By Abu Bakr Salmaan ibn Nasir
The religion has been distorted and changed beyond recognition by the
People of Desires and Innovations until the common Muslim has come to
regard innovations as sunnahs and the Sunnah as something strange.
Generations of Muslims have lived in the darkness of ignorance of the
Qur’aan and of the religion of Allaah. This cancer has eaten away at the
flesh of the Muslim Ummah leaving it extremely weak and humiliated. And
how could it be otherwise when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) told
us:
Allaah raises up peoples by this Book, and puts down by it others.
(Reported by Muslim (no. 817), ibn Maajah (no. 218), Ahmad (1/35), and
ad-Daarimi (no. 3365).
So when the Ummah neglected Allaah’s book, Allaah lowered and humiliated
us as He (سبحانه وتعالى) informed us: That is because Allaah will never
change the blessing which He has bestowed on a people until they change
what is in their ownselves. [Al-Anfaal (8):53]Verily never will Allaah
change the condition of a people until they change what is in their
ownselves. But when Allaah wills a people's punishment, there can be no
turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any protector.
[Ar-Ra’d (13):11]
So it is imperative that we return to this Qur’aan and be of those who
memorize it and study it. And, sadly, it is a common practice amongst
not only the non-Arabs but the Arabs as well to merely recite it without
contemplation of its verses! But the Qur’aan is: A Book which We have
revealed to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder its verses, and
that men of understanding may receive admonition. [Saad (38):29]Do they
not then ponder upon the Qur’aan, or are there locks on their hearts?
[Muhammad (47):24]Do they not ponder upon the Qur’aan? Had it been from
other than Allaah, they would surely have found in it much
contradiction. [An-Nisaa’ (4): 82]
It is a book which: No falsehood can approach it from before or behind
it; it is revelation from One Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all Praise.
[Fussilat (41):42]
In it is guidance for all the affairs of mankind as Allaah (سبحانه
وتعالى) tells us: And We have not revealed the Book to you except that
you may clarify to them those things in which they differ, and as a
guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. [An-Nahl (16):64]
And have you not heard, my dear Muslim brother, may Allaah guide you to
that which pleases Him, the words of your Lord admonishing you not to be
like the People of the Book before you who neglected the scripture: Has
is not come time for the Believers that their hearts should in all
humility engage in the remembrance of Allaah and of the Truth which has
been revealed (to them), and that they should not become like those to
whom was given the Book aforetime, but long ages passed over them and
their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious
transgressors. Know that Allaah gives life to the earth after its death.
Already have We shown the Signs plainly to you, that you may learn
wisdom. [Al-Hadeed (57):16-17]
So just as Allaah brings life to the earth after its death, likewise,
Allaah is the one who gives life to the hearts and heals them after
their death. And that healing is in this Glorious Qur’aan: Oh mankind,
there has come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing for
what is in the chests, and a guidance and mercy for the believers.
[Yoonus (10):57]
And take stern warning from the saying of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم):
“Most of the hypocrites of my Ummah are its reciters.” [Saheeh al-Jaami’ no. 1203]
They recite the Qur’aan, not seeking to understand it so that they may gain Allaah’s pleasure but for some worldly gain:
“Whoever recites the Qur’aan, then let him ask Allaah by it, for verily
there shall come a people who shall recite the Qur’aan, and ask the
people by it.” [Saheeh al-Jaami’ no.6467]
So it is critical then that we recite this Qur’aan seeking by it
Allaah’s pleasure. And it is imperative that we understand and act by
this Qur’aan as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
“On the Day of Judgment, the Qur’aan and its people who used to act by
it in the world shall be brought, being lead by Soorah al-Baqarah and
Aal ‘Imraan, which shall be arguing on behalf of their companions.”
[Reported by Muslim]
Their companions- that is, those who used to recite them and study their
meanings and act upon them. However, for the one who has been deprived
of the ability to understand the Qur’aan, in all its subtleties and the
depths of its knowledge, I fear that he shall be deprived of this great
honor and blessing. And the key that will open the door to understanding
the Qur’aan is the Arabic language for Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) has
revealed it as an Arabic Qur’aan: We have sent it down as an Arabic
Qur’aan, in order that ye may learn wisdom. [Yoosuf (12):2]Thus have We
sent it down as an Arabic Qur’aan and explained therein in detail some
of the warnings, in order that they may fear Allaah, or that it may
cause them to have a lesson from it. [Taa Haa (20):113]An Arabic
Qur’aan, without any crookedness, so that they may have Taqwa. [Az-Zumar
(39):28]A Book, whereof the verses are explained in detail as an Arabic
Qur’aan, for people who know. [Fussilat (41):3]
So it is imperative, my dear brother or sister, that you strive in learning this blessed language.
And in shaa Allaah,
the next installment of this article shall contain some advices on how one should go about learning the Arabic language.
