The Obligations Muslims Owe To The Qur'an by Dr. lsrar Ahmad

he Arabic equivalents for "reading" are qifaat and tilawat. Both these terms have been employed by the Qur'an in connection with the reading of the Qur'an.

The term tilawat is used for reading the Holy Book with all the reverence due to it as a sacred scrip{ure, with an open mind fully disposed to imbibing its influence, and with a keen desire to model our lives upon its teaching. It is a term specifically used for the reading of heavenly books. Qir'aat, however, is a general term used for reading any kind of book.

This difference in the connotation of these two words as equivalents of "reading" is borne out by their literal meanings; for tilawat means "to follow or walk behind some one," while qir'aat means just "to draw or combine things together." In the beginning, the word qir'aat was used for learning the Qur'an and acquiring its knowledge, and a qaan was originally a scholar of the Qur'an. As time passed, the .

term was gradually torn from its original meaning and came to be used for reading the Qur'an with correct pronunciation and modulation according to the rules of tajweed, whereas the word tilawat came to be used as a general term for reading the sacred book with fervor and devotion, for the purpose of seeking guidance and blessings.

Tilawat of the Holy Qur'an is not only an important form of worship but also an effective method of continually refreshing our /man (faith). The Qur'an is not a book to be understood once and for all. It is a book to be read again and again and to be studied forever, because it provides sustenance to the human soul. As our earthly body is in constant need of food that is obtained from the.earth, so too our soul, which is of heavenly origin, constantly needs the help of Divine Revelation for fostering and strengthening itself. If the Qur'an were to be understood once and for all, there would have been no need for the Holy Prophet (SAW)

- of all people - to read it again and again. On the contrary, we find from the study of the Qur'an itself that he was commanded to do so. In the earliest days of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet (SAW) was especially instructed to stand for the greater part of the night in prayer before his Lord, reciting the Qur'an in slow, rhythmic tones. In the later stages of his prophetic career, particularly when he was faced with heavy odds and was required to muster up special courage and fortitude to sustain himself, the special instruction he received from his Lord was to recite the Qur'an.

In Surah Al-Kahf, he was given the following instructions:

And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord: None can change His Words, and none will you find as a refuge other than Him.

(ACKahf 18:27)

And again, in Surah Al-Ankaboot a similar instruction was repeated:

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish regular prayer.. . . (Al-Ankaboot 29:45)

It follows from the facts stated above that constant and regular study of the Holy Qur'an is essential because it provides food for the soul, because it is a mean of refreshing and reviving faith, and a reliable weapon for surmounting difficulties and obstacles that one encounters in the way of Allah (SVVT). The following ayah from Surah Al-Baqarah describes how the lovers of the Qur'an manifested their great regard for this Book:

Those to whom we have delivered the Book recite it as it ought to be recited .... (Al-Baqarah 2:121)

May Allah (SVVT) give us strength that we may be able to study the Qur'an as it should be studied. We have, first of all, to understand how the Qur'an ought to be recited and what steps should be taken if the required standard of recitation is to be attained.

In this connection, the first step we are required to take is to acquire a thorough knowledge of the Arabic alphabet, their phonetic sounds, and the significance of the different kinds of pauses used in the ~ur'an.T' he technical term used for this knowledge is tajweed, which is a must for a good fluent recitation. In the thirties and forties, almost every Muslim child in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent would start his education with the learning of tajweed. At the very outset he was given a clear idea of the letters of the Qur'an and their correct phonetic sounds. Although, as already stated in the beginning of this booklet, some efforts have been made in Pakistan and other Muslim countries to popularize tajweed, still the fact remains that a vast majority of the Muslim youth, even a large number of adults and old people among us, cannot read the Qur'an properly. This lack of ability to read even the bare text of the Qur'an is due, on the one hand, to the decline of the classical system of education that was imparted in the mosques and maktabs to all the children of the community, rich and poor, and, on the other hand, to the popularity of the kindergarten and other types of modern primary schools which do not include the recitation of the Qur'an in their curriculum. Here I will suggest that all such persons, to whichever age group they may belong, as do not possess the ability to read the Qur'an properly should realize their deficiency and take necessary steps to remove it. We should also adopt it as a decided policy that the education of our children will start with tajweed and the first thing they will learn will be how to read the Qur'an correctly. Over-emphasis on this point may not be very desirable, nevertheless it is incumbent upon every educated person to acquire the ability of reading the Qur'an with a correct accent and pronunciation, carefully observing the pauses used in it.

Without acquiring this ability our obligation of reciting the Qur'an cannot be fulfilled.

If we wish to fulfill our obligation of reciting the Qur'an, the second thing we are required to do is to include the recitation of the Qur'an in the daily routine of our life, and each one of us should recite a certain portion of the Holy Book regularly every day. The portion fixed for daily recitation can be different for different people. The maximum portion which has the support of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is one-third of the Qur'an. It means that ten paras should be recited each day so that the recitation of the whole Qur'an may be completed in three days. A minimum portion - and mind you, anything less than this bare minimum could not even be imagined till recent years - could be one para daily, so that the whole Qur'an could be read in a month. In fact, this is the least amount of recitation which should be done every day and an amount less than this would not be worth the name.

The middle position between the maximum and minimum is that one should read the whole Qur'an in a week. This, indeed, was the practice followed by the majority of the Companions (RAA) and the same according to a tradition was suggested to Abdullah Ibn Umar (RAA) by the Holy Prophet (SAW). It is for this reasbn that the Qur'an was divided into seven ahzaab (sections) in the time of the Companions (RAA).' The first six of the ahzaab consist of three (excluding Surah Al-Fatiha), five, seven, nine, eleven, and thirteen Surahs respectively, and the seventh called hizbul- mufassal consists of the rest of the Holy Book. Every hizb comprises of approximately four paras, which can be recited quite satisfactorily in two hours.

Persons of a devout nature and staunch faith should do this amount of recitation daily. Both the common people and intellectuals must depend upon the regular recitation of the Holy Book for the nourishment of their souls. To the average men it will serve as an admonition or remembrance of Allah (SVVT), and to the men of learning and intelligence, as a source of knowledge and food for thought. Even those who ponder over the meaning of the Qur'an day and night, who think deeply over its individual Surahs for years on end, and who pause for long over the subtle points in its text, cannot do without this regular recitation. Indeed, they require its aid all the more in the noble task they have set before themselves. Actually, constant recitation of the Holy Book will help solve many of their problems and will continuously .open up new vistas of thought before their minds.'

It is also required for the proper recitation of the Qur'an that a person should read it in the best manner and in the most melodious voice possible. This is necessary because almost every human being is gifted with a love for music and has a natural fondness for sweet and melodious sounds. Islam is a natural region; it does not curb any of our inherent tendencies but diverts them into healthy channels.

As we have an instinctive love for the beauty of sight and the beauty of sound, we insist upon a fascinating printing of the Holy Qur'an and its recitation in a soft melodious voice. The Prophet (SAW) has urged us to:

Adorn the Qur'an with your voices. (Narrated by Abu Daud & Nasai)

He has also warned us against our negligence in this matter in the words:

One who does not recite the Qur'an in a melodious voice is not from us! (Narrated by Abu Daud)

and has given us the following tidings as a further inducement for melodious recitation:

Allah (SVVT) does not listen to anything so attentively as He listens to the Prophet (SAW)

reciting the Qur'an aloud in a sweet voice.

(Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, & Nasai)

It often happened that, while going along his way, the Holy Prophet (SAW) heard a Companion (RAA) recite the Qur'an in a sweet-sounding voice. He would stop and stand for a long time listening to the Qur'an being recited and would appreciate it later on. Sometimes, he would ask a Companion (RAA) to recite the Qur'an to him. It is stated in the books of traditions that once he asked Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (RAA) to recite the Qur'an to him. The latter (much astonished at the request) said: "Messenger of Allah! How can I recite the Qur'an to you, while you are the person to whom it was revealed?" He replied: "I like to hear it being recited by others;" Accordingly, Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (RAA) began to recite, and, as the Holy Prophet (SAW) sat listening, his eyes welled up with tears which could be seen trickling down his cheeks. On another occasion, he heard a Companion (RAA)" recite the Qur'an in a melodious voice, which he praised in the words: "You have been granted a share from the musical talent of the sons of Daud (AS)." Although a person should recite the Qur'an in the most melodious voice he can produce because otherwise the recitation will be far from satisfactory, yet to over-emphasize this aspect of recitation is not without danger. When a melodious recitation is the outcome of meie show or affectation or when one takes to it as a profession, it becomes a serious perversion and a reprehensible practice.

We should, therefore, carefully guard against this danger; still we may seek the satisfaction of our love for the beauty of sound in reciting the Qur'an or in hearing it being recited in a melodious voice. Hence, everyone of us should read the Book of Allah (SW) in as nice a manner and as sweet a voice as it may be possible for him to do.

Reciting the Qur'an as it ought to be recited depends upon the fulfillment of a number of objective and subjective conditions. The objective conditions to be fulfilled are that one should perform ablution before starting the recitation, that he should sit facing the qiblah, and that he should start the recitation with taa'wwuz (seeking Allah's protection against the Satan). Subjectively, he should contemplate the greatness of the Book and the greatness of the Being Who has revealed it, and should recite it with complete concentration and absorption, a deep feeling of submissiveness and humility, and utmost fervor and devotion.

He should read the Book of Allah (SWT) with a sincere and earnest desire to get at the truth, and with a firm resolve to transform himself according to its teachings. He should constantly ponder and deliberate over its meanings, not with a view to finding from it a confirmation of his own preconceived thoughts and theories but genuinely seeking from it the guidance that it offers. As explained above, the literal meaning of tilawat is "to follow or walk closely behind someone." Therefore, in the real sense of the term, it demands an attitude of self-abandonment and receptivity.

Such an attitude is, indeed, the essence of tilawat.

The ideal way in which the Holy Book should be recited is that one should stand in post-midnight prayer before his Lord, with hands folded in all humility, and recite the Qur'an in a receptive state of mind, slowly and patiently, pausing at proper places so as to enable one's heart to imbibe its influence. This kind of recitation is called tarteel, and perhaps the most important instruction that was given to the Holy Prophet (SAW) in the earliest stage of his prophetic mission was to recite the Qur'an in this manner:

0 you wrapped in garments! Stand (in prayer) by night. But not all night; half of it, or a little less, or a little more. And recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. (Al-Muzzammil 73:l-4)

Reading the Qur'an slowly and thoughtfully, making pauses at proper points in its text, has a resemblance with the mode of its revelation. As we all know, the whole Qur'an was not revealed at once but it has descended piecemeal at intervals. In Surah Al-Furqan, by way of answering those who objected as to why the Qur'an was not revealed all at once, Allah (SWT) says addressing His Messenger (SAW):

thus (is it revealed) that We may strengthen your heart thereby, and we have revealed it to you in slow well-arranged stages, gradually. (AI-Furqan 25:32)

This signifies that tarteel is an effective means of strengthening the heart's convictions. Undoubtedly, reading the Qur'an on this pattern does the greatest good to the human heart. It often moves one to tears with intensity of feeling. While explaining tarteel, Allama Ibn Arabi (RA), the author of Ahkam-ul-Qur'an, has quoted the following tradition narrated on the authority of Hasan Ibn Ali (RAA):

Once the Holy Prophet (SAW) happened to pass by a person who was reading the Qur'an. He was reading it ayah by ayah, and the end of each he paused and wept. Allah's Messenger (SAW) said to his Companions (RAA): "Have you heard Allah's command: 'Read the Qur'an in slow, measured tones.' Look, here you have its demonstration." The following words of the Holy Prophet (SAW)

contain a similar instruction for tarteel, i.e., reading the Qur'an in slow rhythmic tones.

Recite the Qur'an and weep. (Narrated by Ibn Majah)

The Holy Prophet's (SAW) own condition during the night prayer, which has been described in books of tradition, is a case in point. When he stood in his night prayer reciting the Qur'an slowly and thoughtfully, making short pauses in the recitation, holding a communion with his Lord, he would weep with such intensity of feeling that his breast would produce a sizzling sound as if it were a kettle on fire in which something was being cooked.

If the Qur'an is to be recited as it was recited by the Holy Prophet (SAW), we have to learn by heart as much of the Holy Book as possible. Unfortunately, the practice of memorizing portions of the Qur'an for long recitations in the post-midnight prayer has almost died out. However, the custom of memorizing the whole Qur'an still exists. Naturally, for this a start has to be made in childhood when the question of understanding the Qur'an does not arise, but even this custom is losing ground. Memorizing the whole Qur'an has unluckily bee& left to a class of poor and down-trodden people in our society who adopt it as a profession. This was not the case till recent years. In the pre-partition days, the custom of memorizing the entire Qut'an was quite common even among respectable, well-to-do families, and in some cities in undivided India almost every Muslim family had at least one hafiz (i.e., one who has learned the whole Qur'an by heart). In those days, it was considered to be discreditable on the part of a family not to have a hafiz among its members.

No doubt, memorizing the Qur'an is a noble tradition.

It is a part of the Divine dispensation for the preservation of the Qur'an and should be maintained with renewed vigor and enthusiasm. However, committing the whole Qur'an to memory is not within the reach of every person. What I wish to stress here is that every one of us should try his utmost to learn maximum portion of the Qur'an by heart so that he may be able to recite it to his Lord, standing before Him in prayer.

This is the essential prerequisite for reciting the Book of Allah (SWT) as it ought to be recited and as it was recited by the Holy Prophet (SAW) himself, but it is a pity that we have lost eagerness and fervor for memorizing the Qur'an. Even men of religious learning among us have grown quite negligent in this matter. The condition of even those who lead the congregational prayers in mosques is no better. Most of them seem to have become contented with a few short Surahs they have once committed to memory and go on repeating them in prayers. Surely, it is a sad state of affairs that must be corrected. All of us must develop in our hearts a deep love for the Qur'an, look upon the part of the Holy Book we have memorized as our real- and most valuable asset in life, and make a continuous effort at increasing and enhancing it. Thus shall we be able to experience the blissful joy to tarteel and provide for our souls greater and greater amount of sustenance in the best possible form.