Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Taking Qur'an Seriously

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Qu'ran is worthy of our time and attention. What came down is not a casual read. Every opportunity that we have to get closer to the Qur'an, we should take it.

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ‌ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ‌ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرً‌ا حَسَنًا ﴿٢

[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2) In which they will remain forever (3)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1-3]

Qur'an came down to change our lives. Don't be like the failed nations of the past who had shallow relationship with their Books, and long periods passed over them, so their hearts become hardened.

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ‌ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ‌ۭ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿١٦

Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient. (16)

[Qur'an, Al-Hadid 57:16]

Why? Because they recited their Books ritualistically and had no clue what's in it. They don't care. They don't come to it to talk to Allah. So they benefit nothing from it. Muslims will become like that. Muslims will come to the imam and say, "Imam, I have a fever, which surah should I read?" "My daughter is getting married, which surah should we play during the wedding?" "What du'a should I make, from the Qur'an, when I am looking for a job?" and so on. Is this what Qur'an is to you? You are looking for barakah in this thing or that thing because Qur'an came to give barakah to your parties or ceremonies? Or hang a decorated large verses of the Qur'an in your living room or hang Ayatul Kursi in the rear view mirror of your car? Is this why the Qur'an came down? Is it not Qur'an came to change you, to guide you, to give you advice, to make you a different person, to change the way you earn money (halal way), ... ?

What have we done with the Qur'an? We have to remember, people spilled blood to change their lives according to this Book. Now it has been reduced to ceremonial.

We celebrate children memorizing the Qur'an and yet we don't cry when these children become adult and still don't know what they are reciting. The imam doesn't know what he is reciting. We give our children artificial relationship with the Qur'an and their biggest goal is to lead the taraweeh prayer and make money. Qur'an is not a trophy or to get a prize when you recited it. It came to change our lives. We have to remind ourselves and our children of this.

Isn't it time we take the Qur'an seriously? The hearts of those who claim to have iman (the believers) should be filled with the grandeur of Allah, in awe of Allah's power, due to the remembrance of Allah. Their hearts should flood with tears because of the Qur'an. Our hearts should be filled with overwhelming sense of emotion because we haven't connected with the Qur'an yet.

We should act like the Ummah that we are supposed to be with the Qu'ran.

وَٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَ‌بِّكَ ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا ﴿٢٧

And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. (27)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:27]

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ‌ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَ‌بِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَ‌ضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرً‌ۭا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا ﴿٥٧

And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever. (57)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:57]

May Allah make us of those who love the Qur'an and take the Qur'an seriously. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam