Reciting the Noble Qur'aan and Contemplating on it (1/3)

By Sheikh Abdur-Razzaak al-Abbaad

This is one of the greatest branches of knowledge that can lead to the increase, stability and strengthening of eemaan.

Allaah has revealed His lucid Book to His servants as a source of guidance; mercy, light and glad tidings and as a remembrance for those who remember.

Allaah says:

"And this is a blessed Book that We have sent down, confirming that which came before it.” (Soorah al-An'aam (6):92).

Allaah says:

"And this is a blessed Book that We have sent down, so follow it and fear (Allaah), that you may receive mercy." (Soorah al-An'aam (6):155).

Allaah says:

"Certainly, we have brought to them a Book, which we have explained in detail, upon knowledge, as a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe.” (Soorah al-A'raaf (7):52).

Allaah says:

"...And We have sent down to you the Book, as a clarification of everything, a guidance, a mercy and as glad tidings for the Muslims” (Soorah an-Nahl (16):89).

Allaah says:

"(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.” (Soorah Saad (38):29).

Allaah says:

"Verily, this Qur'aan guides to that which is most just and right, and gives glad tidings to the believers who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a great reward." (Soorah al-Israa (17):9).

Allaah says:

"And We send down of the Qur'aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it increases the oppressors in nothing but loss" (Soorah al-Israa (I7):82).

Allaah says:

"Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful.” (Soorah Qaaf (50):37).

These noble aayaat contain mention of the excellence of the Noble Qur'aan, the Book of the Lord of the Worlds. The fact that Allaah made it blessed and guidance for the worlds. He placed within it a cure for illnesses, especially, the illnesses and diseases of misconceptions and desires of the heart. He made it a source of glad tidings and mercy for the worlds and as a form of remembrance for those who remember. He made it a guide towards that which is most just and upright, and He mentioned aayaat and threats by which they may fear or would cause them to remember and reflect.

Thus, one who reads the Qur'aan, and ponders and reflects over its aayaat finds within it such knowledge and learning, which strengthen, increase and develop his eemaan.

This is because he will come across within the discourse of the Qur'aan, a King, who possesses all dominion, for whom alone, is all praise. The reigns of all affairs are in His hand alone, they emanate from Him and return to Him. He has ascended above His throne and not a single secret in the regions of His dominion escapes Him. He is aware of what is in the souls of His slaves, fully cognizant of their hidden and public deeds. Solely, He disposes of the affairs of the Kingdom. He hears and sees, gives and withholds, rewards and punishes, and honors and abases. He creates and sustains, and gives life and causes death. He decrees, executes and disposes. He invites His servants and directs them towards what constitutes their happiness and success. He entices them towards this, and warns them of what will cause their ruin. He introduces Himself to them by His names and attributes. He woos them with His favors and blessings and reminds them of His favors upon them. He commands them with what entitles them to the completion of such favors and blessings and warns them of His vengeance. He reminds them of the honor He has prepared for them if they obey Him, and of the punishment He has prepared for them if they disobey Him. He informs them of how He handles His awliyaa' and His enemies, and of the outcome of both. He praises His awliyaa' for their righteous actions and fine qualities. He censures His enemies for their bad deeds and distasteful characteristics. He puts forward parables and provides numerous types of proofs and truths. He replies to the misconceptions of His enemies with the finest of answers. He gives credit to the truthful and denies the liar. He speaks the truth and guides towards the path.

He invites to the abode of peace and safety (i.e., Paradise). He mentions its description, its beauty and its bliss. He warns against the abode of destruction (i.e., the Hellfire re). He mentions its torment, its ugliness and its pains. He reminds His slaves of their necessity towards Him, their dire need of Him, and that they can never be independent of Him ever for the blink of an eyelid. He informs them that He can dispense of them and of all creation, and that He Himself is the Rich and is not dependent on anything, whereas, everything besides Him is inherently in need of Him. He makes known to them, that no one attains an atom's worth or more of good except by His Favor and Mercy, and that no one attains an atom's worth or more of bad except by His justice and wisdom. One witnesses from His speech, His reproach of His beloved in the most gracious of ways and despite that, He dismisses their mistakes and forgives their slips. He accredits their excuses, rectifies their corruption, defends and protects them. He is their victor, their guardian over their welfare and the one who delivers them from all difficulties. He is the One who will keep His promise to them. He is their only patron and protector. He is their true patron and protector and their victor over their enemies. How fire a

patron and victor He is!

Hence, the servant never ceases to benefit from reflecting on the Book of Allaah. His heart bears witness to such types of knowledge that increase his eemaan and strengthen it.

How can this not be so? When he finds within the Qur'aan, a King who is glorious, merciful, generous and beautiful; this is His standing. So how can he not love Him, compete to attain a nearness to Him or use up his energy in trying to show love for Him?

How can He not be more beloved to him than anything else?

How can he not prefer His pleasure to anyone else's pleasure?

How can he not be attached to His remembrance?

How can his love for Him, his desire to meet Him and feeling close to Him not be his nourishment, strength and medicine, in that if he were to be bereft of this, he would become corrupt and ruined and would not benefit from his life?" (Al-Fawaa'id of Ibn al-Qayyim, p.58-60).

AI-Aajurree, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Whoever contemplates His words, will know the Lord and he will know of His great power and capability, His immense favor upon the believers, and of the obligation upon himself to worship Him.

Accordingly, the person imposes this duty upon himself thereby being on his guard against that which his Generous Patron and Protector has warned of and coveting that which He has made desirous.

Whoever is of this description when reciting the Qur'aan or when listening to it when recited by another, the Qur'aan will be a cure for him. He becomes rich without money, he attains power and strength without kinsfolk and finds intimacy in that which others feel alienation towards.

His desire when opening a Soorah for recitation will be, ‘when will I accede to the admonition contained within what I recite? and his desire will not be, ‘when will I complete this Soorah?

His aspiration is none other than, 'When will I understand what Allaah is addressing me with? When will I restrain (from committing sins)? When will I take heed?

This is because reciting the Qur'aan is worship and it is not to be done so in a state of heedlessness, and Allaah is the one who grants the tawfeeq towards that? (Akhlaaq Hamlah al-Qur'aan, by al-Aajurree, p. I0)

For this reason, Allaah, the Generous, orders His servants and encourages them to ponder over the Qur'aan, Allaah says “Do they not then contemplate on the Qur'aan? Had it been from other than Allaah, they would surely have found therein much contradiction.” (Soorah an-Nisaa' (4):82).

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