Tag: human desires

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Articles of Faith New Muslims

Prophet Abraham & the Trial of Faith: Doubt & Trust

What trials did Prophet Abraham and his family go through? How did they come out of them? What is the difference between the Qur’anic and biblical accounts of the story?

Prophet Abraham & the Trial of Faith

Beyond his human grief, Abraham develops a relationship with God based on faithfulness, reconciliation, peace, and trust.

There are simple facts alone illustrate the remarkable bond linking Muhammad’s life to Abraham’s (peace be upon them). Yet it is the spiritual lineage that even more dearly reveals the exceptional nature of this bond.

The whole Abrahamic experience unveils the essential dimension of faith in the One. Abraham, who is already very old and has only recently been blessed with a child, must undergo the trial of separation and abandonment, which will take Hagar and their child, Ishmael, very close to death.

Doubt & Trust

His faith is trust in God: he hears God’s command-as does Hagar-and he answers it despite his suffering, never ceasing to invoke God and rely on Him.

Hagar questioned Abraham about the reasons for such behavior; finding it was God’s command, she willingly submitted to it. She asked, then trusted, then accepted, and by doing so she traced the steps of the profound ‘active acceptance’ of God’s will: to question with one’s mind, to understand with one’s intelligence, and to submit with one’s heart.

In the course of those trials, beyond his human grief and in fact through the very nature of that grief, Abraham develops a relationship with God based on faithfulness, reconciliation, peace, and trust. God tries him but is always speaking to him, inspiring him and strewing his path with signs that calm and reassure him.

Several years after this abandonment in the desert. Abraham was to experience another trial: God asked him to sacrifice his first-born son, Ishmael.

Abraham in the Qur’an

The Islamic tradition is that God asks Abraham to sacrifice Ishmael; in the Bible, the tradition is that Abraham is asked to sacrifice his second son, Isaac.

This is how the Qur’an recounts the story:

So We gave him (Abraham) the good news: the birth of a sweet-tempered son. Then, when (the son) was old enough to walk with him, he said: “0 my son! I have seen in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice. Now see what you think!” (The son) said: “0 my father! Do as you are commanded; you will find me, if God so wills, one of the steadfast” So when they had both submitted (to God), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead, We called out to him: “0 Abraham! You have already fulfilled the dream!- thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was a clear trial.” And we ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice. And we left for him among generations (to come) in later times: peace and salutation to Abraham! (As-Saffat 37:101-109 )

The trial is a terrible one: for the sake of his love and faith in God, Abraham must sacrifice his son, despite his fatherly love. The trial of faith is here expressed in this tension between the two loves.

Abraham confides in Ishmael, and it is his own son, the object of sacrifice, whose comforting words to his father are like a confirming sign: “0 my father! Do as you are commanded; you will find me, if God so wills, one of the steadfast.”

As was the case a few years earlier with Hagar, Abraham finds in others signs that enable him to face the trial. Such signs, expressing the presence of the divine at the heart of the trial, have an essential role in the experience of faith and shape the mode of being with oneself and with God.

When God causes His messenger to undergo a terrible trial and at the same time associates that trial with signs of His presence and support (the confirming words of his wife or child, a vision, a dream, an inspiration, etc.), He educates Abraham in faith: Abraham doubts himself and his own strength and faith, but at the same time the signs prevent him from doubting God. This teaches Abraham humility and recognition of the Creator.

Then Abraham is tempted by deep doubt about himself, his faith, and the truth of what he hears and understands, the inspirations and confirmations of Hagar and Ishmael (whom he loves but sacrifices in the name of divine love) enable him not to doubt God, His presence, and His goodness. Doubt about self is thus allied to deep trust in God.

In the Bible

Indeed, trials of faith are never tragic in Islamic tradition, and in this sense, the Qur’an’s story of Abraham is basically different from me Bible’s when it comes to the experience of sacrifice. One can read in Genesis:

After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” (God) said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” …

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and me knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” (Isaac) said. “Behold me fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God Himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis, 22:1- 2 and 6-8)

Abraham must sacrifice his son, and here he experiences this trial in absolute solitude. To his son’s direct question, “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham answers elliptically. He alone answers God’s call.

This difference between the two accounts may seem slight, yet it has essential consequences for the very perception of faith, for me trial of faith, and for human beings’ relation to God .

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The article is an excerpt from Dr. Tariq Ramadan’s In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad, Oxford University Press (2007).

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New Muslims Reflections

First Conversions to Islam: Lessons on Steadfastness

With steadfastness and forbearance, the Prophet had gathered around him a solid core of trustworthy women and men. How exactly did he build up this community?

steadfastness

From the beginning, the Prophet had given priority to quality over quantity.

After recovering from the distress caused by the initial experience of Revelation, and as he began to receive the subsequent Revelations, the Prophet began to share the message with those closest to him.

He had not yet received instructions on how to present the message to his people, but he anticipated fierce opposition, as had been foretold by Waraqah ibn Nawfal.

The First Conversions

After Khadijah, his wife and the first convert to Islam, the circle of those who accepted the message was to widen to include members of his close family, then his friends. `Ali ibn Abi Talib, who was the young cousin in his charge; Zayd, his adopted son; Urn Ayman, the nursemaid who had cared for him after he returned to Mecca at age four; and his lifelong friend Abu Bakr were thus among the first to recognize the truth of the message and to pronounce the profession of faith (Ash-Shahadah) expressing their adherence to Islam:

“I bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His Messenger.”

The number of converts slowly grew as a result of the Prophet’s own discreet preaching and the very determined involvement of Abu Bakr, who was always ready to speak about the new faith and take action for its sake: he would buy slaves from their masters and set them free in the name of Islam’s principles stressing the equality of all human beings.

During those years, Muhammad’s presence in Mecca, his action, and his example were to attract a large number of women and men who were gradually to embrace the new faith.

The number of conversions nevertheless remained small during the first few months. Tradition reports that during the first three years, only thirty to forty Quraysh became Muslims. They would meet with the Prophet at the home of one of the converts, Al-Arqam ibn Abi Al-Arqam, and learn the basics of their religion while new Revelations kept arriving.

True Believers

The surrounding atmosphere was becoming more and more hostile as the inhabitants of Mecca learned about the essentials of this new message and took stock of its impact on the poor and the young.

The Prophet, aware of those upheavals and of the dangers ahead, decided to concentrate on discreetly giving a solid education to a small group, who he knew would face criticism, rejection, and most probably exclusion.

It was this very group who were later, thanks to the quality of their spiritual education and the sincerity of their involvement, to remain steadfast in the face of difficulties and persecution.

From the beginning, the Prophet had given priority to quality over quantity, and preferred to concern himself with the nature of the hearts and minds he addressed than their number.

For three years, he quietly built up the first community of believers, whose particular feature was that it gathered, without distinction, women and men of all clans and all social categories (although the bulk were young or poor).

The Public Call

After those years, Muhammad (peace be upon him) received a Revelation enjoining him to make his call public:

And admonish your nearest kinsmen. (Ash-Shu`araa’ 26:214)

The Prophet understood that he now had to convey his message to the members of the clans to which he was linked by kinship ties. He began to call them to Islam. One day, he climbed up Mount As-Safa and called the tribal chiefs one by one.

Thinking he had an urgent or important announcement to make, they gathered at the foot of the hill to listen to him. From where they stood, they could not look into the valley, whereas Muhammad was facing it. He called out to them:

”If I warned you that down in this valley, armed horsemen are closing in to attack you, would you believe me?” They answered, almost with one voice: “Certainly- you are trustworthy and we have never heard you tell lies!”

The Prophet then went on:

“Well, I am here to forewarn you of violent torments! God has ordered me to admonish my nearest kinsmen. I have no power to protect you from anything in this life, nor to grant you blessings in the life to come, unless you believe in the Oneness of God.”

He added: “My position is like that of he who sees the enemy and runs to his people to warn them before they are taken by surprise, shouting as he runs: ‘Beware! Beware!’” (Ibn Hisham, As-Sirah An-Nabawiyah)

His uncle Abu Lahab’s response was immediate and scathing: “Woe to you (taban laka)! Is this why you have gathered us?” He turned away instantly, taking the assembled chiefs with him: he was thus to come to epitomize those who rejected Muhammad’s message and opposed him most fiercely.

Because of this status, the Quran answered him in a later Revelation, using the same formula with the additional aesthetic power of assonance and consonance in the Arabic words: “Tabat yada Abi Lahabin watab” (let the hands of Abu Lahab perish, let him perish). (Al-Masad 111:1)

Steadfastness

Later on, When the Prophet organized two meals to present the same message, the first was a failure because Abu Lahab again intervened to prevent his nephew from speaking.

During the second meal, Muhammad was able to convey the substance of his message, which was heard and secretly accepted by some members of the clans he had invited.

His kinsmen and the tribe’s elders had reacted in a rather cold and distant manner because they understood that the nature of Muhammad’s message threatened the age-old balance in their society. Both their gods and their power could be challenged, and the danger was serious.

Muhammad continued to speak to his kinsfolk until he received another Revelation ordering a forthright, determined attitude:

Therefore expound openly what you are commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with God. (Al-Hijr 15:94)

The prophetic mission was entering a new phase. Now the message was addressed to all and required a clear-cut distinction between tawheed, faith in one God, and the polytheism of the Quraysh.

The Prophet had gathered around him a solid core of trustworthy women and men; some were his relatives, bur many came from different social categories and tribes, and he had been providing them spiritual and religious education for the previous three years.

With steadfastness and forbearance, they were to face rejection, persecution, and exclusion in a Meccan society that was beginning to split apart.

_________________________

The article is an excerpt from the author’s “In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad, Oxford University Press (2007).

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Ethics & Values New Muslims

Islam: A Call for Moderateness

By Editorial Staff

Islam A Call for Moderateness

In Islam, even commands and prohibits are moderate; A Muslim is not charged except with that within its capacity.

Moderateness is one of the characteristics with which Islam is distinguished more than the other faiths. Therefore, God has set up the Muslim community as a witness over all other communities. God says:

And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. (Al-Baqarah 2:143)

Moderateness of Islam

The moderateness of Islam is reflected in its moderate teachings which are halfway between permissiveness and restrictiveness. In the Qur’an, God says:

And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and (thereby) become blamed and insolvent. (Al-Israa’ 17:29)

The moderateness of Islam is also represented by its moderate commands and prohibitions. A Muslim is not charged except with that within its capacity. God says:

God does not charge a soul except (with that within) its capacity. (Al-Baqarah 2:286)

God also says:

We do not charge any soul except (with that within) its capacity. (Al-An`am 6:152)

God further says:

No person is charged with more than his capacity. (Al-Baqarah 2:233)

The Muslim’s condition – either richness or poorness – is always taken into consideration when it comes to financial liabilities:

There is no blame upon you if you divorce women you have not touched nor specified for them an obligation. But give them [a gift of] compensation – the wealthy according to his capability and the poor according to his capability – a provision according to what is acceptable, a duty upon the doers of good. (Al-Baqarah 2:236)

God also says:

Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted – let him spend from what God has given him. God does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. God will bring about, after hardship, ease. (At-Talaq 65:7)

`Imran ibn Husain (may God be pleased with him) reported: “I had piles, so I asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about prayer. He said, ‘Pray while standing and if you can’t, pray while sitting and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side.’” (Al-Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad used to command bearable acts of worship and prohibit unbearable ones. `Aishah (may God be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet came in to her and there was a woman with her. He said: “Who is this?” She said: “So-and-so, and she does not sleep.” And she told him about how she prayed a great deal. He said: “Stop praising her. You should do what you can, for by God, God never gets tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of religious actions to Him is that in which a person persists.” (An-Nasa’i)

Anas ibn Malik (may God be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet saw an old man walking, supported by his two sons, and asked about him. The people informed him that he had vowed to go on foot (to the Ka`bah). He said, ‘God is not in need of this old man’s torturing himself,’ and ordered him to ride.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Anas bin Malik also reported that a group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (God), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, “Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven.” Then one of them said, “I will offer prayer throughout night forever.” The other said, “I will fast throughout year and will not break my fast.” The third said, “I will keep away from women and will not marry forever.” The Messenger of God then came to them and said, “Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By God, I am more submissive to God and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion is not from me (not one of my followers).” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas (may God be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God forbade `Uthman bin Maz`oun (may God be pleased with him) to abstain from marrying and if he had allowed him, we would have gotten ourselves castrated. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Prophet Muhammad used to prohibit extremism and fanaticism. `Aishah (may God be pleased with him) reported that Prophet Muhammad did something as it was allowed from the religious point of view but some people refrained from it. When the Prophet heard of that, he, after glorifying and praising God, said, “Why do some people refrain from doing something which I do? By God, I know God more than they do and I fear God more than they do.” (Al-Bukhari)

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Ethics & Values New Muslims

Islam and the True Meaning of Moderation

What is the meaning of moderation in Islam? How could the Muslim be moderate?

True Meaning of Moderation

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“The religion (of Islam) is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigor, it will overpower him. So, follow a middle course (in worship); if you can’t do this, do something near to it and give glad tidings and seek help (of Allah) at morn and at dusk and some part of night”.  (Al-Bukhari)

In so many other hadiths, besides the one above, the Prophet warns against the dangers of fanatical beliefs and behaviors and to implement the moderate Islamic values in all aspects of life.

Still, how can somebody be too religious, and, more precisely, too Islamic?

What does Islam say about moderation and going to extremes in religion? What is the solution to tackle extremism?

In the video below Sheikh Yasir Qadhi answers these questions, and defines the true meaning of moderation in Islam and how to avoid extremism and its traps…

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Ethics & Values New Muslims

Muslims: The True Moderate Nation

Why are we (Muslims) called a moderate nation? What are the manifestations of the moderation of Islam?

God says:

moderate

In sight of Islam’s moderation, what kind of life does the religion give to man?

We have made you (true Muslims) a moderate nation so that you could be an example for all people and the Prophet an example for you. (Al-Baqarah 2:143)

What is meant by “moderate” here?

What are the manifestations of the moderation of Islam? Why are we (Muslims) called a “moderate” nation, and the religion is called a ‘moderate’ religion?

Between the two extremes: rationalizing everything – I must understand to believe – and having complete blind faith, where does Islam stand?

How does Islam combine the middle path between these two extremes?

True Moderate

Between religion and daily life, spirituality and rituals, between this world and the hereafter, work and life, pleasures of this life and rewards of the Hereafter, between needs of the body and needs of the soul, between mysticism and rationalism, where does Islam stand?

About the status, role, rights and duties of men and these of women, what does Islam say? How are they different and how are they seen?

In sight of Islam’s moderation, what kind of life does the religion give to man?

What does the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) seerah (biography) tell about such moderation? How does his character and teachings strike the balance between mercy and strictness?

Answers to such critical questions and other more are answered by Dr. Yasir Qadhi in that compelling talk…

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Categories
Ethics & Values New Muslims

EDC Wins 3rd Prize in Al-Aluka Competition on Moderation

In the competition launched by Alukah network, and supervised by E-Da`wah Association under the theme “Our Balanced Moderate Life”, the E-Da`wah Committee (EDC) came in third, Jamal Ash-Shatti, Consultant at Islam Presentation Committee (IPC) affiliated to Al-Najat Charity Society, announced.

EDC

Through the website (WWW.NEW-MUSLIMS.INFO), E-Da`wah Committee gained third position in the contest as one of the remarkable online resources presenting and promoting moderation as an authentic Islamic approach in multiple international languages.

Under the theme “Our Balanced Moderate Life” and through an effective coordination of efforts to introduce the moderate message of Islam, a wide range of articles, videos and editorials were published discussing Islamic values and how Islam is the religion of moderation. Of these material are the following:

  • Islam: A Call for Moderateness
  • Islam and the True Meaning of Moderation
  • Moderation: An Islamic Way of Life
  • Moderation in the Light of the Qur’an
  • Moderation in the Light of the Sunnah
  • Moderation: Your Way to Self-Development
  • Muhammad: The Exemplar of Coexistence and Moderation
  • Muslims: The True Moderate Nation
  • Prophet’s Moderation in Correcting People’s Mistakes

Hard Work

As a unique information content presenting and promoting Islamic values in some 12 languages, the New Muslims website has generated considerable praise and admiration in the competition.

“Not by chance we won this prize. It is the result of hard work and dedication,” Al-Shatti added.

“On all occasions inside and outside Kuwait, our informative and interactive content-rich websites have remarkable and impressive records, and today’s award is another step on the road to success, which adds to our long record of achievements”, Al-Shatti clarified.

“Since we began our online da`wah and academic work and over the course of four years, we’ve had remarkable achievements”, Al-Shatti added.

“It was not easy winning this competition. We have done something great with the dedication and hard work of the Editorial Board who over the last few months directed their efforts toward introducing the principle of “moderation” as an basic characteristic of Islam in efforts to presenting the true image of Islam and its message in general with distinguished video and visual  materials.”

History of Success

Starting from the first year of its existence the E-Da`wah Committee won Shaikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Award 2010.

Continuing ahead, in Kuwait E-Awards for 2012, organized by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science, the IPC website, www.ipc.org.kw won the first award in the Electronic Content field, while Electronic Da`wah Committee came second in Electronic Education category for its ‘Da`wah Skills’ website,www.dawahSdkills.com , and third for its ‘Learn to Pray’ DVD app in both English and Arabic.

In the same award for 2015, the the E-Da`wah Committee won the first place with The Comprehensive Muslim e-Library, www.muslim-library.com , run by skillful and qualified editorial board.

For their contribution in enriching local electronic content, the websites were recommended as official Kuwaiti candidate to compete in an international competition.

We’re not just listing the awards, it’s what we did to win them.

EDC Contribution to Kuwait

Praising the EDC for winning the prize, Al-Shatti clarified that the prize “reflects the status and role of Kuwait in the cultural field and development on Islamic, regional and international levels”.

“It is not strange for Kuwait with its pivotal role in the pursuit of knowledge and promotion of science, and its interest in encouraging excellence and creativity under Islam and its values”, he said.

“The EDC victory is a good indicator for our country’s increasing role in enriching the Islamic and cultural life. And in our turn we contribute this heritage to Kuwait which has been selected as the capital of Islamic culture this year.”

“I congratulate E-Da`wah Committee for their hard organized work and their distinguished achievements. So thank you and keep up the great work.”

All thanks to Allah that by His grace we’ve achieved that success.

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New Muslims Qur'an & Sunnah

The Qur’an and Our True Identity as Muslims

What does it mean to be Muslim? Put differently, what does make one worthy of being Muslim? What role does the Qur’an play in your life and identity as Muslim?

Two most important things every Muslim must know to do justice to the Book of God, the Qur’an: who is truly a Muslim and what the word ‘Muslim’ means, what defines our identity as Muslims.

Human beings who do not know what humanity is and what the difference is between man and animal will inevitably indulge in behavior unworthy of the human race and attach no value to being human.

Similarly, people who do not know the true meaning of being Muslims and how a Muslim is different from a non-Muslim will behave like non-Muslims and will not be worthy of being Muslims.

Identity of Muslim

Every Muslim, adult or child, should therefore know what it means to be a Muslim, what difference being a Muslim must make to his life, what responsibilities devolve on him, and what limits are set by Islam within which a man remains a Muslim and by transgressing which he ceases to be a Muslim.

Islam means submission and obedience to God. To entrust yourselves completely to God is Islam. To relinquish all claims to absolute freedom and independence and to follow God’s will is Islam.

To surrender yourselves before the sovereignty of God is Islam. If you bring all the affairs of your lives under God you are Muslims and if you keep any of the affairs in your own hands or entrust them to someone other than God you are not Muslims.

To bring your affairs under God means to accept unreservedly the guidance sent by God through His Book, and His Messengers.

It therefore becomes necessary to follow only the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah. Muslims follow no authority other than that of God, whether it be their reason or customs.

In every matter they seek guidance from God’s Book, the Qur’an, and His Messenger (peace be upon him) to find what they should do and what they should not do. They accept without hesitation whatever guidance they get from there and reject whatever they find opposed to it.

Such total surrender to God is what makes one a Muslim.

Source of Guidance

By contrast, people are certainly not Muslims who, instead of following the Qur’an and the Sunnah, obey the dictates of their own reason and desires, follow the practices of their forefathers, accept what is happening in society, and never bother to ascertain from the Qur’an and Sunnah how to run their affairs, or refuse to accept the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah by saying: ‘They do not appeal to my reason’, or ‘They are against the ways of my forefathers’ or ‘The world is moving in an opposite direction’. Such people are liars if they call themselves Muslims.

The moment you recite the word: ‘La ilaha illa Allah and Muhammad rasulu Allah’ (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger) ) you accept that the only law you recognize is the law of God, only God is your sovereign, only God is your ruler, only God you will obey, and only the things given in God’s Book and by His Messengers are true and right.

It means that as soon as you become Muslims you must renounce your authority in favour of God’s authority.

Consequently, you have no right to say, ‘My opinion is this, the prevalent custom is this, the family tradition is this, that scholar and that holy person say this.’

In the face of Allah’s word and His Messenger’s Sunnah, you cannot argue in this manner. You should judge everything in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah; accept what is in conformity with them and reject what runs counter to them, irrespective of the people who may be behind them.

It is a contradiction in terms to call yourselves Muslims on the one hand, and, on the other, follow your own opinions or the customs of society or some person’s words or actions as against the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Just as a blind person cannot claim to have eyes, nor a deaf person to have ears, so a person who refuses to subordinate the affairs of his life to the dictates of the Qur’an and the Sunnah cannot call himself a Muslim.

Once Being Muslim…

No one who does not want to be a Muslim can be compelled to be one against his will. You are free to adopt any religion you like and call yourselves by any names you like.

But, once having called yourselves Muslims, you must fully understand that you can remain Muslims only as long as you stay within the bounds of Islam. These bounds are: to accept the word of God and His Messenger’s Sunnah as the ultimate criteria of truth and justice and to consider everything opposed to them as wrong.

If you remain within these bounds you are Muslims, but if you overstep them you cease to be part of Islam. To continue, in such circumstances, to consider yourselves and call yourselves Muslims is tantamount to both self-deception and deception of others.

Whoever so judges not according to what God has sent down, they are the unbelievers. (Al-Ma’idah 5:44)

_________________________

The article is an excerpt from Abul A`la Al-Mawdudi’s Let Us Be Muslims.

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New Muslims Qur'an & Sunnah

How to Build a Lifelong Relationship with the Qur’an

Prolonged companionship with the Qur’an must become one of your most cherished desires and occupations. Read it, therefore, as often and as much as you can. Spend as much time with it as you can find, especially the hours of night.

How to Build a Lifelong Relationship with the Qur’an

Reading the Qur’an is certainly the best way to remember Allah.

In this manner were the souls of the Prophet (blessings and peace be on him) and his Companions schooled in the way of Allah, to prepare them to shoulder the huge and weighty task that the Qur’an placed upon them.

There are a few guidelines and rules in this reward that you must bear in mind.

How Often to Read?

Every day you must read some of the Qur’an. In fact do not consider a day complete unless you have spent some time with the Qur’an. It is better to read regularly, even if it be only a small portion, than to read long parts, but only occasionally.

“Allah likes things which are done regularly, even if little”, said the Prophet (peace be on him). (Al-Bukhari & Muslim).

He also warned especially that you must attend to the Qur’an regularly, otherwise you may easily lose your gains.

“The parable of the companion of the Qur’an is like a tethered camel; a man holds on to it so long as he attends to it, and it escapes if he lets it loose. (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

How Much to Read?

There can be no fixed answer. It will vary from person to person, and from situation to situation. The guideline must be what Allah, after taking into account all human factors, has said: “Read whatever you can with ease”. (Al-Muzzammil 73:20)

The practice of the Companions and those who followed them varied considerably. Some used to finish the whole Qur’an in two months, some in one month, some in ten days, some in one week, some even in one day. You should, however, bear in mind the following hadith as the governing criteria:

“One who reads the Qur’an in less than three days does not understand it.” (Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhi)

Once, when Ibn `Umar upon being asked by the Prophet to read the Qur’an in one month insisted on doing so in less time, he told him:

“Read it in seven days and do not increase on this.” (Al-Bukhari)

That the Qur’an is divided into 7 hizb (groups) and 30 juz’ (parts) gives some indication of what is considered desirable.

In this respect Al-Nawawi’s advice is very sensible: One who can discover deeper meanings by contemplation should read less, similarly one who has to devote time in pursuits like education, affairs of government, or important tasks entrusted by Islam may read less. (Kitab Al-Adhkar)

The quantity of reading will very much depend on the purpose of reading. If you just want to spend time with the Qur’an, or get a quick overview, you may read much faster and, therefore, more. If you want to ponder and reflect, you may read much slower and, therefore, less. This is what Al-Ghazali means when he quotes someone as saying ‘I complete the reading of the Qur’an sometimes on every Friday, sometimes every month, sometimes every year. And (in one type of reading) I have been trying to complete it for the last thirty years but have not yet done so’. (Ihya’).

Under our present circumstances, I think, most of us should aim to finish a general reading of the whole Qur’an at least once every eight months. This should not take more than 5-15 minutes every day, depending on whether you understand the meaning directly or through a translation.

But, at least on a few occasions in your lifetime, you should also attempt to finish one reading in seven days. Or, in one month, especially in the month of Ramadan. Some time should also be devoted to reading slowly, with pondering and reflection, though not necessarily daily.

When to Read?

No time of the day or night is unsuitable for reading the Qur’an, nor is there any physical posture in which you may not do so. Allah says:

Remember the name of your Lord at morning and in the evening and part of the night. (Al-Insan 76:25)

Those who remember God when they are standing, and when they are sitting and when they are lying. (Aal `Imran 3:191)

Reading the Qur’an is certainly the best way to remember Him. The Companions and those who followed them, says An-Nawawi, used to read it during all hours of the day and night, whether they stayed in one place or were travelling.

Yet there are some specific times which are more desirable as they are recommended by the Qur’an and the Prophet (peace be on him); those moments are more rewarding and fruitful. So too there are certain recommended postures.

The Qur’an & Night Prayers

The most excellent time to read is at night, and the most desirable posture is to stand in Prayer. In one of the earliest surahs, Al-Muzzammil, as in numerous other places, the Qur’an tells us so:

They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him). (Al ‘Imran 3:113)

And some part of the night awake for it, a largess for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised estate. (Al-Israa’ 17:79)

Is he who prays adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, bewaring of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (to be accounted equal with a disbeliever)? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed. (Al-Zumar 39:9)

It also explains why reading the Qur’an during night-Prayers enables your heart to remain with your reading and strengthens your will in surrendering yourself to Allah’s guidance and fulfilling the mission He has entrusted to you.

To do so, however, requires that you should (a) memorize some portions of the Qur’an, and (b) remain awake for some time during the night.

All of you may not therefore be able to do so all the time for various reasons; the Qur’an recognizes such limitations. It, therefore, permits you to read ‘whatever you can do with ease’ which means ‘whatever portion’, at ‘whatever time’, and in ‘whatever position’.

The great need and immense benefits of reading the Qur’an in Prayer during the night however remain. Hence you should assign at least some time, however little, even a few minutes with some regular frequency, however long, say weekly or even monthly, for this purpose.

To keep as near as possible to the ideal way, it may be desirable if you read the Qur’an after or before Fajr and `Isha’ Prayers, or at dawn, or before going to bed. “Reading the Qur’an at dawn is especially commended in the Qur’an.

Establish worship at the going down of the sun until the dark of night, and (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever witnessed. (Al-Israa’ 17:78)

To read the Qur’an while sitting on a chair, resting against a pillow, lying in bed or on a couch is not desirable, but is not prohibited. But never do so without excuse, nor make it a habit.

However, if one totally misses reading the Qur’an only because one cannot afford to sit in a proper posture, one loses something more precious.

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The article is excerpted from the author’s Way to the Qur’an.

 

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New Muslims Qur'an & Sunnah

Nouman Ali Khan: The Impact of Following the Qur’an

Why do we fellow the Qur’an? How does following the Qur’an impact every aspect of our lives? Why do we have to live by the Book of Allah? What change does it bring, and to what aspects of one’s life? Put differently, does it affect this life or the Hereafter?

The following is an illustrated video by brother Nouman Ali Khan explaining how following the Qur’an impacts every aspect of our lives and brings a positive change in everything we do.

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New Muslims Qur'an & Sunnah

The Qur’an: Allah’s Divine Mercy

By Khurram Murad

It is beyond man’s power to comprehend, or to describe, the greatness and importance of what the Qur’an holds for him. Yet, to begin with, you must have some idea of what it is and what it means to you, such that you are inspired to immerse the whole of yourself in the Qur’an, in total commitment, complete dedication and ceaseless pursuit, as it demands.

The Qur’an Allah’s Divine Mercy

What you read in the Qur’an is the word of Allah which He has conveyed to you in a human language, only because of His mercy.

The Qur’an is Allah’s greatest blessing for you. It is the fulfillment of His promise to Adam and his descendants:

There shall come to you guidance from Me, and whosoever follows My guidance no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow. (Al-Baqarah 2:38)

Best Companion

It is the only weapon to help your frail existence as you struggle against the forces of evil and temptation in this-world. It is the only means to overpower your fear and anxiety. It is the only ‘light’ (nur), as you grope in the darkness, with which to find your way to success and salvation. It is the only healing (shifa’) for your inner sicknesses, as well as the social ills that may surround you.

It is the constant reminder (dhikr) of your true nature and destiny, of your station, your duties, your rewards, your perils.

It was brought down by one who is powerful and trust- worthy in the heavens – the Angel Gabriel (Jibreel). Its first abode was that pure and sublime heart, the like of which man has never had – the heart of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be on him.

To Get Closer

More than anything, it is the only way to come nearer and closer to your Creator. It tells you of Him, of His attributes, of how He rules over the cosmos and history, of how He relates Himself to you, and how you should relate to Him, to yourself, to your fellow men and to-every other existence.

The rewards that await you here are surely many, increasing manifold in the Hereafter, but what awaits you at the end of the road, promises Allah in the hadith qudsi, “the eye has seen not, nor the ear heard, nor the heart of man ever conceived”, and, adds Abu Hurayrah: read if you wish (in Al-Sajdah 32:17): “No human being can imagine what joys are being kept hidden for them in reward for all that they did”. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Infinite Mercy and Majesty

Most important to remember is that what you read in the Qur’an is the word of Allah, the Lord of the worlds, which He has conveyed to you in a human language, only because of His mercy and care and providence for you:

The Most-merciful, He has taught the Qur’an. (Ar-Rahman 55:1-2)

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

The majesty of the Qur’an, too, is so overpowering that no human being can comprehend it. So much so that, says Allah:

If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of Allah. (Al-Hashr 59:20)

This act of Divine mercy and majesty is enough to awe and overwhelm you, to inspire you to ever-greater heights of gratitude, yearning and endeavor to enter the world of the Qur’an. Indeed, no treasure is more valuable and precious for you than the Qur’an, as Allah says of His generosity:

O men! There has come to you an exhortation from your Lord, healing for what is in the hearts, and a guidance, and a mercy for believers. Say: In (this) bounty of Allah, and in His mercy – in it let them rejoice. It is better than whatever they amass. (Yunus 10:57,58)

Hazards and Perils

Rejoice you must, in the mercy and blessing and generosity of Allah. Seek you must, for the treasures that await your search herein. But the Qur’an opens its doors only to those who knock with a sense of yearning, a sincerity of purpose and an exclusive attention that befit its importance and majesty.

And only those are allowed to gather its treasures, while they walk through it, who are prepared to abandon themselves completely to its guidance and do their utmost to absorb it.

It may quite possibly happen therefore that you may read the Qur’an endlessly, turn its pages laboriously, recite its words beautifully, study it most scholarly, and still fail to make an encounter with it that enriches and transforms your whole person.

For, all those who read the Qur’an do not profit from it as they should. Some remain unblessed; some are even cursed.

The journey has its own hazards, as it must, just as it has its own precious and limitless rewards. Many never turn to it, though the Book always lies near at hand, and many are turned away from its gates.

Many read it often, but come back empty-handed; while many others who read it never really enter its world. Some do not find, but are lost. They fail to hear God even among His own words; instead, they hear their own voices or those other than God’s. Still others, though they hear God, fail to find inside themselves the will, the resolve and the courage to respond and live by His call.

Some lose even what they had and, instead of collecting priceless gems, they return with back-breaking loads of stones which will hurt them for ever and ever. What a tragic misfortune it would be if you came to the Qur’an and went away empty-handed- soul untouched, heart unmoved, life unchanged; ‘they went out as they came in’.

The Qur’an’s blessings are limitless, but the measure of your taking from it depends entirely upon the capacity and the suitability of the receptacle you bring to it.

So, at the very outset, make yourself more deeply aware of what the Qur’an means to you and what it demands of you; and make a solemn determination to recite the Qur’an in an appropriate manner, so that you may be counted among “Those whom We have given the Book, they recite it as it ought to be recited; it is they who believe in it”. (Al-Baqarah 2:121)

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The article is excerpted from the author’s Way to the Qur’an.

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