Hadith 185

Sahih Bukhari

Book 97: Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed)

Chapter 57

The recitation of the Qur'an by an impious person or a hypocrite

باب قِرَاءَةِ الْفَاجِرِ وَالْمُنَافِقِ، وَأَصْوَاتُهُمْ وَتِلاَوَتُهُمْ لاَ تُجَاوِزُ حَنَاجِرَهُمْ

Sahih al-Bukhari 7560
حَدَّثَنَا هُدْبَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ ‏‏.‏
"‏ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَالأُتْرُجَّةِ، طَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَرِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ، وَالَّذِي لاَ يَقْرَأُ كَالتَّمْرَةِ، طَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَلاَ رِيحَ لَهَا، وَمَثَلُ الْفَاجِرِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الرَّيْحَانَةِ، رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ، وَمَثَلُ الْفَاجِرِ الَّذِي لاَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الْحَنْظَلَةِ، طَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ وَلاَ رِيحَ لَهَا ‏"
Abu Musa:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The example of a believer who recites the Qur'an is that of a citron (a citrus fruit) which is good in taste and good in smell. And the believer who does not recite the Qur'an is like a date which has a good taste but no smell. And the example of an impious person who recites the Qur'an is that of Ar-Rihana (an aromatic plant) which smells good but is bitter in taste. And the example of an impious person who does not recite the Qur'an is that of a colocynth which is bitter in taste and has no smell."