VOLUME 2 – 315 – READING ALOUD IN NIGHT PRAYERS
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: The measure of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reciting aloud in prayer was to the extent that those in other rooms could hear him.
It is narrated from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would sometimes raise his voice and at other times lower it during the recitation in the night prayer.
Abu Dawud said: The one mentioned, Abu Khalid al-Walibi, is Hormuz.
Abū Katādah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) went out of his house one night to his companions. And he saw Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) performing prayer. He was reciting the Qur’an quietly in his recitation. The narrator says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) encountered Umar, the son of al- Khattab. (He too was praying but) he was reciting aloud. When they gathered around the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him), he said to them:
“O Abū Bakr, I found you performing prayer and you were lowering your voice in recitation.”
Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah, I was making my supplication so that it may reach the One I am supplicating [Allah], and He responded.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) then said to Umar: “I also found you, and you were reciting prayer aloud.”
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: “I was awakening the sleepy and driving away Satan.”
In the narration of Hāsan ibn Sābah, the following was added: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: ‘O Abū Bakr, raise your voice a little, and you Umar, lower your voice a little.’” [289]
**EXPLANATION:**
The degree of loudness in prayer is to recite so that one can hear oneself. As for those who are imams, they may recite according to the condition of the congregation. Those who recite aloud should also not forget that they are in the presence of Allah and should not shout harshly.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) related this narrative (the preceding hadith). However, he did not mention the statement: "You raise your voice a little, O Abu Bakr, and you lower yours a little, O Umar." Rather, he added: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O Bilal, I have heard what you recite, and you were reciting some of this surah as well.” Bilal said, "Excellent speech. May Allah gather them together." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then said, “You have all spoken the truth.”
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) related:
Someone rose during a portion of the night and recited the Qur’an aloud.
In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “May Allah have mercy on so-and-so. He reminded me tonight of a verse that I had forgotten: ‘A great number of signs.’”
Abu Dawud said:
I transmitted this hadith from Harun al-Nahwi, who related it from Hammad bin Salama. He reminded me of the chapter Al-Imran and the verse (And many a prophet Allah has destroyed with those whom he led astray alongside him; countless are the hosts that accompanied them.) [3:146]. [290]
COMMENTARY
The person who recited the Qur’an aloud at night in the Masjid of Saad was Abdullah bin Yazid Ansari, one of the reciters. (Kastalani) He said that the verse the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) had forgotten was verse 105 of the chapter Yusuf.
Abū Saʻīd, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, went into retreat in the mosque. He heard the companions reciting the Qur'an aloud and opened the curtain, saying: “Indeed, you are all supplicating your Lord. Do not cause distress to one another. Do not raise your voices above one another in recitation, or (the narrator doubts) do not make excessive noise with one another in prayer.”
[Annotation: This is a directive for students studying the Qur'an and those reciting it near people praying, to consider others.]
Ukba ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “He who recites the Qur’an openly is like one who gives charity openly. And he who recites the Qur'an secretly is like one who gives charity in secret.”