the Sunnah at particular times; for example al-Sajda [32], al-Mulk [67], al-Waqi'ah [56] and the last two verses of al-Baqarah [2:285-286], every night before going to sleep. Al-Dukhan [44] on Sunday Thursday evenings, and al-Kahf [18] on Thursday nights and Fridays. Read, if you can, the Seven Saving Ones (Surahs al-Sajda, Yaa-Sin [36], al-Dukhan, al-Waqi'ah, al-Hashr [59], al-Mulk, al-Insaan [76]) every night, for their merits are great. Also mornings and evenings the first few verses of Surah al-Hadid [57], the last few verses of Surah al-Hashr [59], Surah al-Ikhlas [112] three times and the two refuge-taking Surahs three times each; similarly, al-Ikhlas and the last two Surahs [al-Falaq 113, An-Naas 114] together with Ayatul-Kursi verse [2:255] and Surah al-Kafirun [109] immediately before going to sleep, making these the last thing that you utter.

And Allah says the truth, and He guides to the way.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam