There was once a grandfather who had great love for the Quraan Majeed. Every night without fail, he would make wudhu, apply \u2018itr, remove his beloved Quraan from its velvet cover and sit with utmost respect reciting the word of Allah Ta\u2018ala in a most melodious tone. As he would recite, however, his young grandson would stare at him in bemusement and scratch his head in confusion. One day, his grandson came up to him and asked, \u201cDada, you recite the Quraan Majeed EVERY night but you don\u2019t even know Arabic! You read so much but you don\u2019t even understand what you\u2019re reading! What a waste of time!\u201d His grandfather looked at him, smiled and said, \u201cMy child, do you see the coal basket in the corner? Good! Empty out the coal, take the basket to the stream, fill it with water and rush back as quickly as your little legs can carry you.\u201d \u00a0The young boy ran off on his \u201cmission\u201d, heading towards the stream. He filled the basket, turned, and ran straight back to the house. \u201cDada!\u201d he complained, \u201cThe water doesn\u2019t stay in the basket because of all the holes! I think I\u2019m wasting my time!\u201d \u201cI think you need to run faster.\u201d suggested Dada. And so off he went again, running even faster than before. When he returned this time, there were at least a few drops of water at the bottom of the basket but even those dripped out before he could put the basket down. \u201cOne more time! Run your absolute fastest now!\u201d urged Dada before the child could again complain. Now when the child returned, huffing and puffing from the exertion, there was at least a small puddle \u2013 but even that rapidly drained out before their eyes. \u201cI give up Dada!\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cAnd I\u2019ve wasted my time!\u201d \u201cHold it! Not so hasty my child.\u201d responded Dada. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you examine the basket and tell me what you see?\u201d he prompted. The child turned the basket in his hands, looking first at the inside and then turned it the other way, looking at the outside. \u201cIt looks brand new!\u201d he marveled. \u201cIt\u2019s all shiny again! All the soot has been washed off!\u201d he said. \u201cExactly!\u201d replied Dada. \u201cThe basket is perhaps unable to hold the water, but that doesn\u2019t mean the water doesn\u2019t affect it in any way. Rather the water cleanses and polishes it, removing all the dirt and grime. That, my child, is exactly what happens when we read the Quraan Majeed without understanding the meaning. Allah Ta\u2018ala not only gives us great reward but also cleanses our hearts through our recitation\u201d he explained. \u201cWow! Will you teach me to read too Dada?\u201d he asked. \u201cDefinitely!\u201d replied Dada.<\/p>\n
Our Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) said, \u201cIndeed these hearts rust just as iron rusts when wet with water.\u201d A Sahaabi (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) asked, \u201cO Rasul of Allah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam)! What is its polish?\u201d \u201cAbundant remembrance of death and the recitation of the Quraan Majeed.\u201d answered Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam). (Shu\u2018abul Imaan #2014)<\/p>\n
A person suffering from a splitting headache, despite not knowing the pharmacological effect, group schedule or origin of panado, won\u2019t think twice before swallowing the tablet. He understands that this lack of knowledge and understanding in no way hinders or obstructs the tablet benefitting him by alleviating his pain. Similarly, when a person recites the Quraan Majeed with dedication and devotion, it serves to cleanse his heart of the layers of muck and grime that engulf his heart by him sinning. This is regardless of whether or not he understands the meaning of the Quraan Majeed.<\/p>\n
The Quraan Majeed was revealed in Arabic and the people to whom it was directly revealed were Arabs who spoke the most eloquent form and dialect of the language. Despite them being completely conversant and fluent in the language, Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) was tasked with a separate responsibility in his capacity as the Nabi \u2013 the responsibility to teach them the RECITATION of the Quraan Majeed.<\/p>\n
Allah Ta\u2018ala mentions in Surah Aal \u2018Imraan (v164):<\/p>\n
\u0644\u064e\u0642\u064e\u062f\u0652 \u0645\u064e\u0646\u0651\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0640\u0647\u064f \u0639\u064e\u0644\u064e\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0652\u0645\u064f\u0624\u0652\u0645\u0650\u0646\u0650\u064a\u0646\u064e \u0625\u0650\u0630\u0652 \u0628\u064e\u0639\u064e\u062b\u064e \u0641\u0650\u064a\u0647\u0650\u0645\u0652 \u0631\u064e\u0633\u064f\u0648\u0644\u064b\u0627 \u0645\u0650\u0651\u0646\u0652 \u0623\u064e\u0646\u0641\u064f\u0633\u0650\u0647\u0650\u0645\u0652 \u064a\u064e\u062a\u0652\u0644\u064f\u0648 \u0639\u064e\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0647\u0650\u0645\u0652 \u0622\u064a\u064e\u0627\u062a\u0650\u0647\u0650 \u0648\u064e\u064a\u064f\u0632\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0651\u064a\u0647\u0650\u0645\u0652 \u0648\u064e\u064a\u064f\u0639\u064e\u0644\u0650\u0651\u0645\u064f\u0647\u064f\u0645\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0652\u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064e \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0652\u062d\u0650\u0643\u0652\u0645\u064e\u0629\u064e \u0648\u064e\u0625\u0650\u0646 \u0643\u064e\u0627\u0646\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0645\u0650\u0646 \u0642\u064e\u0628\u0652\u0644\u064f \u0644\u064e\u0641\u0650\u064a \u0636\u064e\u0644\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064d \u0645\u0651\u064f\u0628\u0650\u064a\u0646\u064d \ufd3f\u0622\u0644 \u0639\u0645\u0631\u0627\u0646 \u0661\u0666\u0664\ufd3e<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed Allah Ta\u2018ala had favored the believers when He sent in their midst a messenger from among them who recites to them His verses, purifies them and teaches them the book and wisdom and they were before in clear misguidance\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The recitation of the Quraan Majeed holds such a degree of importance that teaching the recitation alone formed a separate department from the other departments of deen. Allah Ta\u2018ala not only showed its importance but even expressed it to be a great favour on the Ummah that they learn to recite the Quraan Majeed. This is because the recitation of the words of the Quraan Majeed is an irreplaceable \u2018ibaadah that plays an extremely important role in the life of a Muslim.<\/p>\n Imaam Ahmad bin Hambal (rahimahullah) once saw Allah Ta\u2018ala in a dream and asked, \u201cO my Rabb! What is the best way for the person seeking your proximity to gain your nearness?\u201d \u201cThrough my speech (the Quraan)\u201d replied Allah Ta\u2018ala. \u201cWith or without understanding?\u201d Imaam Ahmad next asked. \u201cWith understanding and without understanding.\u201d answered Allah Ta\u2018ala. (Ithaafus Saadatil Muttaqeen vol. 4, pg. 466)<\/p>\n Some Muslims are is misled by the idea that reciting the Quraan Majeed without any idea of the meaning is a \u201cwaste of time\u201d as it is merely reading in a \u201cparrot fashion\u201d. Hence they abandon reading the Quraan Majeed. Such people in reality are doing themselves a great disservice and depriving themselves of the abundant reward Allah Ta\u2018ala has offered.<\/p>\n Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) said, \u201cWhoever recites one \u201charf\u201d (letter) of the Kitaab of Allah Ta\u2018ala will receive a reward in return and one reward is multiplied by ten. I do not say that \u201calif laam meem\u201d is a harf<\/em>. Rather \u201calif\u201d is aharf<\/em>, \u201claam\u201d is a harf<\/em> and \u201cmeem\u201d is a harf<\/em>.\u201d (Sunan Tirmizi #2910)<\/p>\n If a person recites just the three letters \u201calif laam meem\u201d (at the beginning of Surah Baqarah) and nothing else, Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) has promised this person a minimum of 30 rewards! This is despite the fact that the Ummah of Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) does not know the meaning of these three letters with certainty. This proves without a doubt that recitation of the Quraan Majeed \u2013 although the meaning is not known to the reciter \u2013 guarantees immense reward. Are we, as Muslims, willing to deny this reward and thus challenge the promise of our Nabi (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam)?<\/p>\n To understand the meaning of the Quraan Majeed is indeed very important and striving to learn it at the hands of a true \u2018Aalim of deen is a praiseworthy effort. In the event of not knowing the meaning, however, the RECITATION should never be abandoned. We face a dark future if we begin to distance ourselves from the Quraan Majeed, the word of our Allah Ta\u2018ala, due to not understanding its meaning. Will we allow the day to come when we abandon even salaah due to not understanding Arabic?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13456"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13457,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13456\/revisions\/13457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}