The Holy Quran – Al-Shia The al-Shia Scientific, Cultural, and Doctrinal Website Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:09:52 +0000 en-US The Holy Quran – Al-Shia 32 32 Twelve Etiquettes of Recitation of the Holy Quran In Islam, every aspect of a believer’s life is guided by divine order and refinement, from acts of worship such as prayer and fasting to everyday practices like eating and sleeping. The recitation of the Holy Qur’an is no exception, as it is accompanied by specific rulings and etiquettes of recitation. Some of these etiquettes are obligatory, while others are recommended and enhance the beauty and impact of the recitation. Observing these etiquettes of recitation deepens one’s reverence for the Qur’an, attracts abundant spiritual benefits, and increases the divine blessings bestowed upon the reciter. It is notable that the etiquettes of Quranic recitation are derived from the Holy Quran itself and from the traditions (Ahadith) of the infallible Imams (AS). The purified Prophet’s household (the ) are the locus of revelation and the place where Gabriel descended; therefore, when it comes to the proper manners of recitation, this family should be considered as the model and guideline. As the Messenger of God (PBUHH) said: “They are with the Quran and the Quran is with them; they do not separate from it, nor does it separate from them …”. [1] 1. Purity and Wudu (Ablution) We should strive to be ritually pure and in a state of wudu when we recite the Quran. If we intend to touch the written text of the Quran with any part of our body, such as our hand, it is obligatory to be pure and in wudu. “A servant should not recite the Quran when he is in a state other than purity until he purifies himself”. [2] If the Quran we have chosen to read has also been translated into Persian or another language, touching the translation or its explanatory meanings with a hand or another body part while not in a state of purity and without wudu is not considered objectionable and is permitted. However, if the translation contains the names of God, the divine prophets, or the infallible Imams (AS), one must not touch those sacred Names with a hand or other body part while lacking purity and wudu. (Some of the Maraji-high-ranking jurists, hold different opinions on this point). 2. Quantity of Quran Recited It is commendable to recite the Holy Quran frequently; through abundant recitation the hearts, which may be tarnished, are awakened and become recipients of guidance, healing, blessing, and piety. God Almighty says in the Quran: “So recite what is easy [for you of the Quran]”. [3] Imam Sadiq (AS) says: “The Quran is God’s covenant to His creatures; therefore, it is fitting for a Muslim person to look into this covenant and to recite from it fifty verses every day”. [4] 3. Pleasant Scent, Perfume, and Using a Miswak It is good for a Quran reciter to use a pleasant fragrance while reciting and to clean the teeth with a miswak before recitation. Imam Sadiq (AS), quoting his noble grandfather, the Messenger of God (PBUHH), says: “Make the path of the Quran clean”. They asked, “O Messenger of God, what is the path of the Quran?” He replied: “Your mouths”. They asked: “With what [should we cleanse them]?” He said: “With the miswak”. [5] 4. A Beautiful Voice It is desirable to recite the Quran with a beautiful, melodious, and moving voice. Reciting in a moving tone (ḥazin) engenders a state of humility and reverence in the heart and touches hearts more deeply. The Prophet (A) said: “The Quran was revealed with sorrow; so when you recite it, weep; and if you can not weep, then make yourself appear as if you are weeping”. [6] He also said: “Everything has an adornment, and the adornment of the Quran is a beautiful voice”. [7] This recommendation was also reflected in the practice of the (AS), who themselves recited beautifully and pleasantly. It is reported that Imam Baqir (AS) recited so melodiously that passersby stopped in their tracks, and water-sellers on their rounds would halt and listen, giving their hearts to the pleasant sound of his recitation. [8] 5. Contemplation and Paying Attention When the Holy Quran is being recited, one should not speak; rather, one should listen calmly to its verses and reflect upon them. God Almighty says in the Quran: “And when the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent, that you may receive mercy”. [9] There is a difference between “listening” (istima) and “attentive silence” (insat); insat means silence combined with attention, reflection, and contemplation. Imam Sadiq (AS) says: “When the Quran is recited in your presence, attentive silence and listening are obligatory upon you”. [10] Thus, the key matter is “contemplation and reflection” upon the Quran. He asks: “Do they not then reflect upon the Quran?” [11] Do they not think deeply about it? In a tradition, we read that the of the Prophet learned the Quran ten verses at a time from him, and they would not learn the next ten verses until they had gained both knowledge and practice from the first ten. [12] Imam Ali (AS) said: “Behold, there is no good in recitation that does not contain contemplation; behold, there is no good in worship that does not involve understanding”. [13] 6. Recitation in the Style of Tartil (Measured, contemplative pacing) The Holy Quran should be recited in Tartil, that is, measured, slow, and accompanied by reflection: “And recite the Quran with measured recitation”. [14] In a tradition from Imam Sadiq (AS) explaining this verse, we read: “The Quran is not to be recited hurriedly; rather it should be recited in measured fashion. If you pass by a verse that mentions Paradise, stop there and ask God for Paradise; and if you pass by a verse that mentions the Fire, stop there and seek refuge in God from the Fire”. [15] 7. Supplication at the beginning and end It has been quoted that whenever Imam Sadiq (AS) would take up the Holy Quran, before opening and reciting it he would supplicate as follows: “O God, I bear witness that this is Your Book sent down from You to Your Messenger; Muhammad son of Abdullah, and that Your speech spoken through the tongue of Your Prophet, You have made it a guide from You to Your creatures and a connecting rope between You and Your servants. O God, I have spread forth Your covenant and Your Book. O God, make my looking into it an act of worship, my recitation of it an exercise in thought, and my reflection upon it a source of admonition. Make me among those who are admonished by the clear exhortations in it and who abstain from Your disobedience. Do not seal my hearing at the time of my recitation, and do not place a veil over my sight, and do not make my recitation a mere utterance without contemplation. Rather, make me one who ponders its verses and implements its rulings, observing the laws of Your religion. Do not make my looking into its heedlessness and my recitation mere noise. Indeed, you are the Clement, the Merciful”. [16] 8. Seeking Refuge (Istiadhah) and “Bismillah” before Recitation It is proper at the start of recitation, to seek refuge in God from Satan, as He says in verse 98 of Surah Al-Nahl: “So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed”. [17] In a tradition from Imam Sadiq (AS), when asked how to act upon this directive he replied: Utter “I seek refuge with the All-Hearing, All-Knowing from the accursed Satan”. This seeking refuge should not be limited to words alone; it must penetrate the depths of the soul so that when a person recites