Why read the Quran

reading time ~12 mins

Reading, contemplating, understanding and embodying the Quran is a privilege – the invitation is universal – the sincere ones accept it

If you wish to check how much you love Allah, then see how much your heart loves the Quran, and you will know the answer
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya

Instead of asking why read the Quran, ask, Why not read the Quran – what can possibly be the harm in reading the Quran?

Imaan necessitates intimacy and immersion in the Quran

Having Imaan and a lack of connection with Quran simultaneously is cognitive dissonance

Can one truly have Imaan without loving Allah? And can one truly love Allah without immersing himself in the speech of Allah?

The Quran is the uncreated Word of Allah. How can a believer have no interest in reading His uncreated divine attribute?

Love of Allah in the Quran

Still there are some who take others as Allah’s equal—they love them as they should love Allah—but the ˹true˺ believers love Allah even more
Quran 2:165

O believers! Whoever among you abandons their faith, Allah will replace them with others who love Him and are loved by Him. They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers, struggling in the Way of Allah; fearing no blame from anyone. This is the favour of Allah. He grants it to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.
Quran 5:54

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Quran 3:31

We will be with those we love

Narrated Anas: A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgment) saying, “When will the Hour be?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Apostle.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “You will be with those whom you love.” We had never been so glad as we were on hearing that saying of the Prophet (i.e., “You will be with those whom you love.”) Therefore, I love the Prophet, Abu Bakr and `Umar, and I hope that I will be with them because of my love for them though my deeds are not similar to theirs.
Sahih Bukari 3688

There is no speech more superior than the Quran

Is there any other speech in the Universe better than the Quran made accessible to us?

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would praise Allah in his sermon, as He deserves to be praised, and then say, “Whomever Allah guides, no one can lead him astray. Whomever Allah sends astray, no one can guide him. The truest word is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The most evil matters in religion are those that are newly invented, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.”
an-Nasa’i 1578 an-Nasa’i 1578 (abuaminaelias) Sahih according to Al-Albani

Abu Sa’id reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The superiority of the words of Allah over all other words is like the superiority of Allah over His creation.”
al-Tirmidhi 2926 Hasan

Quran is a guide to deal with the test of life

Every human being needs to read the Quran with translation, internalise it, and try to implement it in their lives

Can anyone claim to fully memorise the entire Quran in an unforgettable way? Or can someone claim to know how to apply the Quran in each and every situation of their life? If not, the only way is to keep reading it over and over again

Humanity was sent on earth to be tested as to who will do good deeds, and the Quran is

the book of guidance to teach you how to deal with life, with family, friends, work, neighbors, trade, etc. It helps a believer in living a life pleasing to Allah and it encourages us to follow the example of the sunnah
defines good deeds (al Furqan) Quran 3:3-4
is a Healing (Ash-Shifa) and Mercy (al Rahmah) for the believers Quran 10:57 Quran 17:82
is remembrance (al Dhikr) Quran 15:9
Remembering Allah brings tranquility to the hearts Quran 13:28
bears glad tidings and a warning Quran 41:3-4
contains the best Duas from previous Prophets see Duas in Quran
describes stories of the past to learn lessons
explains human psychology and helps purify the nafs
shares aspects of the ghayb

For a believer, any matter in the universe can be resolved with help of the Quran and the Sunnah

The Quran is the rope of Allah – Hold on to it tightly

Allah says in the Quran

And hold firmly together to the rope of Allah and do not be divided.
Quran 3:103

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily, this Quran is a rope. One end is in the hand of Allah, and the other end is in your hands. Hold fast to it, for you will never be led astray or ruined ever again.”
Sahih ibn Hibban 122 Hasan (fair) according to Al-Arna’ut also see Tirmidhi 3788 Sahih

The Prophet ﷺ recited the Quran every night in Tahajjud

Narrated Abu Salma bin `Abdur Rahman: I asked `Aisha, “How is the prayer of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) during the month of Ramadan.” She said, “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) never exceeded eleven rak`at in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four rak`at– do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four rak`at, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three rak`at.” Aisha further said, “I said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you sleep before offering the witr prayer?’ He replied, ‘O `Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake’!”
Sahih Bukhari 1147

Narrated `Aisha: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer eleven rak`at and that was his prayer. He used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Qur’an) before he would lift his head. He used to pray two rak`at (Sunna) before the Fajr prayer and then used to lie down on his right side till the call-maker came and informed him about the prayer.
Sahih Bukhari 1123

The Prophet encouraged us to hold on to the Quran

Narrated Abu Musa:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Commit yourself to the Qur’an, for by Him in whose Hand is my soul, it is surely more prone to break away than a camel in its bind.
Sahih Bukhari 5033

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever would be pleased to love Allah and his messenger, let him read from the written Quran.”
Mu’jam Ibn al-Muqri’ Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani

Quran (repeatedly recited) – Insaan (regularly forgets)

The word Quran comes from the root word Qara’a (قَرَأَ) – Even the word’s structure suggests it is something meant to be repeated over and over again

The word Quran follows a specific morphological pattern that linguists call the Fu’lān (فُعْلَان) pattern.

**The Power of the Fu’lān Pattern**

In the Arabic language, when a root is cast into the فُعْلَان template, it often denotes Hyperbole (Mubalaghah), Abundance, or Movement/Agitation

Think of other words on this same spiritual or emotional scale:

Ghufran (غُفْرَان): Not just a simple “sorry,” but an overwhelming and complete forgiveness
Rahman (رَحْمَن): Not just “merciful,” but intensely and vastly Merciful
Furqan (فُرْقَان): Not just a “divider,” but a decisive and constant criterion between truth and falsehood

When we apply this to the root Q-R-’ (to recite), the structure Qur’an implies a recitation that is not a one-time event, but something characterized by intensity, abundance, and repetition

One of the roots for Insaan is N-S-Y (ن س ي) which means to forget. Human beings are the forgetful ones who need constant recitation of the Quran which is a reminder ٱلذِّكْرَ

It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it
Quran 15:9

The character of the Prophet ﷺ peace be upon him was the Quran

Qatadah reported: I said to Aisha, “O mother of the believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” Aisha said, “Have you not read the Quran?” I said, “Of course.” Aisha said, “Verily, the character of the Prophet of Allah was the Quran.”
Sahih Muslim 746 Sahih Muslim 746 (abuaminaelias)

Sufyan reported: Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “If our hearts were pure, we would never be tired of the speech of Allah.”
Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 7/272

Summary

Every believer should read and understand the Quran (non Arabic speakers should read translations)
A believer needs to have all the Quranic rulings, obligations, prohibitions, good news, warnings, moral philosophies, human psychology, parables, lessons from stories, interpretations and Tafasir understood, internalised, memorised and embodied in their personal lives. This requires deep immersion and taddabur (contemplation) on the Quran regularly
1. The goal is to implement the Quran in every situation of one’s life
The Quran is the rope of Allah – His uncreated speech – a guide sent down to deal with the challenges of life – One cannot love Allah and not love the guidance and mercy He sent down upon us
The Prophet ﷺ and many of the sahaba recited and interacted with the Quran every day (Salah, Qiyam ul Layl, other times throughout the day). E.g our mother Aisha relates that the Prophet ﷺ used to lie and place his head on her lap and recite the Quran Sahih Bukhari 754

The Quran also warns us about believers who ignore the Quran in Surah al-Furqan

And the Messenger has said, “O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’ān as [a thing] abandoned.”
Quran 25:30

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