Qur'an - The Book That Shook The World

 The following is a rough transcript of the bayaan given at Noor ul Islam Masjid on 6th May 2012. The topic was, 'Qur'an - The book that shook the world'.

Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam has said in a hadith which has been recorded by Imam Muslim, “Trials and tribulations will come upon the heart like a straw mat, one straw after the other. Whichever heart accepts these fitnahs into his heart, it will become tainted with a black dot. And whichever heart rejects these fitn will have his heart marked with a shining, white spot. Until the hearts become one of either two types; the one who rejected these fitn will have his heart white, like shining marble, nothing will be able to give this heart harm for as long as the heavens and the earth remain. The state of the second heart is such, that it will become incredibly black, coal like. It will be a dark, empty vessel which has no nur inside. It does not recognise good and nor does it reject evil, it just follows its desires.”

Having understood this, I put before you a second narration; Abdullah ibn Abbas radiallahu anhu mentions that Jibreel alayhis salaam once came to Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam informed him that many fitnahs will appear. Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam said, “What will the way out from it, O Jibreel?” He said, “The Book of Allah”.

Many of us today are impacted by many troubles, trials and tribulations which surround us on a regular basis. Some people may be living messed up lives, completely free from the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala. And this may even be the case for those of you who appear to be religious with a beard, juba, hijab, abaya etc. The reality is, that when fitn is hitting us left, right and centre, it effects our hearts tremendously. There are many, whose hearts have become tainted... blemished... murdered by an abundance of sinning. The hearts have become, dark, full of malice but such darkness will only remain if you let it remain there. When the Qur’an was first revealed upon Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam, it did not just shake the world but it shook the hearts of those who heard it. It was such, that the very Qur’an, which we read today, about which Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam said, “"Certainly, there is always a thing in which people take pride. And that which is glory and pride for my Ummat is the Holy Qur'an." 

This very same Qur’an has the ability to shake our hearts and take the spots of darkness out and recuperate it and make it like a twinkling star.

It is about this effect that Allah Ta’ala mentions,

إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُہُمۡ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتۡ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتُهُ ۥ زَادَتۡہُمۡ إِيمَـٰنً۬ا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

“Certainly, the believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe when (the name of) Allah is mentioned; and when His verses are recited to them, it makes them more developed in faith; and in their Lord they place their trust.”

ٱللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مُّتَشَـٰبِهً۬ا مَّثَانِىَ تَقۡشَعِرُّ مِنۡهُ جُلُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّہُمۡ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمۡ وَقُلُوبُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ يَہۡدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۚ وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِنۡ هَادٍ

“Allah has sent down the best discourse, a book containing subjects resembling each other, mentioned again and again, shivered from which are the skins of those who have awe of their Lord. Then, their skins and their hearts become soft enough to tend to the remembrance of Allah. This is the Guidance of Allah with which He brings to the right path whomsoever He wills. As for the one whom Allah lets go astray, for him there is no one to guide.”

Once the Qur’an has penetrated the heart, then a person is directed towards that which is correct. Allah Ta’ala says,

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ يَہۡدِى لِلَّتِى هِىَ أَقۡوَمُ

“Indeed, this Qur’an guides towards that which is upright...”

My respected brothers and sisters, the reality is that we could speak about the power, the majestic nature and the virtues of the Qur’an for hours on end. Everybody sitting in this room understands that the Qur’an is something which is good, venerated, respected and loved. Everybody in this room understands that the Qur’an should not be disrespected. The problem is, we all understand the amazing nature of the Qur’an but we still don’t read it! That is the problem and for this we need some remedies.

I began to think about how we could bring ourselves to read the Qur’an? An I thought of perhaps six-seven points which we could use to perhaps bring the Qur’an into our life:

1. Learn the Qur’an properly with Tajweed. Do not delay or be shy – You must try your utmost best to learn the Qur’an. The hadith states that it is either a proof for you or against you. It will be a proof for you if you learnt it in the correct manner and then recited it beautifully. If you don’t even bother to learn tajweed, the Qur’an will curse you! The very same Qur’an that could be a means for you to enter into Jannah will be a source of you going into the fire of hell! Don’t be shy either, Aishah radiallahu anha says, “The best of women are the women of the Ansaar for they do not let shyness top them from seeking knowledge.” Be like the women of the Ansaar! Take lessons from them! How can you be shy? Will you live the remainder of your life distant from the Qur’an?

2. Maintain Wudhu – half the battle is done. Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam said, “Only a believer looks after his wudhu.” When you have your wudhu, you will have a better chance of reading the Qur’an. Otherwise, when you want to read Qur’an, you’ll gets frustrated and put off by the fact that you have to use cold, cold water. If you already have wudhu, it will be easier inshallah.

3. Fix yourself an amount to read every day at a set time when you will not be busy. And don’t overdo it! – Fix it in your mind that you will do pray some amount of Qur’an everyday and establish it in your life. Find a time when you are free and your thoughts are free; then utilise it in reading the Qur’an. Maybe a page before you sleep! Those people who don’t read Qur’an at all, start by reading half a page or a page and then build it up. Those who are more proficient, try to read more but don’t overdo it! If you overdo it then you will get bored. So do little but be efficient and then progress like this.

4. Try to learn the meanings of the Qur’an, go to some good tafseer classes – You don’t need to learn Arabic, if you do that is good! But try to go and listen to the tafseer of the scholars. You will only abide by the Qur’an when you realise what it is telling you. Learn the stories and lessons in the Qur’an, they will give you solutions to things that you see in your life. Find suitable scholars and listen to their tafseer, you can’t understand the Qur’an by simply looking at a translation. There are many reasons and stories behind many of the verses.

5. Learn some Surahs of the Qur’an or some parts, it will come in benefit for you when you are in a time of need – Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam said, “That person in whom there is no part of the Qur’an is like a house which is barren and desolate.” Try memorising some of the Surah of the Qur’an. They will help you in your day to day life. Surah Fatiha is a cure for every disease, a person who reads Surah Kahf has a light emanating from beneath his feet to his heavens, Surah Mulk saves one from the punishment of the grave! Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam said, “For every single thing there is a heart and the heart of the Qur’an is Surah Yasin. Whomsoever read it, it is as if he has read the Qur’an 10 times.” In fact, even the Sahabah radiallahu anhum would train their children to memorise parts of the Qur’an. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud radiallahu anhu was close to passing away and he was leaving many daughters behind. Uthman radiallahu anhu insisted on giving Abdullah ibn Mas’ud radiallahu anhu some money so that the daughters have some wealth to use after his passing as they were unmarried. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud radiallahu anhu said, “I have heard Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam saying, ‘Whomsoever reads Surah Waqi’ah every night, poverty will not afflict him’ and I have taught every single daughter of mine this Surah!” This shows us that we must memorise parts of the Qur’an and help our children memorise it also.

6. Live by the Qur’an, act upon it, don’t just think ‘Oh I can read the Qur’an’ that’s enough - Aishah radiallahu anha was asked about the characteristics of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam and she said, “His mannerisms were the Qur’an.” i.e. whatever the Qur’an commanded, he adhered and whatever it forbade, he stayed away from it.

7. Have a proper niyya (intention), don’t try impressing people with Quran.

8. Keep the Qur’an in your pocket on the train or on your iPhone – keep it with you so that you can read it on the tube and bus on your way to work or university. Make sure you have your wudhu if you touch the screen, this is the fatwa given by my beloved teacher, Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim sahib (DB).

9. Listen to it – If you can’t read it properly, then listen to it! This will help you. All this filth that we listen and enjoy on a day to day basis corrupts our mind and heart. So listen to the Qur’an, this will inshallah cleanse your mind and give peace to your soul. You will also begin to pick up recognise and memorise bits and pieces here and there.

10. Don’t doubt – When the Qur’an says, “This is the book in which there is no doubt” you should have full belief in this statement. It is not possible for the Qur’an to have doubt, Allah Ta’ala has stated this from the beginning. Thereafter, there is no scope for contradictions and false allegations which some people like to propagate. Allah Ta’ala has said, “Indeed, We have sent down this Remembrance (i.e. Qur’an) and We are its Protectors.” Once Allah Ta’ala has said this, it is the end of all doubts. If you still have doubts placed in your mind by mischievous people or by the way of your own conjecture, then go to a proper scholar and ask him in regards to it. He will give you a proper answer. Don’t look for it on the internet otherwise you will become confused even more!

The Qur’an begins with Baa and finishes with Seen – meaning BAS! So we shall end over here!

May Allah Ta’ala give me first the ability to act upon what I have said and give me the ability to fulfil the rights of the Qur’an. Thereafter, may Allah Ta’ala give you all the ability to act upon what has been said and fulfil the rights of the Qur’an. Ameen, ya Rabbal ‘Aalameen.