Manners With The Quran

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

Manners with the Quran

1. Seeking Refuge: Seeking refuge with Allah from the rejected Shaitan before reading the Quran, following Allah's saying:

And when you recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from the rejected Shaitan [An-Nahl 98].

The way to seek refuge is by saying: A'oothu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem.

2. The Basmalah: Saying the basmalah at the beginning of every surah, except surah At-Tawbah, also known as Baraa'ah. The basmalah is not allowed before this surah.

3. Tahaarah: It is preferred that the Muslim be in the state of tahaarah or purity, especially when touching the Quran with his hands directly, as shown in the generality of the aayah:

"None touch it except the purified." [Al-Waqiah 79]

4. Pondering meaning: The Quran should be read with devoutness and reverence while pondering the meaning. Allah, the Exalted, says:

"Do they not ponder [reflect upon] the Quran?" [An-Nisaa' 82, Muhammad 24]

5. Repeating the verses: An assistance in pondering is repeating some aayaat and stopping on them to pay close attention to its meaning, just as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, when he stood repeating one aayah until morning: "You punish them for they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, for You are the All in Might, the All Wise. [Al-Ma'dah 118]

6. Reacting with Quran: If an aayah praising Allah is read, one should stop and praise Him, Glorified be He, by saying Subhaanalllah, or Tabaarak Allah, or other phrases of praise.

The evidence for this is a hadith related by Muslim, that Huthayfah bin Al-Yamaan, may Allah be pleased with him said, "I prayed with the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) that night and he started with Al-Baqarah and I said [to myself], 'He will make rukoo' [bow] at 100 aayah', but then he continued. I said [to myself], 'He will pray with it [Al-Baqarah] for one rak'ah', but he continued. He then started An-Nisaa' and read it [all], and I said, 'He will make rukoo' with it [when he finishes]. Then he started AleImran and he read it slowly; and when he passed an aayah that has glorification in it, he glorified, and if he passed [one having] a question, he asked, and if he passed [one] seeking refuge, he sought.

7. Recite with Tarteel: It is incumbent upon us that we recite the Quran with tarteel, meaning reciting slowly with tajweed, proper articulation points, and proper stops and starts. Allah says,

"And recite the Quran with measured recitation [tarteel]. [Al-Muzzammil 4].

The scholars state that tarteel is preferred for pondering because it has the strongest affect on the heart. Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'That I read a surah with tarteel is more loved to me than reading the complete Quran.'

The reciter of the Quran should take caution against reading too quickly or making his goal completing a khatm [reading the complete Quran from the beginning to the end] quickly, or finishing a surah quickly without pondering the meaning and without being affected by its lessons.

8. Respect Quran: It is of the utmost importance that there is respect of the Quran by all readers of the Quran. Talk should be avoided while reciting the Quran, as well as laughter and playing around. Allah, the Exalted, says,

"So when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and pay attention so that you may receive mercy. [Al-'Araf 204].

Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would not talk until he finished what he intended to read from the Quran.

In conclusion: All Muslim males and females should want Allah's reward in reciting the Quran. We should feel the meaning of purity of intention, and take care to get the great reward when we recite every glorious aayah. With every letter we recite we get a good deed [recorded], and each good deed is as ten times of it likeness, up to 700 times.

The effect of the Quran should show itself on us in our speech, our actions, and our manners, exemplified in what bin Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'It is desired that the reciter of the Quran know his nights [getting up for recitation at night] when people are sleeping; and his days when people are awake, and by his crying when people laugh; and by his silence when people are in vain discourse.'

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

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam