Aḥmad b. Thaʿlabah reported that he heard Sālim al-Khawwāṣ (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: I used to read the Qurʾān and find no sweetness.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ، ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْحَوَارِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ ثَعْلَبَةَ الْعَامِلُ، سَمِعْتُ سَالِمًا الْخَوَّاصَ، يَقُولُ: “ كُنْتُ أَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَا أَجِدُ لَهُ حَلَاوَةً

So I said to myself: “Read it as if you are hearing it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

فَقُلْتُ لِنَفْسِي: اقْرَئِيهِ كَأَنَّكِ سَمِعْتِيهِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ،

Thereafter, the sweetness increased qalīlah (ie: a little).

فَجَاءَتْ حَلَاوَةٌ قَلَيلَةٌ

I then said to myself: “Read it as if you are hearing it from Jibrīl ʿalayhi al-salām as he was conveying it to the Prophet ﷺ.”

فَقُلْتُ لِنَفْسِي: اقْرَئِيهِ كَأَنَّكِ سَمِعْتِيهِ مِنْ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حِينَ يُخْبِرُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

Thereafter, the sweetness increased further.

قَالَ: فَازْدَادَتِ الْحَلَاوَةُ

I then said to myself: “Read it as if you are hearing it when it was spoken to Jibrīl (by Allah Himself).”

ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهَا: اقْرَئِيهِ كَأَنَّكِ سَمِعْتِيهِ حِينَ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ.

Thereafter, the sweetness was wholly elevated.”

قَالَ: فَازْدَادَتِ الْحَلَاوَةُ كُلُّهَا “

Abū Nuʿaym al-ʾAṣbahānī, Ḥilyah al-Awliyāʾ 8/279

أبو نعيم الأصبهاني، حلية الأولياء وطبقات الأصفياء ٨/٢٧٩