Friday 1 February 2013

Invitation to Understanding Islam: Part 10

RECITING THE QURAN


 
Is learning to recite The Qur’an very difficult?
How should I approach the activity of reciting The Qur’an?
How do I know whether my approach is correct?
What is the purpose of reciting The Qur’an?
What is the benefit of reciting The Qur’an?
What obstacle will I face when I begin to recite The Qur’an?
What should I do to overcome this obstacle?
What should I do when I face difficulty in understanding the verses that I read?
What should I do after I have recited The Qur’an?
What should I do to strengthen my bond with The Qur’an?
Fluency in recitation
Learning to recite The Arabic Qur’an is a lot easier compared to mastering Arabic.
Many acquire reasonable fluency in reciting it over a period of one to three months.
Correct recitation is just one part of the Believer’s relationship with The Qur’an.
Right approach
Equally important is having the right approach to receive the full measure of blessings from one’s recitations.
One must approach The Qur’an with the deep faith that is the Word of Allah The Merciful.
The Qur’an is Allah’s gift to our plea to Him to guide us to The Straight Path.
The best way to develop this deep faith is by reciting The Noble Qur’an.
This is mentioned in The Qur’an itself: “The true believers’ faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations.” [8:2]
Three questions
Ask yourself these three questions to find out whether your faith is becoming stronger:
Am I longing to recite The Qur’an?
Am I working hard to understand it?
Am I becoming more committed to obeying its message?
To receive guidance
The aims of your recitation should be to receive guidance from Allah The Merciful and to please Him.
Recite it with a desire to know The Truth.
You should ask “What does The Qur’an say about…?” instead of “What verses in The Qur’an support my views?”
Recite The Qur’an to listen to Allah’s words and not the echoes of you own thoughts.
Be grateful
There is great benefit in reciting The Qur’an with a deep sense of gratitude to Allah.
You would not have found the guidance of The Qur’an had it not been for Allah’s Mercy.
The more grateful you are to Allah, the greater will be His blessings on you.
If you are grateful, I will bestow abundance upon you.” [QS, 14:7]
Seek refuge in Allah
When you embark on reciting The Qur’an, be on guard against Satan who will “wait in ambush” [QS, 7:16-17] to distract you from receiving the great riches of The Qur’an.
Satan will forever seek to make you postpone and eventually forget your longing to recite The Qur’an.
Your best defense is to “seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the rejected.” [QS, 16:98]
Reflect on the verses
The Qur’an calls on the Believers to reflect on the verses they recite.
Accept with humility that your failures to understand fully the verses is due to your own shortcomings.
Pray to The Almighty to give you better understanding as this can be achieved only through His Mercy.
Seek the assistance of mufassir to clarify your doubts.
Obey what you recite
Be committed to obey the commands of The Almighty found in the verses you recite.
Faltering in one’s efforts to obey due to one’s weaknesses is different from having no intention or not making any effort to obey.
The Qur’an condemns those who ignore or turn away from its message as disbelievers who are doomed to burn in Hell.
Strengthen your bond with The Qur’an
It is only by Allah’s Mercy that you can strengthen your bond with The Qur’an.
In Allah alone you should trust, and towards Him alone you should turn for everything.
You have been promised great rewards in this life and in the Hereafter for reciting, understanding and following The Qur’an
 
By Dr Y Mansoor Marican, Ph. D

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