Revive Your Relation with the Qur'an (10 Hadiths)

Revive Your Relation with the Qur'an (10 Hadiths)

By Muhammad Fathi

Amidst our fast-paced life we tend to forget a very important question: How well is our relationship with the Qur'an? How much time and effort do we spend in reciting, studying and understanding this Guide, granted to us by Allah to lead a successful and happy life?

I think it will be embarrassing for many of us to try to compare the amount of time spent browsing the internet or following Facebook/Twitter accounts with the time dedicated to the Book of Allah. Some of us may not even open their copies of the Qur'an except in the month of Ramadan only.

Having mentioned the month of Ramadan, did you know that it is approaching; only a couple of months away. For a smart Muslim, this means that the countdown has already started for the blessed month and the warm-up for it should begin immediately.

In this series we will explore a number of the Prophet's Hadiths that encourage us to revisit and revive our relationship with the Qur'an. Let's get ready for the month of the Qur'an and receive it with a fresh and fruitful connection with Allah's Book.

An Elevated Rank

1. `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«‏ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَهُوَ مَاهِرٌ بِهِ مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ وَهُوَ يَشْتَدُّ عَلَيْهِ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ »

Translation: «One who is proficient in reciting the Qur'an is associated with the noble, pious (angel) scribes. As for he who stammers when reciting the Qur'an and find it difficult for him, he will be granted a double reward» (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

2. `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«يُقَالُ لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْتَقِ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَؤُهَا»

Translation: «The one who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told [on the Day of Resurrection:] 'Recite [the Qur'an] and ascend [in ranks] as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last verse you recite» (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi).

3. `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ»

Translation: «The best among you [Muslims] are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it» (Al-Bukhari).

A Treasure of Good Deeds

4. `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«من قرأ حرفًا من كتاب الله فله حسنة، والحسنة بعشر أمثالها لا أقول‏:‏ ألم حرف، ولكن ألف حرف، ولام حرف، وميم حرف»

Translation: «Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah will be credited with a good deed and a good deed is multiplied into ten.

I do not say that [the word:] "Alif Lam Meem" is [counted as] one letter. Rather, Alif is one letter, Lam is one letter and Meem is one letter» (At-Tirmidhi).

Help in Critical Time

5. Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«اقرءوا القرآن فإنه يأتي يوم القيامة شفيعًا لأصحابه»

Translation: «Recite the Qur'an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection» (Muslim).

6. An-Nawwas ibn Sm`an (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«يَأْتِي الْقُرْآنُ وَأَهْلُهُ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا. تَقْدُمُهُ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَآلُ عِمْرَانَ تَأْتِيَانِ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَيَايَتَانِ وَبَيْنَهُمَا شَرْقٌ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ سَوْدَاوَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا ظُلَّةٌ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ تُجَادِلاَنِ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِمَا »

Translation: «On the Day of Resurrection, the Qur'an will be brought with its people who acted according to it in this world. The Surahs of Al-Baqarah and Aal-`Imran will be at the front arguing on behalf of their [devoted] reciter» (Muslim).

Overwhelming blessings

7. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«‏ما اجتمع قوم في بيت من بيوت الله يتلون كتاب الله، ويتدارسونه بينهم، إلا نزلت عليهم السكينة، وغشيتهم الرحمة، وحفتهم الملائكة، وذكرهم الله فيمن عنده»

Translation: «Whenever a group of people assemble in one of the Houses of Allah (i.e. Mosques), reciting the Book of Allah and studying it, tranquility descends upon them, Mercy covers them, angels surround them and Allah makes a mention of them among those who are with Him» (Muslim).

Invest in Learning the Qur'an

8. `Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«إِنَّ الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِي جَوْفِهِ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ كَالْبَيْتِ الْخَرِبِ»

Translation: «A person who has nothing of the Qur'an in his heart is like a ruined house» (At-Tirmidhi)

9. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«تَعَاهَدُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَهُوَ أَشَدُّ تَفَلُّتًا مِنَ الإِبِلِ فِي عُقُلِهَا»

Translation: «Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Qur'an for [I swear] by the One in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, it is more liable to escapes [from memory] than camels do from their hobbles» (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

10. `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

«لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ فَقَامَ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَآنَاءَ النَّهَارِ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَتَصَدَّقَ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَآنَاءَ النَّهَارِ»

Translation: «Envy is not justified but in case of two persons only: 

- One who has been given [knowledge of] the Qur'an by Allah and thus he recites it during the night and day,

- and a man who has been given wealth by Allah, so he spends it during the night and the day (in ways that please Allah)» (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).