Let’s return to The Qur’an

By Umm Hibathain

Alhamdulillahi Rabbi Al-‘Aalameen. I testify that there is no Deity worthy of worship except Allah SubhanAllahu Wa Tha’aala, and that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah. The Qur’an is the final book of Allah revealed to mankind, to Prophet Sallallahu alihiwassalam through Angel Jibreel Alaihissalam, it is our manual on how to live in this Duniya, and it is a Promise from Allah SWT that it will be preserved till the Last Day for the mankind to turn to, whether or not man turns to this Guidance, Mercy and Blessing from Allah.

The following is lessons taken from just an hour lecture of Sheikh Jamaal Zarabozo (Hafidhahullah), but SubhanAllah, it was very rich in content and gems to reflect on, and it caused wholesome amounts of emanrush in those present there, and I hope the booster will continue to change our lives towards the better inshAllah.

We, the Muslim Ummah have lost in establishing the proper kind of relationship with the Qur’an. We spent most part of our life in studying other Sciences that will help us to excel in this world, some of the Sciences that are valued only because the so-called intelligent, on-top-of-the-world people have accredited it. We live according to the man-made principles that we feel, will help us to achieve our goals (and for sure, our goals are also messed up- Ihdina-As-Sirathal Musthaqueem), when in reality, isn’t our goal supposed to be to please Allah SWT in this world, and hence, attain Success in the Hereafter?!

We say we are proud to be Muslims, and yet, we allow ourselves to be looked down upon, and we look up and admire the disbelievers in whatever they do, the worldly achievements they have accomplished, and their ideologies like Socialism, Capitalism etc. And still worse, we try to be like them! Aren’t we the ones who should raise our standard in our code of life, and show them something to be looked up to?

Allah SWT has given us, This Qur’an, which is perfect in every sense and flawless, as not “source of guidance” alone, but “Guidance” itself. And it is preserved by Him The Most Exalted, among us, in our hands. All of us have a copy or more of The Holy and Noble Qur’an, and we say that we respect it. But are we really respecting it in the way that it deserves to be so, in the way that we ourselves deserve?! We show respect to it in the secondary and tertiary aspects like not allowing dust to settle on it, not writing in it, keeping it elevated, touching it only when we are in the state of wudu, and at the most, memorizing a little from it. Let’s just really reflect upon this! Aren’t our questions always centered on things like, “can we touch the Mus’haf” if we are not in the state of Wudu for studying purposes?” Another way of our limited interaction with the Qur’an is that unfortunately, we turn to it when we are struck with distress, illness etc. For sure, The Qur’an is Ash-Shifa'(The Cure), but it is mainly a cure for the diseases of the heart and soul, it helps to purify our souls and hearts from all kinds of diseases. Allah SWT says:

يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُمْ مَّوْعِظَةٌ مَّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِى الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“O mankind! There has come to you good advice from your Lord, and a cure for that which is in your breasts, — a guidance and a mercy for the believers. (Surah Yunus: 57)

So, what is the Primary aspect of respecting the Qur’an?!

Obvious to all of us, The Qur’an is by no doubt, the most important book in our life. We all keep saying that. If it is so, we are to really take the benefit from it, by really appreciating it, appreciating the fact that Allah SWT, with His Mercy, has allowed the imperfect, sinning man to recite, read, hold onto the Perfect, Flawless speech (kalam), to make use of it. One of the main ways of not respecting the Qur’an is when we recite it, we do so only to get the Blessings, Ajar (reward), Hasanat that comes with it. Of course, this is true. And we should continue to recite it regularly and repeatedly. But our intention should be to really understand it, learn it and implement it by obeying what it guides us to, the commands of Allah, and avoiding what has been prohibited. We are supposed to be “Shuhadah” (witnesses) for the true message, against the rest of mankind who do not have this Guidance.

Let me put it in the most common way that the people of knowledge remind us with (for all of us to benefit from). For us to have a blooming career, or pass our exams in school with flying colours, we read, and read, and read. Break our heads to understand, do the practical’s etc. Toil away day and night. And on the other hand, we have just this one Qur’an which continues to give and give. and continues to make it easier on the person learning it. And its rewards will be reaped in this world, for one, and last but definitely not the least, for an eternal heavenly bliss. SubhanAllah…how Merciful is our Lord Almighty?! So, let’s not just wish for the Hasanat in reciting This Noble Book, let’s fulfill our obligations to it, Our Lord and ourselves (ourselves as we are the ones who are really in need of The Qur’an, not the other way around. We need Allah’s Mercy, Blessings, Guidance, Help ….)

Allah says:

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَـهُمُ الْكِتَـبَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ أُوْلَـئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ

“Those to whom we gave the Book recite it as it should be recited (Yatlunahu Haqqa Tilawatihi) they are the ones who believe therein. And whoso disbelieve in it, those are they who are the losers. (Surah Al-Baqara:121)

What is حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ (The correct recitation)?

Abu Al-`Aliyah said that Ibn Mas`ud Radhiyallahu anh said, “”By He in Whose Hand is my soul! The right Tilawah is allowing what it makes lawful, prohibiting what it makes unlawful, reciting it as it was revealed by Allah, not changing the words from their places, and not interpreting it with other than its actual interpretation.”

As-Suddi reported from Abu Malik from Ibn `Abbas who said about this Ayah (2:121): “They make lawful what it allows and they prohibit what it makes unlawful, and they do not alter its wordings.”

`Umar bin Al-Khattab said, “They are those who when they recite an Ayah that mentions mercy, they ask Allah for it, and when they recite an Ayah that mentions torment, they seek refuge with Allah from it.”

Allah SWT says regarding that Allah has made Quran easy for us to understand:

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember; then is there anyone who will remember. (Surah Al-Qamar: 17)

This ayah should be an encouragement for us, we do not have to think that it is impossible to study it, memorize it. There have been people who become determined to study The Qur’an at the age of 70 years, and completed the memorization at the age of 80.

InshAllah, Let us all take the maximum benefit from The Perfect Speech of Allah that He has blessed us with, and continue to strive to learn more and more so that we can become better Muslims. Let the Noble Qur’an not be like the books a donkey carries on its back. A donkey has no use for books, as it cannot understand it. We all possess this most important Qur’an, let’s not be like the donkey. This is the parable that Allah Azza Wajal mentions in the Qur’an:

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَاراً بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ

The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Tawrah, but did not carry it, is as the likeness of a donkey which carries huge burdens of books. How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayat of Allah. And Allah does not guide the people who are wrongdoers. (Surah Al-Jumu’ah: 5)

And Allah knows best.

Source: http://letstriveforjannah.blogspot.com/

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