The Book of Prayer - Travellers

كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها

Chapter 31: The command to one who becomes sleepy while praying, or who starts to falter in his recitation of the Qur’an or statements of remembrance, to lie down or sit down until that goes away

A hadith like this has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the authority of Anas by another chain of transmitters.

'Urwa b. Zubair reported that 'A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), told him that (once) Haula' dint Tuwait b. Habib b. Asad b. 'Abd al-'Uzzi passed by her (at the time) when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was with her. I ('A'Isha) said

It Is Haula' bint Tuwait and they say that she does not sleep at night. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: (Oh) she does not sleep at night! Choose an act which you are capable of doing (continuously). By Allah, Allah would not grow weary, but you will grow weary.

'A'isha said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to me when a woman was sitting with me. He said: Who is she? I said: She is a woman who does not sleep but prays. He said: Do such acts which you are capable of doing. By Allah, Allah does not grow weary but you will grow weary. The religious act most pleasing to Him is one the doer of which does it continuously. (And in the hadith transmitted by Abu Usama [the words are]:" She was a woman from Banu Asad." )

'A'isha reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying

When anyone amongst you dozes in prayer, he should sleep, till sleep is gone, for when one of you prays while dozing he does not know whether he may be asking pardon or vilifying himself.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

When any one of you gets up at night (for prayer) and his tongue falters in (the recitation) of the Qar'an, and he does not know what he is reciting, he should go to sleep.

Chapter 32: The book of the virtues of the Qur’an etc

Chapter 33: The command to keep refreshing one’s knowledge of the Qur’an and that it is disliked to say I have forgotten such-and-such a verse, but it is permissible to say I have been caused to forget

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard a person reciting the Qur'an at night. Upon this he said

May Allah show mercy to him; he has reminded me of such and such a verse which I had missed in such and such a surah.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) listened to the recitation of the Qur'an by a man in the mosque. Thereupon he said

May Allah have mercy upon him; be reminded me of the verse which I had been made to forget.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The example of a man who has memorised the Qur'an is like that of a hobbled camel. If he remained vigilant, he would be able to retain it (with him), and if he loosened the hobbled camel it would escape.

This hadith has been narrated by Ibn 'Umar from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but in the hadith transmited by Musa b. 'Uqba, this addition is made

" When one who had committed the Qur'an to memory (or who is familiar with it) gets up (for night prayer) and recites it night and day, it remains fresh in his mind, but if he does not get up (for prayer and thus does not recite it) he forgets it."

'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

What a wretched person is he amongst them who says: I have forgotten such and such a verse. (He should instead of using this expression say): I have been made to forget it. Try to remember the Qur'an for it is more apt to escape from men's minds than a hobbled camel.

'Abdullah is reported to have said

Keep refreshing your knowledge of the sacred books (or always renew your knowledge of these sacred books) and sometimes he would mention the Qur'an for it is more apt to escape from men's minds than animals which are hobbled, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: None of you should say: I forgot such and such a verse, but he has been made to forget.

Ibn Mas'ud reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Wretched is the man who says: I forgot such and such a sura, or I forget such and such a verse, but he has been made to forget.

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying

Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Qur'an, for I swear by Him in Whose Hand is the life of Mahammad that it is more liable to escape than camels which are hobbled.

Chapter 34: It is recommended to make one’s voice beautiful when reciting Qur’an

Abu Huraira reported this directly from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

God has not listened to anything as He listens to a Prophet reciting the Qur'an in a sweet voice.

This hadith has been narrated by Ibn Shihab with the same chain of transmitters with words

" As He listens to a Prophet reciting the Qur'an in a sweet voice."

Abu Huraira is reported to have heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Allah does not listen to anything, (more approvingly) as He listens to a Prophet reciting loudly the Qur'an in a sweet voice.

This hadith has been narrated with the same chain of transmitters by Ibn al-Had except this that Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying and he did not say

" He heard it."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Allah has not heard anything (more pleasing) than listening to the Prophet reciting the Qur'an in a sweet loud voice.

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters but with a slight modification of words.