(regarding): 'Neither say your, prayer aloud, nor say it in a low tone.' (17.110) This Verse was revealed while Messenger of Allah ﷺ was hiding himself in Mecca. When he prayed with his companions, he used to raise his voice with the recitation of Qur'an, and if the pagans happened to hear him, they would abuse the Qur'an, the One who revealed it and the one who brought it. Therefore Allah said to His Prophet : 'Neither say your prayer aloud.' (17.110) i.e. do not recite aloud lest the pagans should hear you, but follow a way between.  

فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا} قَالَ نَزَلَتْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُخْتَفٍ بِمَكَّةَ كَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى بِأَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَإِذَا سَمِعَهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ} أَىْ بِقِرَاءَتِكَ فَيَسْمَعَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ {وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا} عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ فَلاَ تُسْمِعُهُمْ {وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً}  

regarding the explanation of the Verse:-- '(O Muhammad!) Neither say your prayer aloud, nor say it in a low tone.' (17.110) This Verse was revealed while Messenger of Allah ﷺ was hiding himself at Mecca. At that time, when he led his companions in prayer, he used to raise his voice while reciting the Qur'an; and if the pagans heard him, they would abuse the Qur'an, its Revealer, and the one who brought it. So Allah said to His Prophet: "Neither say your prayer aloud. i.e., your recitation (of Qur'an) lest the pagans should hear (it) and abuse the Qur'an" nor say it in a low tone, "lest your voice should fail to reach your companions, "but follow a way between." (17.110)  

فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا} قَالَ نَزَلَتْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُخْتَفٍ بِمَكَّةَ فَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى بِأَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَإِذَا سَمِعَهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ {وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ} أَىْ بِقِرَاءَتِكَ فَيَسْمَعَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ {وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا} عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ فَلاَ تُسْمِعُهُمْ {وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً}  

The word of (Allah) Great and Glorious: 'And utter not thy prayer loudly, nor be low in it" (xvii. 110) was revealed as the Messenger of Allah (may peace beupon him) was hiding himself in Mecca. When he led his Companions in prayer he raised his voice (while reciting the) Qur'an. And when the polytheists heard that, they reviled the Qur'an and Him Who revealed it and him who brought it. Upon this Allah, the Exalted, said to His Apostle ﷺ: Utter not thy prayer so loudly that the polytheists may hear thy recitation and (recite it) not so low that it may be inaudible to your Companions. Make them hear the Qur'an, but do not recite it loudly and seek a (middle) way between these. Recite between loud and low tone.  

فِي قَوْلِهِ ﷻ { وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا} قَالَ نَزَلَتْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَوَارٍ بِمَكَّةَ فَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى بِأَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَإِذَا سَمِعَ ذَلِكَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ { وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ} فَيَسْمَعَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ قِرَاءَتَكَ { وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا} عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ أَسْمِعْهُمُ الْقُرْآنَ وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ ذَلِكَ الْجَهْرَ وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً يَقُولُ بَيْنَ الْجَهْرِ وَالْمُخَافَتَةِ  

Concerning the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: "And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice"- It was revealed when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was still (preaching) in secret in Makkah. When he led his companions in prayer, he would raise his voice" -(One of the narrators) Ibn Mani' said: He would recite the Quran out loud"- "And when the idolators heard his voice they would insult the Quran, and the One Who revealed it, and the one who brought it. So Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said to His Prophet ﷺ: And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud that is, such that the idolators can hear your recitation and insult the Quran; nor in a low voice, so that your companions cannot hear; but follow a way between."  

فِي قَوْلِهِ ﷻ { وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا } قَالَ نَزَلَتْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُخْتَفٍ بِمَكَّةَ فَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى بِأَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ وَقَالَ ابْنُ مَنِيعٍ يَجْهَرُ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ إِذَا سَمِعُوا صَوْتَهُ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ ﷻ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ { وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ } أَىْ بِقِرَاءَتِكَ فَيَسْمَعُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ { وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا } عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ فَلاَ يَسْمَعُوا { وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً }  

"The Prophet ﷺ used to raise his voice when reciting Quran, and when the idolaters heard his voice they would insult the Quran and the one who had brought it. So the Prophet ﷺ began to lower his voice such that his companions would not hear him. Then Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: 'And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between.'"  

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَرْفَعُ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ إِذَا سَمِعُوا صَوْتَهُ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَخْفِضُ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَا كَانَ يَسْمَعُهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً }  

from Ibn 'Abbas, regarding: 'And offer your Salat neither aloud nor in a low voice (17:110)." He said: "It was revealed in Makkah. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would raise his voice with the Qur'an, the idolaters would insult him, the One Who revealed it, and the one who came with it. So Allah revealed: And offer your Salat neither aloud so that they would not insult the Qur'an and the One who revealed it, and the one who came with it, nor in a low voice (too low) such that you can let your Companions hear it, and learn it from you."  

نَزَلَتْ بِمَكَّةَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ سَبَّهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ (وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ ) فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ (وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا ) عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ بِأَنْ تُسْمِعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْخُذُوا عَنْكَ الْقُرْآنَ  

from Ibn 'Abbas regarding Allah's saying: "And offer your Salat neither aloud nor in a low voice but follow a way between." He said: "It was revealed when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was hiding himself in Makkah, and when he led his Companions in Salat, he would raise his voice with the Qur'an. So when the idolaters heard it they would insult the Qur'an, the One Who revealed it, and the one who came with it. So Allah, Most High, said to His Prophet: 'And offer your Salat neither aloud' that is: Your recitation, so that the idolaters would not hear it and insult the Qur'an. 'Nor in a low voice (too low)' for your Companions, 'but follow a way between.'"  

فِي قَوْلِهِ (وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً ) قَالَ نَزَلَتْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُخْتَفٍ بِمَكَّةَ وَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى بِأَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ إِذَا سَمِعُوهُ شَتَمُوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ لِنَبِيِّهِ (وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ ) أَىْ بِقِرَاءَتِكَ فَيَسْمَعَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ (وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا ) عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ ( وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً ) هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ