Furat Ibn Ibrahim narrates from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that the Prophet recited the Qur’an in a more melodious and delightful manner than any other person. Indeed his recitation were so enchanting that when he rose at night to perform prayer, Abu Jahl and other idolaters often came to listen to his recitations of Qur’an, but put their fingers in their ears when he repeated the introductory formula: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
And then they ran away from there to return again. Abu Jahl observed, “Muhammad repeats the name of his God a great deal, and verily loves Him.” “Abu Jahl in this told the truth,” remarks Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.), “although that cursed one was a notorious liar.” Then the Almighty Allah revealed the following verse:
وَإِذَا ذَكَرْتَ رَبَّكَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَحْدَهُ وَلَّوْا عَلٰى أَدْبَارِهِمْ نُفُورًا.
“…and when you mention your Lord alone in the Qur’an they turn their backs in aversion.”10
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) said that when the Messenger of Allah (S) used to recite, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful”, they used to run away showing their backs. In another reliable tradition, it is narrated from the same Imam that the idolaters proposed to the Prophet that one year he should worship their gods and the next year they would worship Allah. So the Almighty Allah revealed Surah Kafiroon and they despaired that the Holy Prophet (S) would ever be inclined to their gods.