How should I recite and sit with the Qurʾan?
The scholars distinguished between recitation that moves the tongue and recitation that moves the heart. Here is how they taught the second.
3 passages from 2 books in the library
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 2 books by Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"God instructed the prophets to speak to people according to their level of understanding, which is why the Quran was revealed in the Arabic language, following their conversational habits."
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
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"They highly regard the memorization of the Holy Quran, making their children wear chains if they fall short in memorization until they complete it."
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"I was also told this story by the son of the aforementioned Ibn Shaikh al-Laban, a student who teaches the Quran in Mali."
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