Chapter 166: About the Virtue of Reciting the Koran

Translation: The Noble Koran was the Last Divine revelation sent down to humanity, as Muhammad ﷺ was the Last Prophet sent to humanity. It is the Book which both men and jinn are challenged to produce the like of even one of its shortest chapters, but they have failed to do.

Translation: The most honorable branch of knowledge is that which leads to knowing Allah and His Attributes. " Hence, it is beneficial and compulsory to learn this, because the dignity of knowledge is a reflection of the dignity of the One upon Whom this knowledge focuses.

All the revealed Scriptures agree on this. All the Messengers, from the first, Noah, to the last, Muhammad, had the very same mission. This was the prime mission and the first principle to which the Messengers invited their people.

The first commandment of Noah was:

Translation: "... " O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him... * " (7: 59)

Translation: The previous Prophets invited their people to the same principle.

Translation: It should be noted that each Prophet was sent to specific people, and each Prophet would convey the following message to his people:

Translation: 44 "... " O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him... * " (7: 59, 65, 73, 85)

Translation: In addition to this, they reminded their people of Allah's Names and Attributes; mentioned to them His blessings, favors, and mercy through which they would know Him; exhorted them to worship Him alone and submit to His will; all this along with warnings against the vices that were prevelent among their peoples.

For example, the Father of Monotheism, the Messenger of Allah Abraham, warned his people against idol worshipping; Moses warned his people, the children of Israel, against taking the calf or Pharaoh as gods besides Allah; Lot warned his people agaist sodomy; Sho'ayb warned his people against giving short measure and underevaluating the property of people; and yhe Messenger of Allah, Jesus, invited his people to worship none besides Allah.

Each Prophet used to give news to his people of the Prophet who would follow him and the last of the Prophets Muhammad *.

Since Muhammad was the last of the Prophets who was sent to humanity as a whole, he warned against polytheism in all its forms, in addition to warning against the vices of the previous nations and vices that may appear in the future.

The Noble Koran asserts this fact in many places. Examples of this are the following verses:

Translation: " Say: " O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens. and the earth. There is no god but He. It is He Who gives both life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believed in Allah and His Words, follow him that you would be guided. *!! (7: 158) And

Translation: " We have sent you not but as a mercy for all creatures. *** (21: 107) Since the Messenger of Allah was sent to all humanity he was given a Book suited to address humanity until the end of time. He was given the Noble Koran, which is applicable to any society and under any circumstances, no matter how advanced it is.

Translation: One of the sayings of the Prophet reads as follows:

Translation: Narrated Abu-Huraira: ' The Prophet said: " There was no Prophet among the Prophets but he was given. miracles because of which the people would believe in him, but what I have been given is the Divine Inspiration that Allah has revealed to me. So, I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other Prophet on the Day of Resurrection. " (Bukhari)

Translation: This Hadith shows plainly how modest the Messenger of Allah was, as he was given innumerable material miracles besides the Noble Koran. Some of them are confirmed by the Noble Koran and some others are confirmed by the authentic Hadiths. Allah says:

" The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder. * " (54: 1)

The people of Mecca asked the Prophet Muhammad * to give them a sign as a proof of his Prophethood. So Allah caused the moon to split.

Another sign was the Smoke. Allah says:

" Then wait you for the Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke. * " (44:10)

Abdullah ibn Mas'oud said: ' When the Qoraysh showed enmity to the Messenger of Allah and persisted in hurting him and his followers, he invoked Allah e against them that they would suffer famine like that of the Prophet of Allah Joseph, His invocation was granted until they were eating bones and dead animals. They used to raise their eyes to heaven, but they saw nothing but Smoke. "

Sunna contains the following Hadiths:

Translation: Narrated Abdullah: " We used to consider miracles as Allah's Blessings, but you people consider them to be a warning. Once we were with Allah's Messenger on a journey, and we ran short of water. He said: “ Bring the water [ that you have] remaining with you. " The people. brought a container containing a little water. He placed his hand in it and said: " Come to the blessed water and the blessing is from Allah. " I saw the water flowing from the fingers of Allah's Messenger and no doubt, we used to hear meals (food) glorifying Allah, when it was being eaten (by him). " (Bukhari) And

Translation: Narrated Jaber ibn Abdullah: ' The Prophetused to stand on the stump of a date-palm tree (while delivering the sermon). When the first Minbar (pulpit) was made and replaced the stump we heard that stump crying like a pregnant camel until the Prophet came down from the Minbar and placed his hand over it (and it kept quiet). " " * (Bukhari)

Translation: At the same time, this Hadith (i.e. the Hadith concerning the miracles given to the Prophets) makes the challenge directly, straightforwardly, and succinctly to all people to produce the like of even the shortest chapter of the Noble Koran. Consequently, it says nothing about the other miracles given to our Messenger.

In other words, the Hadith did not mention the other marvelous acts that were done by the Messenger of Allah such as the gushing forth of water between his fingers and the glorifying of the pebbles in his hands, because the people at that time had not got the tools necessary for such acts.

It explicitly says to them: " Utterance is the easiest mission to man. " A man could speak for hours, but he could not bear to work for seconds. This is the Noble Koran, the spoken speech. Try to imitate it or produce the like of it because you are equipped with the tools of utterance, i.e. the tongue, two lips, a larynx vocal cords, intellect and reason.

Had they been able to imitate any portion of the Noble Koran, they could have so done and spared the deaths that befell them, the injuries they received, and the endless effort they exerted vainly.

This shows that the Noble Koran was the miracle given to the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, as a proof to his being a Messenger sent to humanity. It shows clearly that it is inimitable.

The Messenger of Allah said as:

Translation: Narrated by Abu-Huraira ' The Prophet said: “ There was no Prophet among the Prophets except that he was given miracles because of which the people would have belief, but what I have been given is the Divine Inspiration that Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other Prophet on the Day of Resurrection. " (Bukhari)

Translation: Careful study of this Hadith shows that the Messenger of Allah used the passive voice as to the miracle (and other miracles) given to him and the miracles given to his brothers of the Prophets. We notice the verbs that mean " except that he was given, " and " but what I was given, " to clear any doubt and to establish by every way possible the fact that no Prophet is able to produce a miracle on his own. It is only Allah, the One Who supports His Prophets and Messengers therewith.

Consequently, no one should think that what the previous Messengers demonstrated by the way of miracles and what their last, our Messenger Muhammad, demonstrated by way of miracles should raise them up from the status of humanity to Divinity. They were but human beings who produced nothing by themselves. They were given those miracles out of Allah's mercy and bounty.

For this reason, the Noble Koran stresses this in many places. Some examples of this are:

Translation: " And remember when Allah will say: " O Jesus the son of Mary! Remember My Favor to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Ruhul-Qudus (Gabriel) so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book, Wisdom, the Torah, and Al Injeel. And behold! You make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird with My leave, and you breathe into it, and it becomes a bird with My leave, and you heal those born blind and the lepers with My leave. And behold! You bring forth the dead with My leave. And behold! I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) when you showed them the clear signs, and the non-believers among them said: " This is nothing but evident magic. " * " (5: 110)

Translation: (Note that the words in bold-letters show that what Jesus offered to his people was a pure favor from Allah J to him.)

Translation: Thus, no one should think that such acts make one a god or the son of God as has been falsely claimed. Speaking about the miracle given to the Prophet of Allah, Saleh, Allah says:

Translation: 44 "... And We sent the camel to the Thamood to open their eyes, but they treated her wrongfully. We only sent the signs by way of terror (and as warnings from evil). *** (17:59)

The camel, the miracle of the Messenger of Allah Saleh

, was an abnormal one; it was brought forth from a rock and it used to give milk to all of his people. It is crystal clear that the camel was not created by the Messenger of Allah, Saleh; its creator was Allah, the Best One to create.

The miracles given to the Messenger of Allah, Moses did not raise him to the same position as the worshipped God. The Noble Koran states that he was given nine signs to prove that he was sent as a Messenger to the Children of Israel. Allah says:

Translation: To Moses We did give nine clear signs. Ask then the Children of Israel, when he came to them, Pharaoh said to him: " O Moses! I think that you are indeed bewitched. " * ” (17: 101)

Translation: These nine signs are detailed in a Hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas, in which he says:

Translation: Narrated Ibn Abbas: " The nine signs were his hand (Moses ' hand), his stick, his tongue, the sea, the flood, the grasshoppers, the lice, the frogs, and the blood. "

We would like to mention here the fact confirmed by the Koran, i.e. the illiteracy of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad. He was never able to read nor could he write. He could not even sign his name. So he had a ring with the words: " Muhammad is Allah's Messenger, " to make his seal upon his. The following verses are sufficient as examples to substantiate his illiteracy. The verses numbered 48 - 49 of chapter number 29, in addition to other verses, support this fact. They say:

Translation: " Neither did you (O Muhammad!) read any book. before it (this Koran), nor did you write any book (whatsoever) with your right hand. In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted. * Nay, but they, the clear Ayat (i.e. the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ written in the Torah and Al Injeel (are preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge (among the people of the Scriptures). And none but the wrongdoers deny our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). * 77 And

Translation: " Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures) - in the Torah and Injeel-for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil, he allows them as lawful what is wholesome and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); he releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So, it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light that is sent down with him, it is they who will prosper. * " (7: 157)

Translation: With such verses, the Noble Koran argues with the people of understanding. Had he (Muhammad), been a learned man and had he been able to read and write, then in that case the gossipers in the market-places might have had some justification to doubt his claim that the Noble Koran was Allah's Word. "

This is sufficient and now let us read what Imam Al- Nawawi compiled.

Translation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said as:

513. Narrated by A'isha, may Allah bless her soul " The Prophet said: “ The person who recites the Koran and masters it by heart, will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels in heaven). And the person who exerts diligent efforts to learn it by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward. " (Bukhari)

Translation: 514. Narrated Al-Bara'a ibn Azib: ' A man recited Surat Al-Kahf (the chapter entitled The Cave) in a house where there was a (riding) animal. It started shying. When the man finished his prayer with At-Tasleem a mist or a cloud hovered over him. The man informed the Prophet of that and the Prophet ﷺ said: " O so and so! Recite, for this (mist or cloud) was the tranquility, a sign of peace and reassurance along with angels descended for the recitation of the Koran. " (Bukhari)

Translation: 515. Narrated Nawwas ibn Sama'an: " The Prophet said: " (The reward of reciting the Koran) for those who used to recite it and act upon its commandments is led by (the reward of reciting) Surat Al- Baqarah and Surat Al- Imran. " Nawwas said: " The Messenger of Allah coined three similes for them that I did not forget. He said: “ They will come like two clouds with the sun in between them, like two black clouds, or like flocks of flying birds that stretch their wings in the air; and they will argue for their reader. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 516. Narrated Abu-Musa Al-Asha'ari: ' The Messenger of Allah said: " The simile of the believer who recites the Koran (well) (and acts upon its commandments) is like the lemon. Its taste is sweet and its smell is sweet. The simile of the believer who does not recite the Koran (constantly) (but he acts on its commandments) is like a dried date. It has no smell but its taste is sweet. The simile of the hypocrite who recites the Koran is like basil. Its smell is good and its taste is bitter. And the simile of the hypocrite who does not recite the Koran is like the colocynth. Its smell is malodorous and its taste is bitter. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 517. Narrated Ibn Omar ' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: " There should not be envy (competition in righteousness) except in two things. A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it (in Allah's Cause) during the hours of the night and during the hours of the day, and a man whom Allah has given knowledge of the Koran and he recites it during some hours of the night and some hours of the day. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 518. Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'oud: ' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “ He that read a letter (Harf) of the Book of Allah would have a ten-fold reward of a good deed of. I do not say that Alif Lâââm Mêêêm is a letter (Harf), but Alif 1 The word hasad) here means that one should not hope or long for anything except these two things. hasad in Arabic literally means longing to deprive others from the blessings that they were favored with. This was forbidden by Islam.

Translation: is a letter (Harf), Lâââm is a letter (Harf), and Mêêêm is a letter (Harf). " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 519. Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr: ' The Prophet said: " It will be said to the reader of the Koran (who had memorized it and acted upon it): ' Read, ascend, and recite as you used to recite in life for your status will be as high as the last verse you recite. (At-Termizi)

Translation: 520. Narrated Ibn Abbas: ' The Messenger of Allah said: “ He that has no portion of the Koran in his heart is like the ruined house. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 2 ' Al Harf ' translated here as ' a letter ' can refer either to a letter of the alphabet, a complete sentence, a word, or a word that has various forms.

Translation: About Ordering the Recitation of the

Translation: Koran Regularly and Warning against Forgetting it

Translation: The Messenger of Allah as said:

521. Narrated by Abdullah: The Prophet said: " It is a bad thing that some of you say: ' I have forgotten such and such Verse of the Koran, ' for indeed, he has been caused to forget it. So you must keep on reciting the Koran because it escapes from the hearts of men faster than the camels do (when they are released from their ropes). " " (Bukhari)

Translation: 522. Narrated Ibn Omar ' Allah's Messenger said: " The example of the person who memorizes the Koran by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away. " (Bukhari)