To Obey the Qur’an

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on 10^th February 2010. 

In the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.), some Jews distorted the sound of the salam into a vulgar word when they greeted Rasulullah (s.a.w.), and that act brought Divine Anger upon them. 

سُوۡرَةُ المجَادلة

... وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوۡكَ بِمَا لَمۡ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ لَوۡلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ‌ۚ حَسۡبُهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ يَصۡلَوۡنَہَا‌ۖ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ (٨) 

… And when they come unto you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah Greets you not, and say within themselves, “Why should Allah Punish us for what we say?”  Hell will suffice them; they will feel the heat thereof - a hapless journey’s end! (Surah al-Mujadilah:8) 

All the prophets brought a fundamental message for their umam.  We must have that principle within ourselves to want to listen to and obey all Divine Orders.  People of the 21^st century believe that they have achieved great advancements and have made spectacular progress in science, yet spiritually, they have actually regressed to the level of animals; they no longer listen and obey.  Those who does not understand their duties and those who have no desire to understand them are like animals staying in a barn.  Why have people become like this?  It is due to our system of education.  Do we realise that most teachings are opposed to the Shari’ah of Allah (s.w.t.) and the sunnah of our Prophet (s.a.w.)?  We should be ashamed that we have entrusted our children to a school without taking an active interest in what moral and religious orientations they acquire when they are there. 

As responsible parents, we have a crucial role to play in our children’s foundation in faith.  What is the most important first step?  Allah (s.w.t.) SSays in the Qur’an, in the first few verses Revealed to Rasulullah (s.a.w.): 

سُوۡرَةُ العَلق

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ (١) خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ (٢) ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ (٣) ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ (٤) عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ (٥) 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Read: In the Name of your Lord Who Created, Created man from a clot.  Read: And your Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who Teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not. (Surah al-‘Alaq:1-5) 

So the first Divine Command upon the Prophet (s.a.w.), and ummah is to read.  Have we ever thought about what we have been Commanded to read?  We have been Commanded to read the Holy Qur’an, the mother of all books, within which is contained all that a man needs for his difficult journey in this world and in the hereafter.  Our children must be taught to read the Qur’an and to depend on it, just like a nursing child depends completely on its mother, for the Qur’an contains the key to all knowledge.  All other books are derived from it, one way or another.  Besides religion, knowledge of science, morals, astronomy, psychology, self-motivation, literature and many other subjects are all found in the Qur’an. 

We must read the Qur’an, for when we do so, Blessings Descend upon us like the falling rain, but when you leave it, curses and humiliation descend upon that person that leaves it.  How many of our children are learning and reading the Qur’an today, and how many continue to do it all their lives?  It is not enough to simply read the Qur’an.  Many people just read it, without drawing life-changing lessons from it and without understanding the parables and advice contained within it.  We must read the Holy Book, listen to its advice and practice them! 

Today’s education system has booted out the Qur’an.  It has erased Divinity from all wondrous phenomenon and replaced Allah (s.w.t.) with ‘nature.’  It has relegated Rasulullah (s.a.w.) to a mere historical figure alongside other unimportant personalities.  Many schools have a blanket ban on the study of religion, saying it is in the best interests of all, for it to be a centre for secular studies only.  Even in universities where Islam is taught, many lecturers on Islam are not even Muslims.  The study of Islam has become just like any other academic subject.  It has become an examinable subject where students boast book knowledge and complete thick theses, expounding their opinions on modern Islam.  This is not real Islam.  This is not the way to study Islam.  And this is not the purpose of studying Islam.  When our children are influenced by such ideas, when their egos have been infiltrated by such ideals, do we think they will be Covered by Allah’s (s.w.t.) Rahmah? 

The Qur’an is not a story book that is to be read, and then kept away.  Every single one of the organs in our body must read the Qur’an with us and every organ must listen and obey the Qur’an.  For example, when the Qur’an Says that men and women should lower their gaze, then the eye must obey this Divine Command.  When the Qur’an Says that we must not backbite, then the tongue must obey.  When the Qur’an Says that the food we eat must be halal, then the stomach must obey.  When the Qur'an forbids fornication, then the private parts must obey.  The list goes on.  Every organ within us must obey every Divine Command contained within the Qur’an. 

We must teach your children and ourselves to read the Qur’an.  Then we must read it regularly and obey its Commands.  We must never leave the Qur’an throughout your lives, for curses descend on those who turn their back on the reading of the Qur'an and on those who disobey its teachings.