Is it obligatory for a Muslim to recite the Quran or this is solely a recommended act (except in Salah)?

Question

I have heard many traditions concerning reciting the Noble Quran and I know it has much thawab if we recite it. For instance, there is a narration from the apostle of Allah (pbuh) that said:

Whoever recites a letter from the Holy Quran, it will be written for him a Hassanah that 10 times has more thawab… (Majma'ul Bayan p. 36)

Or in another tradition, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) said:

the best Ebadah of my Ummah is reciting of the Quran. (Wasaelul-Shia, vol. 6, p. 168)

But I wonder if it is mandatory (wajib) for a Muslim to recite it or it is just as a recommended practice (except reciting the Quran during the salah)

Answer 1

(Disclaimer: The Hadith presented below are mostly quoted from Sunni Sources. So, follow them at your own interest.)

Apart from virtues of reading Qur'an, which are plenty, there are Hadith which suggest recital of Qur'an as a highly recommended act. E.g. Sunan Ibn Majah Chapter No: 7, 1343 and Chapter No: 1, 217.

As, Sayyid said (although his answer looks to be deleted), we would be anyways reciting the Qur'an in our Salah. But since we wouldn't be able to recite long parts of it or important parts of it just within Salah standing, it is better to take time off after Salah, sit, and recite a couple of your favorite verses. Apart, from that, reading Qur'an and pondering over it, is just another way of contemplating. Whether within Salah, or outside of it, reading, pondering over it and acting upon it is utmost important.

Ending by presenting the verses directly from Qur'an, I leave it to you for interpretation of it, to decide whether it implicitly means a strongly recommended act or explicitly implies to be an obligation.

O you who wraps himself [in clothing], Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little - Half of it - or subtract from it a little, Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation. [Qur'an 73:1-4].