86.

٨٦. عَنْ مُعَاذٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

«مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَمِلَ بِمَا فِيهِ أُلْبِسَ وَالِدَاهُ تَاجًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ضَوْءُهُ أَحْسَنُ مِنْ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ فِي بُيُوتِ الدُّنْيَا لَوْ كَانَتْ فِيكُمْ، فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِالَّذِي عَمِلَ بِهٰذَا».

86. Mu’adh al-Juhani (r.a.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“If anyone recites the Qur’an and acts according to its contents, on the Day of Judgment his parents will be crowned with a crown whose light is better than the light of the sun would be in the dwellings of this world if it were among you. So what do you think of the person himself who acts according to the Qur’an?” (Abu Dawud, Witr, 14/1453)

 

Explanations:

The real purpose of reading and understanding the Qur’an is to put it into practice in every aspect of our life. This is stated in the noble verses of the Qur’an as follows:

“(Here is) a Book which We have sent down unto you, full of blessings, that they may mediate on its Signs, and that men of understanding may receive admonition.” (Sad; 38:29)

“Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular Prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail.” (Al-Fatir; 35:29)

According to such verses of Qur’an, reading and understanding the verses of the Qur’an must be followed by acts that reflect the lessons taken from its commands and prohibitions. For this reason, in the second verse, reading the Qur’an is followed by performing prayers and giving charity openly and secretly from the blessings of Allah. Since a person who reads and understands the Qur’an obeys its rules by thinking about the good news, warnings, and clear verses and explanations of Qur’an and avoids its prohibitions. Satan works hard to keep people away from the Qur’an. Therefore, Allah the Almighty commands to seek His protection especially before reading the Qur’an and says:

“When you do read the Qur’an, seek Allah’s protection from Satan the rejected one.” (Al-Nahl; 16:98)

With this command of Allah, Satan’s interference between the Qur’an and putting it into practice will be prevented.

It is explained in the following saying by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) what happens to Satan when the believers follow this command of Allah:

“When, the son of Adam recites a verse of prostration and then falls down in prostration, the Satan goes into seclusion and weeps and says:

“Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell.” (Muslim, Kitab Al-Iman, 133)

The whole point is to read the Qur’an and put it into practice without tripping in front of the obstacles of carnal self and Satan. As a matter of fact, those who do not reflect the Qur’an into their lives are not considered as hafiz (or the person who has memorized the entire Qur’an) no matter how well he recites it from his memory. Indeed Abu Umar (r.a.) described being hafiz of the Qur’an as:

“The real hafiz is the one who knows the commands of it, and what is permissible and forbidden and puts them into practice.” (Qurtubi, I, 26)

Abdullah b. Mas’ud pointed out that being a real hafiz of the Qur’an is only possible by living the Qur’an and said:

“Those who memorized the entire Qur’an should be known by:

1. Waking up at night and worshipping,
2. Fasting while others are not fasting,
3. Thinking about their end while others are having fun,
4. Weeping because of their weaknesses in their servitude to Allah while others are laughing,
5. Keeping their silence while others are talking to each other,
6. Being humble while others are arrogant.

Those who have memorized the Qur’an should:

1. Weep,
2. Look sad,
3. Be dignified and knowledgeable,
4. And think a lot and be peaceful.

Those who know the Qur’an should avoid;

1. Being cold hearted,
2. Ignorant,
3. Flattering (i.e. someone who praises others just to get worldly benefits) and,
4. Getting easily upset.” (Abu Nuaym, Hilya, I, 130)

The Messenger of Allah lived the Qur’an while reading it. When he read the Qur’an, he thought about the meanings of the verses and immediately applied its commands in his life. For instance when he came to the verses about glorifying Allah, he would say the phrases such as “Subhan’Allah” (Glorious is Allah) to glorify the name of Allah. When he read the verses about praying, he would make supplication to Allah. When he read the verses about seeking protection from Allah, he would immediately take refuge in Allah. (Muslim, Musafirin, 203; Nasai, Qiyam al-Layl, 25/1662)

This is the kind of study of the Qur’an which will lead a believer to salvation. As a matter of fact, Muhammad Hadimi, one of the famous Ottoman scholars, said:

The only way to avoid all kinds of hardships, troubles, and disasters is holding onto the Qur’an and putting it into practice. Keep performing acts of worship and services!  Especially hold on to reading the Qur’an, which is among the best acts of worship, while thinking about its meaning, pronouncing its verses clearly, and showing respect to it! Indeed, reading the Qur’an in this manner is like directly communicating with Allah. (See Hadimi, Majmuat al-rasail, pp. 112, 194, 200)

Allah the Almighty glorifies those who sincerely read the Qur’an and put it into practice, and degrades those who do not practice it even if they read it. (Muslim, Musafirin, 269; Ali al-Qari, Mirqat, IV, 620)

In our first hadith, we are told that those who read the Qur’an in the morning and evening and practice it come at the first rank of those whom one can envy. How can someone not wish to be like them?!^[1] As a matter of fact, it is the greatest wealth to have the knowledge of the Noble Qur’an and then to act in accordance with it. Believers should appreciate the value of this divine blessing and should not turn attention to temporary and deceptive profits.

It is said in a noble hadith:

“Qur’an is a wealth that no poverty can be experienced after it (in other words, those who know the Qur’an obtain the most valuable wealth) and there is no wealth save the Holy Qur’an (in other words, such divine wealth cannot be compared to any material wealth.)” (Haythami, VII, 158)

The following saying of Abdullah b. Mas’ud (r.a.) is really striking in terms of expressing the wealth of those who know the Qur’an:

“Whoever wishes for knowledge should contemplate about the meanings of the verses of the Qur’an, and concentrate their exegesis and recitation! As a matter of fact, it consists of the knowledge of the past and the future generations.” (Haythami, VII, 165; Baihaqi, Shuab, II, 331)

About this topic, Husayn b. Fadl narrated the following story:

Seven caravans owned by the Jewish tribes of Bani Qurayzah and Bani Nadir arrived at the city of Medina on the same day. The caravans carried various fabrics, perfume glasses, jewelry, and various sea products.

Muslims said:

“We wish that these materials were ours so that we would get stronger and spend it in the way of Allah.”

Upon that, Allah the Almighty revealed the following noble verse:

“And We have bestowed upon you the seven oft-repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur’an.” (Al-Hijr; 15:87)

In other words, Allah the Almighty meant “I have blessed you with seven verses which are more valuable than those seven caravans.”

After this verse, the following verse was revealed:

“Strain not your eyes (wistfully) at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them: but lower your wing (in gentleness) to the believers.” (Al-Hijr; 15:88) (Wahidi, p. 283)

Aifa b. Abd (r.a.) reported the following incident:

When the tax revenues from Iraq came to Umar, he and his assistant came out. Umar started to count the camels. When he saw that they are more than what they have expected, he said “Alhamdulillah!”  His helper said referring to a verse of Qur’an:

“O leader of the believers, I swear to Allah, these are from the blessings and mercy of Allah.”

 Umar (r.a.) replied:

“No you are wrong. These are not the things that Allah the Almighty referred in the verse “let them rejoice in the bounty of Allah and in His Mercy…”^[2] Finding the right path, Sunnah, and Qur’an are the real blessings and mercy of Allah. Let all believers rejoice for these. This is the wealth about which the rest of the verse is talking “The bounty of Allah and His Mercy is better than the (wealth) they hoard”^[3] since such wealth is also among the things that humans collect.” (Ibn al-Jawzi, Manaqib, p. 229)

In our second hadith is told the merits of those who practice the Qur’an and the divine rewards that will be given to them in hereafter. From a literal perspective, rewards that will be given to parents of those who learn and practice the Qur’an are being told in this hadith.  However, the last sentence elequantly shows the virtue and superiority of those who actually practice the Qur’an. If the crown of their parents is so good, then who knows how valuable and superior their reward will be. Therefore, a believer should try to live in accordance with the Qur’an and also give his children a solid education of the Qur’an.

Those who learn, teach, and practice the Qur’an will not only see its rewards in this world but also in their questioning in the grave and in the Hereafter. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) informs us one of the rewards of those who are acquainted with the Qur’an as:

“When a person who memorized the whole Qur’an and who lived by the commands of the Qur’an, who shaped his manners according to the Qur’an, and who matured himself with the wisdom of the Qur’an passes away, Allah reveals to the earth not to eat (ruin) his body. The earth says:

“O My Lord! While Your words are within him, how could I eat his body?” (Dailami, I, 284/1112; Ali al-Muttaqi, I, 555/2488)

As a matter of fact, sometimes we still see the examples which bodies of the people of the Qur’an do not get decomposed after their death.

A miserable end waits for those who abandon the Qur’an. The state in the hereafter of those whom Allah had given the knowledge of the Qur’an but who had slept all night and had not acted in accordance with it during the day was shown to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). According to this, the head of those who neglect the Qur’an will be crushed with a big rock until the Day of Resurrection. (Bukhari, al-Jana’iz, 93; Ta’bir, 48)

A noble hadith on this subject presents the following sad scenes:

“A man is brought on the Day of Judgment. The Qur’an is presented to him in human form. In his lifetime, the man had neglected the obligatory acts (fard) of the Qur’an, violated the limits and forbidden acts of the Qur’an. He had not fulfilled the acts of worships that are commanded and opposed to them, and committed acts that are prohibited by the Qur’an. The Qur’an says:

“O My Lord! To what a mean man You have given my verses (taught him and had him memorize!)  He violated my limits, neglected my requirements (fard). He did not perform the acts of worships that I have commanded, but he committed the acts that I informed him as prohibited …”

The Qur’an continued to list the evidences against the man for so long that finally Allah told the Qur’an:

“I am leaving him to you. Do however he deserves!”

The Qur’an holds his hands, and drags the man on his nose and does not leave him until it throws him into the Fire.

Then another man is brought. In his lifetime, this man paid attention to the limits of the Qur’an, fulfilled the requirements (fard), performed the obligatory acts of worship, and avoided from the forbidden acts. The Qur’an stays in front of him and defends him and says:

“O My Lord! To what a nice man You have taught my verses and make him memorize them!  He paid attention to my limits, fulfilled my requirements (fard), he followed the acts of worships that I have informed and stayed away from the forbidden acts…”

The Qur’an continued to list the evidences for him for so long that Allah told the Qur’an:

“I am leaving him to you. Do however he deserves!”

Upon that, the Qur’an seen in human form holds the man’s hand and does not leave him. He dresses him with white clothes, crowns him like the kings, and offers him water in the bowl of the kings.” (Haythami, VII, 160-161; Bazzar, no: 2337)

As the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) complains in this world about those who abandon the recitation and the practice of the Qur’an, he will also complain about them in the Hereafter. What a miserable situation for a believer it is to face with a complaint of the Messenger of Allah at a time when he needs his intercession the most! It is stated in another Qur’anic verse:

“Then the Messenger will say: O my Lord! Truly my people took this Qur’an for just foolish nonsense.” (Al-Furqan; 25:30)

This complain contains not only disbelieving the Qur’an and having an attitude against it but also not paying attention to its warnings and good news, and especially abandoning to recite it. In a noble hadith, it is stated:

“Whoever learns the Qur’an and puts the Book away and neither recites it or looks at it, , the Qur’an comes on the Day of Judgment and gets a hold of that person and complains as:

“O the Creator of all!  This servant of You abandoned me and stayed away from me. You decide between us!” (Qurtubi, XIII, 27-28; Alusi, Ruh al-ma’ani, XIX, 14, [Al-Furqan; 30 (see commentaries)])

There are also people who not only do not learn and practice the Qur’an but also use it to be famous and receive some benefits. The following report of Mu’adh b. Jabal (r.a.) which he very likely heard from the Prophet (pbuh) contains very important warnings and signs. He says:

“For sure there will be some trials in the future. At that time, wealth increases and Qur’an is opened and everyone including believers, hypocrites, man, woman, slave, free, children, and adults read the Qur’an. Such days are close when one of them will say:

“What is wrong with these people that they do not follow me even though I recite the Qur’an?  They won’t follow me in religion unless I say things against the Qur’an.”

Avoid following such innovations (in religion)! As a matter of fact, these kinds of innovations are clearly in error and deviance. I am warning you against the deviation of the wise who are acquainted with knowledge. That is because sometimes Satan tells the false words using the tongues of the scholars, and sometimes, a hypocrite tells a right word.”

Someone among them asked:

“May Allah bless you, but how are we going to know that a scholar tells something wrong and a hypocrite tells something right?”

Mu’adh (r.a.) answered as follows:

“Yes, avoid the words of a famous scholar whom everyone’s eyes are on, but that sound weird to you and which make you say “What does he mean by that?”  However, this temporary deviation of the scholar should not make you stop listening to him all together!  That is because it is always possible for him to take his words back. When you hear the right word, take it regardless of who said it!  That is because there is divine light on the right thing.” (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 6/4611)