Rewards for reading Quran

ISLAM teaches mankind that people of knowledge are honoured both in the Here and the Hereafter.

Ranks. Allah says in the Holy Quran that He will "exalt those who believe among you and those who have knowledge, to high ranks." (Surah al-Mujadilah: 11)

Allah even doubles rewards for those who falter in reading the Quran but strive to master it. In a hadith related by 'Aisyah, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "One who is skilled in the Quran is associated with the noble, upright recording angels; and he who falters when reciting the Quran and finds it difficult for him will have a double reward."

(Bukhari and Muslim)

The following tradition is also reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, 'Uthman quoted Allah's Messenger as saying, "The best amongst you is he who learns the Quran and teaches it."

Abu Umama heard Allah's Messenger as saying, "Recite the Quran, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite it. Recite the two shinning ones — Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Ali-'Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for those who recite them. Recite Surah al-Baqarah, for reciting it produces blessing and abandoning it produces regret, and the slothful are unable to recite it." (Muslim)

An-Nawwas Ibn Sam'an said he heard the Apostle of Allah as saying, "On the Day of Resurrection the Quran and those who acted according to it will be brought with Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Ali-'lmran preceding them." An-Nawwas said, "Allah's Messenger likened them to three things, which I did not forget afterwards. He (the Holy Prophet) likened them to two clouds or two black canopies with light between them, or like two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for one who recited them." (Muslim)

'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "If anyone recites a letter of the Holy Quran, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward. I do not say that A-L-M (alif, laam, mim that precede some surahs) are one letter, but alif is a letter, lam is a letter and mim is a letter." (Tirmizi)

Paradise. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger said, "On the Day of Judgment it will be said to the reciters of the Quran, 'Go on reciting the Quran and continue ascending the storeys of Jannah and in measure you had been reading in worldly life; your final abode will be where you reach at the time of the last ayat (verse) of your recitation'." (Ahmad and Tirmizi)

On the authority of Imam Ahmad Buraida, it was reported in a hadith of the Prophet that on the Day of Resurrection the Holy Quran will appear in the guise of a lean human being and will say, "Do you recognise me?" The believer will reply, "No, I do not recognise you." The Holy Quran will say, "I am your companion, the Holy Quran who kept you thirsty in the scorching heat and awake at night. Every trader expects to be benefited from his articles of trade and today you are under the shade of your all kinds of articles of trade."

Then the believer will be given kingship in his right hand and the warrant permission for entry into Paradise in his left hand. He will be made to wear the crown of respect and dignity. His parents will be made to wear two silky robes. They will ask why they have been made to wear this dress. So they will be told, "Your son obtained knowledge of the Holy Quran." Then the son will be asked to start recitation of the Holy Quran, and for every verse (ayat) read by the child, the status of the parents will be raised to the next higher grade of the Paradise till the recitation of the Holy Quran is completed.

Leadership. It is also the tradition of Islam to place in the position of leadership those who follow the Holy Quran. Members of the advisory council of Khalifah 'Umar ibn Khattab — under whose leadership Islam grew at an unprecedented pace — were always the 'ulama (the learned or people of knowledge). They might be old, they might be young, but they were picked because of their knowledge.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Anyone who is most versed in Allah's Book should act as an Imam for the people; but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding the Sunnah; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest of them to emigrate; if they emigrated at the same time then the oldest of them."

In another version it is reported, "No man must lead another in Prayer where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission." (Muslim) Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) said, "Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had each pair of those killed at the Ghazwa of Uhud wrapped in a single garment and asked which of them knew more of the Holy Quran. When one of them was pointed out to him, he had him put first in the side of grave." (Bukhari)

Abu Musa Asy'ari reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "The respect of a Muslim who is of an old age and a follower of the Quran leads to the pleasure of Allah provided the follower of the Quran is not a transgressor and unfaithful to the Holy Quran."

Barren land. The Holy Quran says, "But he who turneth away from remembrance of Me, his will be a narrow life, and I shall bring him blind to the assembly on the Day of Resurrection." (Surah Ta-Ha: 124) Abu Musa Asy'ari reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "The similitude of that guidance and knowledge with which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has sent me is that of rain falling upon the earth. There is a good piece of land which receives the rainfall (eagerly) and as a result of it there is grown in it herbage and grass abundantly. Then there is a land hard and barren which retains water and the people derive benefit from it and they drink it and make the animals drink. Then there is another land which is barren. Neither water is retained in it, nor is the grass grown in it. And that is the similitude of the first one who develops the understanding of the Religion of Allah and it becomes a source of benefit to him with which Allah sent me. (The second one is that) who acquires the knowledge of religion and imparts it to others. (Then the other type is) one does not pay attention to (the revealed knowledge) and thus does not accept guidance of Allah with which I have been sent." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Shunning dissension. Allah tells mankind to shun dissension by, among other things, trying to explain verses that are allegorical in the Quran.

'Aisyah reported that Allah's Messenger recited the following verse: "He it is Who hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture wherein are clear revelations — They are the substance of the Book — and others (which are) allegorical.

But those in whose hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking (to cause) dissension by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein; the whole is from our Lord ; but only men of understanding really heed." (Surah Ali-'Imran: 7) After reciting this verse the Holy Prophet said, "When you see people following allegorical verses, keep yourself aloof from them because the Almighty Allah has ordained to do so."

'Umar ibn Khattab said, "The going astray of a learned, disputation of a hypocrite on Quranic issues and decision of wicked Imams ruin the structure of Islam." When Subigh asked 'Umar about al-Dzariyat and similar other allegorical verses, he admonished him.

Do not be heedless about Quran. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "May I tell you a practice by which you will become a permanent reciter of the Holy Quran?" I submitted, 'Why not ? O Messenger of Allah! I always intend to seek piety and virtue.'

Whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said, "Fast the most superior type of fasting (that is the fasting of (Prophet) Daud. He was the greatest worshipper. Recite the whole Quran in one month's time."

Then I ('Abdullah Ibn 'Umar) said, "But I have power (to do more than that)." Allah's Apostle said, "Then finish the recitation of the whole Quran in 10 days' time." I said, "But I have power (to do more than that)." Allah's Apostle said, "Then finish the recitation of Quran in seven days, and do not finish it in less than this period." (Bukhari)

Abdurrahman