that she was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

Arabic text

عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ: عَنْ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -قَالَ: أَبُو عَامِرٍ، قَالَ نَافِعٌ: أُرَاهَا حَفْصَةَ- أَنَّهَا سُئِلَتْ عَنْ قِرَاءَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّكُمْ لَا تَسْتَطِيعُونَهَا قَالَ: فَقِيلَ لَهَا أَخْبِرِينَا بِهَا. قَالَ: فَقَرَأَتْ قِرَاءَةً تَرَسَّلَتْ فِيهَا قَالَ أَبُو عَامِرٍ: قَالَ نَافِعٌ: فَحَكَى لَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ {الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} [الفاتحة: 2] ثُمَّ قَطَّعَ {الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} [الفاتحة: 1] ثُمَّ قَطَّعَ {مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ}.

Translation

Abu Mulaykah reported: It was narrated from one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)—He said: Abu ‘Āmir said: Nāfi‘ said: I think it was Hafsah— that she was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: You would not be able to do it. He said: It was said to her: Tell us about it. So she recited with a slow, measured recitation. Abu ‘Āmir said: Nāfi‘ said: Ibn Abi Mulaykah then imitated her recitation, saying: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds} [Surat al-Fātihah: 2]—then he paused—{the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful} [Surat al-Fātihah: 3]—then he paused—{Master of the Day of Judgment}.

Explanation

Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), was asked: How was the Prophet's (ﷺ) recitation of the Qur’an? She said: You would not be able to recite like he did. It was said to her: Tell us about it. Nāfi‘ said: Ibn Abi Mulaykah recited to us slowly to demonstrate and bring closer to them how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite. He recited: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}, then paused, {The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful}, then paused, {Master of the Day of Judgment}.

Benefits

• Clarifying the Prophet's (ﷺ) way in reciting the Qur’an.
• The practical demonstration of how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur’an.
• The permissibility of reciting the Qur’an slowly, as it is more conducive to reflection and contemplation.
• The devotion of the righteous predecessors to the Qur’an and to following the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ).
• Importance of knowing Tajwīd (reciting the Qur’an in accordance with established rules of pronunciation and intonation) and the sciences of the Qur’an.

Topics

• The Noble Qur'an and Qur'anic Sciences
• Modes of Qur'anic Recitation and Tajweed
• Science of Tajweed