Recite the Qur'an as it should be recited

 بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ يَهۡدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقۡوَمُ 

Inna haazal Quraana yahdee lillatee hiya aqwamu 

Part of Al-Isra (The Night Journey) 17:9 VERILY, this Qur'an shows the way to all that is most upright....

Recite the Qur'an as it should be recited

As I was growing up in Kashmir, I would come across a well-known saying from the patron saint of Kashmir, Sheikh Noor ud-Din Wali (RA), popularly known as Nund Rishi, which went like this:

Quran Paran Kono Mooduk, Quran Paran Goi No Soor
Quran Paran Zindeh Koh Rooduk, Quran Paran Dodh Mansoor

Why didn't you get annihilated reciting the Qur'an  ?
Why did you not turn to ashes reciting the Qur'an ?
How come you are still alive after reciting the Qur'an

(While) Mansour, reciting the Qur'an, went up in flames?

I would wonder what it meant, and how is it that we are expected to be annihilated while reciting the Qur'an, until one day I came across this passage in the Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya by Shaykh al-Akbar, Ibn Arabi, with the title (المراد بتلاوة القرآن التدبر لمعاني القرآن) or "What is meant by the tilawah/recitation of the Qur'an?":

رَوَيْنَا فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ، عَلَى مَا حَدَّثَنَا بِهِ شَيْخُنا الْمُقْرِئُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَلَفِ بْنِ صَافٍ اللَّخْمِيُّ، عَنْ بَعْضِ الْمُعَلِّمِينَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَنَّ شَخْصًا صَبِيًّا صَغِيرًا كَانَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ، فَرَآهُ مُصْفَرَّ اللَّوْنِ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ حَالِهِ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ يَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ بِالْقُرْآنِ كُلِّهِ.

فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا وَلَدِي، أُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ بِالْقُرْآنِ كُلِّهِ. فَقَالَ: هُوَ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ. فَقَالَ: يَا وَلَدِي، إِذَا كَانَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ فَأَحْضِرْنِي فِي قِبْلَتِكَ، وَاقْرَأْ عَلَيَّ الْقُرْآنَ فِي صَلَاتِكَ، وَلَا تَغْفُلْ عَنِّي. فَقَالَ الشَّابُّ: نَعَمْ.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ لَهُ: هَلْ فَعَلْتَ مَا أَمَرْتُكَ بِهِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ يَا أُسْتَاذُ. قَالَ: وَهَلْ خَتَمْتَ الْقُرْآنَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟ قَالَ: لَا، مَا قَدَرْتُ عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ نِصْفِ الْقُرْآنِ. قَالَ: يَا وَلَدِي، هَذَا حَسَنٌ. إِذَا كَانَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ، فَاجْعَلْ مَنْ شِئْتَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَامَكَ، الَّذِينَ سَمِعُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَاقْرَأْ عَلَيْهِ، وَاحْذَرْ؛ فَإِنَّهُمْ سَمِعُوهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَا تَزَلْ فِي تِلَاوَتِكَ. فَقَالَ: إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ يَا أُسْتَاذُ، كَذَلِكَ أَفْعَلُ.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ سَأَلَهُ الْأُسْتَاذُ عَنْ لَيْلَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أُسْتَاذُ، مَا قَدَرْتُ عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ رُبُعِ الْقُرْآنِ. فَقَالَ: يَا وَلَدِي، اتْلُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ، وَاعْرِفْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ مَنْ تَتْلُوهُ. فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ: يَا أُسْتَاذُ، مَا قَدَرْتُ طُولَ لَيْلَتِي عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ جُزْءٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، أَوْ مَا يُقَارِبُهُ. فَقَالَ: يَا وَلَدِي، إِذَا كَانَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ فَلْتَكُنْ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ جِبْرِيلَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ بِهِ عَلَى قَلْبِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَاحْذَرْ، وَاعْرِفْ قَدْرَ مَنْ تَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ: يَا أُسْتَاذُ، مَا قَدَرْتُ عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ كَذَا، وَذَكَرَ آيَاتٍ قَلِيلَةً مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ. قَالَ: يَا وَلَدِي، إِذَا كَانَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ فَتُبْ إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَتَأَهَّبْ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْمُصَلِّيَ يُنَاجِي رَبَّهُ، وَأَنَّكَ وَاقِفٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ تَتْلُو عَلَيْهِ كَلَامَهُ، فَانْظُرْ حَظَّكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَحَظَّهُ، وَتَدَبَّرْ مَا تَقْرَؤُهُ؛ فَلَيْسَ الْمُرَادُ جَمْعَ الْحُرُوفِ، وَلَا تَأْلِيفَهَا، وَلَا حِكَايَةَ الْأَقْوَالِ، وَإِنَّمَا الْمُرَادُ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ التَّدَبُّرُ لِمَعَانِي مَا تَتْلُوهُ، فَلَا تَكُنْ جَاهِلًا.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ انْتَظَرَ الْأُسْتَاذُ الشَّابَّ، فَلَمْ يَجِئْ إِلَيْهِ، فَبَعَثَ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ عَنْ شَأْنِهِ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ أَصْبَحَ مَرِيضًا يُعَادُ. فَجَاءَ إِلَيْهِ الْأُسْتَاذُ، فَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَهُ الشَّابُّ بَكَى، وَقَالَ: يَا أُسْتَاذُ، جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ عَنِّي خَيْرًا، مَا عَرَفْتُ أَنِّي كَاذِبٌ إِلَّا الْبَارِحَةَ، لَمَّا قُمْتُ فِي مُصَلَّايَ، وَأَحْضَرْتُ الْحَقَّ تَعَالَى، وَأَنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ أَتْلُو عَلَيْهِ كِتَابَهُ.

فَلَمَّا اسْتَفْتَحْتُ الْفَاتِحَةَ، وَوَصَلْتُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ، نَظَرْتُ إِلَى نَفْسِي فَلَمْ أَرَهَا تَصْدُقُ فِي قَوْلِهَا، فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ أَنْ أَقُولَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ، وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَكْذِبُ فِي مَقَالَتِي؛ فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ نَفْسِي لَاهِيَةً بِخَوَاطِرِهَا عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ.

فَبَقِيتُ أُرَدِّدُ الْقِرَاءَةَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الْفَاتِحَةِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: مَلِكِ (مَالِكِ) يَوْمِ الدِّينِ، وَلَا أَقْدِرُ أَنْ أَقُولَ: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ؛ إِنَّهَا مَا خَلَصَتْ لِي. فَبَقِيتُ أَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ أَكْذِبَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ تَعَالَى فَيَمْقُتَنِي، فَمَا رَكَعْتُ حَتَّى طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ، وَقَدْ رُضَّتْ كَبِدِي، وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا رَاحِلٌ إِلَيْهِ عَلَى حَالَةٍ لَا أَرْضَاهَا مِنْ نَفْسِي.

فَمَا انْقَضَتْ ثَالِثَةٌ حَتَّى مَاتَ الشَّابُّ. فَلَمَّا دُفِنَ، أَتَى الْأُسْتَاذُ إِلَى قَبْرِهِ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ حَالِهِ، فَسَمِعَ صَوْتَ الشَّابِّ مِنْ قَبْرِهِ، وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَهُ: يَا أُسْتَاذُ، أَنَا حَيٌّ عِنْدَ حَيٍّ، لَمْ يُحَاسِبْنِي بِشَيْءٍ.

قَالَ: فَرَجَعَ الْأُسْتَاذُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ، وَلَزِمَ فِرَاشَهُ مَرِيضًا، مِمَّا أَثَّرَ فِيهِ حَالُ الْفَتَى، فَلَحِقَ بِهِ.

The story implies what the Shaykh a considers as a real reading of the Qur'an in the presence of the Being.  I will try to translate it as best as I can:

We have related in this chapter, according to what our shaykh, the Qur’an-reciter Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Khalaf ibn Ṣāf al-Lakhmī, told us from one of the righteous teachers, that a small boy used to recite the Qur’an to him. One day he noticed that the boy’s face had turned pale, so he asked about his state. He was told, “He spends the night in prayer with the whole Qur’an.”

So he said to him, “My son, I have been told that you spend the night with the entire Qur’an.” The boy replied, “It is just as you were told.” He said, “My son, when tonight comes, place me before you as you pray, and recite the Qur’an to me in your prayer. Do not be heedless of me.” The young man said, “Yes.”

The next morning he said to him, “Did you do what I instructed you to do?” He replied, “Yes, teacher.” He said, “And did you complete the Qur’an last night?” He answered, “No. I could manage no more than half of the Qur’an.” He said, “My son, that is good. When tonight comes, place before you whomever you wish from among the Companions of the Messenger of God—those who heard the Qur’an from the Messenger of God himself—and recite to him. Be careful, for they heard it from the Messenger of God, so keep your recitation steady.” He replied, “God willing, teacher, that is what I shall do.”

When morning came, the teacher asked him about his night. He said, “Teacher, I could manage no more than a quarter of the Qur’an.” So he said, “My son, tonight recite before the Messenger of God, the one to whom the Qur’an was sent down, and know in whose presence you are reciting.” He said, “Yes.”

Then the next morning he said, “Teacher, all through the night I could manage no more than one section of the Qur’an, or something close to that.” The teacher said, “My son, when tonight comes, let your recitation be before Gabriel, who brought it down upon the heart of Muḥammad. So be careful, and know the rank of the one before whom you recite.”

Then the next morning he said, “Teacher, I could manage no more than such-and-such,” and he mentioned only a few verses of the Qur’an. The teacher said, “My son, when tonight comes, repent to God, prepare yourself, and know that the one praying is in intimate converse with his Lord, and that you are standing before Him, reciting His words back to Him. So consider what share you take from the Qur’an, and what claim the Qur’an has upon you. Reflect upon what you recite. The aim is not merely to gather letters, arrange them, or repeat phrases and reports. Rather, the point of recitation is to contemplate the meanings of what you are reciting. Do not be ignorant.”

The next morning the teacher waited for the youth, but he did not come. So he sent someone to ask about him, and he was told, “He has fallen ill, and people are visiting him.” The teacher went to him. When the young man saw him, he wept and said, “Teacher, may God reward you well on my behalf. I did not know that I was a liar until last night, when I stood in my place of prayer and brought the Real, exalted is He, before my awareness, while I stood before Him reciting His Book to Him.

“When I began al-Fātiḥah and reached His words, ‘You alone we worship,’ I looked at myself and saw that it was not telling the truth in what it was saying. I felt ashamed to say before Him, ‘You alone we worship,’ while He knew that I was lying in that claim. For I saw my soul distracted from His worship by its own passing thoughts.

“So I kept repeating the recitation from the beginning of al-Fātiḥah up to His words, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ and I could not say, ‘You alone we worship.’ It did not come from me with sincerity. So I remained ashamed to lie before Him, exalted is He, lest He despise me. Thus I did not bow until dawn broke. My very core was crushed, and I am now only on my way to Him in a state that I do not accept from myself.”

Before a third day had passed, the young man died. When he had been buried, the teacher came to his grave and asked about his condition. Then he heard the young man’s voice from within his grave, saying to him, “Teacher, I am alive with the Ever-Living, and He has not called me to account for anything.”

The narrator said: The teacher returned to his house and took to his bed ill, so deeply had the young man’s state affected him, and he soon followed him (in death(. 

Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn 'Arabi concludes from this: 

  فَمَنْ قَرَأَ: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ الشَّابِّ فَقَدْ قَرَأَ.. 

Then: “Whoever recites, ‘You alone we worship,’ in the manner of that young man has truly recited...”