STUDYING THE QURAN

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47:24 Why do they not study (reflect upon) the Quran carefully? Do they have locks on their minds?

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38:29 This is a blessed Book that we sent down to you, - perhaps they reflect on its verses. Those who possess intelligence will take heed.

12:111 Indeed, in the stories of these men there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight
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21:10 We have revealed for you (O men!) a book containing all that you ought to bear in mind: will ye not then use your reason?

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45:20 This [revelation, the Quran, then,] is a means of insight for mankind, and a guidance and Mercy unto people who are endowed with inner certainty.

6:19 and this Quran has been revealed unto me so that I might warn you and all whom it reaches."

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***************************************************************** An Abi Hurayrata, aninnabiyyi (saws) qaala: Man naffasa an muminin kurbatan minalkurabi ddunya, naffasallaahu anhu kurbatan min kurabi yawmilqiyamati. Wa man yassara alaa musirin yassarallaahu alayhi fiddunyaa walaakhirah. Wa man satara Musliman satarahullahu fiddunyaa walaakhirah. Wallahu fi awnil abdi makanalabdu fi awni akheehi. Wa man salaka tareeqan yaltamisu feehi ilman sahhalallahu lahuu tareeqan ilaljannah. Wa majtamaa qawmun fee baytin min buyuutillahi taaalaa yatluuna kitaballaahi wa yatadaarasuunahuu baynahum illaa nazalat alayhimussakeenatu, wa ghashiyathumurrahmah (covers them), wa haffathumul malaaikah (angels cover them with their wings), wa zakarahumullaahu feeman indahu (talks about them with the angels around Him), wa man battae bihee amaluhu (he who is slow in his conduct) lam yusra bihi nasabuh (will not make good the deficiency by the nobility of his birth).

Rawahul Muslim (Riyadussaliheen (I), p. 161. Hadith # 245. . An Ibn Abbas qaala: Kaana Umaru yudkhilunee maa eshyaakhi badrin. Fa kaanna bazahum wajada fi nafsihee fa qaala: lima yadkhuli haadhaa maanaa wa lanaa abnaaun mithlahuu? Fa qaala Umaru: innahu man [min] haythu alimtum! Fa daaanee dhata yawmin fa adkhalanee maahum. Fa ma raayta annahuu daanee yawma idhin illaa liyuriyahum qaala: Maa taquuluna fee qawlillaahi taaalaa: Idha jaaa nasrullahi walfath? Fa qaala bazuhum: Umirnaa nahmadullaha wa nastaghfiruh. Idha nasarana wa fataha alayna. Wa sakata baduhum fa lam yaqul shayan. Fa qaala lee, A kadhalika taquulu yabna Abbas? Fa qultu, Laa. Qaala, fa ma taquulu? Qultu: Huwa ajalu Rasuulillahi (saws) alamahu lahuu qaala, idha jaaa nasrullahi walfathu wa dhaalika alaamatu ajalika fa sabbih bi hamdi Rabbika wastaghfirhu innahuu kaana tawwabaa. Fa qaala Umaru Ma alamu minha illaa ma taquulu. A narration attributed to `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas reports: Umar used to make me sit with the elderly men who had fought in the battle of Badr. Some of them (Abd-al-Rahman ibn Awf) felt it (did not like that) and said to Umar: "Why do you bring in this boy to sit with us, while we have sons like him?" Umar replied "Because of what you know of his position" (i.e. his religious knowledge). One day Umar called me and made me sit in the gathering of those people, and I think that he called me just to show them (my religious knowledge). 'Umar then asked them in my presence: 'What do you say about the interpretation of the statement of Allah'. When comes help of God, and the conquest... Some of them said: "We are ordered to praise God and ask for His forgiveness, when God's help and the conquest comes to us". Some others kept quiet and did not say anything. On that Umar asked me: "Do you say the same, O Ibn Abbas?" I replied: "No". He said: "What do you say then?" I replied: "That is the sign of the death of Prophet Muhammad, which God informed him of. God said: (O Muhammad) when comes the help of God (to you against your enemies) and the conquest (which is the sign of your death) you should celebrate the praises of your Lord and ask for His forgiveness, and He is the One who accepts the repentance and forgives". On that Umar said: "I do not know anything about it other than what you have said". (Bukhari, VI, No: 494).

From Uthman (ra) from the Prophet (sas) who said: "The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it." (Bukhari) .

What we derive from the above narrations:

The Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) used to gather to study the meanings of the Quran. The study group may consist of only certain people, somehow exclusive. They were expressing their understanding of the verse/s. They may disagree. They were ready to receive knowledge from even a younger person. The prophet (pbuh) used to teach the Quran to some companions at his home. This may be considered as a special teaching of the Quran to certain people. This also means: a- We should study the Quran among ourselves. b- We should teach the meanings of the Quran as we understand to people who are interested or talented in understanding the meaning of the Quran.

.. Ibn Abd Al-Barr reported on the authority of Ali R.A. who said: There is no good in worship without consciousness, in knowledge without understanding, or in reading without contemplation. Ibn Abbas said: It is better to read Surat Al-Zalzala and Al-Qariash with comtemplation than to heedlessly read Surat Al-Baqarah and Al-Imran. Zayd bin Thabit said: In my opinion, it is better to read the Glorious Quran in a month than to read it in fifteen days; to read it in fifteen days is better than to read it in ten days; and to read it in ten days is better than to read it in seven days as long as I ponder (over the meanings of the verses) and invoke (Allah). Abu Sulayman Ad-Darani said: I used to recite and ponder on a single Quranic verse in the night prayer for four of five days. Yet, if I did not stop reflecting upon that verse, I would not pass on to another verse. There are quite a number of narrations about the Companions of the Prophet and the prophet himself that they used to repeat certain verses of the Quran many times even during the ritual prayers: Abu Dharr reported, One night, the Messenger of Allah pbuh led us in the vigil prayer, in which he repeated the following Quranic verse during the whole prayer:

(5:118)

5: 118 If You should punish them - indeed they are Your worshippers (servants =serving by worshipping); but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

.. Al-Ghazzali says: Using ones mind in explaining the Quran is a major sin. What does he mean by this? The Quran is the Speech of the Creator and must be read from the point of view of the Creator, not from the perspective of ones mind which is shaped by secular understanding of creation or life.

Al-Ghazzali also says: Concerning oneself with the pronunciation of the words rather reflecting upon their meanings: The accursed Satan tries to trap reciters of the Quran thereby. While reading the Quran Al-Ghazzali advises us to make takhsis which means: When reading the Quran, one should regard it as addressing him/her in particular. In doing so, one should consider every Quranic glad tiding, warning, admonition, story , etc. to be meant for him/her. Muhammad ibn Kab Al-Qarazi said, Whoever reads the Glorious Quran, will be as if he is addressed by Allah.

Malik bin Dinar used to say: O people of the Quran, what has the Quran implanted in your hearts? The Quran is the spring of the believers, similarly as rain is the spring of the earth. .

Each commentary on the Quran may focus on its different aspect:

Grammar Historical background Juridical teachings Moral edification Allegorical meanings Theological teaching

Some points to keep in mind: - As we read the verses of the Quran we should keep this question in mind: What does Allah mean for me in this passage? - Contextualize the words of the verses: E.g. The verses which start O you who believe mean You should read the following through the lens of belief. - Understanding the Quran as a whole is essential. Each part of the Quran must be understood within the Purposes of the Quran (Maqasid-i Quraniya): a- Oneness of God, b- Resurrection, c- Prophethood, d- Worship and Justice. Ali Mermer