Yahya ibn Salih narrated to me; Fulayh related to us; from Hilal, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar, from Mu‘awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) summoned me and said, “Prayer exists only for the recitation of the Quran, for the remembrance of Allah, and for a person to lay his need before his Lord. So when you are in it, let that be your sole concern.”

‘Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever wishes to recite the Quran fresh, just as it was revealed, let him recite according to the reading of Ibn Mas‘ud.” Ibn Mas‘ud’s recitation was letter by letter. Thus the Prophet made it clear that the recitation of anyone who does not articulate it letter by letter—and who adopts another manner—differs from the recitation of Ibn Mas‘ud that is, precisely, letter by letter.