One Who Recites the Qur'an Without Understanding it: Is He Rewarded?

Question :

Though I don't understand its meanings. I recite the Qur'an often; does Allâh reward me nonetheless?

Answer:

The Noble Qur'an, as Allâh Almighty says, is blessed:
"(This is) a book (the Qur'an) which we have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember."

One is rewarded for reciting it, whether he understands what he is reading or not. It is not allowed for a believer to recite the Qu'ran, and try to act according to it, without understanding its meaning. Just as a person who studies medicine should not be ignorant of the meanings of what he reads in medical books; rather, the medical student strives to understand what he is taught, so that he may then apply it. How then should a believer be when he recites Allah's Book, which is a cure for what is in the hearts, and an admonition for all people. And that is why the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to read only ten verses at a time, not proceeding to the following ten until they learned their meanings and then applied them.

So a person is rewarded for reciting the Qur'an, regardless of whether he understands it or not, yet one should strive as much as one can to learn its meanings, and to learn from learned and trusted scholars. If one is not able to find a scholar to learn from, he should refer to trusted books of Tafsir for instance, Tafsir Ibn Jarir (At-Tabari) and Tafsir Ibn Kathir. And Allah knows best.

Source:
Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 7 Pages 24-25