Imam Al-Qurtubi, in his tafsir, reported from Ibn Abbas who said: Abu Jahl said, “When Muhammad recites, yell at his face so he does not know what he says.” Then Allah revealed: “And those who disbelieve say, 'Do not listen to this Qur'an and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome.'” (Fussilat: 26) Mujahid said: It means to make noise with whistling, clapping, and mixing up speech until it becomes mere talk. Al-Dahhak said: It means to talk excessively so that what he says becomes confused. ⁽¹⁾ This indicates the keenness of the disbelievers to divert people from listening to the Qur'an.

This has always been the practice of the enemies of Islam, whether in the past or the present, where they strive to cause disruption and occupy people with distractions to divert their attention from the Quran. Listening to the Qur'an has great benefits and virtues, as follows:

1. Obeying the Command of Allah: Allah says, “So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.” (Al-A'raf: 204) This means to listen attentively to understand its ayahs and pay attention to its warnings. ⁽²⁾ Allah describes the believers as those who do not turn a deaf ear to the recitation of the Qur'an, but rather they listen to it and are guided by it: “And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind.” (Al-Furqan: 73) Allah also describes the people of knowledge with good listening to the Qur'an and being affected by it: “And [it is] a Qur'an which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively. Say, 'Believe in it or do not believe. Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration, and they say, 'Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.' And they fall upon their faces weeping, and the Qur'an increases them in humble submission.” (Al-Isra: 106-109)
2. Following the Example of the Messenger of Allah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to listen to the Qur'an and declare his love for it. In Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, “If you were to see me, as I was listening to your recitation (of the Qur'an) yester-night (you would have felt delighted). You are in fact endowed with a sweet voice like that of David himself.” He said, “Had I known you were listening, I would have beautified my recitation even more.”

In the Musnad of Ahmad, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque one night while he was with Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them. Ibn Mas'ud was praying and reciting Surah An-Nisa. He reached the hundredth verse when the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever would like to recite the Qur'an fresh as it was revealed, let him recite it according to the recitation of Ibn Umm 'Abd.” – meaning Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.

In Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abdullah said: The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, “Recite the Qur'an to me.” I said, “Shall I recite (the Qur'an) to you while it has been revealed to you?” He said, “I like to hear it from others.” Ibn Battal said: It is possible that he wanted to hear it from others so that presenting the Qur'an becomes a Sunnah, and it is possible that he wanted to ponder and understand it, as the listener is better able to reflect, and his soul is more free and active from the reciter, who is preoccupied with reading and its rules. ⁽³⁾

3. Guidance to the Straight Path: Allah confirms that the Qur'an guides to what is most upright, saying, “Indeed, this Qur'an guides to that which is most suitable.” (Al-Isra: 9) He also says, “So give good tidings to My servants who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding.” (Az-Zumar: 17-18) The Qur'an clarifies that when the jinn listened to the Qur'an, they declared that it guides to the straight path. Allah says, “And [mention O Muhammad] when We directed to you a few of the jinn, listening to the Qur'an. And when they attended it, they said, 'Listen quietly.' And when it was concluded, they went back to their people as warners. They said, 'O our people, indeed we have heard a [recited] Book revealed after Moses confirming what was before it which guides to the truth and to a straight path.'” (Al-Ahqaf: 29-30)

Some modern studies have confirmed that listening to the Qur'an guides the mind, heart, and body towards goodness, reducing diseases and improving behavior. Allah says, “And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.” (Al-Isra: 82)

4. Exposure to Allah's Mercy: Allah points out that listening to the Qur'an brings His mercy and makes the servant deserving of it. He says, “And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.” (Al-A'raf: 204)
5. Purity and Tranquility of the Heart: Reading the Qur'an and listening to it softens and calms the heart. Allah says, “Allah has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allah leaves astray - for him there is no guide.” (Az-Zumar: 23) He also says, “And those who disbelieve say, 'Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?' Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.” (Al-Furqan: 32) Indeed, listening to the Qur'an brings humility to the heart. Allah says, “If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.” (Al-Hashr: 21) Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “If your hearts were pure, they would never get enough of the words of Allah, the Almighty.” ⁽⁴⁾

6. Attaining Multiplied Rewards: Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad from Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “He who listens to a verse from the Book of Allah, a good deed is written down for him, and He who recites it, it will be a light for him on the day of resurrection.”
7. Increasing Faith: Listening to the Qur'an increases faith. Allah says, “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases their faith.” (Al-Anfal: 2) This is because they listen to it attentively and prepare their hearts for reflection, thus their faith increases. ⁽⁵⁾
8. A Means of Dawah (Calling to Allah): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was keen for people to hear the Qur'an. The polytheists would sneak out and secretly listen to the Qur'an from him and from Abu Bakr and be affected by it. Allah urges believers to deliver the Qur'an to people so they may hear it. He says, “And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety.” (At-Tawbah: 6)
9.  Protection from Following the Misguided: Allah describes those who do not believe in the Hereafter as being reluctant to listening to the Qur'an. Allah has turned them away and led them astray when they rejected it. He says, “And when you recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a concealed partition. And We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And when you mention your Lord alone in the Qur'an, they turn back in aversion. We are most knowing of how they listen to it when they listen to you and [of] when they are in private conversation, when the wrongdoers say, 'You follow not but a man affected by magic.'” (Al-Isra: 45-47) He also says, “And among them are those who listen to you, but We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it.” (Al-An'am: 25) Allah describes those who turn away from listening to the Qur'an as the worst of creatures: “And be not like those who say, 'We have heard,' while they do not hear. Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason. Had Allah known any good in them, He would have made them hear. And if He had made them hear, they would [still] have turned away, while they were refusing.” (Al-Anfal: 21-23)
10. Salvation from Painful Punishment: Deliberately turning away from listening to the Qur'an and benefiting from its guidance does not only lead to misguidance in this world, but it also leads to punishment in the Hereafter. Allah says, “Woe to every sinful liar. Who hears the verses of Allah recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.” (Al-Jathiya: 7-8)

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1. Tafsir al-Qurtubi (15/ 356).
2. , (13/ 344).
3. Fath al-Bari, by Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (9/ 117).
4. Virtues of the Companions, by Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (1/ 479).
5. Tafsir As-Sa'di (2/ 188).

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