The obligations Muslims owe to Quran

As'Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Dear Members, i wish to share a booklet regarding our obligations towards Quran, which is been discussed by Dr.Israr Ahmed, a renowed speaker.

 The Obligations
Muslims Owe to the Qur�an

Original in Urdu by

Dr. Israr Ahmad

Translated by Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim, M. A.

Foreword

This article, which appeared in Urdu under the title Musalmanon per Qur�an-e-Majeed kay Huqooq, is based on two addresses delivered by Dr. Israr Ahmad to the Congregations in Jami�ah Khazra, Samanabad (Lahore) on two consecutive Fridays in January 1968, at a time when the Muslims of Pakistan were celebrating the 1400th anniversary of the commencement of the Revelation of the Holy Qur�an to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). During the following month, speeches on similar topics were delivered by Dr. Israr Ahmad at the Ajmal Bagh College, Sadiqabad, Ta�meer-e-Millat High School, Sukkur, and Government College, Jhang. The text of these addresses and speeches was edited and published in the monthly Meesaq in its May and June issues of the same year. In November 1969, it appeared in the form of a booklet under the title mentioned above, and in July 1972 its second edition of ten thousand copies was published by the Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur�an Lahore.

Musalmanon per Qur�an-e-Majeed kay Huqooq is an impassioned call to the Muslims "to return to the Qur�an," to rededicate themselves to its study, and make it the sole guide for their lives. Considering the profound purpose behind the book, I felt that it should be rendered into English for the benefit of our English-reading public as well as for approaching the minds of the people abroad. Accordingly, I was thinking of seeking Dr. Israr Sahib�s permission for the translation of the book when, one day, to my delightful surprise he himself suggested that I should translate the Huquq � that being the brief and popular sobriquet of this book. Hence the translation now appears under the title The Obligations Muslims Owe to the Qur�an.

This translation has already been published in the form of an article by the All Pakistan Islamic Education Congress in a recent issue of their journal Islamic Education under the title: "What Does the Qur�an Demand from its Followers?" and now, through their courtesy and cooperation, it is reappearing under a new title in the form of a regular booklet. I pray that it may prove helpful in the fulfillment of the great purpose which Dr. Israr Ahmad, the author of the original book, has set before himself and which he is pursuing with a single-minded devotion, Ameen.

Muhammad Ibrahim

The Qur�an makes five demands of every Muslim. Put in a simple language, these demands are as follows:

A Muslim is required:

to believe in the Qur�an;

to read it;

to understand it;

to act upon its teachings; and

to convey its message and teachings to others.

We will now ponder over these demands or obligations in some depth, along with a brief explanation of the terms in which they have been expressed in the Qur�an itself, so that besides getting a clear idea of his duties towards the Qur�an, the reader may also become familiar with basic Qur�anic terminology.

1-Iman wa Ta�zeem

(Belief in the Divine origin of the Qur'an and an attitude of reverence towards it)

The Qur�anic term for belief in a spiritual reality is Iman (faith) which has two phases: Iqrar bil-lisan (verbal profession) and tasdeeq bil-qalb (heart-felt conviction). A verbal profession of a belief in the spiritual realities upheld by Islam is the condition of a person�s admittance into the fold of this religion, but true faith will emerge only when that belief deepens into a strong inward conviction.

Now what is meant by having faith in the Qur�an? It means that one should, in the first instance, verbally profess that the Qur�an is the Word of Allah (SWT) that was revealed by Him through His chosen angel Jibra�eel (AS), to the last of His messengers, Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Having made this profession, a person will be accepted as a member of the Muslim community, although he may not have yet attained true faith. It is only when he comes to cherish this belief with a deep, inward conviction that the light of true faith will illumine his heart. Then he will find his heart to be full of reverence for the Holy Book. As his faith becomes stronger and stronger, his mind will come more and more under the spell of the Qur�an, and his feeling of reverence for it will become deeper and deeper. Thus faith and reverence go together. We learn from the study of the Qur�an that the first individual to believe in this Revealed Book was none other than the Prophet (SAW) himself who was followed by his Companions (RAA).

The Messenger believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, as well as the believers�.
(Al-Baqarah 2:285)

Their belief was a deep inward conviction that the Qur�an was kalam Allah (the Word of God). This conviction developed in them a reverential attitude towards the Qur�an and created in their hearts an unbounded love and devotion for it. It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet (SAW) used to wait anxiously for the Revelation to come, that he would get impatient if it was temporarily suspended, and when it was resumed he would try to memorize it with utmost avidity and eagerness, so much so that Allah (SWT), out of love and affection for his Messenger (SAW), forbade him to be impatient in this regard with the following instructions:

�do not be in haste for the Qur�an�. (Taha 20:114)

And do not move your tongue quickly (in trying to memorize the Revelation) to make haste therewith. (Al-Qiyamah 75:16)

Once at an early stage, the continuity in the process of Qur�anic revelation was interrupted for an unusually long period. It is reported that this interruption caused the Holy Prophet (SAW) so much anguish and distress that he would often think of throwing himself down from a mountain. So deep was his devotion for the Qur�an that he would spend the greater part of the night in prayer and recitation. He would stand reciting the Qur�an for long hours until his feet would get swollen. His Companions (RAA) were equally enamored of the Holy Book and would recite it for long hours at night. Many of them had made it a point to go through the whole Qur�an once a week. The Holy Prophet (SAW), though himself the recipient of the Qur�anic Revelation, often asked his Companions (RAA) to recite the Qur�an to him and would be moved to tears by the intensity of feelings roused in his heart.

Obviously, the reason why the Companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) came to entertain such a deep love and reverence for the Qur�an in their hearts, and regarded it with so much reverence, was that their belief in the Qur�an being a Revelation from the Almighty had reached the highest stage of conviction � a stage at which a reality is accepted as an Absolute Truth. Now let us examine the condition of our faith in the Qur�an. We do profess that the Qur�an is a Divine Revelation and, indeed, we should be thankful to the Almighty that He has included us among those who hold this belief about His Book; but most of us are not inwardly convinced of its being the Word of Allah (SWT), a Revelation from the Creator of the heavens and the earth. This is the real cause of our estrangement from, and indifference to the Qur�an. Even a casual introspection and self-examination will prove that our hearts are devoid of the true belief in the Qur�an and, instead of harboring true faith, they have become the dwellings of doubts and misgivings. My fellow Muslims might resent this plain speaking on my part; nevertheless, it is a fact that we Muslims woefully lack a staunch faith in the Divine origin of the Qur�an. The state of doubt and uncertainty in which we find ourselves today has been described in the Qur�an in the following words:

�truly, those who have inherited the Book after them are in suspicious (disquieting) doubt concerning it. (Al-Shura 42:14)

This lack of faith is the reason why we neither find any reverence for the Qur�an in our hearts, nor feel inclined to study it, nor evince any interest in pondering over its meaning, nor ever think of seeking its guidance in conducting our lives. As long as we do not make up this dreadful deficiency, no useful purpose will be served by any amount of religious instruction.

The first and foremost duty of every Muslim, therefore, is to check his belief in the Qur�an to see whether his belief in the Qur�an being a sacred and heavenly book is a mere dogma which has nothing to do with his practical life, or whether he is really convinced of its being a Word of Allah (SWT) which has been vouchsafed to mankind to seek guidance from it and make it a practical code of life. If we hold this conviction, we may have reason to be satisfied and be thankful to Allah (SWT), but if not � which unfortunately is the case with a vast majority � we should first of all make up this deficiency in our faith, because the fulfillment of our other obligations to the Qur�an is dependent upon this very conviction.

It may be asked as to how can this deficiency be made up. Obviously, the easiest and the most effective way to acquire and augment faith is to move in the society of godly persons whose hearts are illumined by the light of true faith. The Companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) owed their unique faith to the inspiring influence of their Master (SAW), who himself was an embodiment of faith and certitude. After the death of the Holy Prophet (SAW), one can never dream of attaining the same degree of faith as the Companions (RAA) had attained on account of his physical presence among them, still the method of improving and perfecting faith in the company of the pious will be followed with immense advantage even today; so, we need to turn to the pious among us for continually refreshing our faith. So far as the pious are concerned, they, in their turn, will find the greatest source of the light of faith in the Holy Qur�an itself. They will also make a careful study of the biographies of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his Companions (RAA) so that they may be able to enjoy an intellectual and spiritual companionship of Allah�s Messenger (SAW) and his Companions (RAA). As regards the faith in the Qur�an and its growth, we have to depend upon one source only, that is the Holy Qur�an itself.

In reality, Iman (or faith) is not something that can be planted in us from outside. It is an embodiment of fundamental truths that continually flash through our inner being and are caught and reflected by our heart. We can say that the human heart is a wonderful mirror that automatically catches and reflects the light of those universal truths that constitute Iman. What happens is that sometimes the surface of this mirror gets blurred under the effect of wrong environment and education and fails to catch and reflect the inner light of Iman. To polish this mirror so that it may clearly reflect man�s inner light, Allah (SWT), out of His Benevolence to mankind, has revealed His Word, urging us to discern the light inside ourselves and reminding us of the truths which are the intuitive apprehensions of our primordial nature.

An insight and reminder (of the truths ingrained in human nature) for every servant who turns to Allah in repentance. (Qaf 50:8)

If the Holy Book is studied and its meanings are pondered over in a genuine quest for truth, all the veils of darkness are lifted, one after another, and our inner self is illumined by the light of faith. After the heart�s mirror has once been rendered capable of clearly reflecting the light of faith, we shall still have to revert to the Qur�an whenever we find that its shining surface is becoming dull and hazy under the effect of worldly temptations. The following tradition, narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Umar (RAA), refers to the polishing effect of the Qur�an on the mirror of the heart:

The Holy Prophet (SAW) once remarked: "Surely, these hearts get rusted as iron gets rusted in water." He was asked how the heart�s rust could be rubbed off. He replied: "By frequent remembrance of death and the recitation of the Qur�an." (Narrated by Bayhaqi)

The crux of the matter is that if our belief in the Divine origin of the Qur�an remains a mere dogma, it will not bring about any change in our present conditions and in our attitude of cold indifference towards the Qur�an. If we wish to do justice to the Qur�an and fulfill the demands it makes from us, we should first of all have the deep inner conviction that the Qur�an is, indeed, the last and final Message of Allah (SWT) delivered to the last of His messengers for the guidance of mankind. As soon as we come to have this conviction, our attitude towards the Qur�an will undergo a radical change. As soon as we realize that it is a Revelation from our Lord, our Creator, that Most Exalted Being Whose slightest apprehension transcends the bounds of our imagination, our thinking will be completely revolutionized. We shall then feel that the Qur�an is the greatest blessing for us under the sun. Its recitation will sustain and nourish our souls, and contemplation over its meanings will chasten our hearts and enlighten our minds. From that point onwards, we shall never feel satiated with its study; and even after dedicating the best powers of our mind and intellect to its service, and having devoted our whole life to meditation over its meanings, we shall feel that we have not been able to do justice to the Glorious Qur�an, the greatest of the heavenly books.

JazakiAllahu khairan sister, for your response. Its big article. So i shall post it in parts, insha-Allah

2-Tilawat wa Tarteel

(Slow, thoughtful reading of the Qur'an with correct pronunciation)

The Arabic equivalents for "reading" are qir�aat and tilawat. Both these terms have been employed by the Qur�an in connection with the reading of the Qur�an. The term tilawat is used for reading the Holy Book with all the reverence due to it as a sacred scripture, with an open mind fully disposed to imbibing its influence, and with a keen desire to model our lives upon its teaching. It is a term specifically used for the reading of heavenly books. Qir�aat, however, is a general term used for reading any kind of book. This difference in the connotation of these two words as equivalents of "reading" is borne out by their literal meanings; for tilawat means "to follow or walk behind some one," while qir�aat means just "to draw or combine things together."

In the beginning, the word qir�aat was used for learning the Qur�an and acquiring its knowledge, and a qaari was originally a scholar of the Qur�an. As time passed, the term was gradually torn from its original meaning and came to be used for reading the Qur�an with correct pronunciation and modulation according to the rules of tajweed, whereas the word tilawat came to be used as a general term for reading the sacred book with fervor and devotion, for the purpose of seeking guidance and blessings.

Tilawat of the Holy Qur�an is not only an important form of worship but also an effective method of continually refreshing our Iman (faith). The Qur�an is not a book to be understood once and for all. It is a book to be read again and again and to be studied forever, because it provides sustenance to the human soul. As our earthly body is in constant need of food that is obtained from the earth, so too our soul, which is of heavenly origin, constantly needs the help of Divine Revelation for fostering and strengthening itself. If the Qur�an were to be understood once and for all, there would have been no need for the Holy Prophet (SAW) � of all people � to read it again and again. On the contrary, we find from the study of the Qur�an itself that he was commanded to do so. In the earliest days of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet (SAW) was especially instructed to stand for the greater part of the night in prayer before his Lord, reciting the Qur�an in slow, rhythmic tones. In the later stages of his prophetic career, particularly when he was faced with heavy odds and was required to muster up special courage and fortitude to sustain himself, the special instruction he received from his Lord was to recite the Qur�an. In Surah Al-Kahf, he was given the following instructions:

And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord: None can change His Words, and none will you find as a refuge other than Him. (Al-Kahf 18:27)

And again, in Surah Al-Ankaboot a similar instruction was repeated:

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish regular prayer�. (Al-Ankaboot 29:45)

It follows from the facts stated above that constant and regular study of the Holy Qur�an is essential because it provides food for the soul, because it is a mean of refreshing and reviving faith, and a reliable weapon for surmounting difficulties and obstacles that one encounters in the way of Allah (SWT). The following ayah from Surah Al-Baqarah describes how the lovers of the Qur�an manifested their great regard for this Book:

Those to whom we have delivered the Book recite it as it ought to be recited�. (Al-Baqarah 2:121)

2. Daily Recitation:

If we wish to fulfill our obligation of reciting the Qur�an, the second thing we are required to do is to include the recitation of the Qur�an in the daily routine of our life, and each one of us should recite a certain portion of the Holy Book regularly every day. The portion fixed for daily recitation can be different for different people. The maximum portion which has the support of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is one-third of the Qur�an. It means that ten paras should be recited each day so that the recitation of the whole Qur�an may be completed in three days. A minimum portion � and mind you, anything less than this bare minimum could not even be imagined till recent years � could be one para daily, so that the whole Qur�an could be read in a month. In fact, this is the least amount of recitation which should be done every day and an amount less than this would not be worth the name. The middle position between the maximum and minimum is that one should read the whole Qur�an in a week. This, indeed, was the practice followed by the majority of the Companions (RAA) and the same according to a tradition was suggested to Abdullah Ibn Umar (RAA) by the Holy Prophet (SAW). It is for this reason that the Qur�an was divided into seven ahzaab (sections) in the time of the Companions (RAA). The first six of the ahzaab consist of three (excluding Surah Al-Fatiha), five, seven, nine, eleven, and thirteen Surahs respectively, and the seventh called hizb-ul-mufassal consists of the rest of the Holy Book. Every hizb comprises of approximately four paras, which can be recited quite satisfactorily in two hours.

Persons of a devout nature and staunch faith should do this amount of recitation daily. Both the common people and intellectuals must depend upon the regular recitation of the Holy Book for the nourishment of their souls. To the average men it will serve as an admonition or remembrance of Allah (SWT), and to the men of learning and intelligence, as a source of knowledge and food for thought. Even those who ponder over the meaning of the Qur�an day and night, who think deeply over its individual Surahs for years on end, and who pause for long over the subtle points in its text, cannot do without this regular recitation. Indeed, they require its aid all the more in the noble task they have set before themselves. Actually, constant recitation of the Holy Book will help solve many of their problems and will continuously open up new vistas of thought before their minds.

3. Melodious voice:

It is also required for the proper recitation of the Qur�an that a person should read it in the best manner and in the most melodious voice possible. This is necessary because almost every human being is gifted with a love for music and has a natural fondness for sweet and melodious sounds. Islam is a natural region; it does not curb any of our inherent tendencies but diverts them into healthy channels. As we have an instinctive love for the beauty of sight and the beauty of sound, we insist upon a fascinating printing of the Holy Qur�an and its recitation in a soft melodious voice. The Prophet (SAW) has urged us to:

Adorn the Qur�an with your voices. (Narrated by Abu Daud & Nasai)

He has also warned us against our negligence in this matter in the words:

One who does not recite the Qur�an in a melodious voice is not from us! (Narrated by Abu Daud)

and has given us the following tidings as a further inducement for melodious recitation:

Allah (SWT) does not listen to anything so attentively as He listens to the Prophet (SAW) reciting the Qur�an aloud in a sweet voice. (Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, & Nasai)

It often happened that, while going along his way, the Holy Prophet (SAW) heard a Companion (RAA) recite the Qur�an in a sweet-sounding voice. He would stop and stand for a long time listening to the Qur�an being recited and would appreciate it later on. Sometimes, he would ask a Companion (RAA) to recite the Qur�an to him. It is stated in the books of traditions that once he asked Abdullah Ibn Mas�ud (RAA) to recite the Qur�an to him. The latter (much astonished at the request) said: "Messenger of Allah! How can I recite the Qur�an to you, while you are the person to whom it was revealed?" He replied: "I like to hear it being recited by others." Accordingly, Abdullah Ibn Mas�ud (RAA) began to recite, and, as the Holy Prophet (SAW) sat listening, his eyes welled up with tears which could be seen trickling down his cheeks. On another occasion, he heard a Companion (RAA) recite the Qur�an in a melodious voice, which he praised in the words: "You have been granted a share from the musical talent of the sons of Daud (AS)."

Although a person should recite the Qur�an in the most melodious voice he can produce because otherwise the recitation will be far from satisfactory, yet to over-emphasize this aspect of recitation is not without danger. When a melodious recitation is the outcome of mere show or affectation or when one takes to it as a profession, it becomes a serious perversion and a reprehensible practice. We should, therefore, carefully guard against this danger; still we may seek the satisfaction of our love for the beauty of sound in reciting the Qur�an or in hearing it being recited in a melodious voice. Hence, everyone of us should read the Book of Allah (SWT) in as nice a manner and as sweet a voice as it may be possible for him to do.