Hadith: that she was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ:
عَنْ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -قَالَ: أَبُو عَامِرٍ، قَالَ نَافِعٌ: أُرَاهَا حَفْصَةَ- أَنَّهَا سُئِلَتْ عَنْ قِرَاءَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّكُمْ لَا تَسْتَطِيعُونَهَا قَالَ: فَقِيلَ لَهَا أَخْبِرِينَا بِهَا. قَالَ: فَقَرَأَتْ قِرَاءَةً تَرَسَّلَتْ فِيهَا قَالَ أَبُو عَامِرٍ: قَالَ نَافِعٌ: فَحَكَى لَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ {الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} [الفاتحة: 2] ثُمَّ قَطَّعَ {الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} [الفاتحة: 1] ثُمَّ قَطَّعَ {مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ}.
[صحيح] - [رواه أحمد] - [مسند أحمد: 26470]

Abu Mulaykah reported:
It was narrated from one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)—He said: Abu ‘Āmir said: Nāfi‘ said: I think it was Hafsah— that she was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: You would not be able to do it. He said: It was said to her: Tell us about it. So she recited with a slow, measured recitation. Abu ‘Āmir said: Nāfi‘ said: Ibn Abi Mulaykah then imitated her recitation, saying: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds} [Surat al-Fātihah: 2]—then he paused—{the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful} [Surat al-Fātihah: 3]—then he paused—{Master of the Day of Judgment}.
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Ahmad] - [Musnad Ahmad - 26470]

Explanation

Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), was asked: How was the Prophet's (ﷺ) recitation of the Qur’an? She said: You would not be able to recite like he did. It was said to her: Tell us about it. Nāfi‘ said: Ibn Abi Mulaykah recited to us slowly to demonstrate and bring closer to them how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite. He recited: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}, then paused, {The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful}, then paused, {Master of the Day of Judgment}.

Benefits from the Hadith

1. Clarifying the Prophet's (ﷺ) way in reciting the Qur’an.
2. The practical demonstration of how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur’an.
3. The permissibility of reciting the Qur’an slowly, as it is more conducive to reflection and contemplation.
4. The devotion of the righteous predecessors to the Qur’an and to following the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ).
5. Importance of knowing Tajwīd (reciting the Qur’an in accordance with established rules of pronunciation and intonation) and the sciences of the Qur’an.