—“O Moses!”—

And similarly His saying, exalted is He,
“Eat and drink with ease for what you sent ahead in days gone by.”
(Qur’an 69:24)
People quote this when food is served and in situations like it.

Among the Qur’an’s sanctity is that one should not say, “Sūrat such-and-such,” as in, “Sūrat al-Naḥl, Sūrat al-Baqarah, Sūrat al-Nisā’.” Rather he should say, “The sūrah in which such-and-such is mentioned.”

I (the author) say: This is apparently at odds with the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—
“The two verses at the end of Sūrat al-Baqarah: whoever recites them in a night, they will suffice him.”
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim recorded it from the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd.

Among its sanctity is that it not be recited backwards, as some schoolteachers do in order to flaunt their own cleverness and skill; that is contravention.

Among its sanctity is that one not exaggerate his articulation, as do those hamzī “over-pronouncers”—innovators who strain to force the words out of those foul mouths with affected effort. This is a newly-invented practice whispered to them by Satan and which they accepted from him.

Among its sanctity is that it not be recited to the musical melodies of song, the tunes of the profligate, the chanting of the Christians, or the wailing intonations of monasticism; all of that is deviation, as has been mentioned.

Among its sanctity is that, when writing it, one give the layout its due dignity.

Abū Ḥukaymah related that he used to copy maṣāḥif in Kūfah. ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—passed by, looked at his script, and said, “Honor your pen.” I therefore trimmed the tip of the pen properly, then began to write while ʿAlī stood watching me. He said, “Yes—make it luminous as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has made it luminous.”

Among its sanctity is that people not raise their voices over one another while reciting, thereby spoiling it for each other, making what is heard distasteful, as though competing.

Among its sanctity is that one not wrangle or argue about the variant readings, nor say to his companion, “That is not how it is,” for perhaps that reading is sound and permissible; in denying it he would be rejecting the Book of Allah.

Among its sanctity is that it not be recited in the market-places, nor in places of noise, frivolity, and gatherings of the foolish. Do you not see that Allah, exalted is He, praised the servants of the Most Merciful by saying that when they pass by idle talk they pass by with dignity? That is for one who merely passes by himself—so what of the Noble Qur’an when its recitation is made to pass in the very midst of idle talk and among gatherings of the foolish?

Among its sanctity is that the muṣḥaf not be used as a pillow, nor leaned upon, nor thrown to someone when one wishes to hand it over.

Among its sanctity is that a muṣḥaf not be produced in an unduly small size. Al-Aʿmash narrated from Ibrāhīm, from ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—who said, “The muṣḥaf is not to be made small.”

I say: It is also related from ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb—may Allah be pleased with him—that he saw a muṣḥaf in a man’s hand and asked, “Who wrote it?” The man replied, “I did.” ʿUmar struck him with his whip and said, “Venerate the Qur’an!”