Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) rectifying a Sahabi reciting Quran

Question

What is the authenticity of the following Hadith?

يا أبي قوم لسانه وعلمه فإنك مأجور فإن الذي أنزله لم يلحن فيه، ولا الذي أنزل به، ولا الذي أنزل عليه، فإنه قرآن عربي مبين

I wanted to know if it is suitable to narrate as a virtue and the meaning of ‘qawwim lisanahu’.

Answer

This narration is recorded in Musnadul Firdaws. The full Hadith as cited in Kanzul ‘Ummal mentions that Sayyiduna ‘Ubayy ibn Ka’b (radiyallahu ‘anhu) would teach a Persian man how to recite Quran. This Persian man was unable to recite a word correctly. When Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) heard him reciting the word incorrectly, he rectified him and ordered Sayyiduna ‘Ubayy ibn Ka’b (radiyallahu ‘anhu) to rectify his pronunciation for he will be rewarded and the Quran is free from any flaws.

(Musnadul Firdaws, ‘ilmiyyah edition, Hadith: 8586, Kanzul ‘Ummal, Hadith: 4874. Also see: Tafsir Tabari, Surah Dukhan, Verse: 44 and Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 2 pg. 451)

‘Qawwim lisanahu’ means rectify his tongue i.e. his pronunciation.

There are some narrators in this chain whom I could not locate and could therefore not verify the authenticity of this Hadith.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar