Etiquette of reciting the Glorious Qur'an

Q: What are the etiquettes of reciting the Glorious Qur'an?

A: Etiquettes of reciting the Qur'an include:1. A Muslim should recite the Qur'an for the Sake of Allah without Riya' (showing-off) or seeking a reputation. He should not request money for his recitation since he dedicates his worship to Allah.2. He should seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan (Part No. 3; Page No. 74) when he starts reciting the Qur'an. Then he should say "Bismillah Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim [In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful]" when starting the recitation from the beginning of a Surah (Qur'anic chapter). Surah Al-Tawbah is an exception.3. It is recommended for the person who recites the Qur'an to be in the state of Wudu' (ablution). Wudu' becomes obligatory when he recites the Qur'an from a Mus-haf (copy of the Qur'an). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: None should touch the Qur'an except one who is Tahir (ritually pure). 4. It is preferable for the person who recites the Qur'an to be in a proper sitting position and wear proper clothes, and his face should be towards the Qiblah (Ka`bah-direction faced in Prayer). He should choose a proper place that is appropriate for the Qur'an.5. It is desirable for the Muslim to recite the Qur'an with humbleness, Khushu` (the heart being submissively attuned to the act of worship), deliberation and reflection on its Ayahs (Qur'anic verses). He should focus his mind and heart on the words of Qur'an he is reciting, without interrupting his recitation by unnecessary talk.6. It is desirable for the Muslim to recite the Qur'an slowly in a beautiful tone and clear pronunciation of the letters and diacritical marks, paying attention to the rules of Tajwid (reciting the Qur'an following the rules of recitation) as much as possible.7. One should not disturb people in or outside Salah (Prayer) by reciting the Qur'an loudly.8. One should not recite the Qur'an very rapidly to the extent that the listener cannot understand the recitation or excessively lengthen its vowels in a way that spoils the utterances. This is not the purpose of reciting the Qur'an; so the reciter should adopt a moderate way.9. While reciting the Qur'an one should not copy singers, recital of the Christians or the wailing of priests - all these are not permissible. (Part No. 3; Page No. 75) 10. One should stop his recitation when yawning until he closes his mouth out of respecting Allah. This is because a Muslim who recites the Qur'an is talking to his Lord, while yawning comes from Satan.11. Whenever one recites an Ayah that talks about mercy, he should stop and ask Allah of His Bounty. Whenever he recites an Ayah that talks about punishment and warnings, he should stop and seek refuge with Allah from that. Whenever he recites an Ayah that glorifies Allah, he should stop and glorify Allah. This is done when a Muslim recites Qur'an outside the obligatory Salahs.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.