The Prophet said, "The example of him (a believer) who recites the Qur'an is like that of a citron which tastes good and smells good. And he (a believer) who does not recite the Qur'an is like a date which is good in taste but has no smell. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who recites the Qur'an is like the Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who does not recite the Qur'an is like the colocynth which tastes bitter and has no smell.

I heard the Prophet reciting the following Verse on the pulpit: "They will call: O Malik...' and Sufyan said that `Abdullah recited it: 'They will call: O Mali...' (43.77)

I went to Sham with a group of the companions of `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud). Abu Ad-Darda' heard of our arrival so he came to us and said, "Is there anybody among you who can recite (Qur'an)" We replied in the affirmative. Then he asked, "Who is the best reciter?" They pointed at me. Then he told me to recite, so I recited the verse:-- 'By the night as it envelops 'By the day as it appears in brightness; By (Him Who created) male and the female.' (92.1-3) Abu Ad-Darda' then said to me, "Did you hear it (like this) from the mouth of your friend (`Abdullah bin Mas`ud)?" I said, "Yes." He said, "I too, heard it (like this) from the mouth of the Prophet, but these people do not consider this recitation as the correct one."

It has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters on the authority of Sufyan who said that he heard 'Umar b. al-Khattab relate (this tradition) from the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) while he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit.

Whenever Ibn `Umar recited the Qur'an, he would not speak to anyone till he had finished his recitation. Once I held the Qur'an and he recited Surat-al-Baqara from his memory and then stopped at a certain Verse and said, "Do you know in what connection this Verse was revealed? " I replied, "No." He said, "It was revealed in such-and-such connection." Ibn `Umar then resumed his recitation. Nafi` added regarding the Verse:--"So go to your tilth when or how you will" Ibn `Umar said, "It means one should approach his wife in .."

The Prophet said to me, "Recite (the Qur'an) to me." I said, "O Allah's Apostle Shall I recite (the Qur'an) to you while it has been revealed to you?" He said, "Yes." So I recited Surat-An-Nisa' (The Women), but when I recited the Verse: 'How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people.' (4.41) He said, "Enough for the present," I looked at him and behold! His eyes were overflowing with tears

A man recited Surat-al-Kahf (in his prayer) and in the house there was a (riding) animal which got frightened and started jumping. The man finished his prayer with Taslim, but behold! A mist or a cloud hovered over him. He informed the Prophet of that and the Prophet said, "O so-and-so! Recite, for this (mist or cloud) was a sign of peace descending for the recitation of Qur'an."

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) that a group (Khawarij) would emerge from the different parties (the party of Hadrat 'Ali and the party of Amir Mu'awiya), the group nearer the truth between the two would kill them.

Abu Huraira said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Whoever does not recite Qur'an in a nice voice is not from us,' and others said extra," (that means) to recite it aloud."

that he heard the Prophet saying, "Allah does not listen to anything as He listens to the recitation of the Qur'an by a Prophet who recites it in attractive audible sweet sounding voice."

That while he was reciting Surat Al-Baqara (The Cow) at night, and his horse was tied beside him, the horse was suddenly startled and troubled. When he stopped reciting, the horse became quiet, and when he started again, the horse was startled again. Then he stopped reciting and the horse became quiet too. He started reciting again and the horse was startled and troubled once again. Then he stopped reciting and his son, Yahya was beside the horse. He was afraid that the horse might trample on him. When he took the boy away and looked towards the sky, he could not see it. The next morning he informed the Prophet who said, "Recite, O Ibn Hudair! Recite, O Ibn Hudair!" Ibn Hudair replied, "O Allah's Apostle! My son, Yahya was near the horse and I was afraid that it might trample on him, so I looked towards the sky, and went to him. When I looked at the sky, I saw something like a cloud containing what looked like lamps, so I went out in order not to see it." The Prophet said, "Do you know what that was?" Ibn Hudair replied, "No." The Prophet said, "Those were Angels who came near to you for your voice and if you had kept on reciting till dawn, it would have remained there till morning when people would have seen it as it would not have disappeared.

Sa`id bin Jubair reported from Ibn `Abbas (regarding the explanation of the Verse: 'Do not move your tongue concerning (the Qur'an) to make haste therewith) . He said, "The Prophet used to undergo great difficulty in receiving the Divine Inspiration and used to move his lips.' Ibn `Abbas said (to Sa`id), "I move them (my lips) as Allah's Apostle used to move his lips." And Sa`id said (to me), "I move my lips as I saw Ibn `Abbas moving his lips," and then he moved his lips. So Allah revealed:-- '(O Muhammad!) Do not move your tongue concerning (the Qur'an) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and give you (O Muhammad) the ability to recite it. (i.e., to collect it in your chest and then you recite it).' (75.16-17) But when We have recited it, to you (O Muhammad through Gabriel) then follow you its recital.' (75.18) This means, "You should listen to it and keep quiet and then it is upon Us to make you recite it." The narrator added, "So Allah's Apostle used to listen whenever Gabriel came to him, and when Gabriel left, the Prophet would recite the Qur'an as Gabriel had recited it to him."

On the day of a solar eclipse, Allah's Apostle stood up (to offer the eclipse prayer). He recited Takbir, recited a long recitation (of Holy Verses), bowed a long bowing, and then he raised h is head saying. "Allah hears him who sends his praises to Him." Then he stayed standing, recited a long recitation again, but shorter than the former, bowed a long bowing, but shorter than the first, performed a long prostration and then performed the second rak`a in the same way as he had done the first. By the time he had finished his prayer with Taslim, the solar eclipse had been over. Then he addressed the people referring to the solar and lunar eclipses saying, "These are two signs amongst the Signs of Allah, and they do not eclipse because of anyone's death or life. So, if you see them, hasten for the Prayer."

A man heard another man reciting (in the prayers): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." (112.1) And he recited it repeatedly. When it was morning, he went to the Prophet and informed him about that as if he considered that the recitation of that Sura by itself was not enough. Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is equal to one-third of the Qur'an."

Whenever the Prophet recited the Sura which contained the prostration of recitation he used to prostrate and then, we, too, would prostrate and some of us did not find a place for prostration.

When the reciters of Qur'an were martyred, Allah's Apostle recited Qunut for one month and I never saw him (i.e. Allah's Apostle) so sad as he was on that day.

`Ali and `Uthman differed regarding Hajj-at-Tamattu` while they were at 'Usfan (a familiar place near Mecca). `Ali said, "I see you want to forbid people to do a thing that the Prophet did?" When `Ali saw that, he assumed Ihram for both Hajj and `Umra.

"While the people were with me on the day of `Arafat they differed as to whether the Prophet was fasting or not; some said that he was fasting while others said that he was not fasting. So, I sent to him a bowl full of milk while he was riding over his camel and he drank it."

Allah's Apostle said, "The (Hell) Fire complained to its Lord saying, 'O my Lord! My different parts eat up each other.' So, He allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in summer, and this is the reason for the severe heat and the bitter cold you find (in weather).

The Prophet said, "Leave me as I leave you, for the people who were before you were ruined because of their questions and their differences over their prophets. So, if I forbid you to do something, then keep away from it. And if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can."

I heard the Prophet reciting Surat at-Tin waz Zaitun (By the Fig and the Olive) in the `Isha' prayer and I have never heard anybody with a better voice or recitation than his.

`Umar bin Al-Khattab recited Surat-an-Nahl on a Friday on the pulpit and when he reached the verse of Sajda he got down from the pulpit and prostrated and the people also prostrated. The next Friday `Umar bin Al-Khattab recited the same Sura and when he reached the verse of Sajda he said, "O people! When we recite the verses of Sajda (during the sermon) whoever prostrates does the right thing, yet it is no sin for the one who does not prostrate." And `Umar did not prostrate (that day). Added Ibn `Umar "Allah has not made the prostration of recitation compulsory but if we wish we can do it."

Ibn 'Abbas in the explanation of the statement of Allah "Move not your tongue concerning (the Quran) to make haste therewith." (75.16) said "Allah's Apostle used to bear the revelation with great trouble and used to move his lips (quickly) with the Inspiration." Ibn 'Abbas moved his lips saying, "I am moving my lips in front of you as Allah's Apostle used to move his." Said moved his lips saying: "I am moving my lips, as I saw Ibn 'Abbas moving his." Ibn 'Abbas added, "So Allah revealed 'Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur'an) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you (O Muhammad) the ability to recite it (the Quran)' (75.16-17) which means that Allah will make him (the Prophet) remember the portion of the Qur'an which was revealed at that time by heart and recite it. The statement of Allah: 'And when we have recited it to you (O Muhammad through Gabriel) then you follow its (Quran) recital' (75.18) means 'listen to it and be silent.' Then it is for Us (Allah) to make it clear to you' (75.19) means 'Then it is (for Allah) to make you recite it (and its meaning will be clear by itself through your tongue). Afterwards, Allah's Apostle used to listen to Gabriel whenever he came and after his departure he used to recite it as Gabriel had recited it."

I heard the Prophet reciting wa t-teeni wa z-zaitun" (95) in the `Isha' prayer, and I never heard a sweeter voice or a better way of recitation than that of the Prophet.

The Prophet said, "Such a person as recites the Qur'an and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person exerts himself to learn the Qur'an by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward."

On the day of `Arafat, some people who were with me, differed about the fasting of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) some said that he was fasting while others said that he was not fasting. So I sent a bowl full of milk to him while he was riding his camel, and he drank that milk.

The Prophet used to keep his hair falling loose while the pagans used to part their hair, and the People of the Scriptures used to keep their hair falling loose, and the Prophet liked to follow the People of the Scriptures in matters about which he had not been instructed differently, but later on the Prophet started parting his hair.

The Prophet said, "It was said to the children of Israel, 'Enter the gate (of the town), prostrate (in humility) and say: Hittatun (i.e. repentance) i.e. O Allah! Forgive our sins.' But they entered by dragging themselves on their buttocks, so they did something different (from what they had been ordered to do) and said, 'Hittatun,' but added, "A grain in a hair."

On the Day of the Conquest of Mecca, the Prophet recited Surat Al-Fath in a vibrating and pleasant voice. (Muawaiya, the subnarrator said, "If I could imitate the recitation of the Prophet I would do so.")

Allah's Apostle said, "Allah does not listen to a prophet as He listens to a prophet who recites the Qur'an in a pleasant tone." The companion of the sub-narrator (Abu Salama) said, "It means, reciting it aloud."

The Prophet heard a reciter reciting, the Qur'an in the mosque at night. The Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on him, as he has remind ed me of such-and-such Verses of such and-such Suras, which I missed!"

That the Prophet said to him, "Recite the Qur'an to me." `Abdullah said, "Shall I recite (the Qur'an) to you while it has been revealed to you?" He said, "I like to hear it from others."