to it, and gathering to listen to the Quran outside prayer as well. In the first surah He revealed to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, He commanded recitation at its beginning:

“Read in the name of your Lord who created.”

And at its end He commanded prostration, saying:

“Prostrate and draw near.”

For this reason, the greatest form of remembrance in prayer is reciting the Quran, and the greatest physical act is prostrating to Allah alone, without any partner. Allah Most High says:

“And the recitation at dawn—indeed, the recitation at dawn is ever witnessed.”

He also says:

“When the Quran is recited, listen to it and remain silent so that you may receive mercy.”

When the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gathered, they would ask one of them to recite while the others listened. Umar ibn al-Khattāb would say to Abū Mūsā, may Allah be pleased with them both, “Remind us of our Lord.” He would then recite while they listened.

“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by Abū Mūsā, may Allah be pleased with him, while he was reciting, and began listening to his recitation. He said, ‘O Abū Mūsā, I passed by you last night and began listening to your recitation.’ He replied, ‘Had I known, I would have made my recitation especially beautiful for you.’ He also said, ‘Allah is indeed more attentive—that is, listens more closely—to a man who recites the Quran in a beautiful voice than the owner of a singing slave girl is to her.’”

Such was the listening practiced by the believers, the early generations of the Muslim community, and the leading shaykhs, such as Ma‘rūf al-Karkhī, al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyād, Abū Sulaymān al-Dārānī, and others like them. It was also the listening practiced by the shaykhs