in this world and the Hereafter; and whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah remains at the servant’s aid so long as the servant is at his brother’s aid. Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him thereby a path to Paradise. No company gathers in one of Allah’s houses, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, without tranquillity descending upon them, mercy enveloping them, the angels surrounding them, and Allah mentioning them among those with Him. And whoever is slowed by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage.”

Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, al-Dārimī, and al-Tirmidhī transmit from ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah—may blessings and peace be upon him—say, “The one who recites the Qur’an aloud is like the one who gives charity openly, and the one who recites the Qur’an quietly is like the one who gives charity secretly.” Al-Tirmidhī remarked, “A ḥadīth that is ḥasan and gharib.”

Al-Tirmidhī also relates from Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet—may blessings and peace be upon him—said, “On the Day of Resurrection the Qur’an will come and say, ‘My Lord, bestow a garment upon him.’ He is then crowned with the diadem of honour. It says, ‘My Lord, increase him,’ so he is clothed in the robe of honour. Then it says, ‘My Lord, be pleased with him,’ and Allah is pleased with him. It is said to him, ‘Recite and ascend,’ and with every verse his reward is increased.” He said, “A sound ḥadīth.”

Abū Dāwūd narrates from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar that the Messenger of Allah—may blessings and peace be upon him—said, “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: ‘Recite, rise, and chant as you used to chant in the world, for your station will be at the last verse you recite.’”

Ibn Mājah likewise records, in his Sunan, from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī that the Messenger of Allah—may blessings and peace be upon him—said, “When the companion of the Qur’an enters Paradise it will be said to him: ‘Recite and ascend.’ He recites and ascends, rising a degree with every verse, until he recites the last portion that he possesses.”

Abū Bakr al-Anbārī, with his chain, reports from Abū Umāmah al-Ḥimṣī that the Messenger of Allah—may blessings and peace be upon him—said, “Whoever is granted one-third of the Qur’an has been granted one-third of prophethood; whoever is granted two-thirds of the Qur’an has been granted two-thirds of prophethood; and whoever recites the entire Qur’an has been granted the whole of prophethood—except that nothing is revealed to him. On the Day of Resurrection it will be said to him: ‘Recite and ascend.’ He recites a verse and ascends a degree, continuing until he completes what he has of the Qur’an. Then he is told, ‘Take hold!’ He takes hold, and it is said, ‘Do you know what you hold in your hands?’—whereupon he finds everlasting life in his right hand and bliss in his left.”

Idrīs ibn Khalaf told us, Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAyyāsh told us, from Tammām, from al-Ḥasan, that the Messenger of Allah—may blessings and peace be upon him—said, “Whoever takes a third of the Qur’an and puts it into practice has taken a third of prophethood; whoever takes…”