Translator’s Note

The book Way to the Quran was written by the distinguished Islamic thinker Mr. Khurram Murad. Among the few distinguished Islamic thinkers in the modern world who have succeeded in attracting the attention of both the East and the West through their timely thinking and have created a profound stir in the minds of modern youth, Khurram Murad’s name deserves special mention. His book written for workers in the Islamic movement, “Mutual Relations among Workers in the Islamic Movement,” cannot fail to touch the heart of any reader. He also produced many other creative works. Although professionally a renowned engineer educated in the conventional system, through study and practice he acquired such profound knowledge and scholarship in Islam that modern-educated students and young people can follow his example. One of the outstanding features of his writings is the beauty, sweetness, and appeal of their language. His pen is truly remarkable in touching, stirring, and inspiring people’s hearts.

When the book Way to the Quran came into my hands, I naturally read it quickly. His book, written in English, overwhelmed me on my very first reading. I became convinced that this heart-touching work of his would be very helpful to Bengali-speaking readers in reading and understanding the Holy Qur’an. Mr. Mir Qasim Ali, an elder-like figure who lent me the book, had said the same thing. He said, “It is essential that this book be translated into Bengali. A large number of young students educated in the conventional system will benefit from it.” After reading the book a second time, I gathered the courage to begin translating it into Bengali. I am an extremely ordinary worker, like many others, with no command of English or Bengali and, moreover, no qualification to understand the Holy Qur’an from the Arabic language. I struggled with the question of whether it was appropriate for someone like me to undertake the translation of such a valuable book. In the end, however, I completed the translation because of my personal interest in and affection for the book.

I firmly believe that this book can make a great contribution to enlightening the heart through learning from the Holy Qur’an and to understanding and practicing the Qur’an’s sublime teachings. If the notion becomes firmly established that one must be highly learned in Arabic in order to understand the Qur’an and appreciate the inner beauty of Islam, then fear will prevent people from advancing to learn from Qur’anic translations and tafsir. But if the method by which the author, drawing on his personal experience, has encouraged Qur’anic study and advised people to benefit from the Qur’an is followed, I firmly believe that knowing and understanding the Qur’an will become much easier. We must also remember that it is impossible to know Islam without understanding the Holy Qur’an. And there is no alternative to Islam for the protection of humanity and salvation in the Hereafter. Therefore, we must remain eager to understand and know the Qur’an. In particular, those of us who cannot directly understand the Qur’an from its original source because of linguistic difficulties must continue trying to understand it through translations and tafsir. Way to the Quran can play a major role in this effort. That is why, after considering everything, I have given the book the Bengali title Qur’an Study Guide.

If Bengali-speaking readers gain even the slightest benefit from reading this book, I will consider my labor worthwhile. It is not unusual for errors to remain in a translation because of inadvertence. Printing errors, too, are quite normal. Insha’Allah, we will try to make the book more improved and accurate in the next edition. May Allah accept our efforts. May Allah reward those who have helped, supported, and encouraged the publication of this humble translation in various ways. I cannot fail to make special mention of my wife, Nurunnahar. Without her cooperation, it would not have been possible to complete the translation amid my many responsibilities. Finally, I offer endless thanks to Almighty Allah, through whose mercy it became possible to translate this book. May Allah help us. Amin.

Muhammad Kamaruzzaman

Dated 5/5/91

423, Elephant Road, Bara Moghbazar, Dhaka.

Introduction

At the outset, I feel it my duty to acknowledge my utter unworthiness to write a book of this kind as a person like me, weak in faith and obedience and ignorant. For Almighty Allah has said: “If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from the fear of Allah.” (Surah al-Hashr, verse 21)

How can a person whose knowledge is limited and whose soul lacks purity dare to offer guidance concerning the greatness, mercy, beauty, and wisdom of the great Book, the Qur’an? What inspired me was the persistent urging of many of my friends. They felt that it was necessary to share with many others what I thought and reflected upon regarding this subject. But my true courage and strength come from the promise of Almighty Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, in which He said—

“Those who strive for Our sake, We will surely guide them to Our ways.” (Surah al-‘Ankabut, verse 69)

The saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is—

“Convey from me, even if it is one verse; and the best among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.”

This saying makes me even more restless regarding this duty of mine.

My purpose in writing this book is very simple. It is not a scholarly work. I am not a learned mufassir, nor am I writing this book for scholarly researchers. I do not dare to offer instruction or guidance, because I am not qualified for that task. I am writing especially for the ordinary, inexperienced, uneducated seekers of the Qur’an—particularly young men and women—who, like me, are engaged in a hard struggle to fulfill their desire to understand the Qur’an, grasp its essential message, and conduct their lives according to it. I am writing for students about something that I myself am learning. With all my weaknesses, as a wayfarer traveling along the Qur’an’s easy and rewarding path, I am writing for another traveler on the Qur’anic path, through this book, the experiences of stumbling and climbing that I have understood and found necessary. I am certain that through their deep sincerity, devotion, and ability, they will be able to improve upon the gift I have offered them in this book.

This book is the fruit of a long and continuing search and many years of study. Several decades ago, when I had just begun the struggle to live according to the Qur’an and was given the responsibility of explaining to a promising group of young students how to study the Qur’an, I said that I was indebted to the following sources: Hamiduddin Farahi’s Tafsir-i Farahi; Sayyid Abul A‘la Maududi’s Tafhim al-Qur’an; Amin Ahsan Islahi’s Tadabbur-e Qur’an; al-Ghazali’s Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din; Shah Waliullah’s Hujjat Allah al-Balighah and al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir; and al-Suyuti’s al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an. I gratefully acknowledge my debt to these works, although they are not responsible for any errors in my own understanding or presentation. The first opportunity to record my thoughts came in 1977, when I wrote a brief introduction, “Towards the Qur’an,” to the book containing Allama Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Holy Qur’an, published by the Islamic Foundation (U.K.).

This book was born from several enduring convictions. They have also been explained in the book. Nevertheless, I feel it necessary to mention some of them briefly here.

First: If we do not conduct ourselves according to the Qur’an, the revealed Book of Allah, our lives are meaningless and bound to be destroyed.

Second: The Qur’an given by the Ever-Living Allah as guidance for humanity for all eternity was as eternal fourteen hundred years ago as it is today, and it will remain so forever.

Third: Like the first believers in the Qur’an, we too are capable of receiving its blessings, and we have the right to do so—provided that we draw near to it and take an active role in benefiting from it.

Fourth: It is the duty of every Muslim to devote himself to studying the Qur’an, try to understand it, and try to memorize it.

Fifth: In view of everything the Qur’an has given a person, he must renounce all self-centeredness in action and thought. Any arrogance, pride, stubbornness, sense of self-sufficiency, objection, indifference, or regarding something as unacceptable is bound to become a very serious obstacle to understanding the Qur’an and may also close the doors of blessing.

Sixth: The Qur’anic path is a path of surrender and practice. If someone learns even one verse, learning that verse and acting upon it is better than a thousand verses that are explained beautifully but whose beauty is not reflected in the reader’s life. Obedience is the true key.

This book has seven chapters. Each sheds light on a different aspect of the journey along the Qur’anic path. The first chapter discusses the meaning or significance of following the Qur’anic path in our lives. The beginning of the second chapter explains what conditions must be gathered deep within the heart and mind. The third chapter describes what attitude and activity are required of the heart, mind, and body. The fourth chapter discusses what rules should be observed in study and how the Qur’an should be understood. The sixth chapter explains how a person can dedicate his life to fulfilling the Qur’anic mission. What the Prophet (peace be upon him) said about various specific portions of the Holy Qur’an has been included in an appendix. Another appendix provides a curriculum for individual and collective study that may be quite useful to many people. Some additional materials have also been added as study aids.

This is not a book that can be read hurriedly once and then set aside. That would be different if you do not like it or do not consider it necessary. For those who need a book of this kind and find it very useful, I hope they will devote special time to studying every chapter repeatedly. My request to them is that they make this book a constant companion.

You will have to study certain matters very carefully. You will have to remember some things constantly, and you will need to refer to some things again and again. But what you practice will be truly valuable for you. This book has marked out the boundaries of the path and set up signposts so that the traveler can recognize the way correctly and find whatever directions, cautions, warnings, or prohibitions are needed. Even so, you must equip yourself with a vehicle, fill it with fuel, take it onto the road, and drive it. Nothing in the book can substitute for your sincere desire, willpower, firm resolve, and hard effort.

Everything said in the book about accepting and applying the warnings scattered throughout it is very important. In this regard, you must consider whether you are trying to understand the Qur’an on your own, using a syllabus and curriculum, or doing so in some other way.

I have placed great emphasis on the necessity for every Muslim to undertake a personal effort to understand the Qur’an. In my view, this is the Qur’an’s most fundamental demand. Of course, I am also aware of the errors involved in following this path, and I have tried to mention them. In this regard, I would prefer that you always keep before you the saying of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), which says:

“The earth will not receive me, nor will the sky protect me, if I speak speculatively when interpreting the Qur’an.”

This saying has had a far-reaching effect on me and inspired me to be restrained and firm; you too should benefit from it.

We live in a time when making our lives Qur’an-centered has become extremely urgent and unavoidable. Without this, we Muslims will never be able to discover ourselves, give significance to our identity, or attain any power in this world. More importantly, without a Qur’an-centered life we will never be able to please our Creator and Lord. Furthermore, without the Qur’an, humanity too will sink into the abyss of destruction.

Today, awareness of this urgent need is rapidly increasing among Muslims. The desire to understand the Qur’an and the aspiration to conduct life accordingly are now widespread. The worldwide wave of Islamic revival is the result of this desire, awareness, and enthusiasm. In this time of crisis for our Muslim ummah, if my small effort awakens in some people’s hearts a desire to follow the Qur’anic path, and if it can become a companion on their journey through life, then my labor will achieve immense worth and reward. It will benefit me only if Allah forgives my shortcomings and accepts this sincere effort of mine. I have only one request to those who benefit from this book: do not forget me when you pray to Allah.

–—Khurram Murad

Leicester

15 Sha‘ban 1405 AH

6 May 1985

1 : The Journey of Life

An Eternal and Living Reality

The Qur’an is the word of the great and loving Allah. The Holy Qur’an was revealed as guidance for all people of all time. Through the Qur’an, Allah has spoken to humanity. Reading the Qur’an means honoring Allah’s word, speaking with Him, and walking in His way. It means encountering the Giver of Life in the struggle of life. There is no god but Allah. He is Ever-Living and independent of all; everyone is dependent upon Him. He has revealed for you the Great Book with the absolute truth, as guidance for humanity. (Aal ‘Imran 3:2–3)

The Holy Qur’an was a living reality for those who had the blessing of hearing that message first from the lips of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They had not the slightest doubt that, through the Prophet (peace be upon him), the great Lord Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, was speaking directly to them. That is why their hearts and minds were completely possessed by it. Their bodies trembled, and streams of tears flowed from their eyes. They saw every word of the Qur’an as deeply and realistically corresponding to their life experiences and understanding, and made it completely one with their lives. Individually and collectively, through contact with the Qur’an they became aflame with a new life-giving distinction and character. Those people who had once tended sheep, raised camels, and engaged in modest trade became, through the grace of this great Book, the Qur’an, leaders of humanity.

That same Qur’an is with us today. Millions of copies of the Qur’an are in circulation. Day and night, without interruption, the Qur’an is recited from homes, mosques, and platforms. A vast body of explanatory writings and books has been assembled to explain its meaning. Many words have continually been produced to explain the Qur’an’s teachings and to guide life according to them. Despite all this, eyes remain dry, hearts are not illuminated, and minds feel no impact. Disaster and decline seem to have become the lot of the followers of the Qur’an. Why has this happened? Because we do not study the Qur’an by accepting it as a living reality. We think of it as a sacred book of the past, containing accounts of Muslims, unbelievers, Jews, and Christians, as well as people who were believers and hypocrites at one time.

Can the Qur’an still be as powerful, vibrant, and inspiring a force today as it was 1,400 years ago? This is the most difficult question, which we must answer if we wish to redefine our destination according to the Qur’an’s guidance.

There seem to be several obstacles on this path. The Qur’an was revealed at a particular point in time. Since then, we have traveled a long way. Unprecedented advances have been made in science and technology, and significant social changes have taken place in human history. Moreover, today we have only a limited understanding of the Qur’an’s vibrant language. We cannot be expected to possess the knowledge of its modes of expression, idioms, figures of speech, and literary devices needed to absorb its meaning deeply and find its path. Nevertheless, because it is the word of the Eternal Creator, the Qur’an’s own characteristics give its guidance a universal appeal for all people. For this very reason, I firmly believe that, like the Qur’an’s first listeners, we too can understand, internalize, and accept it—if not completely, at least to some degree. We believe that we have the right and opportunity to receive Allah’s guidance with all its perfect beauty and majesty. In other words, although the historical event of the Qur’an’s revelation occurred in a specific language, at a specific time and place, because its message is eternal and universal, we should possess the ability to understand and accept it. Precisely because the great Book, the Qur’an, is eternal, we, like the first believers, should make our lives completely one with the Qur’an’s message and necessarily follow the path it prescribes in all matters.

But the question is: how is this possible? It can be stated very clearly that we must enter into the Qur’an as though Allah were speaking to us today, at this very moment. Only when we fulfill all the necessary conditions and encounter such a situation will it be possible to understand, internalize, and accept the Holy Qur’an.

First, we must act with all the reverence, love, longing, and desire that our understanding demands regarding what the Qur’an is as Allah’s word and what significance the Qur’an has for us.

Second, we must read the Qur’an in the manner we have been instructed to read it, as directed by the Messenger of Allah and as he and his Companions read it.

Third, overcoming the obstacles of time, culture, and change, we must relate every word of the Qur’an to the realities, experiences, and problems of our lives.

For the Qur’an’s first listeners, this was their contemporary context. Everything in the Qur’an—its language and style, arguments and rhetoric, idioms and metaphors, similes and imagery, time and events—had distinctive characteristics. Since the event of the Qur’an’s revelation belonged to their own era, its first listeners were both witnesses to it and direct participants in the events of that time. We do not have this same opportunity. Nevertheless, it can be said that the same thing must happen in our case.

If we understand and follow the Qur’an from our own position, we will see that it is as immediate and contemporary for us as it was for the people of the past. The underlying reason is that the essence of human beings has not changed and is unchangeable. Only their outward behavior, appearance, forms, and technology have changed. The idolaters of Makkah may no longer exist, nor the Jews of Yathrib or the Christians of Najran, nor the believers and unbelievers of Madinah; but we feel the presence of the same kinds of character all around us. We are exactly the same human beings as the first listeners. Yet grasping the profound significance of this simplest truth is very difficult for many of us.

Only when you are able to realize this truth and follow it, and draw near to the Qur’an as the first believers did, will it seem to you just as it seemed to them, and will you become participants in events as they were. Only then will the Holy Qur’an, instead of merely being a sacred, magnificent, miraculous book of blessing, become an inspiring, stirring, dynamic, deeply profound, and supremely successful force, as it became for the people of that age.

The Promise of a New World

When you come into the company of the Qur’an, you will discover a new world. Nothing else in your life can be as valuable, important, blessed, and fruitful as the journey toward the Qur’an. This journey through life will take you toward an endless joy and prosperity that your Creator and Lord has sent for you and for humanity. In this Qur’an you will find an inexhaustible treasury of guidance, knowledge, and wisdom for refining your thoughts and actions and directing your journey through life. In it you will discover profound insight to enrich you and receive the invigorating power to walk on the true path. From it you will receive radiant rays of light that illuminate the deepest regions of your heart. In this great Book you will encounter streams of tears running down your cheeks, warmth that melts the heart, and pure emotion.

This will be very difficult for you, since you will have to proceed carefully at every step along the Qur’anic path. You must express your unreserved obedience to Allah. Reading the Qur’an means spontaneity, sincerity, deep concentration, and living wholly with the Qur’an. The success of your entire life depends on how you respond to Allah’s call. Therefore, your existence depends on following the Qur’anic path—the future of humanity and human civilization.

There are hundreds of new words in this vocabulary

Within its fleeting moments lie centuries upon centuries.

(Javednama: Allama Iqbal)

Know that this is the glorious Book, the Qur’an. Only this Qur’an can guide you to true success and honor in this world and the Hereafter.

What is the Qur’an?

It is beyond human ability to describe how vast and immense the importance and greatness of the Qur’an are for humanity. Nevertheless, at the very beginning you must gain some understanding of what the Qur’an is and of what it demands, so that you can immerse yourself in it with complete enthusiasm, regarding the commitment, full concentration, and unceasing effort it requires.

The Qur’an is a great blessing from Allah for you. It is the fulfillment of Allah’s promise to Adam and to his descendants.

Then, when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Al-Baqarah 2:38)

It is the only supportive weapon for your temporary existence in the struggle against the greed of this world and the satanic forces. It is the only means of removing your fear and anxiety. It is the only beacon of light (nur) by which to see the path to salvation and success in the deep darkness of night.

It alone is the cure (shifa) for your inner sickness and for the social disease that constantly seeks to consume you. It is a permanent reminder (dhikr) of your nature, destination, position, duties and responsibilities, and destruction.

The Qur’an was brought to the earth by a powerful and trustworthy angel of Paradise, Jibril (peace be upon him). After bringing it from Allah, the Qur’an’s first dwelling was the pure and exalted soul of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), which cannot be compared with that of any other human being.

Most importantly, it is the only path to attaining nearness and closeness to the Creator. This glorious Book informs you about Allah and His attributes. It also informs you how the Almighty Creator governs the entire universe, and what kind of relationship you should have with other people and people should have with the rest of creation.

The rewards for following the path of the Qur’an are undoubtedly many in this world, and there are even more abundant and everlasting rewards in the Hereafter. But regarding what Allah has promised at the end of this path, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no human heart has ever imagined it.” If you wish, read Surah As-Sajdah, verse 17:

No soul knows what joy has been hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do.

Infinite mercy and glory

The most important thing that is read in the Qur’an is the word of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. Out of mercy, compassion and love for humanity, He has given it to humankind in human language.

The Most Merciful, who taught the Qur’an. (Ar-Rahman 55:1–2)

A mercy from your Lord. (Ad-Dukhan 44:6)

Allah’s glory possesses such extraordinary power that no human being can fully comprehend it. Allah Himself has said:

Had We sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and crumbling to pieces out of fear of Allah. (Al-Hashr 59:21)

This mercy and glory of Almighty Allah are sufficient to inspire people to amazement and to strive toward the highest heights of gratitude. Indeed, no possession can be more precious to a human being than the Qur’an.

As Allah has said:

O humankind! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord, a healing for whatever is in the hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers. Say, O Prophet: It is by Allah’s grace and mercy that He has sent this down. So let them rejoice; it is better than whatever they accumulate and possess. (Surah Yunus 10:57–58)

Dangers and risks

Allah’s mercy, glory and generosity will certainly stir and delight you. They will awaken inspiration and a desire to seek within you. But the Qur’an opens the doors of guidance for those who approach it, understanding the significance of Allah’s mercy, with deep yearning of the heart, sincerity, wholehearted devotion, concentration and attention. Only they can acquire the Qur’an’s glorious treasures; as they study the Qur’an, they become ready to sacrifice everything in order to obey its commands, follow its path and accept it.

It is not impossible for someone to study the Qur’an continually, turn page after page, recite every word beautifully and practice it like a researcher, yet never encounter circumstances that enrich and enliven his life with the light of the Qur’an. For not everyone who reads the Qur’an can benefit from it as they should. Some are deprived of the Qur’an’s blessings, while others may even become accursed.

The path of the Qur’an contains precious and endless rewards, but it also contains risks and dangers. Although it is within reach, many do not even turn toward this glorious Book, and many turn back even after reaching its door. Many read the Book repeatedly and return empty-handed. Many read it but do not truly enter the depths of the Qur’an. Some find what they seek but then lose it. They cannot hear Allah even within Allah’s words; instead of Allah, they hear only their own voices and words. Some hear Allah’s word, but fail to gain the willpower, steadfastness, courage and strength to respond to Allah’s call and follow His path. Some lose even what they possess: instead of gathering the precious pebbles of life, they return carrying heaps of broken stones, from which they suffer injury throughout their lives.

If, despite turning to the Qur’an, a person feels no inner contact, if his heart is not stirred, his life remains unchanged, and he returns empty-handed exactly as he came, what greater and more heartbreaking misfortune could there be?

The glory and blessings of the Holy Qur’an are limitless. But how much anyone can receive from it depends entirely on how much room there is in the vessel that receives it. Therefore, from the very beginning of studying the Qur’an, you must be deeply aware of what the Qur’an is and what it demands. You must firmly resolve to study the Qur’an properly, so that you may be among those of whom the Qur’an says:

Those to whom We have given the Book recite it as it should be recited, and they truly believe in it. (Al-Baqarah 2:121)

Recitation of the Qur’an

Tilawah is a word used in the Qur’an to describe the act of reading the Qur’an. It cannot be directly translated into English or any other language in a single word. Its primary meaning is closest to “following”; reading is a secondary aspect. For even in reading, one word follows another, creating a profound, orderly and meaningful sequence. If one word did not follow the other, or if the arrangement and sequence were disrupted, the meaning would be distorted.

Thus, in its primary sense, tilawah means following closely behind, moving forward, flowing continuously, striving to reach the intended goal, accepting as guide, leader, master and model, accepting authority, accepting willingly, practicing, walking the path, practicing a way of life, understanding, following or imitating the vehicle of thought. To read the Qur’an, understand the Qur’an and follow the Qur’an: this is how those who claim to believe in the Qur’an can connect their lives with it.

Tilawah, or recitation, is an act in which a person must participate with his body, heart, mind and language—in short, with his entire human existence. In reading the Qur’an, body and mind, reason and feeling lose their distinctions and become wholly absorbed. When it is recited with the tongue, words emerge from the lips, the mind continues to think, the heart reflects, the soul receives, the eyes fill with tears, the heart trembles and the body shudders. In this way, he walks in the light of his Lord.

Allah has sent down the finest discourse: a Book whose parts are consistent and in which matters are repeated. When they hear it, the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver; then their skins and hearts soften for the remembrance of Allah. This is Allah’s guidance; through it He guides whom He wills. And whoever Allah leaves unguided has no guide. (Az-Zumar 39:23)

Reading the Qur’an as it ought to be read is not easy, but neither is it extremely difficult or impossible. Otherwise, the Qur’an would not have been sent for ordinary people like us, nor would anyone receive the mercy and guidance that the Qur’an truly provides. Clearly, however, studying the Qur’an necessarily requires hard work from the heart and mind, body and soul. In addition, certain inward and outward conditions must be observed and unavoidable demands fulfilled. Before entering the glorious world of the Qur’an, you must learn these matters and make every possible effort to observe them.

Only then will it be possible to benefit from the goodness and glory contained in the great Book, the Qur’an, for humanity. Only then will the door of the Qur’an open for a person; only then will he be able to enter its interior, and the Qur’an will awaken deep thought and emotion within him. After spending nine months in your mother’s womb and developing from a drop of fluid, you became a living human being endowed with hearing, sight and the power of thought. Can you imagine how much of your life you could spend with the Qur’an—seeking, listening, seeing, thinking and striving—and how greatly it could benefit you? It can transform you into a completely new person, before many of whom even the angels would take pride in bowing their heads.

With every step you take in the Qur’an and every moment you spend with it, you will feel that you are ascending upward. The flowing power and beauty of the Qur’an will seize you, and you will continue to perceive it with your heart. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: “Recite and ascend. Continue ascending steadily, just as you used to recite the Qur’an fluently in the world. Your final station will be at the height corresponding to the last verse you recited.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Nasa’i)

2: Fundamental Prerequisites

Certain fundamental states and attitudes of the heart and mind are essential prerequisites for a successful relationship with the Qur’an. Enrich them as much as you can. Make them part of your consciousness and keep them alive and active. Integrate them into your actions. Let these emotions of the heart and attitudes penetrate deeply within you. Without the support of these inner resources, you will not be able to receive the blessings and mercy of the Qur’an. Throughout life, they will be your indispensable companions and friends.

These inner resources are not difficult, nor is finding them impossible. Through constant vigilance, sound judgment, and correct words and deeds, you can gain and strengthen inner power. The more you do this, the more capable you will become of drawing near to the Qur’an. And the closer you come to the Qur’an, the greater your success will be.

Faith : The Word of Allah

First, approach the Qur’an with a strong and deep conviction that it is the word of our Great Creator and Lord.

Why is this kind of belief an essential prerequisite? Undoubtedly, the power and appeal of the Qur’an are so great that anyone who studies it can benefit from it, just as someone benefits from an ordinary book when reading it with an open mind. But this is no ordinary book. It begins with a forceful declaration: this is the Book of Allah—there is no doubt in it. (Al-Baqarah 2:2)

Your purpose in reading and studying the Qur’an is not an ordinary purpose. You seek from it guidance that will transform your entire life. It will bring you to and guide you along the straight path, Sirat al-Mustaqim. “Guide us to the straight path, O Lord.” (Surah Al-Fatihah 1:5) The Qur’an is the answer to this anguished cry.

You may praise the Qur’an and even learn much from it, but the Qur’an cannot transform you unless its message awakens you, grips you, heals you and changes you. This cannot happen unless you accept it as the word of Allah in the sense that it truly is. Without faith, it is impossible to acquire the inner resources and strength needed to reach the depths of the Qur’an and absorb its message. Once faith takes its seat in the heart, you cannot help being adorned with noble qualities such as sincerity of purpose, humility and reverence, love and gratitude, trust, dependence, eagerness for hard work, firm confidence in its truth, an attitude of surrender to its message, obedience to its commands, and awareness of the obstacles that may deprive you of the Qur’an’s treasures.

Reflect on Allah’s generosity, glory and power, and you will feel reverence, humility and deep affection for His word. Consider His mercy and compassion, and you will find your heart filled with gratitude, love and longing for His word. Learn about His wisdom, knowledge and mercy, and you will become eager, enthusiastic and ready to obey His commands. That is why, at the beginning of many surahs, the Qur’an repeatedly reminds you of this important truth.

For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was instructed to declare his faith: “Say, O Messenger: I have believed in the Book that Allah has revealed.” (Ash-Shura 42:15)

The Messenger believed in the guidance that had been revealed to him from his Lord. (Al-Baqarah 2:285)

You must always remain conscious that every word you read, hear, recite or try to understand has been revealed by Allah.

Do you truly have this faith? You need not go very far to answer the question. Examining or observing your heart and conduct is enough. If you truly possess this faith, then where is your yearning and desire to receive the Qur’an’s help? Where is your striving and hard work to understand the Qur’an? Where is your surrender and obedience to that magnificent word?

How can this faith be acquired, and how can it be kept alive? There are many ways. I will mention only one. The most effective method is to recite the Qur’an. It may seem that we are moving in a circle, but in reality we are not. For when you read the Qur’an, you will certainly realize that it is the word of Allah. Your faith will then become deeper and stronger.

The true believers are those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned. When His verses are recited to them, their faith increases. (Al-Anfal 8:2)

Purity of Intention

Second, read the Qur’an solely to receive Allah’s guidance, attain nearness to Him and gain His pleasure.

What you gain from the Qur’an depends on what you seek from it. Intention is decisive in this matter. Undoubtedly, the Qur’an has come to guide us. But if you read it with evil purposes and dishonest motives, you may be led astray. The Qur’an is the word of Allah. Therefore, studying the Qur’an requires the same purity of intention and nobility of purpose that are required in the worship and devotion of Allah.

Do not study the Qur’an merely for intellectual satisfaction and enjoyment. Engage your intellect fully in understanding the Qur’an and putting it into practice. Many people spend their lives studying the language, style, history, geography, jurisprudence and ethics of the Qur’an. Yet they never reach its real message or remain deprived of its central meaning. The Qur’an often mentions people who possess knowledge but are unable to benefit from it.

You should not study the Qur’an with the specific aim of finding support for your own opinions, outlook or ideology. In that case, you may hear only the echo of your own voice, not Allah’s. The Prophet (peace be upon him) strongly condemned this approach to understanding and interpreting the Qur’an:

Whoever interprets the Qur’an according to his own opinion will have his place in Hell. (Tirmidhi)

Nothing could be more unfortunate than using the Qur’an to gain worldly name, fame, reputation and wealth. You may obtain influence, prestige, good reputation and material wealth, but in doing so you will have exchanged a priceless treasure for nothing. You will certainly suffer immense loss. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “If anyone studies the Qur’an in order to earn a livelihood from the people, then on the Day of Resurrection his face will be like a fleshless bone.” (Bayhaqi) He also said:

Whoever learns, recites or teaches the Qur’an for any worldly interest will be cast into the blazing fire of Hell. (Muslim)

You may benefit from the Qur’an’s message in some minor matters, such as relief from physical hardship, mental distress and poverty. There is nothing wrong with receiving these benefits. But these cannot be everything you seek to gain from the Qur’an, nor can they be the aim of your intention. You may indeed obtain them, but you will lose a vast ocean that you could have received. Every word of the Qur’an carries a great reward. You must remain mindful of every reward and make it part of your intention, for these rewards will inspire you to spend time with the Qur’an. But never forget that you have been promised immense rewards in this world and the Hereafter for understanding, absorbing and following the Qur’an. This should be your aim.

Purity of intention alone is not enough. While the Qur’an, its messages and its living embodiment, the Sunnah, are available to you, you cannot take anything else as a source of guidance. To do so would be to chase a mirage. It would mean a lack of trust in the Qur’an and disrespect toward it. It would amount to divided obedience.

Nothing can bring you as close to your Lord as the time you spend with your Lord’s word. The Qur’an is that extraordinary blessing for you through which you can hear the ‘voice’ of your Great Lord speaking to you. Therefore, your innermost desire while studying the Qur’an should be to attain nearness to Allah.

Your intention should be to attain Allah’s pleasure by dedicating your heart, mind and time to the guidance that Almighty Allah has sent to you. This is the covenant by which you surrender yourself to Allah. “Among people is one who sells his very life, seeking the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is Most Kind to His servants.” (Al-Baqarah 2:207)

Purpose and intention are like the life-force of the body, like the inner power within a seed. Many seeds look alike. But when they grow, become trees and bear fruit, their differences become apparent. The purer and nobler your purpose, the greater, more valuable and more fruitful your steps will be.

Therefore, always examine yourself and ask: Why am I reading the Qur’an? Repeatedly tell yourself why you should recite the Qur’an. This is the best way to keep your purpose and intention pure.

Gratitude and Praise

Third, you should remain conscious and alert, with boundless gratitude and praise for Almighty Allah, that He has graciously given you His greatest gift and has also granted you the opportunity to read and study the Qur’an.

Once you can feel what an extraordinary and priceless treasure you possess, your heart will spontaneously swell and dance with joy, and you yourself will exclaim: “All praise belongs solely to Allah, Who has guided us to this path. We could never have found the way ourselves had Allah not guided us.” (Al-A‘raf 7:43)

The Qur’an cannot be compared with any of the mercies and blessings Allah Most High has bestowed upon you. Even if every hair on your body became a tongue praising and glorifying Allah, and every drop of your blood were transformed into tears of joy, your praise and gratitude could still not compare with the greatness of the Qur’an.

Even if the Qur’an had not been revealed to us, its purity, beauty, nobility and radiant brilliance would still have been worthy of all our praise. Yet this glorious and sacred gift—the extraordinarily exalted word of our Lord—has been given to us solely for our salvation.

Therefore, we should express our endless gratitude and thanks to Allah.

Such profound praise inevitably turns into profound gratitude. No other word can express praise and thanks to Allah as comprehensively and deeply as the word al-hamd. “Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi hadana lihadha __”

Why should Allah be thanked for giving us the Qur’an? Through it, He has informed us about the purpose and meaning of life and guided us to the Straight Path. The honor and glory of this world have been opened up for you. In this Qur’an, you can speak with Allah.

By following the Qur’an in this worldly life alone, you can attain forgiveness, Paradise and the pleasure of Almighty Allah in the Hereafter. Gratitude and joy lead to faith, hope and a great reward. He who has given you the Qur’an will surely help you read, understand and follow it. Gratitude and joy create an ever-renewed spiritual energy that always helps you recite the Qur’an with fresh enthusiasm. The more gratitude you express, the more of the Qur’an’s treasures Allah Most High will grant you. Greatness brings gratitude, and gratitude makes you great—this is an unending process. That too is Allah’s promise.

“If you are grateful, I will surely give you more and more.” (Ibrahim 14:7)

Failing to feel deep gratitude for receiving the Qur’an can mean one of two things: either you are unaware of the blessings it has brought, or you have not given the Qur’an any importance. In all circumstances, you must think very deeply about the nature of your relationship with the Qur’an. The emotion of gratitude that flows through every recess of the heart and mind must constantly be expressed in exuberant words. Thank Allah for every step on your journey, for having time with the Qur’an, for reading the Qur’an correctly, for every meaning you derive from it, and for being granted the ability to follow the Qur’an. Gratitude must be transformed into action.

Recognition and Trust

Fourth: Accept and trust every piece of knowledge and guidance given by the Qur’an, without the slightest doubt or hesitation.

You have complete freedom to question whether the Qur’an is the word of Allah. You may even reject its claim if you do not have full confidence or conviction. But once you have accepted it as the word of Allah, there is no rationality or basis for doubting even one of its words. To do so means rejecting what you had accepted. You must surrender fully to the teachings of the Qur’an. Your own beliefs, opinions, judgments, perspectives and inclinations must not cause you to disregard even the smallest part of its teachings. The Qur’an regards as guilty those who treat it as an inherited book and then behave as confused, bewildered and doubtful believers.

The truth is that those who were made heirs to the Book after the earlier people became immersed in deeply destructive doubt concerning it. (Ash-Shura 42:14)

The Qur’an has repeatedly emphasized that every measure was taken to ensure that Allah’s word was sent down and conveyed in its pure form.

Rather, this Qur’an is inscribed on a highly exalted, محفوظ tablet. (Al-Buruj 85:21)

It is truly the word of a noble messenger, honored in the presence of the Owner of the Mighty Throne. There he is obeyed and trusted. He is faithful and trustworthy. (At-Takwir 81:19–21)

It is in the hands of honored and righteous scribes. (Abasa 80:15–16)

These are the people who, when the Word of Admonition came before them, refused to accept it. But the truth is that this is a mighty Book. Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it. It is a revelation from One Who is All-Wise and Praiseworthy. (Ha-Mim as-Sajdah 41:41–42)

It has also been declared:

“We have revealed this Qur’an with truth, and with truth it has descended.” (Al-Isra 17:105)

“The word of your Lord is perfected in truthfulness and justice.” (Al-An‘am 6:115)

Accepting the Qur’an as true and completely truthful, and placing one’s trust in it, does not mean blind faith, a closed mind or an understanding devoid of inquiry.

You have the right to investigate, examine, question and seek to understand what is in the Qur’an. But there is no reason to consider something irrational or untrue merely because you cannot fully understand or comprehend it. If you believe—and it has been proven—that every grain of stone in a mine is a priceless gem, you cannot throw away those stones whose value your eyes cannot determine, or which cannot be assessed by the instruments available to you.

Nor is there any room to discard any part of the Qur’an as old, outdated or an ancient tale. If Allah Most High is the Lord of all ages, then His word remains equally incontrovertibly true even after fourteen hundred years.

Accepting some parts of the Qur’an and rejecting others means rejecting the entire Qur’an. In your relationship with the Qur’an, there is no opportunity—or justification—for accepting it partially or in fragments. (Al-Baqarah 2:85)

There are many diseases in the heart and mind that obstruct you from accepting the Qur’an’s message and surrendering to it. All of these are explained in the Qur’an. They include envy, superstition, the pursuit of desires, and blind imitation of social customs and traditions. The greatest obstacles to abandoning your own opinions, accepting Allah’s word and receiving it humbly are pride, ignorance and an attitude of self-sufficiency.

“I will turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly on earth without right. Even if they see every sign, they will never believe in it. If they see the right path, they will not take it; but if they see the crooked path, they will take it as their way. This is because they denied and disregarded Our signs.” (Al-A‘raf 7:146)

“Know with certainty that the gates of heaven will never be opened for those who deny Our signs as false and adopt a rebellious attitude toward them. They will not enter Paradise any more than a camel can pass through the eye of a needle.” (Al-A‘raf 7:40)

Obedience and Change

Fifth: You must develop the firm will, determination and readiness to accept whatever changes the Qur’an demands in your life, outlook and conduct. Until you are ready to reshape your thoughts and actions in the light of the Qur’an’s message, your devotion and effort will ultimately end in failure. Mere intellectual exercise and pleasurable experience can never bring you close to the Qur’an’s true treasury of riches.

Failing to follow the Qur’an and change your life accordingly because of human weakness, temptation, natural difficulties or external obstacles is one thing; failing because you have no intention or make no effort is an entirely different matter. In this condition, you may perhaps acquire the reputation of being a scholar of the Qur’an, but it will never reveal to you the real truth and essential meaning. The Qur’an has severely condemned those who claim to believe in this Book of Allah, yet disregard its call when told to follow it or when a decision must be made. They turn away from it. They have been described as kafirs, fasiqs and zalims.

Risks and Obstacles

Sixth: Always remain alert to the fact that as soon as you devote yourself to studying the Qur’an, Satan will create every possible obstacle in your path so that you cannot attain the Qur’an’s great treasure.

The Qur’an is the only sure guide on Allah’s Straight Path. Following that path is humankind’s destiny. When Adam (peace be upon him) was created, humanity was warned about the obstacles it would have to overcome in fulfilling its destiny. All human weaknesses were exposed, especially weaknesses of willpower, determination and gratitude. (Ta-Ha 20:115)

It is easy to understand and clear how Satan will create obstacles at every step along the way.

“I will lie in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will attack them from before them, behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will find most of them ungrateful.” (Al-A‘raf 7:16–17)

The Qur’an is clearly guidance from Allah and your strongest ally. It will help you in the struggle against Satan, in the struggle along the Qur’an’s path, and in the struggle to live by Allah’s guidance. Therefore, from the beginning of your study of the Qur’an until the final moment of living according to it, Satan will confront you with many schemes and deceptions, illusions and seductions, obstacles and adversities, all of which you must overcome.

Satan may corrupt your intention, keep you inattentive to the meaning and message of the Qur’an, erect barriers between your soul and Allah’s realm, trap you in peripheral teachings instead of the central teachings, tempt you to refrain from following the Qur’an, or generally make you heedless about studying it. The Qur’an itself explains all these dangers in detail.

Consider a very ordinary matter. Studying the Qur’an every day and understanding it seems very easy. But try it, and you will see how difficult it can feel. Time passes, and other important tasks appear. Concentrated thought and attention become precisely what you want to avoid; why not read quickly merely for the blessing? To guard against this danger, when you read the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the rejected and accursed, while turning obediently toward the Qur’an. (An-Nahl 16:98) Say: “I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed.”

Trust and Reliance

Seventh: Place complete trust in Allah so that He may guide you toward gaining the full benefit of reading the Qur’an.

It is Allah’s infinite mercy that the Qur’an has brought Allah’s word to you and brought you close to Him. Therefore, only Allah’s mercy can help you in this difficult task. You need an important and precious remedy that cannot easily be obtained. You must face great dangers that are not easy to overcome. Toward whom else can you turn besides Allah, Who will hold your hand, help you and guide you along your path?

Your intention and action are essential means. But Allah’s extraordinary mercy and support are the only guarantee by which you will be able to travel your path successfully. In everything in your life, you must turn only to Him. And what could be more important than the Qur’an?

Never take pride in what you are doing for the Qur’an or in what you have been able to achieve. There is no comparison between such work and the awareness it should continually give you of your shortcomings and limitations.

Therefore, humbly appeal to the Qur’an and, with a spirit of complete reliance upon Allah, seek His help and support at every step.

Begin your recitation with a harmony between your tongue and heart, in an attitude of faith, praise and gratitude: “Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim”—In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. This verse appears at the beginning of every one of the Qur’an’s 114 surahs except one. The servant prays for His protection: “O Allah! Since You have guided us to the straight and correct path, do not create any crookedness or confusion in our hearts. Grant us favor from the treasury of Your mercy, for You alone are the true Giver.” (Aal ‘Imran 3:8)

3 : Sincere Concentration

You must engage your entire body and mind fully in reciting and studying the Qur’an. Only in this way can you raise your being to the level desired by the Qur’an, where, once you reach it, you will be called a true believer.

“Those to whom We have given the Book recite it as it should be recited; they truly believe in it. Those who disbelieve in it are the losers.” (Al-Baqarah 2:121)

What Is the Heart?

The most important part of your personal being is your inner self. The Qur’an calls this inner self the qalb, or heart. The heart of the Messenger (peace be upon him) was the first recipient of the Qur’an’s message.

This is the work of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit descended with it upon your heart so that you might become one of those who warn, on behalf of Allah, all people. (Ash-Shu‘ara 26:192–194)

Thus, you can enjoy the full pleasure and blessing of reading the Qur’an only when you can devote your heart completely to this task.

In Qur’anic terminology, the “heart” is not merely a piece of flesh in your body. Rather, it is the center of all your emotions, feelings, enthusiasm, memories and attention.

This is the heart that trembles (Az-Zumar 39:23), or becomes hard and hardened (Al-Baqarah 2:74), that becomes blind and rejects the truth (Al-Hajj 22:46), and that becomes active through reason and perception (Al-A‘raf 7:179; Al-Hajj 22:46; Qaf 50:37). This heart is the source of every kind of disease (Al-Ma’idah 5:32), the abode of all inner diseases (Al-Baqarah 2:10), and the dwelling place of faith and hypocrisy (Al-Ma’idah 5:41; At-Tawbah 9:77). The heart is the center of all good and evil—whether contentment and tranquility (Ar-Ra‘d 13:28), strength in confronting suffering (At-Taghabun 64:11), forgiveness (Al-Hadid 57:27), brotherly love (Al-Anfal 8:63), taqwa (Al-Hujurat 49:3; Al-Hajj 22:32), or doubt and hesitation (At-Tawbah 9:45), regret (Aal ‘Imran 3:156) and anger (At-Tawbah 9:15).

Ultimately, we will truly be held accountable for the conduct of the heart, and only the person who comes before his Lord with a sound heart will be saved.

“Allah will not punish you for unintentional oaths, but He will certainly question you about the oaths you swear sincerely.” (Al-Baqarah 2:225) “That Day neither wealth nor children will benefit anyone, except one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (Ash-Shu‘ara 26:88–89)

Therefore, you must ensure that whenever you are with the Qur’an, your heart is with you—not merely a piece of flesh, but the qalb named by the Qur’an.

This will not seem difficult if you remain aware of certain matters and observe some of the actions of your heart and body. The seven prerequisites described earlier form the basis for your heart’s complete participation in studying the Qur’an. If you take some additional steps, you will be able to engage your heart in this work more deeply and comprehensively.

The Dynamics of Sincere Concentration

You must understand well the dynamics of sincere concentration. How much hold does truth have over your heart? First, know it. Second, recognize truth as truth and accept it as your way of life. Third, remember the truth whenever you can. Fourth, internalize it until it moistens the deepest corner of your heart. When truth thus enters the depths of your heart, it will certainly be expressed through your words and actions.

It is very important to remember here that what you do outwardly with your tongue and limbs is a response to your inner activity. It is possible for words and actions to give false testimony about an inner state. But the expression of an inner state such as faith will certainly appear in words and actions; in turn, this will help imprint knowledge upon your conscience and make it a lasting condition.

The advice given here will be effective if you remain attentive to the dynamics discussed above and follow the principles mentioned.

States of Awareness

There are seven states of awareness. You must strive to increase this awareness by remembering and internalizing certain matters and reminding yourself of them.

Qur’anic Standards of Sincere Participation

First, tell yourself: my reading of the Qur’an will not be true recitation until my inner self concentrates upon it in the manner Allah desires. What does Allah desire? How should you receive the Qur’an? The Qur’an itself tells you in many places, in detail, how the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), his Companions and those whose hearts were saturated with the Qur’an received it. You should remember such verses of the Qur’an, and then, when you recite it, those verses should be reflected in you. The words of those verses are:

“The true believers are those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned. When His verses are recited to them, their faith increases, and they place their trust in their Lord.” (Al-Anfal 8:2) “Allah has sent down the finest message: a Book consistent in its parts, repeating its teachings. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver when they hear it; then their bodies and hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah. This is Allah’s guidance, by which He guides whom He wills. And whoever Allah leaves astray has no guide.” (Az-Zumar 39:23)

“Say, O Muhammad: Believe in it or do not believe. When it is recited to those who were given knowledge before it, they fall upon their faces in prostration and say, ‘Glory be to our Lord! Surely the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.’ They fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humble devotion when they hear it.” (Al-Isra 17:107–109)

“When the verses of the Most Compassionate were recited to them, they fell down in prostration, weeping.” (Maryam 19:58)

“When they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because they recognize the truth. They say, ‘Our Lord, we believe, so count us among the witnesses.’” (Al-Ma’idah 5:83)

The presence of Allah

Secondly, tell yourself: I am present before Allah, in the presence of Allah. He is watching me.

You must remain extremely alert to this reality: whenever you study the Qur’an, you are in the presence of the One who sent that Word to you. For Allah is with you at all times, wherever you may be and whatever you may do; His knowledge encompasses everything.

How can this level of awareness be attained? Listen to what Allah has said about it in the Qur’an. At the beginning of and during your study of the Qur’an, remember those verses, pay attention, and reflect deeply upon them. Not only in studying the Qur’an, but also in living your entire life according to the Qur’an, nothing can help you more than remembering and deeply reflecting upon this reality as often as possible. Alone or in company, silently or aloud, at home or at work, at rest or while busy, say, inwardly or aloud: He is here, He is with me, He is watching, hearing, knowing, and keeping account. And remember these verses:

He is with you wherever you may be, and He sees whatever you do. (Al-Hadid 57:4)

We are closer to him than his jugular vein. (Qaf 50:16)

There is never a secret consultation among three people without Allah being the fourth, nor among five without His being the sixth. Whether they are fewer or more than that, wherever they may be, Allah is certainly with them. (Al-Mujadilah 58:7)

I am with the two of you—Musa and Harun—hearing and seeing everything. (Ta-Ha 20:46)

Indeed, you are within Our sight. (At-Tur 52:48)

We will surely bring the dead to life one day. We record everything they do, and We preserve whatever traces they leave behind. We have recorded everything in a clear Book. (Ya-Sin 36:12)

Even more significant is the following verse. This verse not only emphasizes that Allah is present everywhere and sees everything; it also speaks specifically about studying the Qur’an:

Whatever state you may be in, and whatever you recite from the Qur’an, and whatever you people may do—we are watching and observing you in all such conditions. Not even an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth, whether small or great, is hidden from your Lord’s sight, nor is it absent from a clear record. (Yunus 10:61)

Therefore Allah Himself tells us: I am present when you recite the Qur’an; never forget this.

Reciting the Qur’an is an act of worship. The way to attain the highest excellence is to worship Allah. Regarding this, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

Worship Allah as though you see Him, although your eyes cannot see Allah; you do not see Him, but He sees you. (Muslim)

Moreover, you must remember that you are not the only one in His presence; He remembers you as long as you continue reciting the Qur’an.

Remember Me, and I will remember you. (Al-Baqarah 2:152)

Indeed, the best way of remembering Allah—of dhikr—is to recite the Qur’an.

Hearing from Allah

Thirdly, tell yourself: I am hearing directly from Allah.

As part of engaging your innermost self in studying the Qur’an, you should try to imagine that you are hearing the Qur’an from Allah. The Qur’an is the speech of Almighty Allah. Although He is with you, you cannot see Him, nor can you hear the One who delivered this discourse. Let the words of the printed text and the reciter’s voice recede, and draw closer to the Speaker. This feeling will strengthen and deepen your awareness of Allah’s presence within you.

In his book Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) speaks of a man who said: I recite the Qur’an, but I find no pleasure in it. Then I began to recite it as though I were hearing it from the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he recited it to his Companions. Then I advanced another step and recited the Qur’an as though I were hearing it from Jibril (peace be upon him) when he delivered it to Muhammad (peace be upon him). Then, by Allah’s grace, I advanced another step and began to recite it as though I were hearing it directly from Almighty Allah.

This kind of realization will immerse you in joy and satisfaction, enveloping your innermost self in the Qur’an.

Allah’s direct speech

Fourthly, tell yourself: when I read the Qur’an, Allah is speaking directly to me through the bearer of His message.

Certainly, the Qur’an was revealed at a particular point in history, and you received it indirectly through people of that era. But the Qur’an is the Word of the Ever-Living Allah. It is for all time. Its message is addressed to every person. Therefore, set aside these intermediaries for a while and concentrate on studying the Qur’an yourself, as though it were speaking directly to you—as a person of your time or as a member of a community. Merely thinking of receiving the Qur’an directly in this way will establish its claim over your heart.

Every word is for you

Fifthly, say: every word of the Qur’an is for me.

If the Qur’an is valid for eternity and speaks to you today, you must take every one of its messages as relating to your life—whether it concerns a value or principle, a statement of knowledge, a character or dialogue, a promise or warning, a command or prohibition.

Such an understanding will make your study of the Qur’an living, dynamic, and meaningful. Since there are profound differences from one person to another, it may be difficult to apply a message addressed to one person to someone else. Yet it is possible through sincere and correct effort.

Conversation with Allah

Sixthly, tell yourself: when I am reading the Qur’an, I am speaking with Allah Himself.

In the Qur’an, Allah’s words are addressed and dedicated to you. Although those words are inscribed on your lips and in your heart, they nevertheless constitute a dialogue between Allah and human beings. This dialogue may take many forms. It may be stated explicitly, or it may be implicit, in the sense that it contains a response from you or from Him.

How does this implicit discussion or dialogue take place? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave an excellent example of it in a Hadith Qudsi:

“I have divided the prayer between Me and My servant: half is for Me and half is for him, and My servant shall have what he asks for. Thus, when the servant says, ‘All praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When the servant says, ‘The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When the servant says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me; this is for Me.’ When he says, ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,’ He says, ‘This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’ When he says, ‘Guide us to the straight path,’ Allah says, ‘This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’ (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad)”

Later you will see how the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded to Allah’s words and the meanings of His various verses, conversing and speaking with the Creator and Lord. This awareness will create extraordinary depth and devotion in your study of the Qur’an.

Hoping for Allah’s reward

Seventhly, tell yourself: Allah will certainly grant me the rewards He has promised through His Messenger for studying the Qur’an and following it.

Many rewards have been promised in the Qur’an. The spiritual qualities of life have been assured, such as guidance, forgiveness, knowledge, wisdom, peace, remembrance, and insight. Likewise, there are honor and dignity, prosperity and advancement, success and victory in worldly life. Everlasting blessings—such as forgiveness (maghfirah), Paradise (Jannah), and Allah’s pleasure (ridwan)—also await the followers of the Qur’an.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) mentioned many other rewards as well. You will find them by reading the Qur’an-related chapters in any authoritative hadith collection, such as Bukhari, Muslim, Mishkat, or Riyad as-Salihin. You will also find some in this book, especially toward the end. For example:

The best among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it. (Bukhari)

Recite the Qur’an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will appear as an intercessor for its companion. (Muslim)

No intercessor possesses the status of the Qur’an. (Sharh al-Yahya)

On the Day of Resurrection, the companion of the Qur’an will be told to recite and ascend. The more he recites, the higher he will rise. (Abu Dawud)

For every letter of the Qur’an that you recite, you will receive tenfold reward. (Tirmidhi)

Keep these promises with you as far as your memory allows; remember whatever you can, whenever you can. Trust in Allah, hope, and ask.

Observing this attitude, which the hadith calls iman and ihtisab, will greatly increase the inner value of your actions. A hadith states:

There are forty acts of goodness. Whoever performs even one of them, trusting in Allah’s promise and hoping for the reward, Allah will grant him Paradise. The least of these good deeds is as small as giving a little milk to one’s neighbor. (Bukhari)

The actions of body and soul

There are seven actions of the body and soul that will greatly help you and your heart concentrate deeply on studying the Qur’an. You are already performing some of them. Yet perhaps you are not receiving their full benefit because you are not performing them correctly, or because you are unaware of what must be achieved through them. There are also some actions that you have never previously realized. These are very important. You must know and learn them for studying the Qur’an.

Performing the actions mentioned above will take no more time than you currently devote to studying the Qur’an. What these actions require of you is greater attention, deep concentration, and awareness of studying correctly and effectively.

The response of the soul

First: you must make your soul alive and alert to whatever the Qur’an says. Allow everything you read in the Qur’an to create a response in your heart and to breathe new life into it. Let your heart pass through states of devotion and praise, reverence and gratitude, wonder and awe, love and longing, faith and patience, hope and fear, joy and sorrow, expression and emulation, surrender and obedience, and other such states. Until you do this, the benefit you seek from studying the Qur’an will be no more than moving your lips.

For example, when you hear the names and attributes of your Lord, your heart should fill with awe, gratitude, love, and other appropriate feelings. When you read about Allah’s prophets and messengers, an intense desire to follow them should awaken within you, along with hatred and aversion toward those who opposed them. When you read about the Last Day, your heart should long for Paradise and tremble, even if only for a moment, at the fear of being cast into the fire of Hell. When you read about disobedient people and nations that were destroyed and punished, you should dislike becoming like them. And when you read about the followers of the right path, whom Allah loves and rewards, you should eagerly desire to become like them.

When you read about Allah’s forgiveness and mercy, worldly honor and abundance, and attaining His pleasure and nearness in the Hereafter, your heart should be inspired to work for these things and become worthy of them. And when you read about those wretched people who are heedless of the Qur’an, turn away from it, do not accept it, and do not conduct their lives according to its teachings, you should become fearful and terrified. Resolve not to be one of them. When you hear Allah calling you to fulfill your promise to Him and strive in His way, you should renew your resolve to answer Allah’s call and plunge into striving in His way according to your ability.

Sometimes such a state arises spontaneously in the heart, when a particular word or verse kindles a new feeling within it. At other times, careful and determined steps are needed to stir the heart. If you do not spontaneously receive the proper response, pause and continue repeating what you were reading until you receive it. If your heart wishes, a sincere desire may arise within you to repeat a particular verse many times. But if you repeat it attentively, pause, and reflect deeply, you will find that your heart responds rapidly.

Acquiring this quality is so important that the Messenger (peace be upon him) said: Continue reciting the Qur’an until your heart becomes united with it. Until unity is created between your heart and the Qur’an, understand that you are not truly reading. So get up and stop reading. (Bukhari, Muslim)

The response of the tongue

Second: let the proper response to what you read in the Qur’an be expressed through the words of your tongue. The words should also emerge spontaneously, for exclamatory expressions always convey the deep feelings in your heart arising from the Qur’an, as when joy and sorrow bring tears, or when you express gratitude, love, fear, worry, and other emotions. But it must again be emphasized that even if spontaneity is absent, you must strive for it.

This is how the Messenger (peace be upon him) recited the Holy Qur’an. Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One night I prayed behind the Prophet (peace be upon him). He began reciting the Qur’an from Surah Al-Baqarah. Whenever he recited verses mentioning the forgiveness of Almighty Allah, the Prophet sought forgiveness. When he recited a verse concerning punishment, he sought refuge with Allah from punishment. When he recited a verse mentioning Allah’s glory and incomparable attributes, he glorified Allah by saying, ‘Subhanallah.’ (Muslim)

A similar report is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). He prayed behind the Messenger (peace be upon him) in the house of Maymunah, the paternal aunt of Abdullah ibn Abbas and the wife of the Messenger (peace be upon him). (Bukhari, Muslim)

You should respond in this way to certain specific verses, as the Messenger (peace be upon him) taught. When the final verse of Surah At-Tin is recited—‘Is Allah not the best of judges?’—one should reply: ‘Yes indeed, I am among those who bear witness to this.’ Whoever recites the final verse of Surah Al-Mursalat—‘Then in what message after this will they believe?’—should say: ‘We believe in Allah.’ (Abu Dawud)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that when he recited Surah Ar-Rahman to the jinn, whenever he said, ‘So which of the favors of your Lord will you both deny?’ they would say, ‘O our Lord, no, we deny none of Your favors. All praise is Yours.’ (Tirmidhi)

These are only a few incidents from which we learn the example and teachings of our Prophet (peace be upon him). In light of these examples, it is not difficult for you to formulate your own responses of praise, glorification, affirmation, rejection, and supplication—saying Alhamdulillah, Subhanallah, Allahu Akbar, and La ilaha illallah, or expressing repentance, asking forgiveness, and asking Allah for Paradise.

The tears of your eyes

Third: in response to what you read in the Qur’an, let ‘tears of joy and sorrow’—the response of your heart—flow through your eyes.

This must happen if the state of your heart corresponds to what you are reciting from the Qur’an. Your eyes will remain dry only when your heart is inattentive, dead, or barren. Tears will not always flow only from fear of Allah. Rather, a servant’s eyes will also shed tears from the joy of finding the truth, from realizing Allah’s boundless mercy, and from witnessing His promises being fulfilled.

You see their eyes overflowing with tears because they recognize and know the truth. (Al-Ma’idah 5:83)

They fall upon their faces weeping. (Al-Isra 17:109)

Allah’s Prophet (peace be upon him), the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and those like them who maintained a deep relationship with the Holy Qur’an would often break down in tears while reciting the Qur’an.

The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Indeed, the Qur’an was revealed with sorrow. So when you recite the Qur’an, make yourself sorrowful. (Abu Ya‘la, Abu Nu‘aym) Another hadith says: Recite the Qur’an and weep. If spontaneous tears do not come, then weep nevertheless. (Ibn Majah)

If you deeply contemplate and reflect on what the Qur’an is saying and what it instructs you to do, it will not take long for tears to flow intermittently down your cheeks. Reflecting on the glad tidings, heavy responsibilities, and warnings that the Qur’an brings to you may itself make you weep.

Your demeanor

Fourth: adopt a manner of conduct that reflects the purity, devotion, and surrender of your heart toward the words of your Lord.

The Qur’an mentions such conduct in many places: true believers “fall down with their faces bowed,” “themselves bow their heads,” “listen to the Qur’an in silence and attentively, while their bodies tremble with awe.” The obligation to prostrate when reciting certain verses is one indication of how the body should respond to what is being recited in the Qur’an. Why are these physical postures or movements important? A person’s physical state has a profound effect on his mental state. The existence of the body sustains the existence of the heart. There must be a substantial difference in physical posture between reading an ordinary book and studying the Qur’an. Therefore, many manners and etiquettes of Qur’an recitation have been taught.

Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) says: First perform wudu, then sit calmly facing the qiblah, keeping your head bowed. Do not sit arrogantly; rather, sit as though you were sitting before your Lord. Imam al-Nawawi mentions some further points in his work Kitab al-Adhkar: “The mouth should be clean, the place of sitting should be pure, the face should be turned toward the qiblah, and physical humility should be displayed.”

Reciting with Tartil

Fifth: Recite the Qur’an with Tartil.

It is not possible to express the meaning of Tartil in a single English word. In Arabic, it means reciting slowly, in measured pauses, clearly, calmly, at a moderate pace, and thoughtfully, while maintaining complete harmony among the tongue, body, and heart.

This is the desired method of reciting the Qur’an, which Allah taught from the very beginning. He also instructed the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) to follow it when He commanded him to stand in prayer for much of the night and recite the Noble Qur’an (al-Muzzammil 73:4). Concerning the reason for revealing the Qur’an gradually and in stages, Allah says:

“Thus We may strengthen your heart.” (al-Furqan 25:32)

Tartil is a significant element in bringing the heart and the study of the Qur’an together and in creating strength and depth. Rather than reading rapidly and mechanically, reciting with Tartil expresses awe and reverence, helps one understand and reflect, and is capable of leaving an indelible impression on the soul.

Abdullah ibn Abbas said, “I consider reciting Surat al-Baqarah and Al Imran with Tartil better for me than rapidly reading the entire Qur’an. Likewise, reciting Surat al-Zilzal and al-Qari’ah with Tartil is better than [rapidly reciting] al-Baqarah and Al Imran.”

Tartil does not mean only silence, clarity, pauses, reflection, and harmony between body and heart; it also means the deliberate repetition of certain words and verses. Once the heart has been touched by a particular verse, you will derive new pleasure and joy from it each time you recite it. Repeated recitation creates harmony between the heart and what you are reciting.

It is reported that once the Messenger (peace be upon him) repeatedly recited Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful). On one occasion, the Messenger (peace be upon him) continued repeating throughout the entire night: “If You punish them, they are surely Your servants; but if You forgive them, You are surely the Almighty, the All-Wise” (5:118). Sa’id ibn Jubayr kept reciting this verse: “O criminals, stand apart today” (Ya-Sin), and continued to weep and shed tears. (Ihya’ Ulum al-Din)

Attaining Purity

Sixth: Purify yourself as much as you can.

You know that no one may touch the Qur’an without purity (al-Waqi’ah 56:79). This verse has been broadly explained as referring to religious cleanliness; that is, you must purify yourself through wudu according to religious law. This is fully established by numerous hadiths and scholarly consensus. But purity has many other dimensions besides cleanliness of the body, clothing, and place.

You have also seen how important purity of intention and purpose is. Keeping the heart and limbs pure from sins that may cause Allah’s anger is equally important. No person can be completely free from sin, but you can avoid sinful acts as much as possible. If you do commit something, repent as soon as possible, return to Allah, seek forgiveness, and make tawbah. You must take care that, while reciting the Qur’an, you are not consuming haram food, wearing haram clothing, or living on haram earnings. The purer you are, the more your heart will be present with you; and the more open your heart is to the Qur’an, the more understanding and benefit you will gain from it. You will also become more like those who alone are entitled to touch this glorious Qur’an, recorded in a protected Book (al-Waqi’ah 56:77–78).

Seeking Allah’s Help (Du’a)

Seventh: When you recite the Qur’an, make du’a for Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, guidance, and protection. This must be sought with the heart, through words, and through deeds. To walk in the light of the Qur’an, you must place complete trust in Allah. You should not become excessively exhilarated by this feeling of dependence; rather, it must certainly be expressed. At every step of your journey, you must meet with Him. You should ask Him for help so that you can keep your heart active, understand the Qur’an, and follow it. Also ask Him to forgive your weakness and inadequacy.

To attain closeness to Allah, beware of considering yourself self-sufficient and of showing indifference toward Allah. These are grave sins. What you need is humility instead of arrogance, and tawakkul instead of self-reliance.

You must always have hope, faith, and certainty that whatever you ask for will be given to you. Without this, your du’a will be of little benefit to you. This is one of the Qur’an’s fundamental teachings. Consider the following verses:

“My Lord, I am truly in need of whatever good You may send down to me.” (al-Qasas 28:24)

“Only those who are astray despair of Allah’s mercy.” (al-Hijr 15:56)

Your Lord says:

“Call upon Me; I will answer you. Surely those who are too proud and arrogant to worship Me will enter Hell, utterly humiliated.” (Ghafir 40:60)

“I am indeed near. I respond to the call of every caller when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me, so that they may be guided to the right path.” (al-Baqarah 2:186)

Let us consider a few more words through which we should seek Allah’s help.

Allah’s Protection

I seek Allah’s protection from the rejected Satan. A’udhu billahi min ash-shaytanir-rajim.

We have already discussed how important it is to seek Allah’s protection from Satan. Indeed, this is commanded in the Qur’an itself (al-Nahl 16:98). Do not merely utter these words as a formal or magical formula. You must understand that you will face enormous obstacles in your work. Satan is your greatest enemy. He will do everything possible to deprive you of the reward for your efforts. Allah, and Allah alone, can protect you from Satan’s conspiracy.

From time to time, you may use the words found in the Qur’an (al-Mu’minun 23:99) or taught by the Messenger (peace be upon him) when seeking Allah’s protection, or you may recite the Qur’anic surahs al-Falaq and al-Nas.

From time to time, you should return to Allah so that He may guide your heart along the right path.

“Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us to the straight path. Grant us mercy from You, for You are indeed the Giver of all bounty.” (Al Imran 3:8)

Although seeking Allah’s protection at the beginning of Qur’an study is essential, the Qur’an’s message reminds us that this should be a continuous practice.

In the Name of Allah

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful: We have already discussed the importance and significance of “Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim.” This verse appears at the beginning of all but one of the 114 surahs of the Holy Qur’an. Beginning in His name signifies expressing gratitude to the One who has provided every kind of help for the Qur’an and for reliance upon Allah.

Seeking the Blessings of the Qur’an

There are several more specific du’as that you should learn.

“My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Ta-Ha 20:114)

When Allah cautioned the Messenger (peace be upon him) to remain patient and steadfast in receiving the Qur’an, He taught him to pray with these words: “Do not hasten with the Qur’an; surely its revelation to you will soon be completed.” If one wishes to hold fast to the meaning of the Qur’an, patience in Allah’s name and Allah’s help alone can remove confusion, untie knots, and enable one to advance toward implementing the Qur’an.

Another Excellent Du’a

“O my Lord! I am Your servant, the son of Your servant and the son of Your bondwoman. I am completely subject to You; my forelock is in Your hand. Your command concerning me is final, and Your decree concerning me is just. O Lord! I call upon You by all Your names—those by which You have named Yourself, taught to any of Your creation, revealed in Your Holy Book, or kept hidden with You. O my Lord! Make the Qur’an the source of all inspiration in my heart, the light of my inner being, the remover of my sorrow, and the reliever of my anxiety and worry.” (Ahmad, Ruzayn)

The following du’a is generally recited after completing the recitation of the entire Qur’an. But its meaning is so comprehensive that if Allah is called frequently with these words, He will surely shower abundant blessings: “O my Lord! Shower Your mercy upon me through the magnificent Book, the Qur’an. Make the Qur’an for me a leader, a light, a guide, and a mercy. O Allah! Through the Qur’an, enable me to remember what I have forgotten, and teach it to me. Grant me the strength to recite it by day and by night. O Lord of the worlds! Make the Qur’an a proof in my favor.”

Before reciting the Qur’an, while reciting it, and after completing the recitation, seek Allah’s forgiveness in whatever language and manner you prefer. You will find three Qur’anic supplications concerning this in Al Imran (3:16), al-Mu’minun (23:118), and Al Imran (3:193).

General Supplication

In addition to the specific du’as mentioned above, pray to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, in your own language to benefit from the Qur’an. For example: “Open my eyes; give me the strength to see truth as truth and falsehood as falsehood; grant me the light by which I can recognize Your path; help me in my efforts; make my will humble; grant me the blessing of rejoicing in receiving Your forgiveness and guidance; guide me in my anxiety, my decisions, and all my affairs; grant me resistance against every temptation; give me the strength to fulfill all responsibilities; remove my laziness and inertia; let Your words inspire my thoughts and actions and fulfill my every need; calm me when I am restless; grant me tranquility when I am distressed; help me study and understand; grant me the ability to know and understand You and Your guidance; give me patience; grant me honor and dignity; give me the strength to accept and observe; enable me to live according to what I learn; grant me the ability to fulfill the mission that the Qur’an has given me.”

Study with Understanding

Awareness of what you are reading will engage you deeply in studying the Qur’an. In Qur’anic study, this is the final point, but by no means the least important. It may be the most important and effective approach.

Although understanding what the Qur’an says is essential for everyone before its message can penetrate deeply into the heart, it is not an absolute condition without which no blessing whatsoever can be obtained from the Qur’an. Some people understand every word of the Qur’an, yet the doors of their hearts remain closed to it. Others do not understand even a single word, yet attain profound concentration, a deep relationship with Allah, love and longing, and closeness and obedience to Allah. This is because one’s relationship with the Qur’an depends on many factors. There will always be countless people who will never learn Arabic, will not be able to read a translation, or will not have time to make the effort. Nevertheless, they have no reason to despair. Until they make every possible effort to find the means to understand the Qur’an, and until they sincerely strive to live according to its teachings, they must continue to read the Qur’an even if they do not understand its meaning, and they must continue to hope for its blessings.

Nevertheless, the immense importance of understanding what the Qur’an tells you cannot be diminished in the slightest. Here, “understanding” means directly knowing what has been said in the Qur’an. We will discuss later reflection, the other levels of following it, fully grasping its meaning, integrating it with our thinking, and related matters.

Why is it necessary to grasp the direct meaning? First, it greatly helps you concentrate on the direct meaning of the Qur’an, awaken various states of awareness, and produce a bodily and spiritual response that brings your innermost self face to face with the Qur’an. Second, only through understanding can you deepen your faith, which will actually lead you to live with iman and the teachings of the Qur’an.

4: Method of Recitation

Long-lasting companionship with the Qur’an must be our heart’s greatest desire and occupation. Therefore, study the Qur’an as much as you can. Spend as much time on this work as you possibly can, especially at night. In this way, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the noble Companions were able to prepare themselves in the path of Allah for the great and important responsibility that the Qur’an had entrusted to them. There are certain guidelines and rules concerning this that you must always keep in mind.

How Often Should You Read?

You must read some portion of the Qur’an every day. In fact, not a single day should pass without your spending some time with the Qur’an. Regular reading, even if it is only a very small portion, is better than reading occasionally or reading a large portion at once.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Allah loves the deeds that are done regularly, even if they are small” (Bukhari, Muslim). He particularly warned that you must devote yourself regularly to studying the Qur’an. Otherwise, you will easily suffer loss. The example of those attached to the Qur’an is like that of a camel tied with a rope: as long as someone holds it, it remains in his hand, but if he lets it go, it runs away (Bukhari, Muslim).

How Much Should You Read?

There is no specific answer to this. It will vary from person to person and according to circumstances. The guidance in this regard is what Allah has said, taking all human means and capacities into consideration:

“So recite whatever you can easily [recite] of the Qur’an.” (al-Muzzammil 73:20)

The practice of the noble Companions and their successors in this matter understandably varied. Some completed the entire Qur’an in two months, some in one month, some in ten days, some in one week, and some even in one day. We should remember the following hadith as a guiding standard: “Whoever completes the Qur’an in less than three days does not understand it.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Once, when the Messenger (peace be upon him) told Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to complete the Qur’an in one month, Ibn Umar insisted on doing it in less time. The Messenger (peace be upon him) then said, “Recite it within seven days, and do not increase upon that” (Bukhari). The Qur’an is divided into 7 ahzab and 30 juz’. This also gives some indication of what is desirable.

Imam al-Nawawi’s advice on this matter deserves particular attention. Whoever can study the Qur’an reflectively and discover its profound meanings and significance should read a smaller amount. Similarly, one who must devote time to education, government work, or important work prescribed by Islam may read less. (Kitab al-Adhkar)

The amount you read will depend on the purpose of your reading. If you want to devote time only to studying the Qur’an or to gain a quick general understanding, you may read quickly and read more. But if you want to reflect on it and put it into practice, then read slowly and read less. This is what Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) meant. He says, “At times I complete the Qur’an every Friday, at times every month, and at times every year. In one way, I have been trying to complete the Qur’an for the past thirty years, but so far I have not been able to do so.” (Ihya’ Ulum al-Din)

I believe that, in our present circumstances, most of us should try to read through the entire Qur’an at least once every eight months. Whether you understand the direct meaning or through a translation, this should not take more than 5–15 minutes a day.

But during your lifetime, you should try to complete the recitation of the Qur’an in seven days at least a few times, or in one month, especially during Ramadan. At times, you should devote yourself to studying the Qur’an very slowly and carefully, with deep reflection, even if not every day.

When Should You Read?

No time of day or night is unsuitable for studying the Qur’an. Nor is any particular physical posture required for it. Allah says, “Remember the name of your Lord in the morning and evening, and during part of the night.” (al-Insan 76:25)

“Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides.” (Al Imran 3:191)

Indeed, studying the Qur’an is the best way of remembering Allah, or dhikr. Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the noble Companions and their followers studied the Qur’an at any time of day or night, whether they were staying in one place or traveling.

Nevertheless, there are certain desirable times recommended by the Qur’an and the Prophet (peace be upon him), when studying the Qur’an is more fruitful and beneficial. Thus, certain forms and moods are appropriate. Night is the finest time for reciting the Qur’an, and the most desirable posture is to stand in prayer. The opening Surah al-Muzzammil and several other passages of the Qur’an tell us this. (Al Imran 3:113, Al-Isra 17:79, Az-Zumar 39:9.) Reciting the Qur’an while standing in night prayer unites your heart with the recitation, strengthens your desire to submit to Allah’s guidance, and helps you fulfill the mission He has entrusted to you.

To do this, you need (a) to memorize some portions of the Qur’an and (b) to remain awake for some time at night. The Qur’an recognizes this limitation: for various reasons, it may not always be possible for everyone. Therefore, the Qur’an permits you to continue reciting as much as you can with ease. This means reciting as much as possible, for as much time as possible, and in whatever circumstances are possible. Studying the Qur’an in night prayer has immense importance and extraordinary benefits. Therefore, you should devote some time to it, however little—even a few minutes. You must set aside time for this at regular intervals, say weekly or monthly.

To remain as close as possible to the ideal path, you may be expected to recite the Qur’an before or after the Fajr and Isha prayers, or in the morning or before going to sleep. Special mention is made of studying the Qur’an in the morning (Al-Isra 17:78). Although studying the Qur’an while sitting in a chair, reclining on a pillow, or lying on a bed or in a car is not desirable, it is not forbidden. Nevertheless, never do so without a reason or make it a habit. In any case, if someone is deprived of reciting the Qur’an merely because he cannot sit in the proper posture, he is deprived of many things that are far more valuable.

Reciting correctly

You must recite the Qur’an correctly. At the very least, you must pronounce the vowels and letters correctly, even if you are unable to learn all the rules of tajwid. Arabic is such that a slight error in vowel pronunciation can drastically change the meaning, and often completely distort it.

For an educated adult, one month of continuous study for one hour each day is sufficient to acquire the minimum basic skill in this regard.

No one is excused from making a sincere effort to learn to recite the Qur’an correctly. Once you have learned, being unable to do so perfectly cannot be a reason for abandoning recitation. A non-Arab may never master the technique of correct recitation. Or you may not have the opportunity to learn it.

I have been sent among a people including the illiterate, elderly men and women, boys and girls, and people who had never read a book. (Tirmidhi)

The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) statement addressed to Jibril (peace be upon him) proves that he was aware of this kind of difficulty. Therefore, you should remember his reassuring words about it, although he did not make them an excuse for relaxing or avoiding your efforts to learn.

One who is proficient in reciting the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and righteous angel who brings revelation. As for one who falters while reciting and finds correct recitation difficult, he will receive a double reward for reciting and striving. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Reciting beautifully

After learning to recite the Qur’an correctly, it is desirable to learn the art of qira’ah so that you can recite it in a beautiful, melodious, captivating, and pleasing voice. There are many hadiths drawing attention to this:

Beautify the Qur’an with your voice. (Abu Dawud)

Allah does not listen to any prophet as He listens to a prophet with a beautiful voice reciting—meaning that He does not listen to another’s recitation as He listens to one who recites clearly and beautifully.

Whoever does not recite the Qur’an in a melodious voice is not one of us. (Bukhari)

But it must be remembered that true beauty is that which springs from fear of Allah in the heart.

His recitation and voice are so melodious that when you hear his recitation, you will feel that he fears Allah. (Darimi)

Listening attentively

Whenever the Qur’an is recited, listen attentively and observe deep silence.

The Qur’an itself says about this—

When the Noble Qur’an is recited before you, listen to it very attentively and remain silent. Perhaps mercy will be sent down upon you. (Al-A’raf 7:204)

It is natural that when Allah speaks, you must remain silent. But the Arabic word used for “listening” means not merely the physical act of hearing, but also a special state of concentration and receptivity.

In practice, nothing contrary to this instruction may be done. Neither talking nor giving a speech is permissible while the Qur’an is being recited. You may not play a recording of qira’ah as background music while doing something else, such as talking or whispering. When Qur’an recitation takes place at the beginning of a meeting, gathering, or অনুষ্ঠান, it is not acceptable for anyone to fail to pay attention to it.

Some jurists have even prohibited praying in a nearby place while the Qur’an is being recited aloud.

The essential implication of this rule is that if loud Qur’an recitation makes it difficult for people nearby to pay attention to the Qur’an or makes responding impossible, the reciter must lower his voice or recite silently. Good conduct toward one’s neighbors is part of one’s responsibility. Moreover, if someone is not interested in listening, it is improper to impose the matter of listening to the Qur’an upon him.

It is highly desirable to ask those who can recite correctly and beautifully to recite the Qur’an, and then to listen attentively. The Messenger (peace be upon him) would ask his Companions to recite the Qur’an to him. We should remember what the Messenger (peace be upon him) said about this:

Whoever listens to one verse will be given double the reward. Whoever recites it, it will appear as a light for him on the Day of Resurrection. (Ahmad)

Completing the Qur’an

Whenever you complete the Qur’an, regardless of how many times you have done so, that moment is one of joy, encouragement, and supplication. Imam Nawawi has mentioned some practices followed by the noble Companions and the Tabi’in in this regard. These are desirable but not obligatory. Nevertheless, follow them as much as you can.

First: Begin on Friday night and finish on Thursday night. Some preferred to begin on Monday morning. Others chose different times; no time is without blessing. Every time will bear witness on the Day of Resurrection.

Second: Recite the final portion in prayer if you are alone when completing it.

Third: Invite others when you finish, and submit yourselves together to Allah.

When the Companion Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) completed the Qur’an, he gathered all the members of his household and supplicated before Allah (Abu Dawud). It is narrated from Hakam ibn Utaybah that one day I was sent to Mujahid and Ubadah ibn Abi Hudhafah, and they said, “We invited you because we wish to complete the Qur’an and supplicate to Allah when we finish.” Another narration says that Allah’s mercy descends when the Qur’an is completed.

Fourth: Fast on the day you intend to complete the Qur’an.

Fifth: Immediately after completing the Qur’an, begin reciting again for the next completion. That is, after finishing Surah An-Nas, recite Surah Al-Fatihah and some verses of Al-Baqarah. In one sense, this fulfills what is required by the hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik.

“The best deed is to arrive, settle, and set out again.” When he was asked what this meant, he replied, “Completing the Qur’an and beginning it again.”

Sixth: Submit yourself to Allah and supplicate when completing the Qur’an. This is a time when your supplication is accepted and Allah’s mercy descends. Great emphasis has been placed on practicing this. When someone recites the Qur’an and then supplicates to Allah, forty thousand angels say, “Amin.” (Darimi)

Supplicate with humility, fear, hope, gentleness, and firmness. Pray for yourself, but certainly pray for everything. In particular, pray for the important collective affairs of the ummah, for the honor and dignity of the ummah, for the righteousness of its rulers, for the protection of the Muslim ummah from its enemies, and for mutual cooperation among Muslims in righteousness and taqwa.

Memorizing

Memorize as much of the Holy Qur’an as you can. The Qur’an is extraordinary in the way it is preserved in memory through hifz. Although today the word hifz is used in the narrow sense of memorization, hifz means both understanding and acting upon what one reads. In truth, there is no English word capable of accurately expressing the complete and proper meaning of hifz.

Hifz is an essential means by which the Qur’an can enter you. It is not a mechanical or scholastic task. It is significant for higher spirituality and concentration. Only through hifz can you recite the Qur’an in prayer and stand before the Qur’an’s speaker while reflecting on its meaning. Hifz also makes the Qur’an flow through your language and turns it into your constant companion. The more you memorize, the easier it will be for you to concentrate deeply on reciting the Qur’an and grasp its meaning.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized this in various ways. “Memorize the Qur’an, for Allah will not punish the soul in which the Qur’an resides.” (Sharh as-Sunnah)

One whose heart contains nothing of the Qur’an is like a desolate or ruined house. (Tirmidhi)

Therefore, allocate some of your Qur’an-study time for this purpose. Proceed in a systematic manner. Set a goal for a specific period. Your list should include those portions that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited in prayer, recited at some time of day or night, told his Companions to recite, or whose excellence he described. Some portions will naturally attract you during recitation, and you should memorize those portions as well.

5: Study and Understanding

Importance and necessity

You cannot draw the full and true blessing and treasure of the Qur’an until you devote yourself completely to understanding its meaning and knowing what your Creator is saying. This does not negate what we said earlier: even those who do not understand may receive the Qur’an’s blessings. Undoubtedly, the overwhelming majority of Muslims do not know Arabic, and many do not have a translation in their own language. Nevertheless, if they recite the Qur’an with sincere concentration, humility, and love, they will not fail to receive some of its riches. For you gain the companionship of the one you love, and even if you do not know his language, your relationship with him must surely deepen. Yet the relationship will be stronger if you understand his language.

On the other hand, merely understanding the meaning may also be of no avail. Many heard the Qur’an from the lips of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and understood every word, yet became even more misguided. There are millions whose language is Arabic and who understood the Qur’an, but it has had no influence on their lives. Numerous Muslim and non-Muslim scholars spend their entire lives studying and practicing the Qur’an and possess flawless scholarship, yet the Qur’an cannot touch their lives.

Nevertheless, there remains an urgent need to devote yourself to understanding the Qur’an. The Qur’an has come to give guidance, remind, warn, and provide healing. It is not merely a source of reward, a sacred scripture, a symbol of spirituality, a sign of holiness, or sacred magic. The Qur’an has come to transform you radically and lead you toward a new life. But understanding the Qur’an alone is not a sure guarantee of attaining a new life. Without understanding the Qur’an, however, fulfilling its true purpose and calling humanity to its path will be extremely difficult.

Personal study

Why must we devote ourselves to understanding the Qur’an through our own efforts and reflect and deliberate deeply upon it? Is it not enough for us to study and listen to the Qur’an from knowledgeable people? No, it is not. Nevertheless, that is necessary. You yourself must strive to know what the Qur’an says about any important matter. The Qur’an is not merely a book, nor is it a compilation of lists of what may and may not be done. This book does not merely inform you about Allah and what He wants from you. It seeks to affect your personal life, give you a new life, and create a deep relationship between you and Allah. Thus, it should increase your patience, purify you, build your character, correct your conduct, continually encourage you, and bring about much improvement in you.

All this can be achieved if you establish a personal relationship with the Qur’an through study, practice, and understanding. Your heart, thoughts, and conduct cannot respond to it without deeply reflecting upon its messages. Unless you immerse yourself in contemplating the Qur’an’s message, you cannot receive it, nor can those messages enter your life. Think for a moment: if reflection and understanding were not involved, why were you instructed to recite the Qur’an with tartil? You have been told to read the Qur’an with pauses. If you do not understand what you are reading in the Qur’an, how can you respond sincerely, physically, and verbally to what the Qur’an emphasizes?

Arguments against study

But if someone engages in the dangerously risky effort of understanding Allah’s Book on his own, without an experienced teacher and all the necessary means and resources for study, is there no danger of making mistakes or going astray? Yes, there certainly is, especially when you do not clearly know your limitations and objectives. But if you make no effort at all to understand the Qur’an, the loss will be far greater for you and for the Muslim ummah. The risks of studying the Qur’an independently can be removed by taking certain proper precautions. You must ensure that you never exceed your limitations and objectives in this matter. But the loss caused by abandoning this kind of study cannot be made up.

Some argue that trying to understand the Qur’an’s meaning on one’s own violates the hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him). He said, “Whoever interprets the Qur’an according to his own whim, his place will be Hell.” (Tirmidhi)

This hadith refers to the kind of study undertaken to find proof or support for a preconceived idea or personal opinion, instead of receiving Allah’s guidance with an open mind. Or it refers to the tendency to explain matters about which one lacks the necessary knowledge. Imam Ghazali expressed the firm view that otherwise the Messenger (peace be upon him) would not have encouraged his Companions to understand the Qur’an, nor would they have derived meanings they had not heard from the Messenger (peace be upon him), nor would they have differed among themselves over the interpretation of the Qur’an.

Fearing terrible consequences, many religious leaders prohibit even reading a translation of the Qur’an without the help of a knowledgeable teacher. Or they impose such conditions on studying the Qur’an alone that very few people can fulfill them even after striving for a long time. Despite their good intentions, such advice will ultimately deprive you of the Qur’an’s great treasure. Although their fear is understandable, there is no reason or basis for their prohibition.

Think for a moment: can they prohibit an Arab from understanding the literal meaning of the Qur’an? Then why should an Arab not read a translation? Besides, can they prevent anyone from reading about another subject and seeking or understanding its meaning? Then why should one be prohibited from studying the Qur’an and trying to understand it? Moreover, what can be said about the first verses revealed to Muslims and unbelievers alike? They were illiterate merchants and Bedouins, who had no means or resources for acquiring knowledge. Nevertheless, many unbelievers accepted Islam merely by listening, without anyone’s help, even upon hearing it for the first time.

It is true that the Messenger (peace be upon him) and his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had an extraordinary and supreme advantage in witnessing the significance of the Qur’an: the Companions were passing through the severe trials of faith, da’wah, and jihad along the path of the Qur’an. Nevertheless, this should not discourage us. If we are able to fulfill the necessary conditions, why would the Qur’an not open its doors to us? Rather, what has been repeatedly emphasized in this regard is that we too must conduct our lives on the arduous path of faith, da’wah, and jihad, like the noble Companions.

The remedy for the danger of going astray does not lie in forbidding every effort to understand the Qur’an except sitting at a teacher’s feet; rather, it lies in following correct guidance.

This does not, of course, mean denying the importance of acquiring the necessary knowledge of Arabic and the various Qur’anic sciences, studying tafsir, learning from knowledgeable and reliable teachers, or mastering contemporary human knowledge. These are important. However, it depends on what you wish to obtain from the Qur’an. You must possess the resources suited to achieving your objective. But you cannot eliminate the need to study the Qur’an merely because you do not possess every means and resource or cannot go to a teacher.

Imagine that you are on an island, do not know Arabic, and have no opportunity to learn it. You have no good teacher or good tafsir, or you cannot obtain either of them. Undoubtedly, in such a situation you should recognize the need to acquire the ability to understand the Qur’an correctly and take every possible step toward that end. Nevertheless, the Qur’an is guidance for you from Allah.

Fortunately, none of us lives on such an island. The existence of such an island in our imagination is mainly an excuse for our incompetence, laziness, inattention, and inactivity. For understanding the Qur’an, the Qur’an’s companionship is as essential to our hearts and minds as food is to the body. What is important to remember is that even if someone truly lived on an island, had only one copy of the Qur’an, and barely understood its literal meaning, or had mastered the Qur’an’s commands, the need and demand to devote himself personally to deep reflection and study of the Qur’an would still remain.

Characteristics of the Qur’an

The Qur’an is guidance for everyone, their teacher and wise adviser. Therefore, understanding it is extremely important; otherwise, it is nothing more than a symbol of mystery. The Qur’an has spoken clearly about the serious centrality of striving and personal effort to open one’s heart and mind to its call. We remain at fault for keeping our hearts and minds locked regarding understanding the Qur’an.

Do they not reflect and investigate the Qur’an?

Or have locks been placed upon their hearts? (47:24)

Thus, the call to understand the Qur’an is spread across almost every page of the Qur’an. Why will you not listen? Why will you not see? Why will you not reflect? Why will you not deliberate? Why will you not comprehend? Why will you not accept it in your heart? If this call is not directed to people who possess the ability and capacity to listen, see and think, then to whom is it directed?

It has been declared with utmost clarity that the Qur’an was sent down to be understood.

This is a blessed Book which We have sent down to you, O Prophet, so that these people may reflect upon its verses and those endowed with knowledge, understanding and discernment may take heed from it. (Sad 38:29)

Similarly, the Qur’an Majid praises them as the true servants of the Most Merciful:

Those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not remain blind and deaf to them (Al-Furqan 25:73).

Conversely, it rebukes as worse than animals those who do not use their hearing, sight and hearts to listen to, see and understand the Qur’an:

They have hearts with which they do not reflect; they have eyes with which they do not see; and they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle—rather, even more astray. They are utterly heedless. (Al-A‘raf 7:179)

You cannot obtain the Qur’an’s true mercy and treasures until you understand its meaning, until you understand what Allah has said to you, and until you personally devote yourself to seeking it out.

Practice in Earlier Times

Even the hadith that discourages completing the Qur’an in less than three days clearly expresses the need for understanding. Otherwise, you will not be able to understand it. This instruction would have no relevance for one who does not understand the meaning. Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him), in his work Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, has given many examples of how the Companions devoted themselves to studying and understanding the Qur’an.

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “A person frequently recites the Qur’an, but the Qur’an curses him because he does not understand it.” According to Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), understanding the Qur’an is a sign of faith. We have passed a long time… A time came when I saw a man who had been given the entire Qur’an before he believed. He recited every page from Surah al-Fatihah to the end of the Qur’an, yet he did not know its commands or warnings, nor did he recognize the places where he should be humble. He cast it aside as someone fleeing casts something away in haste. One day, A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) heard a man muttering in front of the Qur’an and said, “The man is neither reciting the Qur’an nor remaining silent.” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “There is no good in studying the Qur’an if one does not reflect upon it and think about it.” Abu Sulayman al-Darani said, “I read one verse and spend four or five nights with it, and I do not read the next verse until I have finished reflecting upon it.”

Naturally, if the Qur’an is a book of guidance for all people, then an island dweller can receive as much guidance from it as a person immersed in the pursuit of knowledge. Even if no book or teacher is available for this purpose, you must clearly understand that you need to devote time—individually or collectively—to understanding it, reflecting upon it, seeking its meaning for your life and learning what the Qur’an says to you.

Risks of Individual Study

The risks involved in such an undertaking should be clearly identified, and appropriate measures should be taken to avoid them. You can certainly avoid these risks by following some guidelines:

(1) Remember that understanding the Qur’an is a broad and multifaceted process. It has different forms, perspectives, degrees and levels. You should know all of them. Understanding for the care of the heart differs greatly from understanding for deriving religious rulings.

(2) Assess your own situation and identify your limitations and capabilities with complete clarity. For example: your understanding of the Qur’an’s guidance, your ability to understand Arabic, your command of hadith and the life and character of the Messenger, and your ability to access the sources.

(3) Understand your purpose correctly and set specific objectives for your study. Under no circumstances should you go beyond your limitations and capabilities.

For example, if you do not know Arabic, do not undertake deep grammatical and lexical research; limit yourself to the direct literal meaning. If you lack knowledge of revelation and abrogation, or of the works of the early jurists, you should not begin deriving your own fiqh from the Qur’an or criticizing or supporting a particular view.

(4) Do not regard as conclusive or begin propagating anything you discover that conflicts with the general consensus of the ummah. This is not meant to oppose your holding any view, nor to affirm that the opinions of learned people are infallible; rather, to oppose a view, one must possess at least equal merit, if not greater.

This does not absolve you of the responsibility to do what you know from the Qur’an to be right and to avoid what is wrong.

(5) Whenever you doubt your own conclusions because of your limited knowledge—which will often be the case—keep your opinion in doubt until you have undertaken a full comparative study or discussed it with a trustworthy, qualified and learned scholar of the Qur’an.

Categories of Understanding

Broadly speaking, we can divide the study of the Qur’an into two categories: (1) Tazakkur and (2) Tadabbur, as has been mentioned:

So that they may reflect upon its verses and people of understanding and discernment may take heed from it. (Sad 38:29)

Tazakkur

The word tazakkur has been used extensively in the Qur’an and translated in various ways, such as: taking admonition, deriving admonition, remembering, paying attention and accepting with the heart. Thus, it is a process through which you can grasp the Qur’an’s general message and teachings. You can understand what this message means for you and what it demands of you. Accept these things with your heart to produce an open response from your heart and mind. Put your willpower into practice according to what you receive, and ultimately determine what message you will present to other people.

Tazakkur is a form of understanding whose very nature means that highly advanced scholarship is not required. You may not know the meaning of every word. You may not be able to uncover the meaning of every important and fundamental word, and you may not know the meaning of every verse; but you should know with great clarity and transparency the general, comprehensive and particular messages and how you should live your life.

In fact, among those who understood the Qur’an most and benefited from it, the foremost were its first listeners—they were righteous merchants, farmers, shepherds, camel drivers and Bedouins. They had no dictionaries or tafsir books at hand, nor scholarly works on style, literary composition, rhythm or rhetoric. Nor did they possess all the knowledge of philosophy, history, geography, archaeology, anthropology, or the social and physical sciences. Nevertheless, they were the most successful in understanding the Qur’an. The reason is that they accepted its message with their hearts and began living according to it. Those who fulfill the necessary conditions attain this kind of understanding, and everyone can attain it. The amount or degree one can receive depends on one’s effort and ability. Of course, the tools of scholarship add many new dimensions to this process, increase its significance and provide new insights, but they are not indispensable.

Regarding tazakkur, the Qur’an clearly states that it is very easy to understand. The Qur’an is within the reach of every sincere seeker if they simply realize what they are reading and reflect upon it. Tazakkur means that the Qur’an calls those who can hear, see and think to be guided by it. In this sense:

We have made this Qur’an easy for taking admonition. Is there anyone who will take admonition from it? (Al-Qasas 54:17)

O Prophet! We have made this Book easy in your language so that these people may take admonition. (Ad-Dukhan 44:58)

We have presented in this Qur’an all kinds of examples and parables for people, so that they may become mindful. (Az-Zumar 39:27)

In it is highly instructive admonition for every person who has a heart or listens attentively. (Qaf 50:37)

Tazakkur is not an inferior level of understanding; it is the Qur’an’s essential primary purpose. You must strive throughout your life to gain light and guidance and to obtain healing through tazakkur. In this process, you must continue seeking to attain its numerous personal benefits.

Tadabbur

Tadabbur is a different kind of understanding. It means attempting to know the full meaning of every word, verse and surah; investigating the underlying meanings of words, similes and metaphors; discovering the coherence and inner unity of the original text; determining its central subject; conducting deep research into lexical difficulties, revelation and historical background; and undertaking comparative study of various tafsirs. It further means discovering all the implications of people’s relationship with Allah, with other people, with their own selves and with the world around them; deriving laws and ethics for individuals and society, regulations for the state and economy, foundational principles of history and philosophy, and understanding the significance of the present level of human knowledge.

Such study requires broad and deep knowledge of the various ulum al-Qur’an, and it also depends on your aims and objectives.

Tadabbur and tazakkur are not completely separate, nor are they mutually independent processes of understanding the Qur’an. Each is related to the other.

Your Objective

What should your objective be? Naturally, objectives will differ from person to person and may even differ for the same person from time to time. In my view, tazakkur is obligatory for every Muslim who is capable of understanding the Qur’an.

Therefore, for an ordinarily educated Muslim who is trying to fulfill his commitment to Allah in light of his abilities and limitations, tazakkur should be the first and most important objective. You will remain with it forever and will never reach a point at which you can dispense with tazakkur.

You must remember that in tazakkur you should care for your mind and heart, strive to increase your faith, devote yourself to discovering the Qur’an’s message for you, and try to accept it with your heart and memorize it. Through all your effort, you should become able to hear Allah’s voice: what He tells you to become and what He tells you to do.

Levels and Forms of Understanding

Your understanding of the Qur’an may have different levels and different forms.

First: You may understand its simple and literal meaning as you are able to understand a book in a language you know, or as someone who knows Arabic can understand the Qur’an.

Such understanding may be the minimum requirement. It will be the key to reaching all the other levels, but it is not sufficient by itself.

Second: You discover how scholars have understood it, either by listening to their explanations, reading commentaries or consulting other sources.

Third: Study and reflect on your own to discover the meaning of the Qur’an and attain internalization and tazakkur. If you have the ability and need, you may also attain tadabbur.

Fourth: Discover its meaning by following its message and fulfilling the responsibilities, duties and mission that the Qur’an has entrusted to you.

Basic Requirements

To make your effort fruitful, you should fulfill some basic requirements.

First: You should learn enough Arabic to understand the meaning of the Qur’an without the help of a translation. This is the initial level and its most necessary prerequisite. It may seem very difficult. But I have learned that even semi-educated people have accomplished it within only a few months when they undertook it with deep dedication. With the help of a teacher or a good book, it should not take you more than 120 hours to learn enough Arabic to understand the Qur’an.

But do not stop trying to study the Qur’an until you have found this amount of time to learn Arabic. Obtain a good translation and begin your effort. This is better than reciting the Qur’an without understanding it.

Reading the Entire Qur’an

Second: First read the entire Qur’an from beginning to end, directly understanding its literal meaning. If you do not know Arabic, use a translation.

You should create a specific project to complete a first reading within at least one month. It should not take more than two hours a day. After that, you can plan a leisurely reading schedule that suits you. But you must continue this kind of reading throughout your life, in whatever way is convenient for you, as you have already learned from the method of studying the Qur’an.

A preliminary reading of the entire Qur’an is essential before undertaking an in-depth study. It will acquaint you with the Qur’an’s overall message, its composition, style of expression, arguments and metaphors, and give you some idea of its teachings and regulations. Through regular recitation, become familiar with the Qur’an, sense its coherence and unity, and begin to see it as an integrated whole. This will reduce the danger of explaining anything outside the Qur’an’s general framework. Those who approach the Qur’an according to an index or topical arrangement without close familiarity with its subject matter and original text remain highly liable to make mistakes or give incorrect interpretations.

Maintaining a regular relationship with the Qur’an’s original text is an essential key to understanding it. This will be of great help even in understanding words or verses. Through long and continuous companionship with the Qur’an, you will often come across a text that suddenly seems to be speaking to you and answering your questions.

Of course, at different times you may proceed through the Qur’an in different ways to achieve different objectives. You may adopt a rapid-reading process or finish within a specified period; or you may spend hours reflecting on the meaning of a word or verse. You may read a passage repeatedly, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. Or you may merely scan the pages to obtain guidance on a particular subject with which you are already familiar. You may continue reflecting on your own, which will take less time, or undertake a comparative study according to four different tafsirs, in which even a small portion may take you a long time.

Reading Tafsir

Third: After completing the entire Qur’an once with understanding, continue reading it regularly and as slowly as possible. At this stage, obtain a concise but reliable tafsir or translation and read it from beginning to end. Very few concise tafsirs are available in Arabic, Urdu and other Muslim languages, while they are especially scarce in present-day English and European languages. In any case, whatever is available can be used profitably if read carefully.

Reading even a concise tafsir can give you a much more detailed understanding of the Qur’an than reading on your own. Tafsir will acquaint you with important matters such as language, style, argument, historical background and detailed meanings, which cannot be discovered through your own reflection alone. It can also correct some of your mistakes.

Whenever you feel the need for detailed Qur’an study, try to limit yourself to a concise tafsir. At least initially, never concern yourself with long, detailed scholarly tafsirs. Their lengthy explanations and analyses often become an obstacle to your living and direct relationship with Allah’s message. Read a partial tafsir if a complete one is unavailable. When reading any literature on Islam, make a special note during your study or at its conclusion of whatever you find that is Qur’an-centered. Even though such material may be widely scattered, this practice can become a very important aid to understanding the Qur’an.

Remember, you can nourish your faith and learn the necessary message for how to live without extensive explanation and analysis. You will need the help of tafsir only to remove certain doubts, investigate an excellent subject or untangle a complex issue.

Studying Selected Sections

Fourth: Ideally, you should begin studying the Qur’an from the very beginning and continue until the end. Surely, a day will come when someone among you will undertake such an initiative.

But for most of us, such a day is very unlikely to come, or may never come at all. In that case, you should begin your study as soon as possible.

Then take the designated section, passage, surah, or verse for this purpose and read it with detailed explanation. At times, because of your involvement in da‘wah activities and for your personal development, you may have to study a particular section. At other times, your regular study may lead you to particular passages that you prefer to pursue. But you may also follow a scientific and well-organized syllabus. The important thing is to begin and to know how to study, not what to begin with. A list of some passages has been provided at the end of this book as a suggestion.

The designated passages for beginning your study will benefit you in many ways. First: Rather than waiting indefinitely, you will begin progressing through an important stage of your journey in the world of the Qur’an by establishing the essential relationship of tadabbur. Second: You will gain important clues, keys, and methods that will help you understand those parts of the Qur’an that you will not have an opportunity to study in detail very soon. The Qur’an expresses its message in various ways. Allah has sent down the finest discourse. It is a Book whose parts are consistent and in which the same message is repeated again and again (az-Zumar 39:23). Third: You must form a complete picture of the Qur’anic framework, which is essential for keeping your understanding on the right path. Fourth: You will be better equipped to convey the message of the Qur’an to others.

Detailed study of the designated passages can in no way replace general reading. Its benefits are different in nature and important. Therefore, do not abandon regular Qur’an reading or reading lengthy portions. Detailed reading while neglecting the whole may cast you into confusion.

Repeated Reading

Fifth: Whatever portion you have designated for study, you must read it repeatedly. Accept this as a general rule and always follow it. Stay with it, live by it as much as possible, reflect deeply upon it, and allow it to occupy your heart and mind deeply. Such prolonged companionship is an indispensable means of understanding the Qur’an. The more deeply the Qur’an’s messages become embedded in your heart, and the more frequently they are uttered by your lips, the easier it will be for you to focus upon and contemplate the Qur’an. Then, not only during recitation or study, but in every aspect of your daily life, the Qur’an will disclose its meaning to you whenever a verse or word comes to your mind.

An Inquisitive Mind

Six: Develop a curious mind, an inquisitive soul, and a heart eager for meaning. You know that the Qur’an never asks for blind faith, nor does it ask you to read it with your eyes and ears shut and locked. Calling people to think and reflect is one of its most important and extensive themes.

Asking questions and remembering are the keys to knowledge and understanding. Therefore, raise as many questions as you feel necessary. For example: What is the literal meaning of this word or verse? What other meanings might it have? What is its historical background, and in the context of which event was it revealed? What is the original wording of each word, expression, and sentence? How is it connected with the sentence that follows? How can its internal order and thematic unity be understood? What has been said? Why has it been said? What are its general and specific meanings? What are its principal themes? What is its central idea? What message does it have for me/us now? During your study, note your questions and try to find their answers.

Do not be afraid to ask questions. You may not find the answers immediately, or ever, whether by yourself or with someone’s proper help. That does not matter. Whatever answer you do find will benefit you; nothing will cause you harm, if you follow certain rules. First: Do not ask questions that are beyond human capacity and belong to the mutashabihat (Aal ‘Imran 3:7), such as: What is the nature of the Throne? Second: Do not indulge in hair-splitting matters. Do not ask questions about matters unrelated to your way of life. Third: Do not try to give answers that are not based on adequate knowledge or sound reasoning. Fourth: There are many questions whose answers you will not find and which you will not understand despite your best efforts. Set such questions aside for a while and focus on other matters in the Qur’an. In time, you may find a good teacher or book to help you with them, or you may eventually discover the answer yourself. The Qur’an contains countless indications of how its first believers asked questions, as well as many equally meaningful and instructive incidents in which the Messenger and his Companions encouraged inquiry, curiosity, questioning, and reflection.

Aids for Study

Seven: There are some aids that you will need for your study.

Try to master these as far as you are able.

(1) Obtain a translation of the Qur’an in your own language. This is your minimum requirement. You must use it both for general reading and for study. You may use the same copy for memorization if it is convenient to carry. But be careful to use the same copy for memorization throughout your life. Otherwise, reviewing it may become difficult.

Remember that no translation is perfect or flawless. Every translation contains some portion of the translator’s own interpretation. There is no translation accepted as authoritative for the Qur’an, nor can there be one.

(2) The same copy may contain a brief commentary, or you may obtain one separately. But you must have one. A translation and a reliable tafsir should be sufficient for your primary purpose at the outset.

(3) Although it is not essential to have them, several translations and tafsir works will help you learn how scholars have differed in their understanding of words and central themes.

(4) For more advanced study, you should have at least one detailed tafsir work.

(5) You should have a good Arabic dictionary—or, better still, a Qur’anic dictionary—so that you can penetrate more deeply into the meanings of words.

(6) You should obtain an alphabetical index of words or subjects.

A list of some such aids for study is provided at the back of this book.

How to Study

Below is a step-by-step process for studying the designated passages in detail. There is, of course, no fixed rule for this. Essentially, you may use it to develop your own process suited to your abilities and limitations. What is important is that you proceed in a highly scientific manner and try to follow the sequence below.

First, read the entire passage in your own way. Then consult the person assisting you in your study, or learn as much of its meaning as possible from a qualified teacher. Finally, try as far as possible to form a complete understanding by integrating what you have learned from both sources.

First Level: Inform yourself and identify the problems.

Step 1: Quickly recall the basic prerequisites and whatever you can remember from sincere participation. Realize that Allah is with you, and pray to Allah for help in understanding what you are about to read.

Step 2: Read the passage at least three times and reflect on its meaning. Or read it as many times as necessary until you can remember its main subject matter without looking. Then you will be able to absorb it and reflect upon it whenever you wish.

The rule is: Before beginning to consult the commentary, let the words and meanings flow.

Step 3: Note the main points that you can grasp without consulting the original text. Later compare them with the original text and review them.

Step 4: Note the central theme, if you are able to identify even one.

Step 5: Divide it into brief passages that, in your view, contain one statement or a group of statements.

Step 6: Underline those words and expressions that, in your view, are central to understanding the meaning.

Step 7: Ask questions in the manner described above.

Second Level: Reflect on what you have read. Try to answer the questions yourself and try to understand what the meaning and message are.

Step 8: Determine the meanings of the important words.

Step 9: Specify the meaning of each expression or statement.

Step 10: Consider how they are related to one another, how one follows or precedes another, and what unity or coherence exists among them.

Step 11: Try to derive and understand the meaning from the immediate main theme of the passage, from the broader theme of the surah, and from the overall main theme of the Qur’an.

Step 12: Identify its various messages and teachings.

Step 13: Ask: What is its message for me and for our time?

Step 14: Reflect on how you, the ummah, and humanity can respond to it.

Third Level: With the help of whatever study aids or teacher you have, engage in understanding the meaning through Steps 8–14 of the second level. Re-examine, correct, supplement, and update your own understanding; affirm it as correct or reject it.

Fourth Level: Write down the understanding you have gained in this way, or preserve it in your heart and mind.

Record the questions that remain. Do not regard any understanding as complete and final. The longer you continue studying, the more meanings you will discover and the more you will appreciate the importance and necessity of reviewing your study.

How to Understand the Meaning

To discuss in full detail the principles and guidelines that must be followed for understanding the Qur’an would require writing a very large book.

Here we can offer guidelines on some very important matters that should always be remembered while striving to understand the Qur’an.

6: General Principles

Understand It as a Living Reality

One: Try to understand every word of the Qur’an as though it were revealed today. Just as this Book was relevant and alive when it was first sent down 1,400 years ago, it must be received in the same way in today’s modern age. It is eternal, and its message does not convey anything different even now. Under no circumstances should you regard any Qur’anic message as something belonging only to the past. Only then will you be able to understand the Qur’an’s message as the eternal word of the Ever-Living Allah, who is always awake within every creation.

This is essential for your soul’s concentration on studying the Qur’an; your heart and intellect should always respond through this guidance. Its significance is immense. It will help you understand the meaning of what is in the Qur’an so that, in its light, you can understand your world.

In its light, then apply it to matters related to your own life. Contemporary issues, various concerns, experiences, levels of knowledge, and the technology of your time will all find their answers in the Qur’an.

Understand It as a Message for You

Two: Take every message of the Qur’an even more seriously, as though it were addressed to you and your community. Once you have made some progress, you should try to understand what each verse of the Qur’an teaches you personally. You have already seen how this should be done for understanding from the depths of your heart. Now you should feel how it opens your heart to understanding the Qur’an. Once a man came to the Messenger to learn the Qur’an. The Messenger taught him Surah az-Zalzalah. When he reached the verse, “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it,” he said, “That is sufficient for me.” Saying this, he left. The Prophet remarked, “This man returned as a jurist.” (Abu Dawud)

Indeed, I believe there is not a single passage in the Holy Qur’an that does not convey a personal message for you or offer you a lesson. But you must possess the insight to perceive this. Every word of Allah calls you to establish a deep relationship with Him. Every description of the Hereafter tells you to prepare for it, inspires you through its reward, or urges you to seek forgiveness from its evils. Every dialogue involves you in it. Every character presents an example. You must either follow it or deny and reject it. Every legal ruling has a message for you, even if it may outwardly appear not to apply to you in your present circumstances. A very general statement may always have a special significance for you, while a very specific statement may, because of events and circumstances, always express a general meaning in your life.

Understand It as Part of the Whole Qur’an

Three: The whole Qur’an is a single unity within itself. It is one revelation. Although this message was sent in different ways and forms, the message itself is one message. It has one worldview and one comprehensive framework of guidance. All its components are completely consistent with one another. This is a sign that it is a revealed system given by Allah.

“Do they not deeply ponder the Qur’an? Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would have found much inconsistency in it.” (an-Nisa 4:82)

You should try to fully absorb this single message and framework. Then you will be able to understand everything as part of the message of the single Book, the Qur’an, whether it is a single word, verse, passage, or surah. Never separate anything from the Qur’anic framework. Otherwise, you may arrive at a distorted meaning. Whatever meaning you find, verify it against the overall message. When you read a particular passage, you must explain it, analyze it deeply, and try to understand every sentence and each word separately. But you must not forget to give them all a unified form. That integrated picture must be judged in light of the Qur’an’s overall message. Otherwise, your selected reading will lead you in the opposite direction. Apart from this, selected reading may immerse you in the error of using particular verses to support your own viewpoint instead of allowing the Qur’an to guide you.

If you are to apply the Qur’an to solve the problems of your age, you must include the whole Qur’an within the scope of your study. Otherwise, instead of critically evaluating contemporary thought in the light of the Qur’an, you will commit the grave error of making the Qur’an merely conform to contemporary ideas.

In light of the discussion above, it cannot be said that one should proceed with Qur’anic study through an index. Certainly, do not study any subject by collecting an index of verses without repeatedly studying the Qur’an and understanding it fully. Use such an index only when, on the basis of your own study, you feel the need to consult a reference.

Understand It as a Coherent Unity

Four:Although it may appear outwardly disordered, the Qur’an in fact possesses the highest degree of coherence and order. One part is related to another, verse to verse, and surah to surah. Beneath the apparent shifts in subject matter there is a unifying thread. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) instructed the scribes where each revelation was to be placed. You should seek out this underlying coherence, even though you may not be able to do so on your first reading or may need a long time for it. Only then will you be able to understand the full meaning of every part.

Try to understand it with your whole being

Five:Try to understand the Qur’an by immersing your entire being in its study. Heart and inner self, feeling and wisdom—all are immersed within your personal being. The Qur’an is not a covering that can be wrapped by the intellect. Nor is it merely a heavenly message to be enjoyed in ecstasy. It is not right to seek to understand the Qur’an in separate ways; while studying it, you should leave neither intellect nor feeling behind, but integrate both together.

Try to understand what the Qur’an is saying

Six: Understand not what you say, but what the Qur’an says. Never turn to the Qur’an to find support for your opinion, confirmation of your viewpoint, or proof of your claim. You must approach the Qur’an with an open mind. You must be ready to hear the word of Allah and submit to it.

Remain within consensus

Seven:You are not the first to study and understand the Qur’an. Before you came a succession of generations of people who undertook this task and left behind a rich tradition; you cannot disregard them. Therefore, you should not proceed along the path of the Qur’an as though no one before you had done so. No meaning is valid, correct, or acceptable if it contradicts the statements of Muhammad (peace be upon him), or what the Muslim ummah has reached consensus upon. In this matter, any entirely different and new conclusion departing from our rich tradition accumulated over the ages should be based on very profound scholarship.

Understand solely according to Qur’anic standards

Eight:The Qur’an is unlike any other book. In every respect, this Book is unique: the Qur’an has its own language, vocabulary, style, rhetoric, philosophy, and logic. It also has an extraordinary appeal and purpose. Trying to understand it by human standards external to the Qur’an is meaningless.

Its sole purpose is to direct humanity—every human being—to the Creator, bring about a revolutionary transformation in human life, and establish an entirely new relationship with Allah. Everything is determined with the aim of reaching this destination and keeping this goal before us. This has several important implications.

First:Although the ocean of depth in its meanings has no end, those meanings are nevertheless simple and understandable for an ordinary seeker of truth in guiding life. The meanings sufficient for guidance can easily be understood by one who sincerely wishes to advance on the path of truth.

Second:The language of the Qur’an is such that ordinary people can understand it. It uses the very words that ordinary people use in conversation in daily life. The Qur’an does not use new, incomprehensible terminology, nor the technical and academic language of philosophy, science, or logic. Yet within old and commonly used words it expresses entirely new meanings.

Third:The Qur’an is neither a book of history nor a book of science. Nor is it a book of philosophy or logic, although the Qur’an makes use of all these. It does so solely for the guidance of humanity. Therefore, it does not seek the validation of contemporary human knowledge through the Qur’an, nor is such knowledge indispensable for understanding it, although it may help increase one’s capacity for comprehension.

Understand the Qur’an through the Qur’an

Nine:The finest tafsir of the Qur’an is the Qur’an itself. At first glance, many words and statements may seem to have been repeated. But in reality, these are not purposeless repetitions. Repetition of a particular word or statement brings out a new aspect of its meaning and sheds new light upon it. You should try to understand that meaning.

Therefore, to understand a word, verse, or passage, look to the Qur’an itself. For example, you can gain a better understanding of important words such as Rabb, Ilah, din, worship, kufr, iman, and dhikr by studying how they are used in different places in the Qur’an.

Understand through Hadith and Sirah

Ten:One of the principal responsibilities of the Messenger (peace be upon him) was to explain and interpret the Qur’an. He fulfilled this responsibility by setting examples through his words and deeds. Thus, the entire science of Hadith and the Sirah are valuable sources for understanding the Qur’an. Not only Hadith containing tafsir, but all Hadith are helpful for this purpose. For example, Hadith concerning iman, jihad, and tawbah will greatly assist you in understanding the Qur’an when you encounter similar subjects.

Language

Eleventh: Language is the first key to the Qur’an. Through language, the Qur’an makes itself clear, vivid, and understandable. You must be aware of certain features of the Arabic language used in the Qur’an.

First: The style of the Qur’an is not like written prose or like a speech. In a speech, some elements of the Arabic language may remain unexpressed, without making it difficult for the immediate listeners to understand. This increases its effectiveness and power, because listeners continually interact with the speaker, his words, and their surroundings. Excessive detail makes a speech dull.

In the Qur’an, one finds sudden changes of tense. These increase the vivid significance of the original text. You must be alert to such changes and determine whom it is addressing and what it is saying. There are also instances of sudden interruptions; you must identify them.

Second:It is not only that the Arabic language is highly concise and rich in meaning. It often omits related words and phrases. Thus, it contains ambiguity, ellipsis, additions, omissions, concealment, the use of alternative words, and other features. You must always remain alert to these matters. You can learn them only from tafsir and from a teacher.

Third:The direct meaning of a word or of the original text is not sufficient for understanding the Qur’an. You must acquire some understanding and feeling from its overall perspective, Qur’anic style of expression, and literary techniques. Knowledge of Arabic as it was at the time the Qur’an was revealed would be very helpful, although as a student it will initially remain beyond your grasp.

Methodological guidance

On the basis of the framework and general principles discussed above, some methodological guidance may be very necessary for you.

Study of words

One:First, try to learn the meanings of those words that make the original text very difficult to understand. Your initial guides will be translations and concise tafsir works. Consult dictionaries, but do not regard dictionary meanings as definitive. Your best and final guide is the immediate textual context of the word—namely, the whole Qur’an and its worldview.

Subject matter of the original text

Two:If you understand the words and their direct meanings, place the passage within the subject matter of the original text and try to understand what it means. Read the preceding and following text, and, if necessary, read the entire surah.

Historical background

Three:Collect as much necessary relevant historical information as possible. But you must be certain of its reliability.

In this connection, you will encounter Hadith describing the circumstances of revelation. Those Hadith will provide important information. But you must remember two matters.

First: These reports may not always describe exactly the historical events at the time of revelation. Rather, the circumstances have been considered in terms of their relevance and reality.

Second: The evidence of the original text concerning the revelation is more important. When historical information is being accepted, it should not be treated as definitive.

Third: Historical information should not become an obstacle to understanding the Qur’an when seeking to understand the main message.

Primary meaning

Four:After grasping the direct, literal meaning, try as far as possible to understand it as the Qur’an’s first listeners understood it. Understanding the literal meaning may be easy. But extracting the primary meaning 1,400 years later, in a different civilization and social context, is a difficult and complex task. This is not the place to discuss the difficulties; it is mentioned only as a caution.

Translation in the present context

Five: Your next task is to try to read and understand it in the context of your own situation. This is as important as determining the primary meaning, especially if you are to avoid the trap of reading the Qur’an according to your own assumptions. It is not possible to discuss here the complex problems of interpretation related to this. Yet this is a task you cannot ignore or evade. If you remain attentive to and observe a fundamental principle, approach the Qur’an with an open mind and refrain from judging that whatever you think is necessarily correct. This is a trap you should avoid. Instead of complex legal and ethical matters, you should focus on the essential message for your life. It may be possible, and sometimes necessary, to bring the Qur’an’s perspective to bear on the terminology, interpretations, and circumstances of our contemporary age. But you must remain extremely alert and conscious that under no circumstances should the original meaning and terminology be lost.

Irrelevant meaning

Six:Do not devote yourself to discovering remote, contrived, metaphorical inner meanings that ordinary people do not understand. There is no need to consider meanings that are unrelated to your life and were not related to the way of life of the believers of the Qur’an’s first era.

Levels of knowledge and wisdom

Seven:Try to understand the meaning at the level of the knowledge and wisdom you possess. In any case, do not lose sight of the level of knowledge possessed by the first listeners, lest you go astray. Do not begin to read your own knowledge into the Qur’an.

Contemporary human knowledge

Eight:There is no doubt that each person will employ his own knowledge to understand the Qur’an. However, that knowledge must pass the Qur’an’s standard. Modern standards are needed to obtain guidance concerning various issues that arise. Employ all your knowledge and intellect to help you understand the Qur’an. But never present the Qur’an in support of your contemporary knowledge. Do not make the Qur’an predict all the discoveries of modern science. Be especially cautious about scientific theories, which are as changeable as particles of dust. It would be just as wrong to search the Qur’an for the theories of Einstein, Copernicus, Nietzsche, or Bergson as it was wrong to search it for those of Ptolemy, Aristotle, and Plato.

What you cannot understand

Nine: There are many words and phrases in the Qur’an whose meaning you will be unable to understand despite much effort. This may be because you lack sufficient knowledge or because the matter is very difficult. In such a situation, make a note of the difficulty and turn your attention to your subsequent study. Do not waste time trying to solve a problem that may ultimately prove beyond your ability.

The life of the Messenger (peace be upon him)

Draw as close as you can to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in order to understand and internalize the Qur’an, for he was the first to receive it from Allah. His life is the true reflection of the Qur’an’s meaning and message, the embodiment of certain guidance, and its finest explanation. The life of the Messenger (peace be upon him) is the living Qur’an. If you wish to see the Qur’an, then look at the life of Muhammad (peace be upon him) rather than merely reading it. For Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “His life was nothing but the Qur’an.” The life and character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) will be far more helpful to you in understanding the Qur’an than the famous tafsirs of Ibn Kathir, Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf, and Razi. First, to draw close to the Prophet (peace be upon him), you should read his life and character as much as you can. Although detailed information about his biography may not be available, you will find the best account of his character in the Qur’an. Second, try to follow his Sunnah. Through this, you will truly understand him. Thus, you will be able to understand the Qur’an and love Allah, and Allah will love you. (Aal Imran 3:31)

7: Collective Study

Importance and Necessity

To journey through the treasury of Qur’anic knowledge, you must join or become involved with a community devoted to inquiry and study. Undoubtedly, you will study the Qur’an individually. But if you join other believers and seekers of the Qur’an as fellow students, you will benefit many times more. Companionship will greatly gladden your heart, and many minds together will understand the meaning better and more accurately. The responsibility and mission that the Qur’an has assigned to us, and the kind of life we should lead, can be achieved only together with others. Only by fulfilling that mission through action can you become worthy of receiving the Qur’an’s full potential blessings.

Significantly, the Qur’an’s address is almost always collective. From the moment Muhammad (peace be upon him) began receiving revelation, he took steps to establish a Qur’an-centered society or community and devoted every moment of his life to this work. Immediately after the call to “Read” came the commands, “Arise,” “Awaken,” and “Warn.” Immediately after the instruction to continue reading what had been revealed in your Lord’s Book came the command—

“O Prophet, recite to them what has been revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. None has the authority to alter His words. You will find no refuge from Him. And keep your heart steadfast in the company of those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure.” (Al-Kahf 18:27–28)

The Qur’an connects these teachings very clearly and firmly with the need to establish an organized and powerful society founded upon the Qur’an.

Moreover, no prayer can be complete without reciting the Qur’an, nor can prayer be complete without congregational participation unless there is a valid reason. If there were no need to listen to the Qur’an, absorb it, and reflect deeply upon it, then what would be the purpose of reciting it in prayer? Thus, through the collective effort of reciting the Qur’an in prayer five times a day, its purpose can be achieved. The responsibility of conveying the Qur’an’s message to all humanity is also inseparably connected with reciting it and explaining it properly. When the word tilawah is used with the Arabic preposition ‘ala, it means “to communicate,” “to proclaim,” “to convince,” and “to teach.” Thus, recitation is one of the fundamental tasks of prophethood, and consequently of the Prophet’s followers as well.

“Our Lord, raise among them a Messenger from their own people who will recite Your verses to them, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify and reform their practical lives. Surely, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.” (Al-Baqarah 2:129)

“Just as We have sent among you a Messenger from your own people, who recites Our verses to you, purifies and elevates your lives, teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know.” (Al-Baqarah 2:151)

In Surah Al-Jumu‘ah, the failure to understand Allah’s guidance and live accordingly is emphasized in connection with the failure to participate in the Friday prayer, during which all worldly activities are prohibited.

The following verse draws attention to reciting the Qur’an to one’s family and household.

“And remember what is recited in your homes of Allah’s verses and wisdom. Surely Allah is All-Subtle, All-Aware.” (Al-Ahzab 33:34)

Those who gather to recite and study the Qur’an are blessed, for angels descend upon them with Allah’s boundless mercy. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said—

When people gather in one of Allah’s houses to study the Qur’an and teach one another, peace descends upon them, they are enveloped by Allah’s forgiveness and mercy, the angels cover them with their wings, and Allah mentions them to those around Him. (Muslim)

Therefore, you should not be content merely to read and study the Qur’an alone. Rather, seek out those who are inquisitive and interested in the Qur’an and invite them so that everyone can study it together.

Collective study can be of two types

First: A small group prepares for study and attends; everyone actively participates in the Qur’anic training process, while one of them, being more knowledgeable, leads the study. We may call this type of study a study circle.

Second: A large or small group gathers and listens attentively to a learned mufassir’s discourse. The participants only ask questions. We may call this type of study a dars, lecture, or discussion.

You should know how to conduct a study circle and how to deliver a dars. Here we can offer some general guidance. It should also be noted that there can be no fixed standard or permanent procedure for this. Everyone must develop their own method, depending on their circumstances, time, and environment. The instructions given below are only suggestions. Apply them according to your needs and abilities.

Four Fundamental Principles

There are four principles for the success of any collective study.

First: To fulfill your responsibility, you must always make all necessary preparations. This work must not be taken lightly. Preparation must continue until the very last moment. A very quick glance through the material cannot be considered sufficient. Never say anything about the Qur’an without deep thought and reflection. It is always best to make notes on what you have studied and what you wish to say.

Second: Whether you are a student or have acquired some knowledge, whether you are delivering a dars or participating in a circle’s discussion, you must always have a plan for your personal study according to the method discussed for the specified portion.

Third: Always keep your intention pure and correct. Clarity of intention is essential in understanding the Qur’an, living according to it, and seeking Allah’s pleasure.

Fourth: Do not study the Qur’an merely for enjoyment, to satisfy intellectual curiosity, or for argument and discussion. Your study of the Qur’an must encourage you to follow it and must help you fulfill the mission that the Qur’an has given you.

Study Circle

The following rules may help you make group study effective.

Participants

First: The number of participants may range from three to ten. They should be equal or nearly equal in knowledge and intellectual ability. If there are fewer, it may turn into a dialogue; if there are more, everyone may find it difficult to participate actively.

Second: Constant emphasis must be placed on the central message, the subject matter, and the guidance and lessons to be learned. Never become absorbed in fascinating subject matter that has no practical value in real life.

Third: All members must be fully aware of their objectives, limitations, and procedure.

Fourth: Circle members must be devoted and focused on studying and implementing what they study. This requires deep attention and hard work. Regular preparation and attendance are especially important.

Fifth: They must know how to advance along the path of the Qur’an and find their way through the Qur’an. Reading this book may help them to some extent.

Sixth: They should not be addressed as newcomers. Rather, they should be addressed as believing brothers committed to understanding and following the Qur’an.

How to Conduct It

First: One member should first present the result of his study—that is, what he has understood after reading the specified portion.

Second: The others should then participate in the discussion. They may offer more detailed explanations, corrections, additions, questions, or answers.

Third: If all the members are to study, it will be helpful to decide beforehand who will present the first discussion. This will improve the quality of the presentations. Alternatively, you may call upon anyone to lead the discussion or give a presentation. If this procedure is adopted, everyone will remain alert and work hard.

Fourth: It will be very beneficial if at least one member is more knowledgeable and capable of consulting the primary sources. If anything is lacking in the main presenter’s discussion, that person can fill the gap. He can also help determine the course and pace of the discussion.

Fifth: If someone experienced in the Qur’an is present, he should not intervene in the discussion at the outset. Rather, the participants should be allowed to say what they wish to say. If, after they finish, it appears that their discussion contains errors, he should draw their attention to them or correct them very politely and gently, or add his own experience to their discussion. His method should be advisory and inquisitive, not argumentative.

Sixth: At the end of the study circle, it is best for a member, facilitator, or teacher to give a brief conclusion on the broad subject matter discussed. The central issues and claims of the discussion should be mentioned.

Dars

A dars can be effective if the following instructions are followed.

Preparation

First: You must develop a clear understanding of the audience. You must know their level of knowledge, intelligence, state of faith, concerns and thoughts, needs, and requirements.

Second: Rather than focusing on what you are eager to say, determine the portion for the dars by keeping the audience’s condition in view and taking it into consideration.

Third: The manner, language, and style of your presentation must suit the nature of the audience.

Fourth: Pray and supplicate to Allah so that you can present the Qur’an’s true message before the audience.

Fifth: Read the passage and write your notes. What do you want to say? How and in what order do you want to say it? How do you want to begin and end?

Sixth: You must show due respect for the time available to you. Do not exceed it under any circumstances. You may have many beautiful points or things to say and may be eager to say them, but remember that your audience’s capacity is very limited, as is their ability to absorb information. They may admire your scholarship, but they will not be able to learn much from you.

A very long passage can be presented briefly, while a very short passage can be discussed at length. It all depends on one thing: what message you want to convey in light of your study.

Seventh: You must give full attention to ensuring that your message is extremely clear. What you wish to present for the audience to respond to and follow must be clear in the discussion. It must be consistent with the passage’s central message, not with your own wishes.

How to Present It

First: You will have only two objectives:

First, to attain Allah’s pleasure by fulfilling your responsibility of conveying Allah’s message to others. Second, to present Allah’s Qur’anic message clearly and effectively.

Second: Remember that conveying your message effectively to the audience and influencing their hearts and minds depend entirely on Allah. But this does not mean that you are free from the responsibility of preparing possible answers, presenting the message effectively, making the Qur’an’s message living and dynamic for them, and relating it to their anxieties.

Your presentation may not be that of an outstanding orator or eloquent speaker. It may be very simple. But your intention and enthusiasm are what truly matter.

Third: First, recite the Qur’an and present its translation. Then you may proceed to explanation, either reading each verse or not, and repeating the translation or not. Alternatively, after a brief introduction, you may explain one verse after another or several verses together. Which method you adopt will depend on the circumstances and the time available.

Remember that it is not always necessary to recite the entire passage at the beginning, especially when time is short. Instead, you may use that time to create an atmosphere in which the audience is prepared to listen to your presentation.

Fourth: As far as possible, you may use a combination of different perspectives related to each verse or group of verses. If a verse is brief and clear, you may read it first and then explain it in detail. You may state the central message both before and after the explanation.

What you must ensure is that every listener feels a coherent unity. Each point must be presented in such a way that continuity is maintained between what came before and what follows.

Fifth: At the end of the discussion, you must provide a summary of the central subject matter and emphasize the lesson it contains. If there is time, you may read the entire text again, or only its translation. By reading the original text or translation at the conclusion, you can bring your audience into direct contact with the Qur’an. This enables them to perceive what they have understood in light of your presentation.

Sixth: You must always remain aware that it is not you but the Qur’an that should speak. For those who knew the Qur’an’s language and the bearer of its message, the Qur’an was effective without any explanation or analysis. It remains effective to this day. You may obstruct the Qur’an’s message not only by imposing excessive personal opinions but also by giving excessively long and detailed explanations. By the time your lengthy explanation and analysis ends, your audience may have forgotten what the Qur’an said. Therefore, first, make your presentation as brief as possible. Second, if it must be long in some cases, return to the original text as often as possible. Under no circumstances should a distance arise between your audience and the Qur’an—not only in meaning but also in hearing it.

Seventh: Arrange your own explanation in the style of the Qur’an. This may be an effective means of ensuring success.

At first, this may seem very difficult to you. But gradually, the closer you come to the Qur’an, recite it repeatedly, and memorize it, the more it will become part of your own style.

You must remember that Qur’anic style has several characteristics: First, the Qur’an appeals to both reason and emotion. Second, it is concise, precise, direct, personal, and evocative. Third, it confronts its listeners with choices and decisions and creates in them the motivation to act. Fourth, its language is so powerful that the Qur’an’s message penetrates deeply within you. Fifth, its arguments are such that listeners can understand them. The Qur’an draws examples from their everyday lives and always finds an echo within them. It is neither abstract and intellectual nor remote.

Eighth: Do not present abstract statements. Nor should you destroy the Qur’an’s dynamic impact through imagination and systematization. However, accurate understanding and scholarly presentation are very important for conveying the Qur’an’s central message, provided it can be presented in simple language that the audience can comprehend. A call to action and commitment must be essential elements of your dars. Whether it is a natural or historical matter, a notice, statement, dialogue, or speech, each case should include an appeal for a response, a call to move forward, some decisions, and mention of actions and steps to be taken.

Ninth: Do not use the Qur’an to present your opinions. Rather, develop yourself as a conveyer or interpreter of Allah’s message.

Tenth: Let the Qur’an enter the hearts of your audience; let it take its place within them. Let it illuminate your understanding, love, gratitude, and concern. This should be the thirst that drives your dars.

Eleventh: You must always pay attention to your audience’s response. If you feel that an argument is not attracting or inspiring them, you may shorten or abandon it, however valuable it may be considered. Whenever the situation calls for it, you may add new subjects or styles.

8: Living in the Light of the Qur’an

Obedience to the Qur’an

If from the very beginning you do not completely submit to Allah and rebuild and transform your life according to the Qur’an given by Allah, then reading the Qur’an will bring you no benefit; rather, it may become a cause of harm and misery. Feelings of the heart and soul, emotional enthusiasm, or intellectual enrichment are of no use without a firm resolve and effort to act. If the Qur’an has no visible effect on your actions, and you do not follow what the Qur’an commands and abandon what it forbids, then you cannot draw close to the Qur’an.

Every page of the Qur’an contains a call to devotion, change, and action. At every level, the reader is confronted with decisions and commitments. Those who respond to the Qur’an’s call but fail to submit to Allah have been declared disbelievers, wrongdoers, and defiantly disobedient (Al-Ma’idah 5:44–47).

Those who have been given this great Divine message but neither understand it nor act according to it have been likened to donkeys carrying loads without knowing what they carry and therefore unable to benefit from them. They are the unfortunate ones against whom the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) will complain on the Day of Judgment:

“O my Lord, my people have made this Qur’an an object of ridicule.” (Al-Furqan 25:30)

Avoiding, abandoning, and setting aside the Qur’an means not reading it, not understanding it, not living according to it, and considering it irrelevant and a matter of the past.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) placed great importance and emphasis on following the Qur’an.

There will be many hypocrites among the reciters of the Qur’an from my Ummah. (Ahmad)

He is not a believer who regards as lawful what the Qur’an has declared unlawful. (Tirmidhi)

Recite the Qur’an so that you may acquire the ability to refrain from prohibited acts. If it does not keep you from prohibited acts, then understand that you have not truly recited the Qur’an. (Tabarani)

For the Companions of the Messenger (peace be upon him), learning the Qur’an meant reciting it, reflecting deeply upon it, and implementing its teachings.

It has been narrated:

Those who devoted themselves to studying the Qur’an said that people such as Uthman ibn Affan, Abdullah ibn Affan, and Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with them) would learn ten verses at a time and would not proceed further until they were able to understand them and implement them in their lives. They said that they learned the Qur’an and knowledge together. In this way, they would often spend years learning a single surah. (Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Qur’an, al-Suyuti)

Al-Hasan al-Basri said: You have taken the night as a camel upon which you ride so that you may cross the various stages of the Qur’an. Those who came before you regarded it as the word of their Lord. They reflected upon it at night and lived according to it by day. (Yahya)

Studying the Qur’an should strengthen faith in your heart, a faith that will give a particular form to your life. This is not a sequential, fragmented process in which you spend the first few years reciting the Qur’an, then spend several years understanding it and strengthening your faith, and only then implement it. The whole thing is a single process. Everything proceeds simultaneously. Whenever you listen to or recite the Qur’an, it kindles faith in your heart. And whenever faith arises in your heart, change begins in your life.

What you must remember is that living according to the Qur’an requires making a fundamental decision about your life. Whatever thoughts may surround you, whatever your society may instruct you to do, or whatever others may do, you must completely change the course of your life. Making this decision requires a great sacrifice. Until you are ready to make sacrifices as a believer in the Qur’an, the word of Allah, no matter how much time you spend with the Qur’an, the results will not be very good.

From the very first moment and the very first step, it is made clear that the Qur’an is guidance only for those who are prepared to protect themselves from the harm of disobeying Allah, who wish to protect themselves from Allah’s displeasure and fear the consequences; they are the muttaqi (Al-Baqarah 2:1–5). The Qur’an does not recognize any opposition between knowledge and action, or between faith and righteous deeds.

The Fulfillment of the Qur’anic Mission

An essential and important aspect of conducting one’s life according to the Qur’an is conveying its message to those around you. In fact, when the first revelation descended upon the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), he immediately understood the important responsibility and duty of conveying it to his people. The second revelation came with the instruction: Arise and warn (Al-Muddaththir 74:2). Thereafter, at various stages, it was made clear to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that conveying the Qur’an to others, having it recited to them, and explaining it were his primary responsibilities—the mission of his life. (Al-An‘am 6:19; Al-Furqan 25:1; Al-An‘am 19:97; Al-A‘raf 7:157)

As his followers and as the people entrusted with the Book of Allah, the same responsibility and mission have also been assigned to us. Reciting the Qur’an means being obligated to convey it to others; hearing the Qur’an means that we must make others hear it. We must certainly convey it to humanity, and the Qur’an must not be concealed.

“Remind the People of the Book of the covenant Allah took from them: you must proclaim the teachings and message of the Book to the people and must not conceal it. But they cast the Book behind their backs and sold it for a small price. How evil is what they do.” (Al Imran 3:187)

If you have a lamp in your heart and hand, it will surely spread light. If there is fire in your heart, it will surely blaze. Those who fail to do this for a small worldly interest are, in reality, filling their bellies with fire.

“Indeed, those who conceal the commandments and prohibitions of the Book Allah has revealed and exchange it for a small worldly gain are actually filling their bellies with fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He declare them purified. For them is a painful punishment.” (Al-Baqarah 2:174) And they are deserving of Allah’s curse:

“Those who conceal the clear guidance and way of life We have revealed, although We have clearly explained it in Our Book for the guidance of all people—know for certain that Allah curses them, and all those who curse also curse them.” (Al-Baqarah 2:159)

Until they fulfill their responsibility:

“Except those who refrain from this objectionable conduct, reform their actions, and begin to disclose what they had concealed—I will forgive them. Indeed, I am Most Forgiving, Accepting of repentance, and Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah 2:160)

But if they die in this state, they will be cursed by everyone:

“Those who adopted disbelief and died in a state of disbelief—upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all humanity.” (Al-Baqarah 2:161)

Allah will not even look toward them:

“Those who sell their covenant with Allah and their oaths for a small, insignificant price will have no share in the Hereafter. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will neither speak to them, look at them, nor purify them; rather, for them is a severe and painful punishment.” (Al Imran 3:77)

Look at yourselves; look at the Muslims of today. Why does our condition not change even though millions of people recite the Qur’an day and night? Either we recite the Qur’an without understanding it, or, if we understand it, we do not accept it and act accordingly; or, when we recite it in its entirety and practice only part of it, we are guilty of the gravest crime: concealing it and failing to bring it before the people of the world in the light of the Qur’an.

“Among them is another group of illiterate people who have no knowledge of Allah’s Book. Their only resource is their baseless hopes and desires, and they are guided by unfounded notions and beliefs. Thus destruction is certain for those who write religious laws with their own hands and then tell people that they will gain a small benefit in return. Indeed, what their hands have written is the cause of their destruction, and what they earn thereby is an instrument of their destruction.” (Al-Baqarah 2:77–78)

“Do you then believe in part of the Book and reject another part? Know that the only recompense for those among you who do this is disgrace and humiliation in worldly life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be cast into the harshest punishment. Allah is not unaware of what you do.” (Al-Baqarah 2:85)

We have not the slightest doubt that our duty toward the Qur’an cannot be fulfilled until we commit ourselves to the most important responsibility entrusted to us through studying the Qur’an: bearing witness to the Qur’an. The disgrace, dishonor, humiliation, and backwardness that have become our lot are caused solely by our conduct toward the Qur’an and its mission.

Through this Book, Allah will honor some people and cause others to fall. (Muslim)

How wonderful it would have been if they had upheld the Torah, the Gospel, and the other Books revealed to them by Allah; then they would have been provided sustenance from the heavens and the earth. (Al-Ma’idah 5:66)

However much scholarship we acquire concerning the Qur’an, we will not succeed in understanding and discovering its full meaning and correct significance until we follow it. The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said to his noble Companions:

Among you there will be people whose prayer you will consider insignificant compared with their prayer, whose fasting you will consider insignificant compared with their fasting, and whose good deeds you will consider insignificant compared with their good deeds. They will recite the Qur’an, but it will not pass below their throats. (Bukhari)

Surrender and adherence are not only necessary to fulfill the Qur’an’s true mission. They are a sure key to understanding the Qur’an. The significance you can discover by following the Qur’an’s instructions cannot be attained through reflection alone. Then you will be able to witness the Qur’an directly. In this regard, Sayyid Abul A‘la Maududi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in unforgettable words that can never be forgotten.

“But despite all these efforts to understand the Qur’an, no one can become fully acquainted with its living spirit until he actually and practically performs the actions for which the Qur’an came with commandments and instructions. It is not merely a book of doctrine and thought. Therefore, one cannot be expected to understand all its words by reading it while sitting in an armchair. According to the religious thought prevalent in the world, it is not merely a religious book. It is impossible to uncover all its mysteries and profound truths while sitting in a madrasa or khanqah. As stated in the introduction, it is a Book of invitation and movement. It came and brought a quiet, righteous, and sincere person out of the isolated field of a solitary life and made him stand against a world opposed to Allah. It placed upon his tongue a powerful voice of protest against falsehood. It engaged him in intense conflict with the standard-bearers of the disbelief, sinfulness, and deviation of the age. It searched out people of good character from every household and gathered them beneath the banner of the caller to truth. It provoked and agitated the mischief-makers and creators of disorder in every region of the country and set them fighting against the followers of truth. Beginning its work through the call of one person and continuing until the establishment of the Divine Caliphate, this Book led this great and magnificent Islamic movement for a full twenty-three years. During this long and exhausting struggle between truth and falsehood, at every stage and every station it taught, on the one hand, how to dismantle and, on the other, presented a plan for construction. Now tell me: if you do not participate in the struggle between Islam and jahiliyyah, and between the religion and disbelief; if you never have the opportunity to pass through the stations of this conflict and confrontation, then how will the entire reality of the Qur’an be unveiled before you merely by reading its words?”

A complete understanding of the Qur’an becomes possible only when you yourself rise with the Qur’an’s message, begin calling people toward Allah, and continue taking steps according to the guidance of this Book. Only then will you be able to gain the experiences of the period in which the Qur’an was revealed. You will see the stations of Makkah, Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia), and Ta’if. The stations from Badr and Uhud to Hunayn and Tabuk will appear before you. You will come face to face with Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab. You will meet hypocrites and Jews. You will encounter everyone, from the devoted believers of the early period of Islam to those weak in heart. This is a kind of spiritual discipline; I call it “Qur’anic spiritual discipline.” An extraordinary scene unfolds along this path. As you continue crossing its stations, at each station some verses and surahs of the Qur’an will spontaneously come before you. They will tell you: we were revealed at this station, and we brought these rulings there. At that time, some principles of lexicography, grammar, and rhetoric may remain beyond the practitioner’s sight, but the Qur’an can never be reluctant to disclose its living spirit to him. Again, according to this general rule, a person will not be able to understand the Qur’an’s rulings, its moral teachings, its economic and cultural regulations, and the principles and laws it has formulated concerning the various aspects and divisions of life until he puts them into practice in his own life. A person whose private life does not follow the Qur’an cannot understand it. Nor can a nation whose social institutions do not follow the path and conduct prescribed by the Qur’an become acquainted with it.

What the Messenger (peace be upon him) Specifically Recited or Emphasized

There are certain surahs and verses in the Noble Qur’an concerning which it is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited them frequently in specific prayers or special circumstances, or particularly praised them by explaining their wonderful qualities and virtues. You should know about these surahs and verses.

The hadith given below is not intended to prove that one part of the Qur’an is superior to another. You should not neglect the rest of the Qur’an and devote yourself instead to reciting or memorizing these particular portions. These selected portions are necessary because no one can memorize and recite everything every day. Moreover, a person can generally train himself to read a particular portion regularly. What could be better than following the Messenger (peace be upon him) and hoping for the reward he promised?

It is very important to remember that the Messenger (peace be upon him) used to recite the entire Noble Qur’an at least once during Ramadan. He would recite long portions such as Al-Baqarah and Al Imran even in a single rak‘ah of the night prayer.

What the Messenger (peace be upon him) Recited in Various Prayers

Narrated by Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger (peace be upon him) used to recite Surah Qaf (50) and similar surahs. (Muslim)

He recited Al-Waqi‘ah (56). (Tirmidhi)

Amr ibn Hurayth (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard him reciting At-Takwir (81). (Muslim)

Abdullah ibn al-Sa’ib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When he was in Makkah, he recited up to forty-five or fifty verses of Surah Al-Mu’minun. (Muslim)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He used to recite Surah Al-Kafirun (109) and Al-Ikhlas (112). (Muslim)

Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He used to recite Surah Al-Falaq (113) and Surah An-Nas (114). (Ahmad, Abu Dawud)

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He used to recite portions of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:136) and Surah Al Imran (3:64). (Muslim)

It is narrated that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) recited Al-Baqarah. (Muwatta)

Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) often recited Surah Yusuf (12). (Muwatta)

Umar ibn al-Khattab used to recite Surah Yusuf (12) and Surah Al-Hajj (22).

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) instructing him to recite the Tiwal al-Mufassal, that is, from Surah Muhammad (47) to Surah Al-Buruj. (Tirmidhi)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the two rak‘ahs before the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite Surah Al-Kafirun and Surah Al-Ikhlas. (Ibn Majah)

Fajr Prayer

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the Friday Fajr prayer, he used to recite Surah As-Sajdah (32) in the first rak‘ah and Ad-Dahr (76) in the second rak‘ah.

Zuhr and Asr Prayers

According to the narration of Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him), he used to recite Surah Al-Layl (92) in the Zuhr and Asr prayers; according to another narration, he recited Al-A‘la (87). (Muslim)

According to Jabir ibn Samurah’s narration, the Messenger (peace be upon him) used to recite Surah Al-Buruj (85), At-Tariq (86), and similar surahs.

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him): Recite the Awsat al-Mufassal, that is, from Surah Al-Buruj (85) to Al-Bayyinah (98). (Tirmidhi)

Maghrib Prayer

Umm Fadl (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger (peace be upon him) reciting Al-Mursalat (77) in the Maghrib prayer. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Jubayr ibn Mut‘im said: I heard him reciting Surah At-Tur (52). (Bukhari, Muslim)

Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He used to recite Al-Kafirun (109) and Al-Ikhlas (112). (Ibn Majah) Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Especially on Friday night. (Sharh al-Sunnah)

Abdullah ibn Utbah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He used to recite Surah Ad-Dukhan. (Nasa’i)

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: He used to recite Surah Al-A‘raf (7). (Nasa’i)

Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the two rak‘ahs after the Maghrib prayer, he used to recite Surah Al-Kafirun (109) and Al-Ikhlas (112). (Tirmidhi)

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him): Recite the Qisar al-Mufassal, that is, from Surah Al-Bayyinah (98) to An-Nas (114). (Tirmidhi)

Isha Prayer

Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He instructed Mu‘adh ibn Jabal to recite Surah Ash-Shams (91), Ad-Duha (93), Al-Layl (92), and Al-A‘la (87), as well as surahs longer than Al-Baqarah. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Al-Bara (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard him reciting Surah At-Tin (95). (Bukhari, Muslim)

Jumu‘ah and Eid

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the Jumu‘ah prayer, I heard him recite Surah Al-Jumu‘ah (62) in the first rak‘ah and Surah Al-Munafiqun (63) in the second rak‘ah. (Muslim)

Nu‘man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In both the Jumu‘ah and Eid prayers, the Messenger (peace be upon him) used to recite Surah Al-A‘la (87) and Al-Ghashiyah (88). If Jumu‘ah and Eid fell on the same day, he recited the same two surahs in both. (Muslim)

Wathilah al-Laythi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He used to recite Surah Qaf (50) and Surah Al-Qamar (54) in the Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr prayers. (Muslim)

9: What the Prophet (peace be upon him) Recited at Various Times

Tahajjud

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: After waking from sleep, he would look toward the sky and recite from “Indeed, in the creation of…” to the end of the surah (Al Imran 3:190–200; Bukhari).

Morning and Evening

Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Falaq (113), and An-Nas (114) three times each in the morning and evening. This will suffice for you in fulfilling any purpose. (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi and Ha-Mim al-Masir (Al-Mu’min 40:2–3) in the morning, Allah will protect him until evening; and whoever recites them in the evening, Allah will protect him until morning. (Tirmidhi)

Makil ibn Yagar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If someone recites the last three verses of Surah Al-Hashr (59:22–24) in the morning, seventy thousand angels will continue seeking Allah’s forgiveness for him until evening. If he recites them in the evening, the angels will continue seeking forgiveness for him until morning. (Tirmidhi)

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If someone recites three verses of Surah Ar-Rum (30:17–19) in the morning, he will be rewarded even if he neglects any good deed during the day; and if he recites them in the evening, he will be rewarded even if he neglects any good deed during the night. (Abu Dawud)

Before Sleeping or at Night

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), in a lengthy hadith concerning his encounter with Satan, said: Recite Ayat al-Kursi when going to sleep. Then a guardian from Allah will be appointed for you, and Satan will not be able to approach you until morning. (Bukhari)

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When he went to bed, he would join his hands, recite Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas into them, and blow into them. Then he would wipe his head, face, and the front of his body with his hands as far as he could. He would do this three times. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Recite the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah. They are sufficient for whoever recites them at night.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Reciting the concluding portion of Surah Aal Imran (3:190–200) will earn you a reward like that of an alert night watchman. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that if one recites Surah ad-Dukhan, seventy thousand angels will continue seeking forgiveness for him from Allah until morning. (Tirmidhi)

Al-Irbad ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Recite the Musabbihat: al-Isra (17), al-Hadid (57), al-Hashr (59), as-Saff (61), al-Jumu‘ah (62), at-Taghabun (64), and al-A‘la (87).” He used to recite these surahs before sleeping and would say, “One verse of these is better than a thousand verses.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he would not sleep without reciting as-Sajdah (32) and al-Mulk (67). (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

10: What the Messenger (peace be upon him) said about the virtues of various surahs

Surah al-Fatihah

Abu Sa‘id al-Mualla (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Shall I not teach you a surah that is the greatest in the Qur’an?” The Messenger (peace be upon him) said this, then taught Surah al-Fatihah and said, “The Sab‘ al-Mathani and the Magnificent Qur’an have been given to me”—this is it. (Bukhari)

It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that an angel said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Rejoice in the two lights that have been given to you and were not given to any other prophet. One is Surah al-Fatihah and the other is the final verses of Surah al-Baqarah (2:285–286).” (Muslim)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “By Allah, in Whose hand is my soul, nothing like Surah al-Fatihah was revealed in the Torah, nor in the Gospel, nor in the Zabur, nor in the Qur’an.” (Tirmidhi)

Abdul Malik ibn Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is a cure for every illness.” (Darimi)

Surahs al-Falaq and an-Nas

Uqbah ibn Amir said, “Nothing like these has ever been seen.” (Muslim)

No one seeking refuge can seek refuge with anything like these two surahs. (Abu Dawud)

Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Can any of you recite one-third of the Qur’an in a single rak‘ah?” He asked this and instructed, “Recite Surah al-Ikhlas, for it is one-third of the Qur’an.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

According to a narration from Hazrat Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), regarding one who recites this surah in every prayer, the Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Tell him that Allah loves him.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Surah al-Kafirun

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is equivalent to one-quarter of the Qur’an.” (Tirmidhi)

Surah an-Nasr

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is one-quarter of the Qur’an.” (Tirmidhi)

Surah at-Takathur

Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “Can you not recite one thousand verses in a day?” Then he said, “Can any of you not recite Surah at-Takathur?” (Bayhaqi)

Surah az-Zilzal

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is equivalent to half of the Qur’an.” (Tirmidhi)

Ayat al-Kursi (Surah al-Baqarah 2:255)

It is narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) that he asked, “Do you know which verse in the Book of Allah is the greatest?” When it was said, “Ayat al-Kursi,” he approved. (Muslim)

The Messenger has believed (Surah al-Baqarah 2:285–286)

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “No prophet before him brought a light like this.” (Muslim)

Numan ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “In whatever house it is recited, Satan cannot approach it for three nights.” (Tirmidhi)

Aifah ibn Abdul Kilai (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It has emerged from the treasures of Allah’s Qur’an beneath His Throne, which He gave to that ummah. There is no good in this world or the Hereafter that is not included in it.” (Darimi)

Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Learn it and teach it to your wives and children, for it is a blessing, a recitation, and a devotion.” (Hakim)

Surahs al-Baqarah and Aal Imran

Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Recite the two radiant, shining surahs. On the Day of Resurrection, they will come like two clouds, two shades, or two flocks of birds, pleading for their companions.” (Muslim)

Nawwas ibn Sam‘an (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “On the Day of Resurrection, the Qur’an will be brought with its companions. Surahs al-Baqarah and Aal Imran will be before those who acted according to the Qur’an. They will appear like two black clouds, or two coverings of light, or two flocks of birds, and they will plead for their companions.” (Muslim)

Surah al-Baqarah (2)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Do not turn your house into a graveyard by abandoning Qur’an recitation. Satan flees from the house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited.” (Muslim)

Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Recite Surah al-Baqarah, for taking it up is a blessing and abandoning it is a loss.” (Muslim)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Everything has a storehouse, and the storehouse of the Qur’an is Surah al-Baqarah.” (Muslim)

Surah al-An‘am (48)

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “So many angels descended when this surah was revealed that they covered the horizons of the sky.” (Hakim)

Surah al-Kahf (18)

Hazrat Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Whoever learns, preserves, and sincerely acts upon the first ten verses of Surah al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal.” (Muslim)

Surah Yasin (48)

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Everything has a heart, and the heart of the Qur’an is Surah Yasin. Whoever recites it, Allah will record for him the reward of completing the Qur’an ten times.” (Tirmidhi)

Maqil ibn Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Whoever recites Surah Yasin seeking Allah’s pleasure, Allah forgives his past sins. Therefore, recite it even at the time of death.” (Bayhaqi)

Surah al-Fath (48)

Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I love it more than anything in the world.” (Bukhari)

Surah ar-Rahman (55)

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Everything has an ornament, and the ornament of the Qur’an is Surah ar-Rahman.” (Bayhaqi)

Surah al-Waqi‘ah (56)

Whoever recites Surah al-Waqi‘ah every night will not become needy.

Surah al-Mulk (67)

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The thirty verses of this surah intercede for a person until his sins are forgiven.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “I would like this surah to have a place in the heart of every believer.” (Hakim)

Surah al-A‘la (87)

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he loved this surah. (Ahmad)

11: Curriculum for Studying the Qur’an

It is a very difficult task to propose a curriculum of Qur’anic passages for individual study or a study circle. First, what should be included? An adequate and satisfactory selection from the entire Qur’an is almost impossible. Every part of the Qur’an contains some additional and new message. Even repeatedly recurring and similar passages have distinct underlying themes. A fixed number of passages can convey only a fixed number of themes. Therefore, every syllabus will suffer from the defect of leaving out many things of equal or great importance. Moreover, any prescribed approach will be arbitrary. It will naturally express only the personal viewpoint and preferences of the selector, rather than the Qur’an itself. It is very important to remember these limitations when using the curriculum given here. You must remain aware that what has been omitted is equally valuable, and that you are being guided by an ordinary human being who is not free from error.

Second, where should one begin, where should one end, and what sequence should one follow? The only satisfactory sequence is the sequence of the Qur’an as it was revealed by Allah. But a syllabus cannot avoid changing that sequence. On what basis? Again, it will necessarily be arbitrary. Any sequence may at best be one alternative among the necessary arrangements. You may proceed in this way: first establish the Qur’an’s authority as revelation from Allah; then introduce the proofs in the universe; become acquainted with one’s own self and history; develop belief in Allah, the Hereafter, and the Messenger; understand personal and collective dignity, the aims and objectives of Muslim life, the call to faith and jihad, and fulfillment of one’s promises and oaths to Allah. Alternatively, one may begin with fundamental beliefs. What I have mentioned here may be changed according to circumstances. The reader must be reminded at the outset of the blessings of Islam. The aims of the reader’s life and their oath to Allah must be recalled. This is based on my understanding of how Allah, the Exalted, addressed the Muslims who had suffered loss in Surah al-Baqarah.

Every circle should begin by discussing how to read and understand the Qur’an. This book should be helpful for that purpose.

A special note about Surah al-Fatihah. This surah occupies an extraordinary place in the Noble Qur’an. Everything essential to the meaning of the Qur’an is contained in this surah. You recite it many times every day. Therefore, it should be part of every syllabus. However, to gain real benefit from studying it, a beginner will need the help of a good teacher or a tafsir book. Wherever such assistance is available, even in exchange for the prescribed portion, it must be included in the syllabus.

The short surahs near the end of the Noble Qur’an that you recite in your daily prayers are also very important. Help will be needed to understand these verses correctly. When the proper means and resources become available, those surahs should be studied.

Two syllabuses are provided here. The short syllabus, in which twelve sections have been selected, is intended for a one-year study circle or intensive study over a short period. If a teacher is available and ample study time can be found, it may also be suitable for twelve weeks or a fourteen-day educational camp. It may even be used to develop a syllabus for a shorter period, such as five to seven days.

For each selected section, some major aspects have been mentioned for you to reflect upon. Some Qur’anic guidance has been provided so that you can think in its light. These references are based on my own understanding and are by no means comprehensive. As you progress, you may find that very few references have been given, because it is hoped that you will take the initiative yourself and become familiar with them in due course. The long syllabus has been designed for a year of weekly study circles.

12: Short Syllabus: 12 Selected Sections

One-Year Course for Monthly Study Circles

(1) Surah al-Hajj 22:77–78

Reflect: A life of servitude and obedience perfected through jihad, centered on the mission of martyrdom, the purpose of being Muslim, and the means of prayer, zakat, and fasting.

(1.1) Bowing and prostration: acts of worship and obedience; prayer, especially night prayer; the state of the mind; the state of conduct; privately and publicly—2:125, 16:49, 1:43, 76:26, 39:9, 77:48, 5:55, 96:19, 9:112, 48:29, 2:58.

(1.2) Worship: as the purpose of creation; Allah’s fundamental message; complete obedience and submission permeating the whole of life; turning away from all falsehood toward Allah—51:56, 16:36, 21:25, 4:36, 39:11, 40:66, 12:40.

(1.3) Goodness: from the heart into every sphere of life—8:70, 2:269, 2:180, 73:20, 99:7.

(1.4) Jihad: its demands—49:15, 8:74, 3:142, 9:19–22, 4:95–96, 61:11, 9:41–45, 9:24.

(1.5) Being chosen for the union of martyrdom—2:128–129, 2:143, 6:161–164, 3:65–68.

(1.6) Tawhid: the example of Hazrat Ibrahim, obedience, and sacrifice—6:79, 60:4, 2:131.

(1.7) Din—5:3–6, 2:185, 4:26–28.

(1.8) The mission of martyrdom—2:213, 33:45, 5:67, 48:8, 3:187, 4:41, 2:159–163, 174–176.

(1.9) Prayer: its importance and the internal and external conditions for establishing it—2:3, 19:59, 70:23, 34:2, ******, 102:3, 2:239, 29:45, 7:29, 23:2, 4:43, 17:78, 4:142, 2:34, 7:31, 62:9–11, 19:55, ******, 22:41.

(1.10) Zakat: importance and significance—41:6–7, 9:5, 30–39, 9:103.

(1.11) Fasting—3:101, 31:22, 26:77–82.

(2) Surah al-Baqarah 2:40–7

Reflect: Remember the blessing of guidance and other blessings; fulfilling the promise to Allah; renewal of faith; trading faith for a small worldly benefit; mixing and distorting truth with falsehood; concealing the truth; prayer and zakat; collective life in worship and outside it; hypocrisy and double standards; patience and prayer as moral strength.

(2.1) Regularity—in guidance, nature, and history—5:3, 2:150, 5:7, 16:8, 3:103, 8:26, 5:10.

(2.2) Promise—7:11, 48:8–10, 7:172, 36:60, 33:21–24, 5:12–13, 3:76–86.

(2.3) Bargaining with Allah in this world and the Hereafter—3:1–39, 24:55, 5:66, 4:66–69.

(2.4) Call to renew faith—4:136–139, 57:7–16, 4:60–61.

(2.5) Worldly gain in exchange for faith—5:44, 2:174–176.

(2.6) Covering the truth with falsehood—2:75, 78, 79, 40, 41, 91, 94, 102, 111, 113, 5:18.

(2.7) Concealing the truth—2:157–163, 174–186.

(2.8) Importance of prayer; congregational prayer in the mosque is the foundation of the Islamic community—18:28, 9:16–17, 24:36, 2:114, 9:107–108.

(2.9) Inconsistency between words and deeds, especially in the work of دعوت—61:2–3, 63:1–4.

(2.10) The primary means of fulfilling the covenant with Allah are patience and prayer—2:153–157, 41:35, 46:35, 7:107, 8:43, 3:125, 8:65–66.

(2.11) Caution and certainty concerning returning to Allah—52:48.

(3) Surah al-Muzzammil 73:1–10 and 20

Reflect: Qur’an recitation in the night prayer, dhikr, tabattul, tawakkul, patience, prayer, zakat, justice, and seeking forgiveness.

(3.1) Qiyam al-Layl—32:15–16, 39:9–23, 51:15–19, 17:78–82.

(3.2) Glorification—20:24–33.

(3.3) The key to tazkiyah is dhikr—in every state and in various ways: in the heart and with the tongue, physically, in deeds, in da‘wah, and in jihad—87:15, 3:191, 13:28, 39:22–23, 62:9, 2:150–155.

(3.4) Tawakkul: significance and necessity—8:2–4, 65:3, 11:123, 12:67, 25:58, 14:12.

(3.5) Various forms of denial—34:8, 21:5, 25:4–5, 7, 68:8–15, 17:90–93, 10:15, 17:73.

(3.6) Qard Hasan and spending in the way of Allah—57:11–16, 92:18–21, 23:60, 2:264–274, 3:92, 4:38, 57:10, 63:11, 35:29.

(3.7) Seeking forgiveness: the central focus of Allah’s message; caution, selection, accountability, admitting error, return, and rewards in this world and the Hereafter—4:110, 3:15–17, 3:133–136, 3:146–148, 71:7–12, 39:53, 64:17.

(4) Surah al-Hadid 57:1–7

Reflect: Everything declares Allah’s glory; all sovereignty belongs to Him; He is the Master of life and death; His power is over all things; His knowledge encompasses everything; His sovereignty and rule extend over all things and over time; and He knows what is in people’s hearts. In light of this, consider the call to faith and spending in the way of Allah.

(4.1) The attributes of Allah—22:18, 17:44, 10:31, 6, 59:61, 3:154, 28:70–72, 2:255, 59:22–24, 3:25–26.

(5) Surah an-Nahl 16:1–22

Reflect: Proofs of Tawhid, Risalah, and the Hereafter in the world and within oneself; the purpose of creating human beings, the earth, Paradise, and living creatures; rainfall, crops, night and day, the sun, moon, stars, various colors, food and resources in the sea, and guidance through the stars.

(5.1) Proofs, in various passages—30:17–27, 27:59–68, 10:1–10, 31:6.

(6) Surah Yasin 36:50–65

Reflect on the journey through the various stages of life: death and the final moments of life, the great destruction or the Day of Resurrection, resurrection again, judgment, reward, and punishment.

(6.1) The Hereafter—50:16–35, 75:20–30, 18:47–49, 20:100–112, 22:1–7, 23:99–118, 43:66–80, 44:40–59, 51:1–27.

(7) Surah al-Hadid 57:20–25

Reflect: The reality and nature of the present life. Exerting strength for Allah and the Messenger.

(7.1) The present and future life—3:14–15, 105, 10:24, 18:45, 4:134, 17:18–19, 42:19–20.

(7.2) Establishing fairness and justice—4:135, 61:9–14.

(8) Surah al-Ankabut 28:1–10

Reflect: The necessity of trials, testing, and suffering to test faith and achieve success.

(8.1) See—2:155, 2:214, 3:140–142, 3:179, 47:29–31.

(9) Surah al-Anfal 8:72–75

Reflect on the close relationship between faith, migration, and jihad. The necessity of collectivity for jihad.

(10) Surah at-Tawbah 9:19–24

Consider: The foundation of collective life for fulfilling Allah’s mission is obedience and responding to the call of the Prophet.

(10.1) See—8:20–28, 49:1–5, 58:11–13, 9:42–57, 9:62–66, 9:81–82, 62:9–11.

(11) Surah Al Imran 3:190–200

A complete summary: Allah, the Hereafter, Prophethood, the creation of Paradise and the earth, evidence of the alternation of night and day, conducting one’s life in constant remembrance of Allah, the Hereafter as the ultimate goal, trust and faith in the Prophet sent by Allah, the significance of struggle and trials, and guidance for communal life.

It has been assumed that the syllabus mentioned above will be studied as part of a larger course. For this reason, nothing concerning the individual and collective qualities of Muslim life has been included in it. If that is not the case, it would be quite beneficial to add the following passages: Al-Isra 17:23–39, Al-Furqan 25:63–77, Luqman 31:12–19, and Al-Hujurat 49:10–14.

13: Extended Syllabus: 40 Sections

A one-year course for a weekly study circle

(1) Surah Al-Hajj 22:77–78: A life of jihad and worship, the mission of martyrdom.

(2) Surah At-Tawbah 9:111–112: The pledge of faith and a life of worship.

(3) Surah An-Nisa 4:131–137: Bearing witness to justice, the call to faith.

(4) Surah Al Imran 3:102–110: The purpose of the ummah.

(5) Surah Al-Fath 48:4–11: The pledge to continue the Prophet’s mission.

(6) Surah Al-Baqarah 2:40–46: The call to fulfill the pledge.

(7) Surah Al-Muzzammil 73:1–10, 20: Building a relationship with Allah.

(8) Surah Al-Isra 17:23–39: Individual and collective morality.

(9) Surah An-Nahl 16:1–11: Evidence of Tawhid, Prophethood, and the Hereafter.

(10) Surah An-Nahl 16:12–22: Evidence of Tawhid, Prophethood, and the Hereafter.

(11) Surah Yunus 10:31–3: Evidence of Tawhid and guidance.

(12) Surah Al-Hajj 21:1–7: Evidence of the Hereafter.

(13) Surah Al-Kahf 18:1–18: The Hereafter.

(14) Surah Al-Mu’minun 99:1–118: The Hereafter.

(15) Surah Ya-Sin 36:50–65: The Hereafter.

(16) Surah Qaf 50:19–35: The Hereafter.

(17) Surah Az-Zumar 39:53–56: Preparing for the Hereafter.

(18) Al-Hashr 59:18–24: Preparing for the Hereafter and the attributes of Allah.

(19) Al-Hadid 57:1–7: The attributes of Allah, faith, and the call to spend in the path of Allah.

(20) Al-Hadid 57:12–17: Faith and infak.

(21) Al-Hadid 57:20–25: The present life, infak, and establishing justice.

(22) Surah As-Saff 61:9–14: The Prophet’s mission and the call to faith and jihad.

(23) Surah Al-Anfal 8:72–75: Faith, migration, jihad, and the Jamaat.

(24) Surah An-Nisa 4:95–100: Migration and jihad.

(26) Surah At-Tawbah 9:19–24: Jihad, the highest deed, and giving up everything.

(27) Surah At-Tawbah 9:38–45: Jihad.

(28) Surah Al Imran 3:169–75: Dying in the path of Allah.

(29) Surah Al-Baqarah 2:261–6: Insaf fi Sabilillah.

(30) Surah Al-Baqarah 2:267–72: Insaf fi Sabilillah.

(31) Surah Al-Anfal 8:20–9: Communal life and obedience.

(32) Surah An-Nisa 4:60–7: Communal life and obedience.

(33) Surah An-Nur 24:47–52, 62–4: Communal life, response, and obedience.

(34) Surah Al-Hujurat 49:1–9: Communal life and relations with leadership.

(35) Surah Al-Mujadilah 58:7–13: Communal life, rules, regulations, and responsibilities.

(36) Al-Hujurat 49:10–15: Communal life and interpersonal relations.

(37) Al-Mursalat 41:30–6: Da’wah and the necessary qualities.

(38) Al-Baqarah 2:150–63: The mission and its responsibilities.

(39) Al Imran 3:185–92: Summary.

(40) Al Imran 3:193–200: Summary.

Forty sections have been designated for 52 weeks. It is assumed that no weeks will be skipped and that completing some sections will take more than one week.

In any case, if readily available, attention may be given to the passages concerning the history of the Qur’an, which I have not included here. For this purpose, one prophet, such as Nuh or Hud, may be selected for study each week. In this regard, the Qur’anic verses established on the basis of each passage of Surah Al-A’raf should be discussed.

1. Al-A’raf 7:59–64

2. Al-A’raf 7:65–72

3. Al-A’raf 7:73–9

4. Al-A’raf 7:40–4

5. Al-A’raf 7:45–93

6. Al-A’raf 7:94–102

7. Surah Hud 11:116–23

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