Ismāʿīl narrated to us; he said: My brother related to us, from Sulaymān, from Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah together with Ibn Abī ʿAtīq, from Ibn Shihāb, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, from Abū Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “While I was walking in Paradise I heard the voice of a man reciting the Qur’an. I asked, ‘Who is that?’ They replied, ‘That is Ḥārithah ibn al-Nuʿmān. Such is righteousness, such is righteousness!’

And Muhammad ibn Abī ʿAtīq transmitted from Ibn Shihāb that ʿAmrah bint ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Saʿd ibn Zurārah—who was brought up in the care of ʿĀʾishah, the Prophet’s wife—told me, on the authority of ʿĀʾishah, that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “While I was asleep I saw myself in Paradise and there I heard the voice of a reciter. I asked, ‘Who is that?’ and they answered, ‘It is Ḥārithah ibn al-Nuʿmān.’ That is righteousness.” ʿĀʾishah added, “Ḥārithah was among the most dutiful of people.”

Abū ʿAbd Allah said: He is asked, “Are the attributes of Allah—glorious is His mention—His knowledge, His speech, His names, His might and His power—separate (bā’in) from Allah the Exalted, or not? Likewise, is what you say—your very speech—separate from Allah the Exalted, or not?”

ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—forbade reciting the Qur’an while in bowing (rukūʿ), thereby clarifying that the act of recitation is distinct from the text being recited.”