By Asma Bint Shameem
We read it for barakah.
We read it when our close ones die and when we move into a new house.
In fact some of us compete with others to see who can read quicker than everyone else and who can finish faster!
Why, just this past Ramadhaan, they read it 5 times over
And yet....do we ever wonder why nothing in us has changed.....why our relationship with Allaah has not improved?
Why is it that our hearts are still unmoved......our lives still unaffected.... our souls still untouched?
But, wait a second....isn't the Qur'aan supposed to be a mercy and a healing for mankind?
It is. Allaah said so. And you know it.
Yet, in spite of reading the Qur'aan, we are still dealing with interest, we are still not wearing the hijaab, we are still at that same old gas station.....still selling that same old beer and lotto. We are still the same as we were a year ago.....or 5 years ago...or even ten years ago.
Ever wonder WHY........?
Allaah says if He were to send down the Qur'aan upon a mountain, it wouldn't be able to bear it and it would humble itself and crumble because of the fear of Allaah.
Allaah says:
"Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder out of fear of Allaah. Such are the parables that We put forward to mankind that they may reflect." [Surah al-Hashr:21]
Then what's wrong?
Why are we so?
Obviously, the problem is not with the Qur'aan.
Actually, the problem is with “us”.
The problem is that we've never really read the Qur'aan with understanding or pondered over the meanings.
In fact, if we've ever read the Qur'aan, we've read it with “closed eyes”.
I know many people who've read the Qur'aan many times, cover to cover.
Yet they did not understand “one single word” they read.
All we do is read the “Arabic” like a parrot and we think we “read” the Qur’aan although we didn’t understand even a single word of the Book of Allaah.
Do you think that is the purpose of sending down the Qur'aan from above the seven heavens?
Allaah tells us that purpose.
He says:
كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
"(This is a) Book that We have sent down to you, full of blessings, so that they may ponder over its aayaat, and that those of understanding may remember." [Surah Saad:29]
And yes, I know the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa-Sallam) said that we will be rewarded for reading the Qur'aan, whether we understands it or not , but just reading it is not enough.
And, if you really think about it, it’s not of much use to us, unless we understand the meanings and implement it in our lives.
The Sahaabah would not go beyond ten Aayaat until they had learnt them and understood the knowledge within them and implemented them in their lives.
And where are we compared to that??
When our kids are young, we lay SO much emphasis on them “finishing” the reading of the Qur'aan one time.
When they are done, what do we do?
We celebrate their 'Ameen' (their finishing the reading of the Qur'aan), but then what??
Where do we go from there??
Did we ask them to keep up with the reading?
Did we explain the meanings of this Glorious Book of Allaah to them??
Do they even know what it means?
And the real question to ask ourselves is......
Do “WE” even know what it means?!
And then we wonder why there are so many problems in our lives...
why our kids are out of control....
why there is no peace and barakah in our lives and in our selves!
Allaah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
"O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (the Qur'aan), and a healing for that in your breasts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers." (Surah Yunus:57)
And then there are the 'Huffaadh', the people who have memorized the Book of Allaah by heart, so much so that they don't miss a single word.
Yet when you look at their lives, they are far, far away from the teachings of the very Book they have memorized!
Al-Hasan al-Basree says about such Huffaadh:
"... one of them says, 'I recited the whole Qur'aan and did not miss out a single letter.' and by Allaah, he missed out the *whole* of the Qur'aan!
No Qur'aan is seen in his character or deeds!
By Allaah, these are not reciters or scholars, they are not wise nor pious. Whenever the reciters are of this type, may Allaah not increase their like amongst the people!"
Subhaan Allaah!
Unless we read the Qur'aan with the translation, understanding and pondering over its Aayaat, reflecting on its true message and putting it into practice, we are *missing the real essence*, the *real purpose* of sending down this Magnificent Book.
Allaah says:
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالهَ
Do they not then contemplate on the Qur'aan, or are there locks upon their hearts?" [Surah Muhammad:24]
Remember, that if we are sincere to Allaah and we want to be His true slave, we would never stop reflecting on the Book of Allaah.
And we would want the recitation to increase our Imaan and understanding of the Words of our Rabb.
However, this increase of eemaan will NOT happen UNLESS we *understand* the meanings of the Aayaat were reading, *reflect* on them, and then implement it in our lives.
That's why so many people who read the Qur'aan will find it to be their opponent on the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa-Sallam) said:
"Verily, Allaah raises up a people with this Book and He abases others." [Muslim]
And he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa-Sallam) also said:
"The Qur'aan is either a proof ‘FOR’ you or ‘AGAINST’ you." [Muslim]
Allaah tells us that on the Day of Judgment, the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam will COMPLAIN to Him about such people.
He will say:
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
"And the Messenger (Muhammad Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) will say:
"O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Quran (neither listened to it, nor acted on its laws and orders)." (Surah al-Furqaan:30)
That's because these people had *abandoned* the Qur'aan while in this dunya because they either didn't read it or even if they did read it, they did not know what it meant.
That’s because they did not read the meanings and therefore did not know ‘HOW’ to implement it in their lives.
So read the Qur'aan with ease and tranquility, *read* the *meanings*, pondering over the words, reflecting on it, and then apply it in your lives.
Don't say to yourself...."When am I going to finish reading this Surah?"
Instead, ask yourself.....
"When will I start *IMPLEMENTING’* this Surah?”
“When will I obey the orders of Allaah contained in this Surah?"
"When will I pay heed to the admonitions contained within what I just read?
The Qur'aan is not just for the Ulama. It is for everyone, including you and me.
If we are really serious about our meeting with Allaah, we need to ask ourselves these tough questions.....
Have we read and understood the Qur'aan at least once in our lifetime?
What is our age now?
Do we really know and understand the true message of this Holy Book that changed lives of so many in the past?
Allaah is reminding us:
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ
“Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allaah's reminder (the Qur'aan) and of the Truth that has been revealed....." [al-Hadeed:16]
So make the recitation of the Qur’aan a daily part of your life.
Fix a time whatever's convenient to you and read it every single day.
Even if it's a little.
A page.
Half a page.
But do it CONSISTENTLY.
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam said:
"The most beloved of deeds to Allaah are those that are most consistent, even if it is small". (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Read this Noble Book until every Ayah comes alive for you.
Read it until you feel that each ayah is talking ABOUT you. TO you.
Where it says 'ya ayyuhal ladina aamanoo' realize Allaah is talking to YOU.
Replace that with YOUR name and pay attention.
That's what the sahaabah would do.
Read and Reflect and Think.
Make it a part of your daily ROUTINE and you'll see how your life will change and how everything will become easy for you and all your problems will be solved.
This is Allaah's promise to you and me.
May Allaah enable us to read the Qur'aan with the eyes of our heart. May He enable us to make it a part of our life and enable us to understand it and then implement it into our daily lives. So that on that inevitable Day, the Qur'aan will be a witness FOR us and not AGAINST us.
And Allaah knows best
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