“Two thousand years before creating the heavens and the earth God inscribed a book of which He sent down two verses with which He concluded Sūrat al-Baqara. The devil will not come near a house in which they are recited three nights.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Abūd Dardā’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who recites three verses at the beginning of al-Kahf will be protected from the trial of the dajjāl.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahīh tradition.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Everything has a heart, and the heart of the Qur’ān is Yā Sīn (Qur’ān, 36). God will record anyone who recites Yā Sīn as having recited the Qur’ān ten times.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Abū Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A thousand years before creating the heavens and the earth God recited Tā’ Hā’ (Qur’ān, 20) and Yā’ Sīn, and when the angels heard the recitation they said, ‘Happy are a people to whom this comes down, happy are the minds which carry this, and happy are the tongues which utter this’.” Dārimī transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “If someone recites Hā’ Mīm ad-Dukhān (Qur’ān, 44) any night, seventy thousand angels will ask forgiveness for him in the morning.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, saying that this is a gharīb tradition and that ‘Umar b. Abū Khath'am the transmitter is declared to be weak. Muhammad, i.e. Bukhārī, said his traditions were rejected.

He reported God's messenger as saying, “If anyone recites Hā’ Mīm ad-Dukhān on a Thursday night his sins will be forgiven.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, saying that this is a gharīb da’īf tradition and that Hishām Abūl Miqdām its transmitter is declared to be weak.

Al-Irbād b. Sāriya said the Prophet used to recite al-Musabbihāt* before going to sleep, and say they contained a verse which is better than a thousand verses. *These are said to be sūras 57, 59, 61, 62, 64, 87 which begin with the perfect, imperfect, or imperative of the verb sabbaha ('to glorify'). Tirmidhī and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it, and Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form on the authority of Khalid b. Ma'dān. Tirmidhī said this is a hasan gharīb tradition.

Abū Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A sūra in the Qur’ān containing thirty verses interceded for a man till his sins were forgiven. It was ‘Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom.'” (Qur’ān, 67) Ahmad, Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, Nasā’i and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbās said that one of the Prophet's companions set up his tent over a grave without realising that it was a grave, and it contained a man who was reciting the sūra, “Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom,” up to the end. He went and told the Prophet, who said, “It is the defender; it is the protector which is protecting him from God's punishment.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, .saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Jabir said it was the Prophet’s custom not to go to sleep till he had recited “A. L. M The sending down,” (Qur’ān, 32) and “Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom.” Ahmad, Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a sahīh tradition. The same is said in Sharh as-sunna, but in al-Masābīh it is called gharīb.

Ibn ‘Abbās and Anas b. Mālik reported God’s messenger as saying that “When is shaken” (Qur’ān, 99) is equivalent to half the Qur’ān, “Say, He is God, One” (Qur’ān, 112) is equivalent to a third of the Qur’ān, and “Say, O infidels” (Qur’ān, 109) is equivalent to a quarter of the Qur’ān. Tirmidhī transmitted it.

Ma‘qil b Yasār reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone says three times in the morning, ‘I seek refuge in God, the Hearer and Knower, from the accursed devil’, and recites three verses at the end of sūra al-Hashr (Qur’ān, 59), God will put in charge of him seventy thousand angels who will invoke blessings on him till the evening, and if he dies that day he will die as a martyr. If anyone says them in the evening he will be in that rank.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, 'If anyone recites two hundred times daily, ‘Say, He is God, One’, the sins of fifty years will be wiped out, unless he is in debt.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it. The latter’s version has “fifty times”, and he did not mention “unless he is in debt.”

While I was travelling with God's messenger between *al-Juhfa and al-Abwa’ a wind and intense darkness enveloped us, whereupon God’s messenger began to seek refuge in God, reciting “I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn” and “I seek refuge in the Lord of men.”(Qur’ān, 113 &114) He then said, “Use them, ‘Uqba, when seeking refuge in God, for no one can use anything to compare with them for the purpose.” *Al Juhfa- a village about 82 miles from Mecca. Al Abwa’- a village between twenty and thirty miles nearer Medina than al-Juhfa. Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

We went out one rainy and intensely dark night to look for God’s messenger, and when we caught up on him he said to me, “Say.” I asked him what I was to say, and he replied, “If you recite ‘Say, He is God, One’ and al-Mu'awidhatān (The last 3 sūras of the Qur’ān) three times morning and evening, they will serve you for every purpose.” Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and Nasā’i transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Āmir said that when he asked God’s messenger whether he should recite sūra Hūd (Qur’ān, 11) or sūra Yūsuf (Qur’ān, 12), he told him he could recite nothing more effective with God than “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn.” Ahmad, Nasā’i and Dārimī transmitted it.

Aifa‘ b. ‘Abd al-Kilā‘ī told of a man who asked God’s messenger which sūra of the Qur’ān was greatest and was told that it is “Say, He is God, One.” He asked which verse of the Qur’ān was greatest and was told that it is the Throne Verse, “God, there is no god but He, the Living, he Eternal.” He asked God’s prophet which verse he would like to bring good to him and his people and was told, ‘‘The end of sūra al-Baqara, for it is one of the treasures of God’s mercy from under His Throne which He gave to this people, and there is no good in this world and the next which it does not include.” Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Abd al-Mālik b. ‘Umair reported in mursal form that God's mes­senger said, “Fātihat al-Kitāb contains healing for every disease.” Dārimī and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-īmān, transmitted it.

Jubair b. Nufair reported God’s messenger as saying, “God finished sūra al Baqara with two verses which I have been given from His treasure which is under the Throne ; so learn them and teach them to your womenfolk, for they are a blessing, a means of approach [to God] and a supplication.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

Ka‘b reported God's messenger as saying, “Recite sūra Hūd (Qur’ān, 9) on Fridays.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

Abū Sa'id reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone recites sūra al-Kahf (Qur’ān, 18) on Friday, light will shine brightly for him till the next Friday.” Baihaqī transmitted it in [Kitāb] al-Da‘awāt al-kabir.

Recite the rescuer, which is A.L.M. The sending down (Qur’ān, 32) for I have heard that a man who had committed many sins used to recite it and nothing else. It spread its wing over him and said, “My Lord, forgive him, for he often used to recite me so the Lord most high made it an intercessor for him and said, “Record for him a good deed and raise him a degree in place of every sin.” Khālid said also: It will dispute on behalf of the one who recites it when he is in his grave saying, “O God, if I am a part of Thy Book, make me an intercessor for him; but if I am not a part of Thy Book, blot me out of it.” It will be like a bird putting its wing on him, it will intercede for him and will protect him from the punishment in the grave. He said the same about “Blessed is He.” (Qur’ān, 67) Khālid did not go to sleep at night till he had recited them. Tā’ūs said they were given sixty virtues more than any other sūra in the Qur’ān. Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Atā b. Abū Rabāh told of hearing that God’s messenger said, “If anyone recites Yā’ Sīn at the beginning of the day, his wants will be supplied.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

Ma'qil b. Yasār al-Muzanī reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone recites Yā’ Sīn (Qur’ān, 36) out of a desire for God's favour, his past sins will be forgiven him; so recite it over those of you who are dying.” Baihaqī transmitted it in Shu'ab al-īmān.

37, 45, 47, 48, 50, 61, 67, and 93. The name is most appropriately explained as meaning that this is the section of the Qur’ān which contains many shorter sūras. Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Alī said that God's messenger used to like this sūra, “Glorify the name of thy most high Lord.”(Qur’ān, 87) Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abdallāh b. ‘Amr told of a man coming to the Prophet and asking him to teach him to recite. On being told to recite three of the sūras with A. L. R (Qur’ān, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15) he replied, “I am old, my heart has difficulty in remem­bering, and my tongue is sluggish.” When told that in that case he should recite three with Hā’ Mīm (Qur’ān, 40 to 46) he gave the same reply and then asked God’s messenger to teach him to recite a comprehensive sūra. He taught him to recite “When is shaken” (Qur’ān, 99) up to the end, and the man said, “I swear by Him who has sent you with the truth that I shall never recite more than that.” Then when the man turned away God's messenger said twice, “The little man has come into a state of felicity.” Ahmad and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Can one of you not recite a thousand verses daily?” Then when he was asked who could recite a thousand verses daily he replied, “Can one of you not recite ‘Rivalry has distracted you’?”(Qur’ān, 102) Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-īmān.

Sa'īd b. al-Musayyib reported in mursal form that the Prophet said, “If anyone recites ten times ‘Say, He is God, One’, a palace will be built for him in paradise because of it; if anyone recites twenty times two palaces will be built for him in paradise because of it; and if anyone recites it thirty times three palaces will be built for him in paradise be­cause of it.” ‘Umar b. al-Khattāb said, “I swear by God, messenger of God, that we shall then produce many palaces for ourselves;” to which he replied, “God's abundant grace is even more comprehensive than that.” Dārimī transmitted it.

Al-Hasan reported in mursal form that the Prophet said, “If anyone recites a hundred verses in a night the Qur’ān will not argue against him that night; if anyone recites two hundred verses in a night he will be recorded as having spent a night standing in prayer; and if anyone recites five hundred to a thousand verses in a night, in the morning he will have a reward equivalent to a qintār*. He was asked what a qintar was and replied that it was twelve thousand [dīnārs]. *This is the measure to which many different values have been ascribed. Dārimī transmitted it.

Abū Mūsā al-Ash’arī reported God’s messenger as saying, “Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Qur’ān, for I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that it is more liable to escape than camels which are tethered.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas’ūd reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is wrong for one to say that he has forgotten such and such a verse, for he has been made to forget. Study the Qur’ān, for it is more apt to escape from men’s minds than animals.” (Bukhārī and Muslim, Muslim adding "which are tethered”.)

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Prophet as saying, “He who studies the Qur’ān is like the owner of tethered camels. If he pays attention to them he keeps hold of them, but if he lets them loose they go away." (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Jundub b. ‘Abdallāh reported God’s messenger as saying, “Recite the Qur’ān as long as you can concentrate on it, but when your concentra­tion flags give it up.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Qatādā said that when Anas was asked how the Prophet recited the Qur’ān he replied that he did so prolonging the words. Then he recited “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,” prolonging each phrase. Bukhārī transmitted it.

Abū Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has not listened to anything as He does to a prophet chanting* the Qur’ān.” *There are different opinions about the meaning of yataghannā which is here used. While some explain it as in the translation, others prefer to understand it in the sense of yastaghnī which means being content with. (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has not listened to anything as He does to a prophet with a good voice reciting the Qur’ān aloud.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “He does not belong to us who does not chant the Qur’ān.” Bukhārī transmitted it.

When God’s Messenger was on the pulpit he asked him to recite to him and he replied, “Shall I recite to you when it was sent down to you?” He said that he liked to hear it from someone else, so ‘Abdallāh recited Sūrat an-Nisa’ up to this verse, “How then shall it be when We bring from every people a witness and bring you against them as witness?”(Al-Qur’ān, 4:1-41) Then on being told that that was enough for the present, he turned round to him and saw the tears falling from his eyes. (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying to Ubayy b. Kā'b, “God has commanded me to recite the Qur’ān to you.” He asked, “Did God mention me to you by name?” and when he was told that He had, he said, “Have I been mentioned in the presence of the Lord of the uni­verse?” On being told that he had, tears fell from his eyes. In a version he said God had commanded him to recite to him “Those who disbelieve were not …” (Qur’ān, 98). He asked if He had mentioned him by name, and when he was told that He had, he wept. (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s-messenger forbade taking the Qur’ān into enemy territory. A version by Muslim has, “Do not take the Qur’ān with you when travelling, for I cannot guarantee that the enemy will not get it.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

I sat with a company of the poor*members of the Emigrants who were sitting close together because of lack of clothing while a reader was reciting to us. God’s messenger came along and stood beside us, and when he did so the reader stopped and gave him a salutation. He asked what we were doing, and when we told him we were listening to God’s Book he said, “Praise be to God who has put among my people those with whom I have been ordered to keep myself.”(Qur’ān,18:28) He then sat down among us so as to be like one of us, and when he had made a sign with his hand they sat in a circle with their faces turned towards him, and he said, “Rejoice, you group of poor Emigrants, in the announcement that you will have perfect light on the day of resurrection. You will enter paradise half a day before the rich, and that is five hundred years.” *Lit. 'Weak'. This is said to refer to the people who lived in the Suffa Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

Al-Barā’ b. Āzib reported God’s messenger as saying, “Beautify the Qur’ān with your voices.” Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah and Dārimī transmitted it.

Sā‘d b. Ubāda reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every man who recites the' Qur’ān and then forgets it* will meet God on the day of resurrection in a maimed condition.” *This has been explained as referring to one who has learned the Qur’ān by heart and later forgets it, or neglects to recite it. Abū Dāwūd and Dārimī trans­mitted it.

Abdallāh b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “The one who recites the Qur’ān in less than three nights does not understand it.” Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Āmir reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who recites the Qur’ān loudly is like him who gives sadaqa openly, and he who recites the Qur’ān quietly is like him who gives sadaqa secretly.” Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and Nasā’i transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a hasan gharīb tradition.

Suhaib reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who treats what the Qur’ān prohibits as permissible does not believe in it.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, but said this is a tradition whose isnād is not strong.

Al-Laith b. Sa‘d quoted Ibn Abū Mulaika who quoted Yā'lā b. Mamlak as saying that he asked Umm Salama about the manner in which the Prophet recited, and she described it in a manner by which it was explained word by word.* *This is explained as meaning that she showed how he pronounced each syllable distinctly, or simply that she gave an illustration of the fine quality of the Prophet’s recitation. Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and Nasā’i trans­mitted it.

Ibn Juraij quoted Ibn Abū Mulaika who reported Umm Salama as saying, ‘God’s messenger used to make pauses in his recitation. He would say, ‘Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe’, then stop. He would next say, ‘The Compassionate, the Merciful’, then stop.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, but he said that its isnād is not fully connected, because al-Laith transmitted this tradition from Ibn Abū Mulaika from Yā'lā b. Mamlak from Umm Salama, and al-Laith's tradition is sounder.

God's messenger came out to us when we were reciting the Qur’ān, our number including nomad Arabs and non-Arabs, and said, "Recite, for it is all good; but after you people will come who will straighten it as an arrow is straightened, seeking a reward for it in this world and not waiting for their reward in the next.” Abū Dāwūd and Baihaqī, in Shu'ab al-īmān, transmitted it.