for your rank will be at the last verse you recite.”

He would prolong the vowels whenever an elongation letter occurred, drawing out “Bismillāh,” then “al-Raḥmān,” then “al-Raḥīm,” and words such as naḍīd (50:45) and the like. He also paused at the close of every verse, as mentioned earlier. At times he softened and modulated his voice, as he did on the Day of the Conquest while riding his camel and reciting Sūrat al-Fatḥ; ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mughaffal imitated that modulation with a humming sound: “Ā-ā, Ā-ā.”

He instructed the believers to beautify the Qur’an with their voices, saying, “Embellish the Qur’an with your voices—for a pleasant voice adds beauty to the Qur’an.” He also said, “Among the finest voices for the Qur’an is he who, when you hear him recite, you think he fears Allah.”

He encouraged chanting the Qur’an melodiously: “Learn the Book of Allah, maintain it, acquire it, and sing it, for—by the One in whose hand is my soul—it escapes more quickly than a camel released from its hobble.” He said, “Whoever does not chant the Qur’an is not one of us,” and, “Allah has not given permission for anything as He has given permission to a Prophet with a pleasant voice who chants the Qur’an aloud.”

He said to Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (Allah be pleased with him), “If you had seen me while I was listening to your recitation last night! You have been given one of the flutes of the family of David.” Abū Mūsā replied, “Had I known you were listening, I would have adorned it even more for you.” (p. 562–595)

Prompting the imam

The Prophet ﷺ prescribed prompting the imam when his recitation becomes confused. He once led a prayer and his recitation was mixed up. After finishing he asked Ubayy, “Did you pray with us?” Ubayy said, “Yes.” The Prophet responded, “Then what kept you from prompting me?” (p. 596–599)

Seeking refuge and spitting lightly in prayer to repel whispering

ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ (Allah be pleased with him) said, “Messenger of Allah, the devil comes between me and my prayer and my recitation, confusing me.” He ﷺ replied, “That is a devil called Khanzab. When you sense him, seek refuge in Allah from him and spit lightly to your left three times.” ʿUthmān said, “I did so, and Allah removed him from me.” (p. 600)

Bowing (rukūʿ)

When the Prophet ﷺ finished his recitation, he would pause briefly, then raise his hands—as described earlier for the opening takbīr—pronounce the takbīr, and bow. He instructed the man who prayed incorrectly to do the same, saying, “The prayer of any one of you is not complete until he performs ablution thoroughly as Allah has commanded, then magnifies Allah, praises and glorifies Him, recites whatever is easy of the Qur’an that Allah has taught and allowed him, then pronounces the takbīr and bows, placing his hands on his knees until his joints become settled and relaxed…”—and the ḥadīth continues.