Which is better: reading the Quran or listening to it?

21-12-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

Long time ago I used to read at least one Juzu' (part) of Quraan daily. Now after the deployment of the Quraan stations in the radio and TVs if I found that it is easier for me to listen to the Quraan via radio, is it the same or it is better to read Quran manually? thanks and regards
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

First of all, you should know that both reading the Quran  and listening to it are required, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) read the Quran  and listened to it from others as confirmed in an authentic narration that he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) asked Ibn Mas'ood may Allaah be pleased with him to recite the Quran for him. He also listened to the recitation of Abu Moosaa Al-Ash'ari may Allaah be pleased with him. Therefore, both reading and listening to the Quran are required.

What is better depends on the mood of the person himself, in some cases one finds that it is better for him to read but at other times he may find that listening to it from others is better. However, one should read the Quran more than his listening to it, as this was the way of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and his companions may Allaah be pleased with them. When one reads, his tongue, heart and eyes are preoccupied; the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Whoever listens to a verse from Allaah's Book, he will get a reward that will be multiplied for him, and whoever reads it, it will be for him a light on the Day of Judgement." This narration is reported by Imaam Ahmad with a weak chain of narrators, and it is narrated by Abu Hurayrah may Allaah be pleased with him.

Therefore, we advise you to continue reading your usual part of the Quran and not stop and just listen to the Quran. Indeed the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "If anyone recites a letter from Allaah's Book, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter." [At-Tirmithi]

Allaah Knows best.

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