Does a Melodious Voice Increase One in Khushu’ ?

**Al-Hanbali** · 06-20-2009

Something to ponder over....

Bismillah

Shaykh Muhammad al-Hasan Ould al-Diddo said:

“…[S]eldom do you find one who is submissivly humble, who, when he hears the Qur’an, is affected by it. The people are [only] affected by the melodious voices of the reciters. They are affected by and react positively to the one whose recitation amazes them. This is not from Khushu’; rather, [true] Khushu’ is connected to the meaning, not the expression [lafz]…”

I came across this quote a couple of weeks ago and it seems true. Just last night I stumbled across a confirmation of what the Shaykh said. In al-Anwar al-Qudusiyya, Imam ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha’rani quoted Shaykh Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-Arabi:

“If the faqir find his heart [attentive] in listening to the recitation of the Qur’an due to the melodious voice of the reciter, and he does not find his heart [attentive] when hearing it [the Qur'an] from another reciter, then his listening is tainted [ma'lul]: that softness that he finds in his heart is [merely] from human nature.” [taken from chapter 183 of the Futuhat]

**aadil77** · 06-20-2009

JazakhAllah

I was actually thinking about this, wondering if its right to be listening to such and such surah by so and so imam just because it melodious and sounds good, whilst other reciters are not as melodious but pray equally as good. I thinks its because for us who don't understand arabic those recitations are easier to recite after whilst listening to them.
I think if we can understand the meaning of the Quran in arabic then it shouldn't be as much of a problem.

So can someone explain what khushoo is? is this a sign of ignorance ?

**Walkinfront** · 06-21-2009

"Khushu means calmness and tranquility of the body and attentiveness of the mind."

Basically its how attentive and how focused you are on what you are hearing. Its a good thing

**Khaldun** · 06-21-2009

This is meant in a general sense, yet there are numours ahaadith from the prophet that praise reciting the Qur'aan with a melodious voice.

Whoever does not beautify the Quran (recite it melodiously) he is not of us

Even the sahaba narrate the beauty of the reciation of the Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wassallam)

Malik and Shu`bah narrated from `Adi bin Thabit, who narrated that Al-Bara' bin `Azib said, "The Prophet used to recite in one of his Rak`ahs while traveling `At-Tin waz-Zaytun' (Surat At-Tin), and I have never heard anyone with a nicer voice or recitation than him.'' The Group has recorded this Hadith in their books.

And the very fact that the prophet choose to hear the Qur'aan being recited back to him from the likes of Abdullaah bin Mas'uud and Ubayy bin Ka'b wherein he praises the latter for his reciation, shows that there is nothing blameworthy in liking the reciation of a skilled reciter.

But what has to be known is that even though you might prefer hearing the Qur'aan being recited from a particular reciter does not mean you do not like hearing it from another, the Qur'aan is always one.

**brotherubaid** · 06-21-2009

Yes Quran should be recited in a melodious voice, n yes at times it does increase the khushoo, coz at time swhen the voice is not nice or he is not reciting it in a proper way no mater what ayat he is reciting one cannot fell any khushoo, depends on the recitor.

But yes i stronlgy disagree with the duaa(witr prayer) being recited in a melodious voice , there is no evidence whatsoever of that, and its sad how sooo many imams have fallen into this. AlhumdolIllah our masjid here in dubai the imam we expect him to be on khair n Sunnah , he lierally does duaa like duaa on friday sermon, and teher is sheikh abu obaid in sharjah who does duaa that way and this is the sunnah and Allah knows best.

**Ummu Sufyaan** · 06-22-2009

Originally Posted by Saifur-Rahmaan

Something to ponder over....

interesting...but sometimes one will find that they listen/contemplate the words/meanings more DUE to a particular reciter they listen to.. so whats wrong with that

**Walkinfront** · 06-23-2009

Originally Posted by Umm ul-Shaheed

interesting...but sometimes one will find that they listen/contemplate the words/meanings more DUE to a particular reciter they listen to.. so whats wrong with that

Well I notice that happens when a certain reciter puts stress on certain ayaat which make the recitation flow more smoothly. For example, If the way a certain qari reads surat al hashr is more emotional than another, there should be no problem listening to that qari for that particular sura.

**Al-Hanbali** · 06-23-2009

Originally Posted by Umm ul-Shaheed

interesting...but sometimes one will find that they listen/contemplate the words/meanings more DUE to a particular reciter they listen to.. so whats wrong with that

I absolutely agree with that...

The point was not to suggest that preferring one qiraa'ah over another is wrong in and of itself or reciting the qur'aan melodiously is incorrect ... but rather to highlight the importance of pondering over the meanings of the Qur'aan ...

as Allaah says: "Do they not then think deeply in the Quran, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?" [47:24]