Ramadhan – The Month of The Quran
Jul 10th, 2013 | By Owys Zemir | Category: Latest, Religion“The month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Quran was revealed; a guide for the people, the most authoritative of all guidance and a criteria to discern right from wrong”. (Al Baqarah:185)
As Muslims around the world celebrate the arrival of Ramadhan – the month of compassion, reflection and forgiveness – they also gear up to come nearer to their Lord through the Glorious Quran. Ramadhan provides an ideal atmosphere for righteousness in general but it particularly provides an opportunity to improve upon one’s study of the Holy Quran. As expounded by the Almighty Himself in the above quoted verse, there is a special connection between the Noble Quran and the blessed month of Ramadhan. Thus, this month also provides an ideal occasion to build, develop or strengthen a personal relationship with the Book of Allah, and through it with the Rahman Himself.
Our beloved Prophet (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him) devoted his lifetime in delivering Allah’s Message. Ponder on the thought for a moment that the epitome of Allah’s creation, the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him), had to bear twenty three long years of continuous hardships for delivering this Message, the Glorious Quran. For Muslims, bearing the love for their Holy Prophet (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him) in their hearts is part of faith. Association with the Message that was Muhammad’s (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him) lifetime mission, thus, must ensue out of the love for Muhammad (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him). During Ramadhan, every Muslim ought to probe his or her heart for the sincerity in his claim for the love for Allah and His beloved Prophet (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him). For, amongst the followers of the Prophet (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him), there are those about which the following expression of the Holy Prophet (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him) on the Day of Judgment is narrated in the Quran itself:
“And the Messenger will say: “O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Quran””. (Al-Furqan:30)
For Muslims, merely the recitation of the Noble Quran should not suffice as being enough for the ultimate salvation. Although it is a guide for mankind in general but for Muslims, it is meant to be read, understood, acted upon and propagated. The character Islam wants to build for a Muslim, the society it wants to develop, the bond it wants to establish amongst mankind and their Creator is all contained in this divine “User’s Manual”. Allah does not burden a person beyond one’s capacity and thus each Muslim has to fulfill his obligation to the Noble Quran to the utmost of his personal capacity. Our beloved Prophet (peace and Allah’s Mercy be upon him) has demonstrated that this is a continuous and life long process. The following verse can be related to the understanding of the Holy Quran to a person’s intellectual capacity:
“When they will be brought into the presence of God, He will ask them, “Did you reject My revelations without fully understanding them. What did you know about them if you had any knowledge at all?” (An-Naml: 84)
The effort towards developing an improved understanding of the Quran is not cumbersome if attempted as a convenient daily routine suiting one’s individual capacity, capability and commitments. The first step of any journey is the most important one. The road to salvation would be easy to tread if it is divided into small manageable steps while the final goal be kept in sight.
“It is better for you to learn (understand) a single verse of Holy Quran in the morning rather to pray hundreds of Rakaat”. (Ibn-e-Ma’ja, 1:619)
Allah has repeatedly mentioned in the Quran in various contexts that He has made His Word easy to understand, remember and preach. The ambience of Ramadhan provides time to reflect upon one’s commitment to his faith and thus to the Book of Guidance and Mercy. A suitable routine towards improved Quranic comprehension initiated in Ramadhan can follow through into the whole year and subsequently into one’s whole life.
It is a time to answer the call of the Quran –
“And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?” (Al-Qamar:17)
– with a positive mind, a open heart and a balanced approach. In Quran’s own words taught to us:
“We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, Lord, to You we shall all return!” (Al Baqarah:285).
Culminating with the following supplication:
“O Allah! let me receive Your mercy by means of the Noble Qur’an and make it my guide as well as a source of light, direction and grace for me. O Allah! revive my memory of whatever I have forgotten from the Noble Quran and grant me understanding of whatever part I know not, enable me to recite and follow it during hours of day and night and make it my main argumentative support”.
Wishing everyone a blessed and enlightening Ramadhan….
Great effort bro. May Allah almighty give us courage enough to learn, understand and propagate the teachings of the Nobel Holy Quran. Ameen
Alhamdulillah, great admonition.. May Allah forgive and reward the writer as well as the reader….. Jazakumullahu khairan