Concerning the Merit of Reciting the Qur’an

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following was originally mentioned by Shaykh Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad at-Tijani (q.s.) in his Kunnash.  This is adapted from Kashif al-Ilbas of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi (q.s.), in the chapter, “Congregating for the Remembrance and Awakening the Desire for Reading the Qur’an.” 

The Reward of reciting the Qur’an is allotted by degrees according to the ranks of Creation concerned.  The degree of the one who is Veiled is not the same as the one for whom the secrets of wilayat asw-swaghir, lesser sainthood, has been Opened.  The degree of this wali asw-swaghir, lesser saint, is not like that of the ‘arif, gnostic, who has attained the rank of swiddiqiyyah, the most truthful.  And the degree of this ‘arif is not like that of the quthb, the unique and comprehensive saintly pole. 

The Reward for recitation at each of these degrees reaches a certain limit.  At every degree, there is an external Reward and an internal Reward.  As for the external one, it is mentioned in ahadits, tradition; namely, whoever recites the Qur’an without wudhu’, ablution, he is Credited ten good deeds for every letter he pronounces.  Whoever recites with wudhu’, but outside of the ritual prayer, he is Credited twenty-five good deeds for every letter.  Whoever recites with wudhu’. while sitting in the ritual prayer, he is Credited with fifty good deeds for every letter.  Whoever recites with wudhu’ while standing in the ritual prayer, he is Credited with one hundred good deeds for every letter.  Such is the degree of the external aspect. 

As for the degree of the inner aspect, it is beyond definition and likeness.  It cannot be measured or quantified, and its essential nature is inaccessible for all eternity to the entirety of Created beings.  Even if all the liturgical remembrance were combined, with all the Names, with all the Attributes, with all the good deeds, with all the acts of devotion from the beginning of time until the end, it would fall short of one single letter of the Qur’an.  This is the internal degree.


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