In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Qur'an is the Book to guide us through this life. It is full of barakah (blessings). We should be happy to receive this Book. This happiness is shown through our attachment to it--by reading, studying, spreading it and implementing it.
In order to receive full barakah of the Qur'an, we have to ponder upon the Ayah (verses).
كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـٰرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٢٩[Qur'an, Saad 38:29]
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded. (29)
In spite of Allah had told us to ponder on His Ayah, we don't do it. What kind of Muslims are we?
The first purpose of revelation is to ponder. Pondering is only possible after understanding. But are we teaching our students how to ponder on the Ayah of the Qur'an? Is there any curriculum in Islamic primary or secondary schools like that? You will find that there are many schools that focus on memorizing Qur'an but the students would graduate without understanding anything they have memorized. If we don't teach our students how to ponder on the Ayah, who else? Qur'an is a reminder. If we don't understand what we are reading or reciting, how would it be a reminder?
The second purpose of the revelation is so that we receive admonition. It is to bring the Qur'an into your life. How do we bring Qur'an into our life?
When the imam is reciting the Qur'an, don't say the imam is reciting to us, rather as soon as we hear the Qur'an or open the Qur'an, we should realize that Allah is directly addressing us. In fact, He watches us and observes our reactions to His commands.
Whatever you recite or listen, take the instructions as those "for me". Do not take the Ayah as: these are for disbelievers, those for idolaters, that are for the hypocrites of Madinah, etc. In fact, we should see what is in there for us.
Everything is part of Qadr (fate, destiny)...even the grains that we eat. So, every Ayah that we hear or listen to is part of Qadr, which was written, before even we were born.
Qur'an is a reminder. So, how can Allah's reminder be irrelevant? In fact, we should think and ponder as to: "Why Allah is reminding me of this Ayah?" and "Why today?"
For example, when you read or hear the ayah
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّۢ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا ﴿٢٣﴾ وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا ﴿٢٤[Qur’an Al-Isra' 17:23-24]
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. (23)
This Ayah should immediately make you check your relationship with your parents and how you have been treating them. If it is not good, then you should make it good. If it is good, then you should make it better.
When you listen to the Qur'an, your eyes, ears, body, brain and heart should focus on the Ayah. So, starting today, try to catch whatever you can when you recite or listen to the Qur'an...the words such as the prophet's names, heave, hell, signs, etc. Then make a goal for yourself to improve on the understanding.
Whenever Allah's signs, history, heaven or hell are mentioned, try to explode your imagination. Use it to the maximum. Don't recite the Qur'an like a news reader. Recite it from your heart. Have hope when you read the verses on mercy of Allah; have fear on verses of punishment, etc.
A simple method for taddabar and tazzakkar is:
1. Supplicate: Each verse of the Qur'an demands something from us. To fulfill it, start with supplication.
2. Evaluate your past day or week in light of that supplication.
3. Make a plan for the next day/week.
4. Spread the message. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant his peace) said: "Convey from me, even if it is one verse."
When it comes to Fiqh issues or any new idea, then we should check with scholars before we mention it to others or implement it. The real areas for us, common people, to spread and implement are still many, such as -- relationship with Allah, planning for the hereafter, dhikr, worship, morals, dealings, da'wah, commanding good and prohibiting evil, team spirit, etc.
Just prayer or supplication is not enough. We should evaluate our performance and make plans. Do you think a student who just asks Allah to help him succeed is sincere if he does not follow it up with studies?
May Allah help us fulfill the rights of the Qur'an, believe in it, read it, study it, understand it, ponder its verses act upon it and spread it and implement it in our lives. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
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