Narrated Awf ibn Malik al-Ashja'i:
I stood up to pray along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); he got up and recited Surat al-Baqarah (Surah 2). When he came to a verse which spoke of mercy, he stopped and made supplication, and when he came to verse which spoke of punishment, he stopped and sought refuge in Allah, then he bowed and paused as long as he stood (reciting Surah al-Baqarah), and said while bowing, "Glory be to the Possessor of greatness, the Kingdom, grandeur and majesty." :Then he prostrated himself and paused as long as he stood up and recited Surat Aal Imran (Surah 3) and then recited many surahs one after another.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 873
In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 483
English translation : Book 3, Hadith 872
This Hadith states that whenever the verse spoke of mercy, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) made supplication and whenever punishment was mentioned he sought refuge.
What exactly does this mean? Does this mean that he made this ‘Duas’ in the middle of recitation? Can I too make these supplications whenever I pray and there comes a verse that speaks of mercy or punishment? And lastly, how can I do it? Should I stop the recitation and make a Dua and then continue?