In the name of Allah, The Beneficent The Merciful
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Volume 7, Issue 5 Safar/Rabi-ul-Awwal 1423 May/June 2002
[And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them, surely He is Mighty, Wise] (8:63)
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Editorial Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, Assalaamu alaikum. Inshallah this Special Issue of Voice of Unity has reached you all in the best of health and imaan. The central theme of this Special Issue is The Holy Quran, the unaltered, authentic word of Allah (SWT), whose Guardian is the Almighty Himself. The Holy Quran consists of the words uttered by the Holy Prophet (SAW), not in his own wording, but exactly as the words revealed to him by Allah (SWT). It is these very words that were to become his Everlasting Miracle, bearing testimony of his Prophecy. Since the prophecies of earlier Prophets were limited to their own times, their miracles were of short durations, used to
demonstrate the truthfulness of their claim. The Holy Prophet (SAW), being a lasting prophet, required a lasting miracle; one that transcended the barriers of time. The Holy Quran is a guidance for mankind, encompassing all aspects of man’s life. It is the pinnacle of literary art, with unmatchable eloquence, such that it contains an open and unlimited challenge to both jinn and men to create even a single chapter like it’s own. ‘And if you are in doubt as to that which we have revealed to our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful’ (2:23). The Holy Quran is an
invitation for the cultivation of science, containing numerous observations on natural phenomena which are seen to be in total agreement with modern scientific data. The Holy Quran is an illumination for the soul, and as Imam Ali (AS) says, “No one will sit beside this Quran but that when he rises he will achieve one addition or one diminution – addition in his guidance or elimination in his (spiritual) blindness”. Let us raise our hands in prayers to Allah (SWT), that He illuminates our souls with the light of the Holy Quran and hastens the reappearance of our beloved Imam Mahdi (ATF), Ilaahi ameen. Sr Tahera Tajri
Pearls of Wisdom The Holy Quran
Imam Ali [AS] said: “To listen to a verse from the Quran is more beneficial to a person than a The Holy Prophet [SAW] said: “Everything has a heart, mountain of gold.” and the heart of the Quran is Surah Yaseen, so whoever reads it once will receive rewards equivalent to that of Imam al-Sadiq [AS] said: “One who listens to the reading the Quran ten times.” Holy Quran being read, for every letter Allah [SWT] will give him the reward of one good deed, and The Holy Prophet [SAW] said: “Whoever reads the Allah [SWT] deletes one of his bad deeds and Opening Chapter (al-Hamd) will be given rewards raises him one degree higher.” equivalent to giving alms to every believer.” Imam al-Sadiq [AS] said: “The Chapter of An’am Imam Ali [AS] said: “The child has a right on the father was revealed as one whole chapter and did not while the father too has a right on the child. The right of come down in verses. When it descended on the father on the child is that the latter should obey the Prophet Mohammed [SAW], 70,000 angels brought former in every matter save in committing sins of Allah, it down. So revere and exalt it, because the Name the Glorified, while the right of the child on the father is of Allah, the Most Exalted, appears in it seventy that he should give him a beautiful name, give him good times. If the people knew of the benefits attained training and teach him Quran.” from reading it, they would not have left it.”
Holy Prophet (SAW): "Whoever dismisses the Quran has lost this world and the next."
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Unity in the Holy Quran Compiled by Br Abbas Jaffer ‘…then surely Allah is sufficient for you; He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers; And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise’ (8:62-63). Before the desirable concept of Unity in Islam is achieved, we need to understand what the term means. Does it mean that Muslims should unanimously adopt one school of thought and cast aside the rest? Or does it mean that the common features of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences glossed over to create a new denomination which is not completely the same as the previous ones? Or does it mean that Islamic unity is in no way related to the unity of the different schools of fiqh (jurisprudence) but signifies the unity of the Muslims and the unity of the followers of different schools of fiqh, with their different religious ideas and views, vis-avis the non-Muslims? The first two definitions are impractical and that sort of Unity will not emerge without Divine intervention. Without doubt, by the term Islamic unity, the intellectual Islamic ‘ulema (scholars) mean that all Muslims should unite in one line against their common enemies. These scholars state that Muslims have many things in common, which can serve as the foundations of a firm unity. All Muslims worship the One Almighty and believe in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (SAW). The Holy Quran is the Book of all Muslims and the Holy Ka'bah is their qiblah (direction of prayer). They go for hajj (pilgrimage) with each other and perform the hajj rites and rituals like one another. They say the daily prayers and fast like each other. They establish families and engage in transactions like one another. They have similar ways of bringing up their children and burying their dead. Apart from minor affairs, they share similarities in all the aforementioned cases. Muslims also share one kind of world view, one common culture, and one grand, glorious, and long-standing civilization. This is the kind of bond that may well turn the Muslims into a unified nation to serve as a massive and dominant power before which the big global powers would have to bow down. This is especially true in view of the stress laid by Islam on this principle.
According to the explicit wording of the Holy Quran, the Muslims are brothers, and special rights and duties link them together. So, why shouldn't the Muslims use all these extensive facilities accorded to them as the blessing of Islam? This group of ‘ulema are of the view that there is no need for the Muslims to make any compromise on the primary or secondary principles of their religion for the sake of Islamic unity. Also it is not necessary for the Muslims to avoid engaging in discussions and reasons and writing books on primary and secondary principles about which they have differences. The only consideration for Islamic unity in this case is that the Muslims - in order to avoid the emergence or accentuation of vengeance - preserve their possession, avoid insulting and accusing each other and uttering fabrications, abandon ridiculing the logic of one another, and finally abstain from hurting one another and going beyond the borders of logic and reasoning. In fact, they should, at least, observe the limits which Islam has set forth for inviting nonMuslims to embrace it: ‘Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner...’ (16:125). Allamah Amini when elaborating on whether his great work, al-Ghadir, has a positive or a negative role in establishing Islamic unity, on the occasion of a plaque of honour forwarded from Al-Azhar said, “People are free to express views and ideas on religion. These (views and ideas) will never tear apart the bond of Islamic brotherhood to which the Holy Quran has referred by stating that 'surely the believers are brethren'; even though academic discussion and theological and religious debates reach a peak. This has been the style of the predecessors, and of the 'sahaba' and the 'tabi'un', at the head of them”. A Charter for Muslim Unity A new campaign for unity was launched in London earlier this year. The campaign, named Charter 3:103, is a movement built around the verse of the Holy Quran: ‘And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favour of Allah on you when you were enemies, and then he united your hearts so by His favour you became brothers; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it; thus does Allah make clear to you His signs that you may follow the right way’ (3:103).
Imam Ali (AS): “Remain attached to the Quran. Nobody should surpass you in being intent on it, or more sincere in implementing it.”
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Contemporary Tafseer Sh Mohammed Amin The challenge of understanding the Holy Quran has from its revelation been at the forefront of Islamic endeavour. Change in society, politics, environment, education and the availability of information all cause changes in our world-view. A view that is conditioned by our understanding of the Holy Quran and a view that conditions the way in which we interpret the revealed text. To answer the new challenges we need to be firm in our understanding of what tafsir is and of the methods that have been used before. The word tafsir comes from the Arabic root fa-sa-ra, which means to make clear, to show the objective, or to lift the veil and according to al-Raghib al-Isfahani (d. 502 A.H.), the famous Arabic lexicographer, tafsir is the study of the meaning of words while ta’wil is the study of the contextual meanings of words. In other words ta’wil is the study of a whole sentence or of the text as a unity. Today, we feel that knowledge of the classical Arabic, grammar, rhetoric, syntax, linguistics, contemporary theories of language etc, is essential for anyone attempting to successfully interpret the Holy Quran. Just as any reader who wishes to interpret Shakespeare’s text must have competence in the particular English language in which Shakespeare wrote, a reader who attempts to interpret the Quranic text must understand Quranic Arabic. The second generation of Muslims (Successors) could refer to knowledgeable companions for interpretations and of course the Shia continued to seek the guidance of the Holy Imams (AS) after this period, but then diverse genres of tafsir started appearing. An exegete would deal with the interpretation from the perspective of his field of specialisation. Four distinct types of tafsir literature were produced during this period: The grammatical tafsir, which dealt mostly with the rules of Arabic grammar derived from the Holy Quran but failed to deal with the
real interpretation of the Holy Quran. The most prominent scholars in this field were Al-Zujaj, the Arabic scholar, Al-Wahidi, who wrote AlBasit, and Abu Hayan, the author of Al-Bahr and Al-Nahr. The akhbari (historical) tafsir produced by historians who were more interested in a historical study of the Holy Quran. Apart from the many fabricated narrations, stories and traditions compiled in these kinds of tafsir books, they helped to provide valuable information on the history of peoples and nations before Islam. Al-Tha‘labi was one of the leading figures in this school of tafsir. The fiqhi (legal) tafsir produced by fuqaha (legal pragmatists) who were particularly interested in deriving laws from Quranic verses or were looking for those verses in the Holy Quran which would substantiate their schools of jurisprudence. Like those works produced in the field of jurisprudence, these interpretations would start with the chapter of taharah (purity). Moreover, a number of issues that had little, if anything, to do with the verse being interpreted were discussed in detail. The most famous book produced in this area was that of AlQurtubi. The rationalist tafsir written by scholars who were interested in philosophy and ilm al-kalam (dialectic scholasticism). An example of this tafsir genre is the Mafatih al-ghaib of Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi, the Al-Lubab fi ma‘ani altanzil by al-Khazin, and the Kashaf (book that explains) of Al-Zamakhshari. A Mu‘tazilah, AlZamakhshari’s ideas have often been rejected out of hand, but many of his insights on the linguistics of the Holy Quran are nevertheless valuable and sound. A still later development was the Sufi or analogical tafsir where acting upon what he assumed to be Divine inspiration, the Sufi divided interpretation into batin (esoteric) and zahir (exoteric) and claimed that the esoteric was the real intention of Allah (SWT) and the correct meaning.
Hadhrat Fatima (AS): The truthful Quran...in which all the secrets and facts about the completion of man and his prosperity have been exhibited and illuminated.”
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The danger of this method is that an individual may impose his views upon the meaning of the Holy Quran instead of properly studying the Holy Quran and Imam Suyuti wrote a caution about it in his famous Al-Ittiqan. From the beginning of the Ghaybat alKubra (major occultation) until the present day these five schools have held sway in the arena of tafsir. All of the well-known tafaasir fall within one or more of these classifications and many contemporary methods are derivative of them but with the appearance of critical and analytical methods derived from western literary practices, we are experiencing a renaissance in the discussion of the methodology of tafsir. The role of tafsir must always be to reveal the meanings that Allah (SWT) intended to be understood and this may or may not be what is generally accepted to be the meaning of a verse. The individual is free to read and understand from the verses of the Holy Quran to his ability and however is beneficial to him. Our problems begin when someone seeks to employ an interpretation derived from a personal or contemporary method to validate a modification or adjustment to issues in other fields of Islamic study or practice. Our problems are further exacerbated if the method or the results are not repeatable, similar to some of the Sufi interpretations, when applied by other scholars or researchers who are experts in the science of tafsir. It is not sufficient to merely say that these methods are not permitted and their results invalid until they have been extensively researched and evaluated. We cannot undo history or cancel what has been written. We need time to digest the views of the various contemporary and postmodernist mufassireen (interpreters) within the bipolar context of the need for solutions to modern issues that also inspire surety and are extensions to the extant corpus of tafsir literature. It is our duty, just as it was the duty of earlier scholars, to ensure that what is presented for the believers to consider is genuine progress in understanding and not novelty or deviation.
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Imam Ali (AS) on the Holy Quran Then, Allah (SWT) sent to him a Book as a light whose flames cannot be extinguished, a lamp whose gleam does not die, a sea whose depth cannot be sounded, a way whose direction cannot mislead, a ray whose light does not darken, a separator (of good from evil) whose arguments do not weaken, a clarifier whose foundations cannot be dismantled, a cure which leaves no apprehension for disease, an honour whose supporters are not defeated, and a truth whose helpers are not abandoned. Therefore, it is the mine of belief and its centre, the source of knowledge and its oceans, the plantation of justice and its pools, the foundation stone of Islam and its construction, the valleys of truth and its plains, an ocean which those who draw water cannot exhaust, a staging place in moving towards which travellers do not get lost, signs which no treader fails to see and a highland which those who approach it cannot surpass it. Allah (SWT) has made it a quencher of the thirst of the learned, a bloom for the hearts of the religious jurists, a highway for the ways of the righteous, a cure after which there is no ailment, an effulgence with which there is not darkness, a rope whose grip is strong, a stronghold whose top is invulnerable, and honour for him who loves it, a peace for him who enters it, a guidance for him who follows it, an excuse for him who adopts it, an argument for him who argues with it, a witness for him who quarrels with it, a success for him who argues with it, a carrier of burden for him who seeks the way, a shield for him who arms himself (against misguidance), a knowledge for him who listens carefully, worthy story for him who relates it and a final verdict of him who passes judgements. (Continued on page 11)
Imam Hassan (AS): “Allah (SWT) is a sufficient Protector and Supporter, the Book (of Allah (SWT)) is a sufficient arguer.�
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How Imam Ali (AS) Compiled the Holy Quran Br Zahir Davdani Evidence from the Holy Quran as well as in ahaadith demonstrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) compiled a written version of the Holy Quran, via scribes whom he personally instructed, in his own life-time.
Moreover, there is much evidence, both in Shia and Sunni sources, that not only did Imam Ali (AS) possess a transcript of the Holy Quran which he had collected himself, but that he was the first to do so after the death of the Holy Prophet (SAW), as per the command of the Holy Prophet (SAW)1.
After the event of Saqifah, which During his last pilgrimage, at the sermon resulted in Abu Bakr’s attaining the Caliphate, which he gave to the large gathering of Muslims, Imam Ali (AS) dedicated himself to this great the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “I have left with you missionary work: the historical task of something, which if you hold fast to compiling the whole Quran in a it, you will never fall into error – the single volume. In this respect he is Book of Allah (SWT) and my cited to have said: “When the “When the Messenger progeny”. Messenger of Allah (SWT) passed of Allah (SWT) passed away, I swore that I away, I swore that I would not put This advice from the Holy would not put my my cloak on my back before I had Prophet (SAW) to the Muslims cloak on my back finished collecting what is between before I had finished demonstrates that the revelation the two covers (of the Book), and I collecting what is was available as kitab (writing) did not do it until I had finished between the two before his death, for otherwise he collecting the Quran”. covers (of the Book), would have referred to it in some and I did not do it until other term. After compiling his I had finished transcript of the Holy Quran, details collecting the Quran”. From other reports also, we of which will be given below, he can conclude that the Holy Prophet presented it to the rulers who came (SAW) himself took care of the actual arrangement after the Holy Prophet (SAW). of the revelation, when it was written down. Zaid is reported to have said: “We used to compile the But they did not accept it and replied: Quran from small scraps in the presence of the “We have no need of this. We have with us Apostle”. what you possess”. Thereupon, Imam Ali (AS) withdrew his manuscript as a basis for Uthman said that in later days, the Holy compiling of the official version. Prophet (SAW) “used to, when something was revealed to him, call someone from among those Another companion, ‘Abdallah bin who used to write for him and say: ‘Place these Mas’ud, is also reported to have stood aloof ayaat in this surah, in which this and this is from the process and to have declined to offer mentioned’, and when (only) one ayah was his own text. revealed to him, he said: ‘Place this ayah in the surah in which this and this is mentioned’”. Imam Hussein (AS): “Damn and away with…the mockers who divided the Quran, believing in some parts and rejecting others.”
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Unique Aspects of Imam Ali (AS)’s Transcript of the Holy Quran and His Position Muhammad Ibn Sireen, the famous scholar and Tabi’i (disciple of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW)) said: “If that transcript were in our hands, we would find great knowledge in it”. Imam Ali (AS) frequently stated in his sermons: “Ask me before you lose me. By Allah, if you ask me about anything that could happen up to the Day of Judgement, I will tell you about it. Ask me, for by Allah, you will not be able to ask me a question about anything without my informing you”. “Ask me about the Book of Allah, for by Allah, there is no verse about which I do not know whether it was sent down at night or during the day, or whether it was revealed on a plain or on a mountain”. It contained commentary (tafsir and ta’wil) from the Holy Prophet (SAW) himself. Some of this commentary had been sent down as hadith al-qudsi alongside the verses. A small amount of this can be found in some of the traditions of Usul al–Kafi. As a result, the combination of Quranic verses and commentary verses summed to 17,000.
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Thus, Imam Ali (AS) would often say: “By Allah, no verse has been sent down without my knowing about whom or what it was revealed and where it was revealed. My Lord has gifted me with a mind which has a quick and retaining understanding, and a tongue which speaks eloquently”. After the rejection of his compilation of the Holy Quran by the rulers, it is reported that Imam Ali (AS) recited the latter part of the following verse: ‘And when Allah took a covenant from the People of the Book to clarify it to mankind and not to hide it (clarification); but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it some miserable gain! And what an evil was the bargain they made!’ (3:187). By ‘its clarification’, Imam Ali (AS) meant the unique divine commentaries. The unique transcript was handed down through the line of Divinely appointed Imams (AS).
References 1.Fat’hul Bari fi Sharh Sahih alBukhari, by Ibn Hajar, v10, p386 Al – Itqan, by al – Suyuti, v1, p165 Kanzul Ummal, by al – Muttaqi al – Hindi, v15, p112-113 2. Nahjul Balagha 3. Ulum al-Quran, Ahmad Von Denver 4. Ali bin Foundation
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In addition, this unique transcript contained information from the Holy Prophet (SAW) about which verse was abrogated and which was abrogating, which verse was muhkam (clear) and which was mutashabih (ambiguous), which verse was general and which was specific. It contained asbab al-nuzul – references to the persons, places etc. about which the verses were revealed.
Imam Sajjad (AS): “Beware of associating with the disregardful of his relatives, for I found him cursed in the Book of Allah (SWT).”
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A Healing for the Heart Sh Saeed Bahmanpour Why don't we see Allah (SWT)? This is the most awkward question I am frequently asked, especially by the children. It is awkward because usually you find it very difficult to explain, especially to the children, even if you know the answer. However, with adults, the task is easier. We are not supposed to see everything, you could answer, and that is why we have different senses. We have never seen a sound, for example, although all of us have sensed it and know what it is like. This is because we have some other means to capture, comprehend, and analyse the sound. By the same token you could say that we have never smelt a colour or seen a fragrance or heard a vision or touched a feeling and so on. But the difficulty with Allah (SWT) is that we do not sense Him with any of our sense faculties. Not only do we not see Him, but we also do not hear Him, smell Him, or touch Him. Do we have a faculty for perceiving Allah (SWT)? Does there exist a channel from the human being to Allah (SWT) as we have different channels to different forms of existence in this world? Apparently, the answer is yes. The simplest proof of that is the fact that those people who have tried that channel from different parts of the world, at different points in history, and with different backgrounds have all talked in the same manner about the same thing, although with different expressions and in diverse languages. That channel is called the heart in Quranic terminology. It is the loftiest of all faculties in man since it can perceive the loftiest of all beings in the world. Needless, of course, to mention that many of our faculties work multi-dimensionally. For example, our tongue has a mechanical function in facilitating both the act of speaking and the act of swallowing. Yet it has another subtler and more complicated function in the act of tasting. Likewise, there are two very significant functions for the heart, one in our body and the other in our soul, both of which are of vital
importance. They are vital because the body ceases to live if the heart stops beating, and the soul is unable to perceive if the heart ceases perceiving. If we call this latter capacity of the heart, heart vision, we could then use our visionrelated vocabulary to convey our experiences regarding perception with the heart, at least until we have convened a better language frame to talk about these things. Hence, we could say that their heart is blind, cannot see, or is short-sighted, etc. It is said in the Holy Quran about those who can not see Allah (SWT) that ‘it is not the eyes that go blind but the hearts, which are placed in the breasts’ (22:46), or that ‘their hearts are sealed so they do not understand’ (9:87). However, what is more frequently used in the Holy Quran with regards to this capacity of the heart is its infliction by disease, its ailment, its ill-functioning, and its sickness. The very standard phrase, fi qulubihim maradhun, meaning, in their hearts there is a sickness, never escapes the attention of a frequent reciter of the Holy Quran. What causes this disease, how it comes about, or what its malign nature is, are issues beyond the scope of this short note. However, the point I want to make here is that the Holy Quran considers itself to be a cure for this very disease, ‘a healing for what is in the breasts’ (10:57). Being such, it should be treated as such by anyone who approaches it. It is of course not a medication to be swallowed, or an ointment to be rubbed on the heart, or a charm to be kept around. Rather it is healing words that should be properly understood and curing notions that must be fully comprehended. It cures if you ponder over it, meditate about it, reflect on it, absorb its concepts, and imbibe its inspirations. It is only then that it is a mercy from Him and guidance for mankind. ‘O mankind! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the breasts and a guidance and a mercy for the believers’ (10:57).
Imam Baqir (AS): “To be our follower, you should measure yourself according to the criteria of Allah’s (SWT) Book.”
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The Book of Guidance Sr Amina Rahim The Holy Prophet (SAW), before he departed from the world, said in his famous hadith, “I leave behind two weighty things for my ummah – the Quran and my progeny. Should you be attached to these two, never shall you go astray after me, for verily these two will never be separated from each other until they meet me at the spring of Kauthar”. From this hadith it is clear that the Ahlul-Bayt are our ‘Guides’ and the Holy Quran, our ‘Book of Guidance’. Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran, ‘Verily this Quran guides to that which is upright and gives good news to the believers, who do good deeds that they shall have a great reward’ (17:9). Therefore if we follow the guidance of the Holy Quran, we will be able to lead our lives in harmony with the environment and connect with Allah (SWT) and get closer to Him. How do we make the Quran our book of guidance? The first step is to read and study the Holy Quran regularly and also think about its contents. Read the Holy Quran with a questioning attitude. Try to understand what Allah (SWT) is telling us, i.e. the message of the Holy Book. After we have understood Allah (SWT)’s instructions, we should think about how we can relate them to our daily lives. Finally, act upon Allah (SWT)’s instructions and implement the teachings of the Holy Quran in our daily lives. Having followed these steps, we will then be able to be able to benefit from the Holy Quran; for the Holy Quran is our main source of knowledge and nothing has been left out of it. The Holy Quran is a living miracle, for not a single word nor letter has been changed since it was revealed to our Holy Prophet (SAW); and it will remain unchanged until the Day of Judgement, for Allah (SWT) Himself guarantees this in the Holy
Quran: ‘Verily, We sent down the reminder and We will certainly be its guardian’ (15:9). Imam Ali (AS) says in Nahjul Balagha, “If you have studied the Quran carefully, you do not need any other gospel to guide you; and without knowing the Quran, no other knowledge is complete or useful”. The word Quran has several meanings; it means to ‘read’ or ‘recite’, this word also means ‘connected’. All of the suwer (chapters) and ayaat (verses) of the Holy Quran are connected to each other. The Holy Quran is also known by other names mentioned in the Holy Quran itself. One name that is used is Furqaan, which means ‘distinction’. The Holy Quran makes the truth distinct from falsehood. It is also known by the name Kitab, which means ‘book’ as the Holy Quran itself is a selection of stories, verses and commandments set out in the form of a complete book. The Holy Quran is also known by the name Dhikr, meaning ‘reminder’. Another name given to it is Tanzeel as it was brought down through the Archangel Jibrael to the Holy Prophet (SAW). In conclusion, when the Holy Prophet (SAW) was asked, “Which is the best action in the eyes of Allah (SWT)?” He replied, “Reciting the Quran and dying while the tongue is busy in the remembrance of Allah (SWT)”. The Holy Prophet (SWT) told Salman Farsi, “When a mu’min recites the Quran, Allah (SWT) opens for him the doors of His mercy and for every letter he utters, Allah (SWT) creates an angel to recite the praise of Allah (SWT) on the mu’min’s behalf until the Day of Judgement”.
Imam Sadiq (AS): "Never is there anything but that is mentioned either in the Book of Allah or in the Prophetic tradition."
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Memorising the Holy Quran Br Ali Al-Mawlawi The experts will tell you that the Arabic language is composed of three main bodies prose, poetry and the Holy Quran. Distinguishing the words of Allah (SWT) and assigning an entirely different category for them gives us an indication of the uniqueness of the Holy Quran, which sets it apart from anything else found in the Arabic language, or any other language for that matter. One of the numerous miracles bestowed upon the Holy Quran is its ease in memorising. For no other book and in no other language will you find such a vast number of people who have successfully memorised every word and every letter to such a degree of accuracy. Indeed Allah (SWT) mentions this great blessing several times in the Holy Quran. ‘And certainly We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, but is there anybody who will mind?’ (54:17). Allah (SWT) is asking us if we are going to make use of this great blessing. Examples of those who have are plentiful. There are thousands of people who have been attributed with the title hafidh (one who has memorised the entire Quran). One of the most well known personalities today is Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba’i, who at the mere age of 5 managed to memorise every chapter of the Holy Quran. Commonly thought of as a prodigy, the infant began learning the Holy Quran when he was two and a half years old. He is able to recall any given verse and tell the first verse of the next four pages. He also has an extensive understanding of the meanings of the verses and has appeared on Iranian television giving lectures on tafseer (interpretation). Taught by his parents (who are both huffadh themselves), Sayyid Tabataba’i now teaches his younger brother. The infant has amazed people all around the world and has become and inspiration for others to emulate.
Although the word hifdh is commonly used in the limited sense of memorising, there is no appropriate translation for this word which actually includes both understanding and incorporating the words of Allah (SWT) into our daily lives. So when we talk about the benefits of memorising the Holy Quran, we do not simply mean being able to regurgitate the words; more importantly hifdh is an act of devotion whereby you make room in your heart for the wisdom of Allah (SWT) to dwell in. It is not a mechanical act; it is an act of high spiritual and devotional importance. There are endless benefits of such an act. The great rewards for reciting the Holy Quran are well known. Even listening to the recitation has its rewards. So surely someone who memorises and keeps the words of Allah (SWT) close to his heart will gain nothing but good in the Hereafter. Imam Ali (AS) has said, “Learn the Quran for it is the fairest of discourses and understand it thoroughly for it is the best blossoming of hearts. Seek cure with its light for it is the cure for the hearts. Recite it beautifully for it is the most beautiful narration.”1 Being able to quote verses from the Holy Quran is a grand quality which we should all try to develop. This is extremely useful in lectures, discussions or when writing articles. By having a myriad of verses at the tip of our tongues, we are able to support our arguments with extracts from the Holy Quran. This can only be achieved after fully understanding the verses we are memorising. Allah (SWT) says, ‘So we have only made it (the Quran) easy in your tongue that you may give good news thereby to those who guard (against evil) and warn thereby a vehemently contentious people’ (19:97). As the verse explains, it has been made easy for us to memorise so that we can preach the word of Allah (SWT) to both the believers and those who neglect the call to Islam.
Imam Kadhim (AS): “Allah, the Elevated, portends good to the people of reason and understanding in His Book.”
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It is well-known that Hadhrat Fidha, the servant of Sayeda Fatima Zahra (AS) was so adept at quoting from the Holy Quran that she could converse with others using nothing but the words of Allah (SWT). Similarly, the hafidh Sayyid Tabataba’i is capable of utilising verses in his daily life. His father recalls that once his sister refused to eat some honey and Sayyid Tabataba’i immediately recited the Quranic verse, ‘O Messenger! Why do you deprive yourself of what Allah has bestowed upon you?’ Another advantage of hifdh is that it keeps the brain active. By constantly pushing the brain to memorise more and more, the memory capacity expands and we are able to store more information at any one time. Br Ahmad Al-Dabagh is a 28-year-old hafidh of Iraqi origin. He realised that the more verses he memorised, the stronger his will became to learn the entire Quran off by heart. He is now able to recite any given verse and state its page, chapter, sub-chapter and whether it is on the right or left-hand side of the page. He is also an excellent mufassir (interpreter) and recites beautifully. What makes him stand out from the rest is that he was born blind. He has never seen a single letter of the Holy Quran. He would listen to tapes by famous recitors such as Al-Manshawi and Abdul Basit. He has won several international competitions and currently resides in Iran. It is crucial that we ensure that the Holy Quran plays a major role in our lives. The words of Allah (SWT) should be embedded in our hearts and minds. The Holy Quran is not simply a book that we place on our mantelpiece or use in funerals alone. It should be read every day and its deep meanings should be pondered over and understood. Memorising is a technique that allows us to do this. References
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And know that this Quran is an advisor who never deceives, a leader who never misleads and a narrator who never speaks a lie. No one will sit beside this Quran but that when he rises he will achieve one addition or one diminution – addition in his guidance or elimination in his (spiritual) blindness. You should also know that no one will need anything after (guidance from) the Quran and no one will be free from want before (guidance from) the Quran. Therefore, seek cure from it for your ailments and seek its assistance in your distresses. It contains a cure for the biggest diseases, namely unbelief, hypocrisy, revolt and misguidance. Pray to Allah (SWT) through it and turn to Allah (SWT) through its love. Do not ask the people through it. There is nothing like it through which the people should turn to Allah (SWT), the Sublime. Know that it is an interceder and its intercession will be accepted. It is a speaker who is testified. For whoever the Quran intercedes on the Day of Judgement, its intercession for him would be accepted. He about whom the Quran speaks ill on the Day of Judgement shall testify to it. On the Day of Judgement, an announcer will announce, “Beware, every sower of a crop is in distress except the sowers of the Quran”. Therefore, you should be among the sowers of the Quran and its followers. Make it your guide towards Allah (SWT). Seek its advice for yourselves, do not trust your views against it, and regard your desires in the matter of the Quran as deceitful.
Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 109
- Nahjul Balagha
Imam Redha (AS): "Do not accept any saying (relating to us) which disagrees with the Quran.”
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Linguistics of the Holy Quran Sayyid Ali Raza Rizvi Beautifying speech through usage of parables and examples is a classical technique. Allamah Sayyid Murtadha ‘Askarī, when describing Arabic language states, “Most languages are divided into two parts: poetry and prose, while Arabic is divided into three parts: poetry, prose and the Quran.”1 This is an indication that the Holy Quran is neither poetry nor prose, but it is far beyond the two. The use of similes and metaphors in the Holy Quran is a linguistic technique used by the Almighty. These are utilized in order to explain things better or seek the attention of its listeners and readers. An example of such a metaphor is one that talks about when the camel goes through the eye of a needle, ‘Surely (as for) those who reject Our communications and turn away from them haughtily, the doors of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter the garden until the camel passes through the eye of the needle; and thus do We requite the guilty’ (7:40). The simple explanation of this parable is that just as the camel would never pass through the eye of the needle, neither would the ones who rejected Allah (SWT)’s signs enter Heaven. The use of descriptive language and parables is another technique used in the Holy Quran. For example, the parable of the Jews is described in the Holy Quran, ‘The likeness of those who were charged with the Tawrat, then they did not observe it, is as the likeness of the donkey bearing books’ (62:5). This verse clearly indicates toward the reality that even if many donkeys get together, they cannot replace a single human. Likewise, when a donkey carries the load of books on its back, the load does not mean that the donkey has the knowledge of these books. Thus, the Jews had the Tawrat but did not follow its teachings; therefore, they were like donkeys carrying books without having knowledge of what was within them. Using Nature is a particularly striking method used to clearly describe otherwise difficult concepts. This implies that the Holy Quran was not revealed just for the Bedouin Arabs; in fact, it is a better way of conveying for all people of all times. Surah al-Qalam is a good example of the Quranic
Parables, as the whole chapter consists of them. Yet another interesting example of Nature is where Allah (SWT) unfolds the significance of donating in His way, ‘The parable of those who spend their property in the way of Allah is as the parable of a grain growing seven ears (with) a hundred grains in every ear; and Allah multiplies for whom He pleases; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing’ (2:261). This is an indication towards the fact that Allah (SWT) not only multiplies the amount that a person donates in His way and returns it (either in this world or the Hereafter), but also that the goodness has the ability to develop like a seed. Looking at some other examples, like the first parable mentioned in the Holy Quran, in the second chapter, Surah al-Baqarah, when describing the hypocrites, Allah (SWT) states, ‘Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire, but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness they do not see. Deaf, dumb, (and) blind, so they will not turn back. Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers. The lightning almost takes away their sight; whenever it shines on them they walk in it, and when it becomes dark to them they stand still; and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have taken away their hearing and their sight; surely Allah has power over all things’ (2:1720). These verses contain two examples, one where a person, when in darkness, lights a candle to see his way and as soon as he lights it, it is put out. In such a state the person cannot see anything. In this parable light denotes Islam and darkness is death. While the second example shows that because of thunder they put their fingers in their ears and when it stops they walk. This implies that when punishment is mentioned they block their ears from listening to the words of guidance and when Heaven is mentioned they want to be a part of it.
Imam Jawad (AS): “And the one who does not accept His guidance goes astray.”
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Finally, one very significant parable reveals Good and Evil, ‘Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word (being) like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven’ (14:24). ‘And the parable of an evil word is as an evil tree pulled up from the earth’s surface; it has no stability’ (14:26). Apparently, it is quite clear what this is explaining, but the depth that this verse contains is indeed astonishing. According to many narrations from the Imams (AS), the Good Tree is the Household of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and the Evil Tree is their enemy. The Household of Muhammad (SAW) are firm in their place, while their enemy is unstable. Allah (SWT) goes on to say that the branches of the Good Tree are in Heaven. In conclusion, it is no wonder that the Holy Quran is a miracle till the Day of Judgement, because along with other techniques, such as mentioning past events comprehensively and the unseen future, it uses timeless parables. It is said that if the order of the verses of the Holy Quran was changed and an expert was asked to put them back together in the original form, it would be impossible for him to do that. Thus, the Holy Quran is a miracle from all perspectives, even its parables. As it says in the Holy Quran, ‘And certainly We have set forth to men in this Qurān parables of every sort that they may contemplate’ (39:27).
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The Quran I once received a book, which had The answers I was looking for I simply had to find the key To open this locked door This book was magical to my eyes From it became a blinding light I read it at the first sign of day And the last thing at night My fascination just grew and grew I soon became attached I told my friends to expect a ‘new’ me My Islam had newly hatched This Holy Book contained information Vital for my Islamic growth When asked, “Is it spiritual or factual?” I simply answered “Both” This magical book is all I need To make sure I don’t go astray I use it to connect with Allah And for supplication when I pray Now what is this book, you may ask It’s not that hard to tell Which book do you know that can Explain life so well? It comes in all shapes and sizes And in many colours too But the content never changes Its perfection remains true If you’re a Muslim, you’ll have a copy Maybe covered in dust Don’t abuse it, why not use it? Don’t keep it there to rust This book is very holy And I’d like to think one day It will become a best-seller And divert those astray It has a name, it has a title But hearing it is very rare You see, the importance is ignored Some people just don’t care But if I tell you, you must promise To spread the word around The Quran is the most precious book That can ever be found
Sr Zahra Al-Timimi
Imam Hadi (AS): “He who accuses Allah (SWT) of unfairness is belying His Book and he who belies Allah (SWT)’s Book is ruled as atheist in consensus.”
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Dua from the Holy Quran Dua for forgiveness recited by Prophet Adam (AS) and Hadhrat Hawwa (AS) after having been deceived by Shaitan (7:23).
Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers. Dua for travelling recited by Prophet Nuh (AS) when he boarded the ark (23:29).
Lord! Cause me to land a blessed landing, and You are the Best who cause to land. Dua for acceptance of offer recited by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and Prophet Ismail (AS) after they raised the foundations of the Ka’ba (2:127).
Our Lord! Accept from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, Knowing. Dua for ease of speech recited by Prophet Musa (AS) when he was commanded by Allah (SWT) to go to Fir’aun (20:25-28).
Lord! Expand my chest for me, and make my task easy for me, and loosen the knot in my tongue, that they may understand my speech. Dua for steadfastness recited by Talut (Saul) and his people as they marched towards Palestine to fight the Philistines whose commander was Jalut (Goliath) (2:250).
Our Lord! Pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving people.
Imam Askari (AS): “Refer to Allah (SWT) very much, refer to death, recite the Quran and bless the Prophet (SAW).”
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Dua for thanksgiving recited by Prophet Sulayman (AS) when marching through the valley of the ants and he heard their chief warning the other ants of the coming of Prophet Sulayman (AS) and his army (27:19).
Lord! Grant me that I should be thankful to Your favours which you have bestowed upon me and my parents, and that I should do the good deeds which please You and make me be amongst your righteous servants through Your mercy. Dua for success recited by the Ashabul Kahf (Companions of the Cave) when they took refuge in the cave (18:10).
Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in a righteous way. Dua for increase in knowledge (20:114).
Lord! Increase me in knowledge. Dua to die with imaan (faith) (3:193)
Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and cover our evil deeds and make us die with the righteous. Dua for seeking goodness (2:201).
Our Lord! Grant us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire. Dua for safety on the day of Qiyamah (3:194).
Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, Indeed You never break (Your) Promise.
Imam Mahdi (AS): “Allah (SWT) has not created the creations as futile and in vain and has not let them go aimless and purposeless.�
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