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Nine Great Benefits to Recite
the Holy Qur'an
Indeed to reflect on
Allah’s verses is a form of worship that will draw one close to Allah
Most High. This reflection is not a reckless and wandering one, rather
it includes a study of the classical tafseer of the verses being
pondered over, as this would fulfill Ibnul-Qayyim’s great advice,
“Such as reflecting over a book which a person has memorised and he
expounds it so that he may understand what its author intends by it.”
Indeed the Book of
Allah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of
Allah, not a created thing, the study guide for life and death and
what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than
anyone else’s speech. It necessitates that its reader return to the
early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its
explanation by the one deputed by Allah to rehearse and explain His
Words to humanity (pbuh). For if one would try to ponder over the
meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the
filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct
application and understanding that the early Muslims had would cause
him to understand some things not intended by Allah Most High, and
therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allah. So
every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allah’s Love breciting and
reflecting over Allah’s Book, then let him hold tight to the meanings
explained by the Prophet (pbuh), and those taught by the companions
and their immediate followers, and the early scholars of Islam.
So dear brother and
sister Muslim! Know that reciting and pondering over the Book of
Allah, devoting your time regularly to its study and implementation
has tremendous benefits in this life and the Next, so let us now look
to just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to Allah’s
Majestic Words. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement to
shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves to the Qur’an.
1 -
Reading and
reflecting over the Qur’an fulfils an Islamic duty.
Indeed the Prophet (pbuh)
summarised this Religion with his statement: “The Religion is naseehah
(sincerity)!” So then
Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be
pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To
Allah, HIS BOOK, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their
common folk.” [Muslim] The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah
includes its regular recitation, learning the rules of tajweed and
reciting it beautifully, learning about its tafseer and the reasons
for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech
of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it,
abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it, teaching it and
calling to it. [See
Jaami’ul-’Uloom wal-Hikam of Ibn Rajab Al-Hambalee] So
by reading and reflecting over the Qur’an, one fulfills an obligation
and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Qur’an
then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our
second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...
2 - The Qur’an
will be a proof for us on the Day of Judgment.
This is due to the
statement of the Messenger: “And the Qur’an is a proof for you or
against you.” [Muslim] So one of two things will occur with this
proof, the Book of Allah. It will either be in your favor, a proof for
you on the Day when you will need every single good deed, or it will
be something standing against you, the very Speech of your Creator, a
proof against you! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if
Allah’s own Speech is against him?!?! Think carefully, dear Muslim
brother or sister, about your position with the Qur’an! Are you
neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and
prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it?! Will it be on your
side on the Day of Judgment.?! O Allah! We ask you, by Your Glorious
Speech and the rest of your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make
the Qur’an a proof for us! O Allah! Don’t make the Qur’an a proof
against us on that Day, and save us from the hellfire! For if Allah
makes the Qur’an a proof in our favour on that Day, then it would also
be an intercessor for us, when NO intercession will take place except
by His Permission.
3 - The Qur’an
will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment.
The proof: Aboo
Umaamah relates that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Read the Qur’an, for
verily it will come on the Day of Standing as an intercessor for its
companions.” [Muslim]
4 - Your status
in this life will be raised.
In Saheeh Muslim, we
find a lovely story, about how a man from the people of Jannah, ‘Umar
ibn
Al-Khattaab, understood this principle. Some men came to question him
during his khilaafah about the leadership of Makkah, they asked, “Who
do you use to govern Makkah?” He said, “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And
who is
Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A freed slave from those we
freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed slave in charge of the people
of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered
them, “Verily he is a reader of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable
about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement
of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and
lowers others by it.”
5 - You will be
from the best of the people.
‘Uthmaan, may Allah
be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The best of
you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]
6 - There are ten
rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur’an.
As an authentic
hadith in At-Tirmithee proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book
of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by
ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am
saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a
letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these
merits, and to gain the following merit as well.
7 - The reciters
of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah
be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Verily the
one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he
will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for
the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through
its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and
Muslim]
So dear brother or
sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan give you false excuses, such as
“I am not an ‘Arab,” or “Its not my language.” This hadith is a firm
proof against these whisperings. Dedicate yourself to the Book of
Allah, whether you are an ‘Arab or not! The excuses have been
eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the
Book of Allah without holding back or offering excuses! And surely you
will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Qur’an
once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of reading and
contemplating over the Qur’an...
8 - Your position
in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an you memorize in this
life!
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr
ibn
Al-’Aas heard the Prophet (pbuh) saying: “It will be said to the
companion of the Qur’an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the
Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in
the dunyaa! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the
last verse you recite!” [Aboo
Daawood and At-Tirmithee,
saheeh]
9 - The Qur’an
will lead you to Paradise!
The Prophet said:
“The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to
intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front
of him, it will lead him to
Paradise; whoever puts it behind
him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in
At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah
ibn Mas’ood]
Know, dear brother
or sister, that these nine benefits from the many benefits available
can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allah, not
by a person’s mere statement, “I love the Qur’an, it’s beautiful.”
Rather the heart must be sincerely attached to Allah’s Book and the
limbs and tongue will follow in this attachment. You must know that we
only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of reading and
reflecting over the Qur’an. There are many benefits that await your
reading in the Qur’an and books of hadith, like the chapter of the
Qur’an that will argue on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a
physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart,
among many other things. And Allah knows best. (Taken from Look 4
Islam).
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