VIRTUES OF THE HOLY QUR'AN
HOW THE DIVINE INSPIRATIONS USED TO BE REVEALED AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING REVEALED TO THE MESSENGER (S.A.W.)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (R.A.): The Prophet (S.A.W.) Said, "There was no Phophet among the Prophets but was given miracles because of which people had security has Belief, but what I have been given, is the Divine Inspiration which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any Prophets on the Day of Judgement."[Shih Al-Bukhari]
Narrated Anas bin Malik (R.A.) Allah (S.W.T.) sent down His Divine Inspiration to His Messenger (S.A.W.) continuously and abundantly during the period preceding his death until He took him unto Him. That was the period of the greatest part of revelation and Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.) died after that.
The angel Jibreal (Gabriel) used to present (recite) the Qur'an to the Prophet (S.A.W.) .
Narrated Fatimah (R.A.) The Prophet (S.A.W.) told me secretly, "Jibreal (Gabriel) used to recite to me and I to him the (whole) Qur'an once in a year, but this year he recited (the whole of Qur'an) twice. I do not think but that my death is approaching." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
THE SUPERIORITY OF SURAT IKHLAS
Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (R.A.): A man heard another man reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, "Say [O Mohammad (S.A.W.)]: He is Allah the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute, He begetteth not, Nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him. [repeatly] The next morning he came to Allah's messenger (S.A.W.) and informed him about it as if he thought that it was not enough to recite. On that Allah's Messenger said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, this Surah is equal to one-third of the Holy Qur'an [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (R.A.): The Prophet (S.A.W.) said to his companions, "Is it difficult for any of you to recite one-third of the Holy Qur'an in one night?" This suggestion was difficult for them so they said, "Who among us has the power to do so, O Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.)? The Prophet replied, "Say, He is Allah the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need." [Sura Ikhlas (112:1-4)] is equal to one-third of the Holy Qur'an. [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
THE SUPERIORITY OF AL-MU'AWWITH (SURAT AL-FALAQ AND SURAT AN-NAS).
Narrated Aisha (R.A.) "Whenever the Prophet (S.A.W.) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do it three times." [SAhih Al-Bukhari]
THE DESCENT OF AS-SAKINA (PEACE, REASSURANCE, AND TRANQUILITY) AND ANGELS AT THE TIME OF THE RECITATION OF THE HOLY QUR'AN.
Narrated Usaid bin Hudair (R.A.) that while he was reciting Surat Al-Baqarah at night, and his horse was tied beside him, the horse was suddenly started and troubled. When he stopped reciting, the horse became quit, and when he started again, the horse was startled again. Then he stopped reciting and the horse became quit too. He started reciting again and the horse was startled and troubled once again. Then he stopped reciting and his son, Yahya was beside the horse. He was afraid that the horse might trample on him. When he took the boy away and looked towards the sky, he could not see it. That morning he informed the Prophet (S.A.W.) who said, "Recite, O Ibn Hudair! O Ibn Hudir!"
Ibn Hudair (R.A.) replied, "O Allah's Messenger! (S.A.W.) My son Yahya was near the horse and I was afraid that it might trample on him, so I raised my head, and went to him. When I raised my head, and looked towards the sky, I saw something like a cloud containing what looked like lamps, so I went out in order not to see it"
The Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "Do you know what that was?"
Ibn Hudair (R.A.) replied, No.
"The Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "Those were angels who came near to you for your voice, and if you had kept on reciting till dawn, they would have remained there till morning when the people would have seen them. They would not have disappeared".
Narrated Abu Musa (R.A.) The Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "The example of a believer who recites the Holy Qur'an and acts on it, is like a citron which tastes nice and smells nice.
And the example of a believer who does not recite the Holy Qur'an but act on it, is like a date which tastes good but has no smell. And the example of a hypocrite who recites Qur'an is like a Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is like a colocynth which tastes bitter and has a bad smell."
