Ruling on Beginning Sessions and Lectures with the Recitation of Verses

Question:
What is the opinion of His Eminence the Shaykh (may Allah preserve him) regarding opening lectures with the Noble Qur'an? Was this among the custom of the Salaf?

Answer:
I do not know of anything explicit regarding this, except that it was the custom of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he gathered with his Companions, he would recite the Qur'an, or they would recite it to him (peace and blessings be upon him). This is of the same kind, so we do not know of any impediment to it, and there is much good in it: it serves as a reminder of what is beneficial from the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) , and the best thing with which to begin speech is the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) .
And he (peace and blessings be upon him), when he gathered with his Companions, would recite to them while they listened, and he would teach them, guide them, and explain to them the meanings of the words of Allah. Sometimes he would order one of the Companions to recite, as in the "Sahihayn" in the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that he was sitting one day with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) among his Companions, so he said to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: , so he said: How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you? He said: , so Abdullah recited to him the beginning of Surat al-Nisa until he reached the saying of the Exalted: [al-Nisa: 41], so he said: , so Abdullah said: I turned to him and saw his eyes shedding tears (peace and blessings be upon him).