عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الأُتْرُجَّةِ، رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ، وَمَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي لاَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ التَّمْرَةِ لاَ رِيحَ لَهَا وَطَعْمُهَا حُلْوٌ، وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ مَثَلُ الرَّيْحَانَةِ، رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ، وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ الَّذِي لاَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَثَلِ الْحَنْظَلَةِ، لَيْسَ لَهَا رِيحٌ وَطَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ.
Hazrat Abu Musa al-Ash‘arira narrated:
“The Prophetsa said, ‘The likeness of the believer who recites the Quran is that of the citron: its fragrance is pleasant and its taste is pleasant. The likeness of the believer who does not recite the Quran is that of the date: it has no fragrance, yet its taste is sweet. The likeness of the hypocrite who recites the Quran is that of the basil plant: its fragrance is pleasant, but its taste is bitter. And the likeness of the hypocrite who does not recite the Quran is that of the colocynth: it has no fragrance and its taste is bitter.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-at‘imah, Bab dhikri t-ta‘am, Hadith 5427)