Book of Virtues
Chapter: The Merit of Reciting the Quran

[Commentary]
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—opens his collection Riyadh al-Salihin with the “Book of Virtues.” The word “virtues” is the plural of “virtue.” He then begins with the obligations owed to the Book of Allah by entitling the first chapter “The Merit of Reciting the Quran.”

The Quran that lies before us is the very speech of Allah; He truly spoke it. Gabriel heard it directly from Him and then recited it to the Prophet ﷺ. Allah the Most High says, “Indeed, it is a revelation from the Lord of all worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down upon your heart so that you may be one of the warners” (Q 26:192-194). He says “upon your heart” because the heart is the locus of awareness, perception, and understanding—“so that you may be one of the warners.”

Allah, Blessed and Exalted, also says, “Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it” (Q 75:16). Because of his intense eagerness for the Quran, the Prophet ﷺ would begin repeating after Gabriel while Gabriel was still reciting and teaching him, trying to keep pace. Hence Allah said, “Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it,” meaning: keep silent until Gabriel has finished. He then said, “Indeed, upon Us is its collection and its recitation. So when We have recited it, follow its recitation” (Q 75:17-18)—that is, when Gabriel, the messenger of the Lord of the worlds to Muhammad ﷺ, has completed the recitation, you should then follow it.