“Whenever a surah is revealed, some of them say, ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’”—to the end of the verse.

Jundub ibn ‘Abd Allāh and ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar said: “We learned faith, then we learned the Quran, and so increased in faith.” Thus, they would learn faith and then learn the Quran.

Commenting on His words, “Light upon light,” one of them said: “The light of the Quran upon the light of faith,” as He says:

“But We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants.”

Al-Suddī said concerning His words, “Light upon light”: “The light of the Quran and the light of faith when they come together; neither exists without the other.”

It thus becomes clear that His words, “Is one who stands upon clear evidence from his Lord,” refer to the guidance of faith. “And a witness from Him follows him”—that is, from Allah—refers to the Quran, a witness from Allah that agrees with faith and follows it. He says “follows him” because faith is the intended aim: the purpose of revealing the Quran is to bring about faith and increase it. Hence, faith without recitation of the Quran benefits its possessor, who enters Paradise through it, whereas the Quran without faith brings no benefit in the Hereafter; rather, its possessor is a hypocrite.

Thus, in the two authentic hadith collections, Abū Mūsā reports that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“A believer who recites the Quran is like a citron: its taste is pleasant and its fragrance is pleasant. A believer who does not recite the Quran is like a date: its taste is pleasant, but it has no fragrance. A hypocrite who recites the Quran is like an aromatic plant: its fragrance is pleasant, but its taste is bitter,