5. Voluntary Prayers
٥۔ كتاب التطوع
The Prophet's ﷺ recitation was loud enough for one who was in the inner chamber to hear it when he was in the house.
كَانَتْ قِرَاءَةُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا يَسْمَعُهُ مَنْ فِي الْحُجْرَةِ وَهُوَ فِي الْبَيْتِ
The Prophet's ﷺ recitation at night was partly in a loud voice and partly in a low voice. Abu Dawud said: The name of Abu Khalid al-Walibi is Hurmuz.
أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَةُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ يَرْفَعُ طَوْرًا وَيَخْفِضُ طَوْرًا
The Prophet ﷺ went out at night and found AbuBakr praying in a low voice, and he passed Umar ibn al-Khattab who was raising his voice while praying. When they both met the Prophet ﷺ together, the Prophet ﷺ said: I passed by you, AbuBakr, when you were praying in a low voice. He replied: I made Him hear with Whom I was holding intimate converse, Messenger of Allah. He (the Prophet) said to Umar: I passed by you when you were praying in a loud voice. He replied: Messenger of Allah, I was awakening the drowsy and driving away the Devil. Al-Hasan added in his version: The Prophet ﷺ said: Raise your voice a little, AbuBakr, and he said to Umar: Lower your voice a little.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً فَإِذَا هُوَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ ؓ يُصَلِّي يَخْفِضُ مِنْ صَوْتِهِ قَالَ وَمَرَّ بِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي رَافِعًا صَوْتَهُ قَالَ فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعَا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ مَرَرْتُ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ تُصَلِّي تَخْفِضُ صَوْتَكَ قَالَ قَدْ أَسْمَعْتُ مَنْ نَاجَيْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ وَقَالَ لِعُمَرَ مَرَرْتُ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ تُصَلِّي رَافِعًا صَوْتَكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُوقِظُ الْوَسْنَانَ وَأَطْرُدُ الشَّيْطَانَ زَادَ الْحَسَنُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ ارْفَعْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ شَيْئًا وَقَالَ لِعُمَرَ اخْفِضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ شَيْئًا
Raise your voice a litte ; or he said to 'Umar: Lower your voice a little. But this version adds: (The Prophet said:) I heard you, Bilal, (reciting) ; you were reciting partly from this surah and partly from that surah. He said: This is all good speech ; Allah has combined one part with the other; The Prophet ﷺ said: All of you were correct.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ فَقَالَ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ ارْفَعْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ شَيْئًا وَلِعُمَرَ اخْفِضْ شَيْئًا زَادَ وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُكَ يَا بِلاَلُ وَأَنْتَ تَقْرَأُ مِنْ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ وَمِنْ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ قَالَ كَلاَمٌ طَيِّبٌ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بَعْضَهُ إِلَى بَعْضٍ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ كُلُّكُمْ قَدْ أَصَابَ
A man got up at night and recited the Qur'an in a loud voice. When the dawn came, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: May Allah have mercy on so-and-so who reminded me many verses that I had nearly forgotten. Abu Dawud said: Harun al-Nahwi transmitted from Hammad b. Salamah the Quranic verse of Surah Al-'Imran: "How many of the prophet fought (in Allah's way)" (3:146)
أَنَّ رَجُلاً قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَرَأَ فَرَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ فُلاَنًا كَأَيِّنْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَذْكَرَنِيهَا اللَّيْلَةَ كُنْتُ قَدْ أَسْقَطْتُهَا
Discouraged to pray loudly and disturbing others
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did i'tikaf (performed spiritual retreat) in the masjid. He heard them reciting ˹the Quran˺ loudly. He removed the curtain and said: "Every one of you is in a private conversation with his Lord. so do not disturb each other while raising their voices in recitation" or said, "in prayer."
اعْتَكَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَسَمِعَهُمْ يَجْهَرُونَ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ فَكَشَفَ السِّتْرَ وَقَالَ «أَلاَ إِنَّ كُلَّكُمْ مُنَاجٍ رَبَّهُ فَلاَ يُؤْذِيَنَّ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا وَلاَ يَرْفَعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ» أَوْ قَالَ «فِي الصَّلاَةِ»
The Prophet ﷺ said: One who recites the Qur'an in a loud voice is like one who gives alms openly; and one who recites the Qur'an quietly is one who gives alms secretly.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْجَاهِرُ بِالْقُرْآنِ كَالْجَاهِرِ بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَالْمُسِرُّ بِالْقُرْآنِ كَالْمُسِرِّ بِالصَّدَقَةِ