Nine great benefits of reciting the Quran

Nine great benefits of reciting the Quran

Indeed to reflect on Allah’s verses is a form of worship that will
draw one close to Allah Most High. This reflection is not a reckless and
wandering one, rather it includes a study of the classical tafseer of
the verses being pondered over, as this would fulfil Ibnul-Qayyim’s
great advice, “Such as reflecting over a book which a person has
memorised and he expounds it so that he may understand what its author
intends by it.”
Indeed the Book of Allah is not a book like any other, it is the
timeless Speech of Allah, not a created thing, the study guide for life and
death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study
than anyone else’s speech. It necessitates that its reader return to
the early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its
explanation by the one deputed by Allah to rehearse and explain His
Words to humanity (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). For if one would try
to ponder over the meanings of the verses without having done this
study, then surely the filth of the time that he lives in and his
ignorance of the correct application and understanding that the early Muslims
had would cause him to understand some things not intended by Allah Most
High, and therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping
Allah. So every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allah’s Love breciting
and reflecting over Allah’s Book, then let him hold tight to the
meanings explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and
those taught by the companions and their immediate followers, and the
early scholars of Islam.

So dear brother and sister Muslim! Know that reciting and pondering
over the Book of Allah, devoting your time regularly to its study and
implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the Next, so let us
now look to just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to
Allah’s Majestic Words. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement
to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves to the Qur’an.

1 - Reading and reflecting over the Qur’an fulfils an Islamic duty.

Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) summarised this
Religion with his statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!”
So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We
asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK, His
Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] The
sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes its regular
recitation, learning the rules of tajweed and reciting it beautifully, learning
about its tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it
is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation,
honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions
found in it, teaching it and calling to it. [See Jaami’ul-’Uloom
wal-Hikam of Ibn Rajab Al-Hambalee] So by reading and reflecting over the
Qur’an, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon
fulfilling this obligation, the Qur’an then becomes a proof for him on
the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by
embracing this Noble Book...

2 - The Qur’an will be a proof for us on the Day of Judgment.

This is due to the statement of the Messenger: “And the Qur’an is a
proof for you or against you.” [Muslim] So one of two things will
occur with this proof, the Book of Allah. It will either be in your
favor, a proof for you on the Day when you will need every single good deed,
or it will be something standing against you, the very Speech of your
Creator, a proof against you! Who could be saved from the terrors of
that Day if Allah’s own Speech is against him?!?! Think carefully, dear
Muslim brother or sister, about your position with the Qur’an! Are
you neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and
prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it?! Will it be on your side
on the Day of Judgment.?! O Allah! We ask you, by Your Glorious Speech
and the rest of your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make the
Qur’an a proof for us! O Allah! Don’t make the Qur’an a proof against us
on that Day, and save us from the hellfire! For if Allah makes the
Qur’an a proof in our favour on that Day, then it would also be an
intercessor for us, when NO intercession will take place except by His
Permission.

3 - The Qur’an will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment.

The proof: Aboo Umaamah relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi
wa sallam) said: “Read the Qur’an, for verily it will come on the
Day of Standing as an intercessor for its companions.” [Muslim]

4 - Your status in this life will be raised.

In Saheeh Muslim, we find a lovely story, about how a man from the
people of Jannah, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, understood this principle. Some
men came to question him during his khilaafah about the leadership of
Makkah, they asked, “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said,
“Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A
freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed
slave in charge of the people of the Valley (the noble tribes of the
Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered them, “Verily he is a reader of the
Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims.
Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah
raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it.”

5 - You will be from the best of the people.

‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet
(sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best of you are the ones who
learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]

6 - There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur’an.

As an authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee proves: “Whoever reads a
letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will
be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a
letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a
letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of
the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as
well.

7 - The reciters of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble
and obedient angels.

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet
(sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Verily the one who recites
the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the
company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites
with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he
will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan give you
false excuses, such as “I am not an ‘Arab,” or “Its not my
language.” This hadith is a firm proof against these whisperings. Dedicate
yourself to the Book of Allah, whether you are an ‘Arab or not! The
excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to
embrace the Book of Allah without holding back or offering excuses! And
surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for
the Qur’an once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of
reading and contemplating over the Qur’an...

8 - Your position in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an
you memorize in this life!

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-’Aas heard the Prophet (sallallaahu
‘alaihi wa sallam) saying: “It will be said to the companion of the
Qur’an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and
beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunyaa! For
verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you
recite!” [Aboo Daawood and At-Tirmithee, saheeh]

9 - The Qur’an will lead you to Paradise!

The Prophet said: “The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given
permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts
it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind
him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found
in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]

Know, dear brother or sister, that these nine benefits from the many
benefits available can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the
Book of Allah, not by a person’s mere statement, “I love the
Qur’an, it’s beautiful.” Rather the heart must be sincerely attached to
Allah’s Book and the limbs and tongue will follow in this attachment.
You must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of
reading and reflecting over the Qur’an. There are many benefits that
await your reading in the Qur’an and books of hadith, like the
chapter of the Qur’an that will argue on your behalf in the grave, and that
it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your
heart, among many other things. And Allah knows best.

(Taken from Look 4 Islam)