ALMISKEENAH

Of the three things to be under the shade of the Arsh of Allah will be the Qur’an Majeed, which will plead in favour for those people who read it, respect it and act upon its commandments. It will intercede on their behalf and solicit the upgrading of their status.

In the presence of Almighty Allah Ta’ala, the Holy Qur’an will beg Him Ta’ala to grant apparel to its reader. Allah Ta’ala will give him a crown of honour. The Qur’an will again beg for additional favours for him. Thereupon Allah Ta’ala will award the reader a complete robe of honour. The Qur’an Kareem will again beseech Allah Ta’ala to be pleased with the reader, whereupon He will express His pleasure to him.

While the parents who encourage and guide their children to become Hafiz of the Words of Allah Ta’ala will wear a crown shining brighter than the brilliance of the sun if it were placed in a room! SubhanAllah.

The building opposite ours in the narrow alley is a Madrassah for memorizing the Qur’am Majeed. The full time students board there, while after Asr many of the local children come for lessons, when innocent, (and sometimes not so innocent) squeals and laughter decorate the dull space with a splash of colour.

 

This is looking down from our kitchen window, (through a screen covered in the Mubarak Madinah dust!) which over looks the entrance to the boys’ section. The daily reminder of hearing the buzz from their efforts is indeed a gift upon the gift of being in this City of Light and delight. As is sitting in Masjid Nabawi when the Hifz circles are in action. One can sit beside the girls and ladies circling their teacher; and there are many positioned at their respective pillars during morning and afternoon sessions, soaking in what feels like a thick sweet syrup. While at certain places the lulling sound of the boys is audible from the ladies prayer areas.

 

 

A view snapped quickly without the screen, just after one of the boys had washed down the entrance. This seems to be one of their daily rostered duties. Alhumdulillah.

According to a Hadith frequent remembrance of death and recitation of the Qur’an Kareem polish rusted hearts.

The Qur’an Majeed has 6236 verses, 77,800 words….so how many letters?
According to Hadith EACH letter read is equivalent to one good deed, and accordingly the reward of each good deed will be increased ten times, as promised by Allah  Ta’Alaa. And this is the minimum, as Allah Ta’Alaa says in His Book:
Surely Allah does not do injustice to the weight of an atom, and if it is a good deed He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward. (4.40)

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud RadhiAllahu anhu said: "The bearer of the Qur’an should be known by his night when the people are sleeping; by his day when people are awake; by his sadness when people are joyous; by his weeping when people are laughing; by his silence when people are engrossed [in conversation]; by his fear when people are pompous."

Al-Hasan al-Basri Rahmatullah alaihi said: "The people before you considered the Qur’an to be correspondence from their Lord, so they would ponder it by night and perform it by day."

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas RadhiAllahu anhu: A man came to Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and said, "I saw in a dream, a cloud having shade. Butter and honey were dropping from it and I saw the people gathering it in their hands, some gathering much and some a little. And behold, there was a rope extending from the earth to the sky, and I saw that you, the Prophet, held it and went up, and then another man held it and went up and after that another, the third, held it and went up, and then after another a fourth man held it, but it broke and then got connected again." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah’s Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you! Allow me to interpret this dream." The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said to him, "Interpret it." Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu said, "The cloud with shade symbolizes Islam, and the butter and honey dropping from it, symbolizes the Quran, its sweetness dropping and some people learning much of the Qur’an and some a little. The rope which is extended from the sky to the earth is the Truth which you, the Prophet, are following. You follow it and Allah will raise you high with it, and then another man will follow it and will rise up with it and another person will follow it and then another man will follow it but it will break and then it will be connected for him and he will rise up with it. O Allah’s Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you! Am I right or wrong?" The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam replied, "You are right in some of it and wrong in some." Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu said, "O Allah’s Prophet! By Allah, you must tell me in what I was wrong." The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, "Do not swear."  

While those who ignore their duties to the Qur’an Majeed it will challenge them asking: "Did you care for me? Did you fulfill your obligations towards me?"

May Allah Ta’ala guide us all to His Book; to recite, listen, understand, memorize, act upon it, and encourage others to do the same. May He bless all sincere and intentioned efforts, made by all His slaves, so that we may be able to respond positively to these questions. Ameen.

An excellent, comprehensive selection of resources and information on Hifzul Quran:   

http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16109

Importance of Hifz:

http://interpret.co.za/html/translate.php?action=translate&href=&head=YES&ulangpair=aftoeng&url=http://www.alinaam.org.za/dquraan/sremember01.htm

Benefits of recitation:

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=788&CATE=3&redirect=yes

http://www.themodernreligion.com/basic/quran/quran-benefits.html

Etiquette with the Qur’an

http://waobooks.co.uk/index.php?d=zoom&catid=37&sortby=bests&authid=&by_auth=&pubid=&by_pub=&pubinfo=&authinfo=&v=&prodid=1929694008

A contemporary view on the Qur’an and its interpretation:

http://en.fgulen.com/content/view/2266/10/

Uthman RadhiAllahu anhu’s preservation of the Qur’an:

http://www.sunnah.org/history/Sahaba/Sayyidina_Uthmans_preservation_Quran.htm

Another article on the compilation of the Qur’an:

http://www.sunnah.org/history/quran_compiled.htm

Article including the list of the Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum who memorized the Qur’an:

http://www.sunnah.org/history/memorizers.htm

 

 

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.