Abū Mūsa al-Ash'ari reported God’s messenger as saying, “A believer who recites the Qur’ān is like a citron whose fragrance is sweet and whose taste is sweet, a believer who does not recite the Qur’ān is like a date which has no fragrance but has a sweet state, a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur’ān is like the colocynth which has no fragrance and has a better taste, and the hypocrite who recites the Qur’ān is like basil whose fragrance is sweet but whose taste is bitter.” A version has, “A believer who recites the Qur’ān and acts according to it is like a citron, and a believer who does not recite the Qur’ān but acts according to it is like a date.”
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Envy is justified only regarding two types:
a man who, having been given the Qur’ān by God, stands reciting it during the night and during the day; and a man who having been given property by God, spends on others from it during the night and during the day.”
‘Ā’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “One who is skilled in the Qur’ān is associated with the noble, upright recording angels; and he who falters when reciting the Qur’ān and finds it difficult for him will have a double reward.”
