1) Reciting the Qur’an aloud at night and
2) Listening to the Qur’an The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Verily, when a servant cleanses his mouth with Siwak (tooth stick) and then stands to pray, an angel stands behind him and listens to his recitation. The angel draws near until he puts his mouth on the mouth of the reciter, and nothing of the Qur’an comes out of it but that it enters into the angel. Thus, purify your mouths for the Qur’an.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb no. 215 and graded Saheeh]
The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to love listening to the Noble Qur’an and felt good when doing that. The impact of his listening made him weep and show more Khushu’ (submissiveness).
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ud (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated: “Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said (to me): ‘Recite the Qur’an to me.’ I said: ‘Shall I recite (it) to you, while it has been revealed to you?’ He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘I like to hear it from another person.‘ So I recited Surat An-Nisaa’ till I reached the verse: ‘How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness, and We bring you [O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] as a witness against these people?‘ [4:41]. Then he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to me: ‘Stop!’ or said: ‘Enough!’ Thereupon I saw his eyes overflowing with tears.” [Al-Bukhaari no. 5055]
– It was narrated that Abu Musa (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to him: ‘If you could have seen me when I was listening to your recitation yesterday (you would have felt delighted). You have been given a beautiful voice (Mizmar) like the beautiful voices (Mazaamir) of the family of Dawoud.‘” [Muslim no. 793e]
– It was narrated that ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha), the wife of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “One night at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) I returned late from the ‘Ishaa’ (prayer), then I came and he said: ‘Where were you?’ I said: ‘I was listening to the recitation of a man among your Companions, for I have never heard a recitation or a voice like his from anyone.’ He got up and I got up with him, to go and listen to him. Then he turned to me and said: ‘This is Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifah. Praise is to Allaah Who has created such men among my Ummah.’” [Sunan Ibn Maajah no. 1338 and authenticated by Al-Albaani who graded it Saheeh]
– There is no stronger proof for the love of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) for listening to the Qur’an than the statement of Fatimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) who said: “The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told her in secret, ‘Every year Jibreel (Gabriel) used to revise the Qur’an with me once only, but this year he has done so twice. I think this portends my death.” [Al-Bukhaari no. 3624]
Ibn Hajar (Rahimahullaah) said the way Jibreel [Gabriel (‘Alayhis-salaam)] revised the Qur’an is that both of them interacted in the revision; once Jibreel would recite and the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would listen, and once the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would recite and Jibreel would listen. [Fat-h al-Bari]
The Muslims should take the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as their example in listening attentively to the Qur’an whether in the Salaat or outside the Salaat. This is because listening to the Qur’an is a Sunnah act quoted from the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the person will be rewarded for it.
Shaikh ‘Abdur Razzaq Al-Badr said, commenting on the Hadeeth of Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu): “Listening to the recitation of others as well as reciting Qur’an aloud at night are great Sunnah acts, but the new modern means of communication has suppressed it. Many houses have lost this blessed Sunnah act. There are many Ahadeeth quoted regarding the virtue of reciting the Qur’an aloud at night and the great impact of that. Many houses have replaced this Sunnah act with amusement and instruments (i.e. music) which brings Shaytaan to the houses and removes the tranquility which descends with the Qur’an.
It is a great and virtuous act to recite the Qur’an at night when people sleep. Reciting the Qur’an at night with Tarteel (slowly) with a melodious voice and with Tajweed (the rules of recitation of the Qur’an) is a means of tranquility descending, like what happened with Usaid ibn Hudair (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) and another Companion who was reciting Surat Al-Kahf at night.
‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) heard a man (reciting the Qur’an) in the mosque, and he said: “May Allaah bestow His Mercy upon him. No doubt, he made me remember such-and such verses of such-and-such Surah which I dropped (from my memory).” [Al-Bukhaari no. 6335]
‘Abbad (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated on the authority of ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha): “The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) performed the Tahajjud prayer in my house, and then he heard the voice of ‘Abbad who was offering Salaat (prayer) in the mosque, and [the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] said: ‘O ‘Aishah! Is this ‘Abbad’s voice?‘ I said: ‘Yes.’ He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘O Allaah! Be merciful to ‘Abbad!‘” [Al-Bukhaari no. 2655]
The conclusion is that reciting Qur’an at night and listening to it at night is a Sunnah practiced by the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions.” [End quote]
Sources:
Alukah.net
Explanation of Shaikh ‘Abdur-Razzaq Al-Badr for Hadeeth Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari
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