By Ashraf Salah
The Glorious Quran is the final Book of divine guidance, revealed by Allah through His Last Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Each and every word of this Book is from Allah, the Creator of the Universe.
Quran literally means reading or recitation. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not receive the whole of it at one stretch. Revelations came to him in fragments from time to time, covering a period of 23 years. As soon as he received a revelation, the Prophet (PBUH) used to communicate it to his companions and asked them to learn it by heart. Though the Quran was revealed piecemeal, yet the entire revelation is one organic whole. It is the Word of God, revealed to the last of the Prophets, Muhammad (PBUH) through the angel Gabriel.
Whenever there was a revelation, the Prophet (PBUH) got it inserted at its proper place in the text revealed so far. There is indeed perfect evidence, internal as well as external, that every single word or verse or part of a verse, and every chapter that was revealed, has been put where it belonged, by the Prophet himself under divine guidance. The arrangement of the Quran was thus a part of the divine scheme. The Glorious Quran itself says: It is for Us (Almighty Allah) to collect it and to give you (Muhammad) the ability to recite it (the Quran). (Al Qiyyamah 75:17)
The Quran thus existed in a complete and ordered form in the memories of numerous companions in the life-time of the Prophet (PBUH), and had also been reduced to writing on such materials as were available for writing purposes in those days. The Quran is mercy, healing and guidance for the believers; Allah says: And We send down of the Quran that which is a healing and mercy to those who believe.. (Al Israa 17:82)
And, in surat Yunus verse No. 57, Allah says: O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord, and a healing for that which is in your breasts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers (Yunus 10: 57)
Allah orders us to recite the Glorious Quran: ...And recite the Quran in a slow pleasant tone and style. ( Muzammil 73: 4)
The virtue of those who recite the Glorious Quran and act upon it is established in the Glorious Quran; Allah says: Verily, those who recite the Book of Allah, and perform As-Salat, and spend out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, they hope for a sure trade-gain that will never perish. (Fatir 35: 29)
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The best of you is he who learns the Quran and teaches it.” (Bukhari)
Another hadith explains the reward for learning or reading the Quran: “Will not any of you go to the masjid and learn or read two verses from the Book of Allah `azza wa jall (Glorified and Exalted be He)? (For) that is better for him than two she-camels, and three (verses) are better for him than three (she-camels), and four (verses) are better for him than four (she-camels). And the number (of verses read in total) are better than the same number of camels.” (Muslim)
Another hadith: “There is no envy acceptable except in two cases: a person whom Allah has given the Quran and recites it throughout the night and throughout the day and a person whom Allah has given wealth that he gives out throughout the night and throughout the day.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Allah even rewards us for every letter we recite from the Quran. It was reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a hasanah (reward) for it (i.e., his recitation), and the hasanah is multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is (considered as) a letter, rather Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter.” (Tirmidhi and Darimi)
We should try to improve our Quranic recitation; our Messenger says: “The one who recites the Quran and is skilled in doing so will be with the obedient and noble angels and the one who recites the Quran in hesitance due to difficulty will receive a double reward.” (Bukhari)
Moreover, we should also try to memorise the Quran or at least some of it. The Prophet (PBUH) says: “Verily he who has nothing of the Quran in his heart, is like a house which has been destroyed.” (Tirmidhi)
The Quran will avail the good believers on the day of judgement. This is clear in the following four prophetic hadiths:
1. “Read the Quran. For verily it will come forth on the Day of Resurrection as an intercessor for its readers.” (Muslim)
2. “The Quran is an intercessor (which by Allah’s permission) intercedes, and an opponent (which is) truthful. He who appoints it as his leader, (then it) will lead him to paradise. And he who puts it behind him, (then it) will lead him to the Fire.” (Ibn Hibban, Al Bayhaqi and Tabarani)
3. “Fasting and the Quran will intercede for the person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: ‘O My Lord (God)! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him.’ And the Quran will say: ‘I prevented him from sleep during the night, so accept my intercession for him.’ The Prophet said: ‘And they will (be allowed to) intercede.’” (Ahmad, Tabarani, and Al Hakim)
4. “It will be said to the beholder of the Quran: ‘Recite, ascent and rattil (recite slowly and distinctly) as you used to make tarteel in the life of this world, for verily your level (in paradise) is at the last verse you read.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)
The Quran has its good effects on the believers in this world as well. The Prophet says: “Verily Allah raises nations by this Book (the Quran) and puts down (i.e., destroys) others by it.” (Muslim)
And in another hadith, he says: “The likeness of the believer who reads the Quran is like that of citron; its taste is delicious and its scent is pleasant. And the likeness of the believer who does not read the Quran is like that of a date; its taste is delicious, yet it has no scent. And the likeness of a hypocrite who reads the Quran is like that of basil; its scent is pleasant, yet its taste is bitter. And the likeness of a hypocrite that does not read the Quran is like that of a colocynth; its taste is bitter and it has no scent.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
One should be sincere to Allah alone when he is reciting the Glorious Quran. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: “Read the Quran and through it seek the Face of Allah, Exalted be He, before there comes a nation that implements it like an arrow. They read it fast and they do not recite it slowly (to implement).” (Ahmad and Abu Dawud). He also says: “Verily, the best of people with regards to voices, is he whom you feel fears Allah when he recites.” (Darimi)
It is also recommended to read the Quran before others. Anas ibn Malik said that the Messenger of Allah said to Ubay ibn Ka’b: ‘Verily Allah has ordered me to read upon you.’ He (Ubay) said: ‘Has Allah named me for you?!’ The Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Allah has named you for me.’ Anas said: ‘So Ubay began to weep.’ (Muslim)
Of course those who recite the Quran in the mosque gain many blessings. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “There is not a group which has gathered in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, and studying it among themselves, except that tranquillity will descend upon them, mercy will befall them, the angels will encircle them, and Allah will mention them to those who are with Him (i.e., the angels). And he who falls short in action (in gaining knowledge and memorising the Quran), whose lineage will not hasten him (to do).” (Muslim)
Finally, one should comprehend the greatness and nobility of the Quran, reflect upon it’s meanings, be fully attentive when he reads it, and follow the Glorious Quran as his way of life. May Allah bless, guide and forgive us all, Ameen.
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