Concerning Allah's statement,
[وَرَتِّلِ
الْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلاً]
(And Rattil the Qur'an Tartil.) meaning, recite it slowly, for that will help
in understanding the Qur'an and contemplating it. This is how the Prophet used
to recite. `A'ishah said, "He (the Prophet) used to recite the chapter slowly,
so much so that it would be longer than chapters that were actually longer than
it.'' In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is recorded from Anas that he was asked about the
recitation of the Messenger of Allah , so he replied, "He used to elongate the
letters.'' Then he (Anas) recited,
[بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ]
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) (1:1) and he
elongated "In the Name of Allah,'' and he elongated "The Most Gracious,'' and he
elongated "The Most Merciful.'' Ibn Jurayj reported from Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who
narrated from Umm Salamah that she was asked about the recitation of the
Messenger of Allah , so she said, "He used to pause in his recitation, verse by
verse.
[بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ - الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - الرَّحْمَـنِ
الرَّحِيمِ - مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ]
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is
Allah's, the Lord of all that exists. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The
Only Owner of the Day of Recompense.) (1:1-4) This was recorded by Ahmad, Abu
Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. We have already mentioned the Hadiths which prove the
recommendation of slow rhythmic recitation and beautification of the voice while
reciting at the beginning of this Tafsir. For example, the Hadith which states,
«زَيِّنُوا
الْقُرْآنَ بِأَصْوَاتِكُم»
(Beautify the Qur'an with your voices.) and the Hadith,
«لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ
لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآن»
(He is not of us who does not chant nicely with the recitation of the
Qur'an.) and the Hadith,
«لَقَدْ أُوتِيَ
هَذَا مِزْمَارًا مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُد»
(Verily, he has been given this windpipe from the windpipes of the family of
Dawud.) Referring to Abu Musa. Abu Musa replied, "If I knew that you had been
listening to my recitation, I would have truly beautified it for you.'' It has
been narrated from Ibn Mas`ud that he said, "Do not scatter the (recitation of)
Qur'an out like the scattering of sand, and do not rush through it like the
hasty recitation of poetry. Stop at its amazing parts and make your heart move
with it. None of you should let his concern be to reach the end of the
chapter.'' This has been recorded by Al-Baghawi. Al-Bukhari recorded from Abi
Wa'il that he said, "A man came to Ibn Mas`ud and said, `I read the Mufassal
chapters (from Qaf to An-Nas) last night in one unit of prayer.' Ibn Mas`ud
said, `This is rushing like the haste of reciting poetry. the Most Merciful. The
Only Owner of the Day of Recompense.) (1:1-4) This was recorded by Ahmad, Abu
Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. We have already mentioned the Hadiths which prove the
recommendation of slow rhythmic recitation and beautification of the voice while
reciting at the beginning of this Tafsir. For example, the Hadith which states,
«زَيِّنُوا
الْقُرْآنَ بِأَصْوَاتِكُم»
(Beautify the Qur'an with your voices.) and the Hadith,
«لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ
لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآن»
(He is not of us who does not chant nicely with the recitation of the
Qur'an.) and the Hadith,
«لَقَدْ أُوتِيَ
هَذَا مِزْمَارًا مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُد»
(Verily, he has been given this windpipe from the windpipes of the family of
Dawud.) Referring to Abu Musa. Abu Musa replied, "If I knew that you had been
listening to my recitation, I would have truly beautified it for you.'' It has
been narrated from Ibn Mas`ud that he said, "Do not scatter the (recitation of)
Qur'an out like the scattering of sand, and do not rush through it like the
hasty recitation of poetry. Stop at its amazing parts and make your heart move
with it. None of you should let his concern be to reach the end of the
chapter.'' This has been recorded by Al-Baghawi. Al-Bukhari recorded from Abi
Wa'il that he said, "A man came to Ibn Mas`ud and said, `I read the Mufassal
chapters (from Qaf to An-Nas) last night in one unit of prayer.' Ibn Mas`ud
said, `This is rushing like the haste of reciting poetry.