The blessed month of Ramadhan is about to begin, and we have covered fasting a few times in other previous newsletters, but of course, there are many benefits from fasting during the month of Ramadhan and one of them is that it gives you an opportunity to read the Holy Qur’an.
The Holy Qur’an Chapter 2, verse 186 relates:
The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and discrimination.
As the verse states
“The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Qur’an was revealed”
Why has Allah, the One God, pointed this out? Does it matter which month the Holy Qur’an was revealed in? The fact that Allah has pointed this out is full of wisdom. It is because during this month there is a strong link with the Holy Qur’an.
Muslims should strive to read the whole of the Holy Qur’an during this month. The Holy Qur’an, being split into 30 parts, helps us so that we can read one part per day. Likewise, during the Taraveeh Prayer, (a special prayer read after the evening prayer during Ramadhan) one part is read each day, giving us another chance to complete the reading of the Holy Qur’an in this month.
Then during the Dars ul Qur’an, (Commentary of the Holy Qur’an) again one part is read every day, where possible. In many Western countries, Muslims do not have the time (as it may take a few hours); therefore, they tend just to give Dars on a few verses only. But in many Muslim countries, a whole part is read each day. This gives you the opportunity not only to listen to the Holy Qur’an, but to also benefit from the commentary.
Thus, by the end of the month of Ramadhan, by reading the Holy Qur’an and pondering over its meaning and listening to its recital and to the Dars, our knowledge should have increased along with our love for Allah; therefore, we should have become more righteous.
This is why Allah has pointed out this strong connection between the month of Ramadhan and the Holy Qur’an.
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:
The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others (Bukhari)
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has also said:
He who recites the Qur’an fluently will be in the company of the noble and virtuous; and he who recites the Qur’an haltingly and with difficulty will have a double reward (Bukhari)
That is because Allah appreciates all our efforts and knows how easy it could be to give up trying.
Furthermore, the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:
Whenever people gather together in one of the houses of Allah for the recitation of the Qur’an and teaching it to one another, comfort descends upon them, mercy covers them, angels spread their wings over them and Allah makes mention of them to those around Him (Muslim)
For Muslims, we should know the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and lead by example. We should stand up against anyone who is wrongfully misquoting the Holy Qur’an.
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has exhorted us:
O people! I am a human being. It is likely that one day a messenger from my Lord will come to me and then I will depart from this world.
I am leaving two important things among you: the Book of Allah containing guidance and light. So, hold fast to the Book of Allah and abide by it.
I am also leaving behind the members of my household. I caution you to be mindful of Allah as to how you treat my family members (Muslim)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, may peace be upon him, has come to encourage Muslims to abide by the Holy Qur’an and follow it properly. He said:
You should study the Holy Qur’an and never be despaired. A believer never loses hope in God; it is the Disbelievers who do is i.e., they lose hope in God. Our God is – He has power over everything – You should learn the translation of Holy Qur’an as well.
As for the daily prayers you should offer them nicely and you should try to understand what you recite during your prayers.
You should also supplicate in your own tongue.
Do not read the Holy Qur’an like an ordinary book; you should know that it is the Word of God. Your prayer should be like the prayers of Holy Prophet.
Of course, after the fixed wording of the prayers, you should express your needs (which you want fulfilled) in your own tongue.
Place your needs before God and ask Him to fulfil them; there is no harm in doing so and it will not violate your prayers. (Malfoozat Vol. III, p257)
So, it is very important that you make it a habit to read Holy Qur’an every day. Likewise, it is important to read the translation and understand meaning – Dars, and it is important to act upon its teachings – This should be your code of life.
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:
The Qur’an will be summoned on the Day of Judgement along with those who kept it company in this life and acted in conformity with it (Muslim)
If we read it without understanding – yes, you get sawab (blessings) but you will get no real benefit. You will not understand the teachings – and that means you could easily be fooled into doing things against its teachings.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the fifth Successor of the Promised Messiah, may Allah always be his Helper, has said:
When the Holy Qur’an says that the Qur’an is a guidance for mankind, it draws our attention to the fact that we should delve deep into the Holy Qur’an and find its pearls of wisdom for the betterment of our lives in this world and the hereafter
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi has said:
“Remember that the Holy Qur’an is the fountainhead of true blessings and salvation.
Believers should consider it a great bounty and value it as such. Then they will witness how God removes their sorrows and difficulties
He has also said:
We should reflect upon the Holy Qur’an for it contains everything, provides all remedies, and strengthens all our faculties. When it points to evil, it also shows the means to avoid it. Let us recite the Holy Qur’an, let us pray, and let us try to conform our character to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:
The Qur’an will be summoned on the day of Judgement along with those who kept it company in this life and acted in conformity with it. It will be heralded by the second and third chapters and these will plead on behalf of those who kept company with them
One reason why the 2nd and 3rd chapters have been mentioned is that they contain many laws and guidance. By following these two chapters you will therefore be more God-fearing.