العروة الوثقى الزيدية - موقع إسلامي يهدف لتعريف الزائر بفكر وتراث المسلمين الزيدية

The Question

Question: A reciter recites the Qur’an in Ramadan or outside of it, and his intention is to contemplate during his recitation and to reflect upon the verses of the Qur’an, but his mind becomes distracted during the recitation and reflection and contemplation slip away from him; so is the reciter rewarded for this recitation that is empty of reflection and contemplation, without deliberate neglect?

The Answer

Answer: What appears to me is that such a reciter is rewarded for his recitation of the Qur’an, and that is because:
– The intention of the reciter, at the commencement of the recitation, to reflect and to contemplate is a righteous act for which the reciter is rewarded.
– The reciter recites the Qur’an out of magnification for the Qur’an and the Speech of his Lord, so his recitation, from this perspective, is an act of worship, even if he does not reflect and does not contemplate.
And it has been reported: “Looking into the muṣḥaf is an act of worship, looking at the face of one’s parents is an act of worship, looking at the Noble Ka‘bah is an act of worship, and looking at the face of the scholar is an act of worship”; and it would not be an act of worship except because of what it contains of exaltation for that which Allah has exalted.
Yes, contemplation and reflection during recitation is superior, because in it there is a combining between worship and knowledge; for the one who contemplates the verses of the Qur’an gains knowledge.
- And if we were to say that none is rewarded for the recitation of the Qur’an except the one who contemplates and reflects during his recitation, we would thereby deprive the non-Arabs who recite the Qur’an and do not understand its meaning – and how many they are – and the common Muslims – and how many they are – of the reward of recitation, and it would then not be good that the generality of people should learn the recitation of the Qur’an.
And it is known throughout history in all lands of the Muslims, among Arabs and non-Arabs, that the common people learn the recitation of the Qur’an and teach it to their children, and the scholars have not alerted them to any error in that; so this indicates that reciting the Qur’an without reflection and contemplation is an independent act of worship. Otherwise, the scholars would have alerted them that it is not an act of worship, so that they would not trouble themselves and their children with what contains no reward.

Source: Min Thimār al-ʿIlm wa al-Ḥikmah vol.3