232 – Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ, and whenever he came across a verse of mercy he would pause and ask (for it), and whenever he came across a verse of punishment he would seek refuge from it.” The Five collected it, and al-Tirmidhī graded it sound (ḥasan).
Hadith grading
The report is ḥasan; its chains are good. Muslim also recorded it (772) with a different wording on the authority of Hudhayfah. The Five transmitted it, and al-Tirmidhī deemed it sound. In al-Takhlīṣ it is mentioned that al-Bayhaqī (2/310) narrated a similar report from ʿĀʾishah.
Key vocabulary
• A verse of mercy: one that contains a promise, glad tidings of Paradise, its delights, and Allah’s good pleasure there.
• A verse of punishment: one that contains a threat and a warning of Allah’s punishment and wrath.
Lessons derived from the hadith
- It is recommended to ponder the Qur’an and grasp its meanings, whether one is reciting or listening; this is the beneficial, fruitful recitation. Allah the Exalted says, “This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you so that they may ponder its verses and that those of understanding may take heed” (Ṣād 38:29), whether in prayer or outside it.
- It is recommended to seek refuge with Allah when one passes by a verse of punishment or threat, and to ask for mercy when one passes by a verse of mercy—for this is a supplication that fits the context.
- Some scholars have confined this recommendation to voluntary prayers, but there is no objection to