حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ هُشَيْمٍ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بِشْرٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَی وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِکَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا قَالَ نَزَلَتْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُخْتَفٍ بِمَکَّةَ فَکَانَ إِذَا صَلَّی بِأَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَإِذَا سَمِعَهُ الْمُشْرِکُونَ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهُ وَمَنْ جَائَ بِهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِکَ أَيْ بِقِرَائَتِکَ فَيَسْمَعَ الْمُشْرِکُونَ فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا عَنْ أَصْحَابِکَ فَلَا تُسْمِعُهُمْ وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِکَ سَبِيلًا
صحیح بخاری · Hadith 7525
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: regarding the explanation of the Verse:-- '(O Muhammad!) Neither say your prayer aloud, nor say it in a low tone.' (17.110) This Verse was revealed while Allah's Apostle was hiding himself at Mecca. At that time, when he led his companions in prayer, he used to raise his voice while reciting the Qur'an; and if the pagans heard him, they would abuse the Qur'an, its Revealer, and the one who brought it. So Allah said to His Prophet: "Neither say your prayer aloud. i.e., your recitation (of Qur'an) lest the pagans should hear (it) and abuse the Qur'an" nor say it in a low tone, "lest your voice should fail to reach your companions, "but follow a way between." (17.110)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020