In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب فضل قراءة القرآن
Chapter on the virtue of reciting the Quran.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/297
Abu Umamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
اقْرَءُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شَفِيعًا لِأَصْحَابِهِ اقْرَءُوا الزَّهْرَاوَيْنِ الْبَقَرَةَ وَسُورَةَ آلِ عِمْرَانَ فَإِنَّهُمَا تَأْتِيَانِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَيَايَتَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا فِرْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ تُحَاجَّانِ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِمَا اقْرَءُوا سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَإِنَّ أَخْذَهَا بَرَكَةٌ وَتَرْكَهَا حَسْرَةٌ وَلَا تَسْتَطِيعُهَا الْبَطَلَةُ
Recite the Quran, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for its reciters. Recite the two brightly illuminated chapters, Surat al-Baqarah and Ali ‘Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection, they will come as two clouds, or two shades, or two flocks of birds pleading for their companions. Recite Surat al-Baqarah as there is blessing in it, sorrow in leaving it, and the sorcerers cannot defeat it.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 804, Grade: Sahih
Al-Nawwas ibn Sam’an reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
يُؤْتَى بِالْقُرْآنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَهْلِهِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ بِهِ تَقَدَّمُهُمْ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَآلِ عِمْرَانَ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ أَوْ ظُلَّتَانِ سَوْدَاوَانِ بَيْنَهُمَا شَرْقٌ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا حِزْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ تُحَاجَّانِ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِمَا
On the Day of Resurrection, the Quran and its people who acted upon it will be brought forth, preceded by Surat al-Baqarah and Ali ‘Imran. It is as if they are two clouds, or two canopies of dark shade with light between them, or two flocks of birds in ranks, advocating for their reciters.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 805, Grade: Sahih
Uthman bin Affan reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ
The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5027, Grade: Sahih
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَهُوَ حَافِظٌ لَهُ مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ وَمَثَلُ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ وَهُوَ يَتَعَاهَدُهُ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ شَدِيدٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ
The example of one who recites the Quran and memorizes it is that of one with the ‘righteous and noble scribes’ (80:15). The example of one who recites the Quran and is committed to it, although it is difficult for him, is that of one with a double reward.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4937, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Musa al-Ash’ari reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَالْأُتْرُجَّةِ طَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَرِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَالَّذِي لَا يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَالتَّمْرَةِ طَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَلَا رِيحَ لَهَا وَمَثَلُ الْفَاجِرِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الرَّيْحَانَةِ رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ وَمَثَلُ الْفَاجِرِ الَّذِي لَا يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الْحَنْظَلَةِ طَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ وَلَا رِيحَ لَهَا
The parable of the believer who recites the Quran is that of a citrus fruit, which tastes good and has a pleasant scent. The parable of the believer who does not recite the Quran is that of a date, which has no scent but tastes good. The parable of a hypocrite who recites the Quran is that of basil, which has a pleasant scent but tastes bitter. The parable of the hypocrite who does not recite the Quran is that of a vine, which has no scent and tastes bitter.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5059, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ أَقْوَامًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ
Verily, Allah raises the status of people by this Book, and by it He humbles others.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 817, Grade: Sahih
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا حَسَدَ إِلَّا عَلَى اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ فَقَامَ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَآنَاءَ النَّهَارِ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالًا فَتَصَدَّقَ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَآنَاءَ النَّهَارِ
There is no envy but in two cases: a man whom Allah has given this Book and he stands to recite it by night and day, and a man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in charity by night and day.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 7529, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib reported: A man was reciting Surat al-Kahf, and an animal became unsettled in his barn. As he looked, there was a mist or a cloud overshadowing him. The man mentioned that to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said:
اقْرَأْ فُلَانُ فَإِنَّهَا السَّكِينَةُ تَنَزَّلَتْ عِنْدَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْ تَنَزَّلَتْ لِلْقُرْآنِ
Keep reciting, O you, for it was calm which descended with the Quran, or for the Quran.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3614, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا لَا أَقُولُ الم حَرْفٌ وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَلَامٌ حَرْفٌ وَمِيمٌ حَرْفٌ
Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will receive one good deed as ten good deeds like it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is one letter, but rather Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2910, Grade: Sahih
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِي جَوْفِهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ كَالْبَيْتِ الْخَرِبِ
Verily, one who does not hold anything from the Quran within himself is like a ruined house.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2913, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
يُقَالُ لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْتَقِ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَتَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَأُ بِهَا
It will be said to the companion of the Quran, ‘Recite and ascend as you recited in the world! Verily, your rank is determined by the last verse you recite.’
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2914, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
