Short answer
In the Hanafi school a woman should not recite the Quran in a melodious voice for non-mahram men, and men should avoid listening to such recitation, including recordings, because of fitnah. Women may listen to female reciters freely, and women may teach and recite for other women. Some contemporary scholars allow men to listen where there is no fitnah.
A woman's ordinary voice is not awrah, but beautifying her voice with melody before non-mahram men is not permitted because it is a cause of fitnah, and the same caution applies to men listening to it. Women listening to women, and mahram men listening, is permitted.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Women have recited, memorised and taught the Quran since the first generation. Aishah, Hafsah and Umm Salamah knew large parts of it, and the written copy compiled under Abu Bakr was kept with Hafsah. Today there are many skilled female reciters and teachers. The question is only about men listening to a woman's beautified recitation.
The Quran tells the Prophet's ﷺ wives not to be soft in speech, lest someone with a disease in his heart be tempted. The Hanafi scholars apply this to the voice generally: normal speech for a need is fine, but a soft, melodious voice performed for men is not. That is why a woman does not give the adhan, and why in congregation she claps rather than saying SubhanAllah aloud to correct the imam. See is a woman's voice awrah.
In practice:
- Women listening to female reciters: allowed and beneficial.
- Female teachers recording lessons for women: allowed; label them for sisters.
- Men listening to melodious female recitation: avoided on the Hanafi view, even in recordings, because the concern is the effect of the voice.
- Husband, father, brothers and sons: may listen.
- Reciting at home: if non-mahram men are within earshot, recite quietly.
Some respected contemporary scholars take a lighter view and say that a recording heard without desire is not the same as a performance in a gathering. Respect those who follow that view, but the Hanafi position and the safer course is the one above. Men have no shortage of male reciters to learn from.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:32
يَٰنِسَآءَ ٱلنَّبِىِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ إِنِ ٱتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِٱلْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ ٱلَّذِى فِى قَلْبِهِۦ مَرَضٌۭ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًۭا مَّعْرُوفًۭا ﴿٣٢﴾
O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.
A woman's voice should not be softened for men.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1203
Sahih... التسبيح للرجال والتصفيق للنساء ...
"Saying SubhanAllah is for men, and clapping is for women."
Women avoid raising their voice even to correct the imam.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the conditions of prayer, covering the awrah. Her voice is not awrah on the preferred view, but melodious recitation and singing before men is not allowed.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.