What the Qur'an Holds for You
It is beyond man's power to comprehend, or to describe, the greatness and importance of what the Qur'an holds for him.
What the Qur'an Holds for You
By Khurram Murad
It is beyond man's power to comprehend, or to describe, the greatness and importance of what the Qur'an holds for him. Yet, to begin with, you must have some idea of what it is and what it means to you, such that you are inspired to immerse the whole of yourself in the Qur'an, in total commitment, complete dedication and ceaseless pursuit, as it demands.
The Qur'an is Allah's greatest blessing for you. It is the fulfillment of His promise to Adam and his descendants:
{قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ}
Translation: {There shall come to you guidance from Me, and whosoever follows My guidance no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow} [Al-Baqarah: 38] It is the only weapon to help your frail existence as you struggle against the forces of evil and temptation in this world. It is the only means to overpower your fear and anxiety.
It is the only 'light' (nur), as you grope in the darkness, with which to find your way to success and salvation. It is the only healing (shifa') for your inner sicknesses, as well as the social ills that may surround you. It is the constant reminder (dhikr) of your true nature and destiny, of your station, your duties, your rewards, your perils.
It was brought down by one who is powerful and trust-worthy in the heavens - the Angel Jibril. Its first abode was that pure and sublime heart, the like of which man has never had - the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
More than anything, it is the only way to come nearer and closer to your Creator. It tells you of Him, of His attributes, of how He rules over the cosmos and history, of how He relates Himself to you, and how you should relate to Him, to yourself, to your fellow men and to every other existence.
The rewards that await you here are surely many, increasing manifold in the Hereafter, but what awaits you at the end of the road, promises Allah in the Hadlth Qudsi,
«
Translation: «the eye has seen not, nor the ear heard, nor the heart of man ever conceived» , and, adds Abu Hurayrah: «» (in As-Sajdah 32: 17):
{فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ}
Translation: {No human being can imagine what joys are being kept hidden for them in reward for all that they did}» (Al Bukhari, Muslim).
Most important to remember is that what you read in the Qur'an is the word of Allah, the Lord of the worlds, which He has conveyed to you in a human language, only because of His mercy and care and providence for you.
{الرَّحْمَٰنُ. عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ}
{The Most-Merciful, He has taught the Qur'an} [Al-Rahman:1-2].
{رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ}
{A mercy from your Lord} [Ad-Dukhan:6]. The majesty of the Qur'an, too, is so overpowering; so much so that, says Allah:
{لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ}
{If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you shoulld have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of Allah} [Al-Hashr:20].
This act of Divine mercy and majesty is enough to awe and overwhelm you, to inspire you to ever-greater heights of gratitude, yearning and endeavour to enter the world of the Qur'an. Indeed, no treasure is more valuable and precious for you than the Qur'an, as Allah says of His generosity:
{يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ.قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ}
{O men! There has come to you an exhortation from your Lord, healing for what is in the hearts, and a guidance, and a mercy for believers. Say: In [this] bounty of Allah, and in His mercy - in it let them rejoice. It is better than whatever they amass} [Yunus:57-58].
Taken with slight modifications from the author's Book: Way to the Qur'an.
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