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Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatulla hee Wa Barakaatuhu
Lessons 6 :The rights of the Qur'an Lessons on the Obligatory Rights due for Muslim
All praise be to Allah who gave us glory by the Qur'an, lifted us high with the Qur'an, made it the constitution of the people of faith, a light in the hearts of the pious, a guide, a cure, and a mercy for the believers. I praise Him for He granted us this manifest Book, made it a sublimity for those who believe in Him, and a proof against the entire creation. My peace and blessings be upon the noblest Prophet and Messenger; our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family, all his Companions, and upon those who follow him righteously until the Day of Recompense.
In this lesson, we shall discuss a right that plays an important role in the life of Muslims. People vary in fulfilling it: some recite it as should, some ponder over it, and some people study it, while some teach it. That right is the right of the Book of Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) which mankind did not know throughout history a book that has been served and glorified since it was first revealed until today. It was served by memorization, understanding, pondering over, and competition in its interpretation and explaining the meanings of its Ayahs, its virtues, and deducting its meanings and miraculous aspects along with other features. It is the college of Shari`ah and the core of religion. It is a book by which cities were opened for Islam, scholars have extracted from its treasures, and writers have taken their literature from its language. Hearts have submitted to it, and worshippers, kneelers, and those who prostrate have recited it day and night. The best among people is those who learn the Qur'an and teach it, recite the Qur'an as should, ponder over its Ayahs as should, understand its meanings, abide by its limits, follow its commands, and stop at its prohibitions.
This Glorious Book is preserved against distortion, loss, increase, and decrease. "Verily, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)." It is the last revealed divine book and the dominant over all. "And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) the Book (this Qur'ân) in truth, confirming the Scripture (Books) that came before it and Muhayminan (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures)."
It is the miracle that cannot be beaten and the one about which people have spoken. "Say: "If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur'ân, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.""
Dear Muslim brother, this Qur'an has a great right on every Muslim. The head of these rights are: believing in it and in all that was mentioned in, believing that the Qur'an is the speech of Allah (may He be Exalted) that was revealed to His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), and it is well preserved, so no doubt can reach it. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "O you who believe! Believe in Allâh, and His Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), and the Book (the Qur'ân) which He has sent down to His Messenger, and the Scripture which He sent down to those before (him); and whosoever disbelieves in Allâh, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away."
From the rights of the Qur'an is reciting and memorizing it.
Allah (may He be Exalted) exhorted Muslim to this and promised those who do it a great reward. Imam Muslim (may Allah show mercy to him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite It." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said also: "One who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites."
At-Tirmidhy and others reported on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated: the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah 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."
A reciter should pay more attention to recite the Qur'an in a proper tone and in a beautiful voice, and a reciter should not read it as he reads poetry.
Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And recite the Qur'ân (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style." Every believing men and woman should pay more attention to memorize it or at least part of it. Allah (may He be Exalted) described the Qur'an by saying: "Nay, but they, the clear Ayât [i.e. the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him written in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] are preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge (among the people of the Scriptures). And none but the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers) deny Our Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)." So, Allah described the memorizers of the Qur'an as "people of knowledge."
Reciting and memorizing the Book of Allah (may He be Exalted) is the most useful reward a person can get and people wish to be like him. The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Do not wish to be like anyone except in two cases. A person whom Allah has granted the bounty of memorizing the Qur'an, so he recites it day and night (inside or outside Salah).."
He (peace be upon him) said: "Keep on reciting the Qur'an, for, by Him in Whose Hand my life is, Qur'an runs away (is forgotten) faster than camels that are released from their tying ropes."
Therefore, a person should repeat the recitation many times, for it is more rewarding and more accurate for memorizing it. Perhaps it is useful for every Muslim to recite a daily portion of the neither Qur’an that is not less than one part, so a person should neither be lazy nor neglect. From its rights also pondering over, understanding, submission, and crying at reciting it.
Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Do they not then consider the Qur'ân carefully? Had it been from other than Allâh, they would surely have found therein many a contradiction."
Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And We have indeed made the Qur'ân easy to understand and remember; then is there anyone who will remember (or receive admonition)?"
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be to Him) says: "And they fall down on their faces weeping and it increases their humility."
It is very good that a person recites slowly in a good and proper tone, with pondering over, and understanding because the Qur'an is a book of guidance. A person should gather up his spiritual energy trying to endure the Ayahs of promises, threats, exhortation, and warning, in addition to the conditions of the past people and the future events in the world and in the Hereafter.
From its rights which are incumbent on every person is: acting according to it, following its commands, avoiding its prohibitions, respecting it boundaries, and making it arbitrator in all aspects of life.
Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur'ân, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!"
Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And this is a blessed Book (the Qur'ân) which We have sent down, so follow it and fear Allâh (i.e. do not disobey His Orders), that you may receive mercy (i.e. be saved from the torment of Hell)."
Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) described the conditions of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) by saying: "One of us used to learn ten Ayahs of the Qur'an but did not take the next ten until he knows their meanings and act according to them."
Abu `Abdul-Rahman As-Sulamy (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The people who used to teach us told us that they used to learn the Qur'an from the Prophet (peace be upon him). When they were to learn ten Ayahs from the Qur'an, they did not take the next ten until they act according to the Ayahs they learnt. Thereby, we learnt the Qur'an and acting according to it jointly."
Acting according to the Qur'an is the fruit of reciting and pondering over the Qur'an, and with which the reward is complete and a person becomes one of the people of the Qur'an.
From its rights also learning and educating it because one of the most useful thing that a person does for himself and for others is to learning this Glorious Book that guides to the Straight Path by which a person saves himself from destructive matters and gets safe to security by the will of Allah (may He be Exalted).
`Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The best among you those who learn the Qur'an and teach it."
Accordingly, A believer should be keen to learn the Qur'an, master its recitation, know its exegesis, and teaching it to the people, every person is according to his conditions and capabilities.
From the means of learning it are: Reciting it before a versed reciter, frequent listening to it, and recalling that it is the word of Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) and a person is the addressee.
From its rights also, listening to it carefully.
Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "So, when the Qur'ân is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy. [i.e. during the compulsory congregational prayers when the Imâm (of a mosque) is leading the prayer (except Sûrat Al Fâtihah), and also when he is delivering the Friday-prayer Khutbah]."
From its rights also Commitment of politeness with it, so no impure person should touch it, no one who has major ritual impurity is to recite it until he takes a ritual bath, and it should not be humiliated in carrying or placing it. When a person gives it to someone, he should give it to him with his right hand, he should not throw it, should not tear it apart, and should not write something on it. If it is torn apart, it is not permissible to throw it, but to burn and bury it in a good place. Moreover, a person should make it higher than anything else, should not lean on it, nor sit on something in which there is a copy of the Glorious Qur'an such as a bag and so on.
So, a person should pay attention to these things out of respect to the Book of Allah (may He be Exalted) and out of politeness.
From its rights also Not to abandon it which is required to achieve the above-mentioned rights. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) will say: O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Qur'ân (neither listened to it, nor acted on its laws and teachings)."
Abandoning the Qur'an is by abandoning believing in, or believing in what it contains, abandoning its recitation and thinking about, abandoning acting according to it, abandoning acting according its lawful and prohibited, abandoning resorting to it for arbitration in the fundamentals and branches of the religion, or abandoning listening to it, in addition to other forms of abandoning.
What should be mentioned in this regard is: parents should exhort their children to memorize the Qur'an and benefit from the years of Childhood in memorization. Memorization in young age is very easy because those young children are the men of the future and the pillars of the nation, so, if their hearts are filled with the Qur'an, they will lead the nation by the will of Allah (may He be Exalted) to glory and leadership.
So, whoever misses memorizing in childhood should compensate that in his children, perhaps the nation of Islam would benefit from. On the other hand, a person shall benefit from their supplications and righteousness on a day where no money nor children shall avail, so, he shall have their reward and the reward of their descendents until the Day of Recompense.
Dear Muslim brothers/sisters, Keep to the Book of Allah (may He be Exalted) by recitation, pondering over, memorization, understanding, learning, teaching, acting according to it, and applying its rulings in yourself, your family, and children, especially, in good occasions and honorable times.
Let it be known that "a reciter of the Qur'an is known for performing Salah while people are asleep, by fasting the day while people are not fasting, by crying while people are laughing, by his piety while people are not, by his silence while people are talking, by his Khushu` (the heart being attuned to the act of worship) while people are showing off, and by his sadness while people are happy." [Reported by Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him)].
I ask Allah (may He be Exalted) to have these qualities, to grant us the memorization of His Book, thinking about it, understanding it, and acting according to it, and to make it our witness, intercessor, cure, and guide, for He is All-Hearing, All-Responding, and He is the One whose aid is to be implored.
Compiled edited and adapted by Khalid Latif , www.thekhalids.org
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