The superiority of the Qur'an over the words of His creation is like the superiority of Allah Himself over His creation.
The Quran represents is a form of Divine guidance for every Muslim. Its revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his practical implementation of the revelation, completed Allah's blessing for humanity, in providing us with a belief and value system that is valid for all times. The Quran confirms the revelations given to earlier Prophets, though these might not be accessible to us, in the form they were originally revealed. The most sublime language and a rational message that directly appeals to the human heart have caused this Divine book to move nations and civilizations. It will continue to guide those who turn to Allah with a sincere heart, for all times.
The movement of the tongue in reciting the Qur'an is the best action that the tongue may ever perform. There are many virtues in teaching and reciting the Qur'an, some of which are the following said:
1. The reward of teaching: Narrated `Uthman: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it."
حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ مَرْثَدٍ، سَمِعْتُ سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيِّ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ ". قَالَ وَأَقْرَأَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ فِي إِمْرَةِ عُثْمَانَ حَتَّى كَانَ الْحَجَّاجُ، قَالَ وَذَاكَ الَّذِي أَقْعَدَنِي مَقْعَدِي هَذَا.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5027; Book 66, Hadith 49; Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 545
2. The reward of reciting: Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,"Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter. [At-Tirmidhi]
وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "من قرأ حرفًا من كتاب الله فله حسنة، والحسنة بعشر أمثالها لا أقول: ألم حرف، ولكن ألف حرف، ولام حرف، وميم حرف"((راوه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).
Reference : Book 9, Hadith 9; Book 9, Hadith 999
3. The reward of learning the Qur'an, memorizing it and being skillful in its recitation: Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur'an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur'an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "الذي يقرأ القرآن وهو ماهر به مع السفرة الكرام البررة، والذي يقرأ القرآن ويتتعتع فيه وهو عليه شاق له أجران" ((متفق عليه)).
Reference : Book 9, Hadith 4; Book 9, Hadith 994
It was also by narrated that 'Ali bin Abu Talib said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever reads the Qur'an and memorizes it, Allah will admit him to Paradise and allow him to intercede for ten of his family members who all deserved to enter Hell." Grade: Da'if (Darussalam)
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُمَرَ، عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ زَاذَانَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَحَفِظَهُ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَشَفَّعَهُ فِي عَشَرَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ كُلُّهُمْ قَدِ اسْتَوْجَبُوا النَّارَ "
Reference : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 216; Book 1, Hadith 221
4. The reward for teaching the Qur'an to one's children: Mu'adh al-Juhani reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: "If anyone recites the Qur'an and acts according to its content, on the Day of Judgement his parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is better than the light of the sun in the dwellings of this world if it were among you. So what do you think of him who acts according to this?" Grade: Da'if (Al-Albani)
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ السَّرْحِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ زَبَّانَ بْنِ فَائِدٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَمِلَ بِمَا فِيهِ أُلْبِسَ وَالِدَاهُ تَاجًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ضَوْؤُهُ أَحْسَنُ مِنْ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ فِي بُيُوتِ الدُّنْيَا لَوْ كَانَتْ فِيكُمْ فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِالَّذِي عَمِلَ بِهَذَا "
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 1453; Book 8, Hadith 38; Book 8, Hadith 1448
5. Intercession of the Qur'an for its reciter in the Hereafter: It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There is a surah in the Qur'an, with thirty verses, which will intercede for its companion (the one who recites it) until he is forgiven: Tabarakal-ladhi bi yadihil mulk (Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the Dominion)."
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَبَّاسٍ الْجُشَمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ سُورَةً فِي الْقُرْآنِ ثَلاَثُونَ آيَةً شَفَعَتْ لِصَاحِبِهَا حَتَّى غُفِرَ لَهُ {تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ} " .
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah 3786; Book 33, Hadith 131; Vol. 5, Book 33, Hadith 3786
6. The reward of those who congregate for the recitation and study of the Qur'an: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever alleviates the need of a needy person, Allah will alleviate his needs in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever shields [or hides the misdeeds of] a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah will aid His slave so long as he aids his brother. And whoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the Houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that sakeenah (tranquility) descends upon them, and mercy envelops them, and the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them amongst those who are with Him. And whoever is slowed down by his actions, will not be hastened forward by his lineage.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: "مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا نَفَّسَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ، يَسَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِما سَتَرَهُ اللهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ، وَاَللَّهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيهِ، وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ، وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ؛ إلَّا نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ السَّكِينَةُ، وَغَشِيَتْهُمْ الرَّحْمَةُ، وَ حَفَّتهُمُ المَلاَئِكَة، وَذَكَرَهُمْ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ، وَمَنْ أَبَطْأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ". [رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ] بهذا اللفظ.
Reference: 40 Hadith Nawawi 36; Hadith 36
The Etiquette of Reciting the Qur'an: Ibn Katheer mentioned some of these etiquettes, and among them are the following:
One should neither recite nor touch the Qur'an except in a state of purification.
One should use Siwak to clean his teeth before recitation.
One should wear his best clothes
One should face the direction of prayer (Qiblah).
One should pause his recitation when yawning.
One should not interrupt his recitation and speak, except if necessary.
One should be attentive to what he is reciting.
One should pause at a verse mentioning reward and ask Allah for that reward.
One should pause at a verse mentioning punishment and seek refuge in Allah from that punishment.
One should not leave the Qur'an opened, nor place anything on it.
One should not raise his voice when reciting to the extent that he confuses other adjacent recitors.
One should not recite in marketplaces and places of distracting noise.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Gabriel recited the Qur'an to me in one way. Then I requested him (to read it in another way), and continued asking him to recite it in other ways, and he recited it in several ways till he ultimately recited it in seven different ways."
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ، فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَيَزِيدُنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ ".
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 4991; Book 66, Hadith 13; Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 513
Multiplication of Reward: Every person who recites the Qur'an purely for Allah's sake will receive reward, but this reward is multiplied if the recitation is accompanied with attentiveness, contemplation and understanding of what is being recited. If it is done in this manner, each recited letter will be multiplied from ten to seven hundred times.
Daily Recitation: Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al `As: My father got me married to a lady of a noble family, and often used to ask my wife about me, and she used to reply, "What a wonderful man he is! He never comes to my bed, nor has he approached me since he married me." When this state continued for a long period, my father told the story to the Prophet who said to my father, "Let me meet him." Then I met him and he asked me, "How do you fast?" I replied, "I fast daily," He asked, "How long does it take you to finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an?" I replied, "I finish it every night." On that he said, "Fast for three days every month and recite the Qur'an (and finish it) in one month." I said, "But I have power to do more than that." He said, "Then fast for three days per week." I said, "I have the power to do more than that." He said, "Therefore, fast the most superior type of fasting, (that is, the fasting of (prophet) David who used to fast every alternate day; and finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an In seven days." I wish I had accepted the permission of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as I have become a weak old man. It is said that `Abdullah used to recite one-seventh of the Qur'an during the day-time to some of his family members, for he used to check his memorization of what he would recite at night during the daytime so that it would be easier for him to read at night. And whenever he wanted to gain some strength, he used to give up fasting for some days and count those days to fast for a similar period, for he disliked to leave those things which he used to do during the lifetime of the Prophet.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ أَنْكَحَنِي أَبِي امْرَأَةً ذَاتَ حَسَبٍ فَكَانَ يَتَعَاهَدُ كَنَّتَهُ فَيَسْأَلُهَا عَنْ بَعْلِهَا فَتَقُولُ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ لَمْ يَطَأْ لَنَا فِرَاشًا وَلَمْ يُفَتِّشْ لَنَا كَنَفًا مُذْ أَتَيْنَاهُ فَلَمَّا طَالَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ ذَكَرَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " الْقَنِي بِهِ ". فَلَقِيتُهُ بَعْدُ فَقَالَ " كَيْفَ تَصُومُ ". قَالَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ. قَالَ " وَكَيْفَ تَخْتِمُ ". قَالَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةً. قَالَ " صُمْ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةً وَاقْرَإِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ". قَالَ قُلْتُ أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ " صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْجُمُعَةِ ". قُلْتُ أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ " أَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَصُمْ يَوْمًا ". قَالَ قُلْتُ أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ " صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمِ دَاوُدَ صِيَامَ يَوْمٍ وَإِفْطَارَ يَوْمٍ وَاقْرَأْ فِي كُلِّ سَبْعِ لَيَالٍ مَرَّةً ". فَلَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَذَاكَ أَنِّي كَبِرْتُ وَضَعُفْتُ فَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى بَعْضِ أَهْلِهِ السُّبْعَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ بِالنَّهَارِ وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ يَعْرِضُهُ مِنَ النَّهَارِ لِيَكُونَ أَخَفَّ عَلَيْهِ بِاللَّيْلِ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَقَوَّى أَفْطَرَ أَيَّامًا وَأَحْصَى وَصَامَ مِثْلَهُنَّ كَرَاهِيةَ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ شَيْئًا فَارَقَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَيْهِ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي ثَلاَثٍ وَفِي خَمْسٍ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ عَلَى سَبْعٍ.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5052; Book 66, Hadith 77; Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 572
Thus, spend your time in reciting the Qur'an. Set yourself a fixed amount to recite daily, and do not leave it no matter what happens, since a small amount recited regularly is better than a large amount recited occasionally. If you forget or fall asleep, make up that recitation on the next day, as 'Umar b. Khattab reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Should anyone fall asleep and fail to recite his portion of the Qur'an, or a part of it, if he recites it between the dawn prayer and the noon prayer, it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night.
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ السَّائِبِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَاهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ نَامَ عَنْ حِزْبِهِ أَوْ عَنْ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ فَقَرَأَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ وَصَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ كُتِبَ لَهُ كَأَنَّمَا قَرَأَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ " .
Reference: Sahih Muslim 747; Book 6, Hadith 174; Book 4, Hadith 1629
Do not be of those who neglect the Qur'an or forget it in any way, such as failing to read it, recite it, not contemplating its meanings, not putting its teachings into action or not seeking the cure of illnesses by it.
Rest Allah knows best.
Source: Quran, Sunnah, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, In the shade of the Qur'an, An Explanation of the Last Tenth of the Noble Qur'an [Also with Critical Matters in the Life of a Muslim] Paperback – 2007; www.tafseer.info