As a Muslim, you probably know that reading your Quran is very much important, meanwhile, you may be also wondering WHY. As soon as we grow the sense that we “have to,” then the thing we really “have to” ends up feeling like a chore.
Well, I just want to try not to give you some obvious and trite ideas here. As a matter of fact, you have probably heard them all. If not though, I think I should go over the facts Insha-Allah, i.e. some facts about the Holy Quran you should know.
- The Holy Quran is literally “God-Spoken”
“Do they not then consider the Qur’an carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradiction.” [Quran 4:82]
If we like we can also call it Allah’s very personal love letter directly to those who believe, Masha-Allah.
There is no doubt that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was the person responsible for transmitting the Qur’an. There are mass historical reports that support this claim, and the Qur’an itself confirms that it was revealed to him (Mohammad, 47:2)
What qualities would you expect to find in a book from God? Wouldn’t you expect it to transcend human works? If the work of God could not be distinguished from human works, then how could we be expected to distinguish truth from falsehood and identify God’s guidance?
Thus, the Holy Qur’an is the last revealed Word of Allah. It deals with all the subjects that concern us as human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable economic system.
- The Holy Quran Stands up to Tests
Without doubt, Allah’s word is different from other so-called “Holy Books” in that it does not just present to us a set of rules that we must blindly follow. Instead, it present itself so as we can test its accuracy by examining the bunch of specific prophecies, comparing scientific facts it relates to, and checking the historical accounts it states.
For instance, the scientific community adopts the following approach. Many people come up with new theories but the scientific community does not even bother to listen to them. Scientists have a reason for doing so – they say, “if you have a theory, do not bother me with it unless you bring with that theory a way to prove that you and the theory are wrong’. This is called as a Falsification test.
This is the same reason why they paid attention to Albert Einstein towards the beginning of the century. He came up with the new theory and said, ‘I think the universe works like this and these are three ways to prove me wrong’. Scientists subjected his theory to tests and within 6 years it passed the tests, which he offered.
This does not prove that he is great but it proves that he deserves to be paid attention to, because of the falsification tests, which accompanied his theory.
The Qur’an too offers its readers several falsification tests. Some of these were only meant for the past, yet others for all times. The Qur’an says that if it is not what it claims then all you have to do is this or that, to prove that it is false.
I have not come across this unique falsification test presented in any other religious scriptures said Dr Zakir Naik. The next time you discuss with anyone regarding religion, ask them, ‘Is there anything in your religion which throws up a challenge and says that if I could do this or that I prove that your religion and the scripture wrong? I doubt if anyone else would have anything such as a falsification test to offer.
A person should not only present his belief but should also offer the other person a chance to prove the belief wrong.
- The Holy Quran is Trustworthy and does not Contain Errors
Many other Books have found verses that appear to contradict each other, there are just differences in the styles of writing and phraseology when compared to the Holy Quran. There are errors that lead to absolute confusion in their Books.
If Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was indeed the author of the Qur’an and he merely copied from other sources as they say, how did he manage to avoid the factual and scientific errors that other books contain?
The Qur’an does not contain any statements, which are incompatible with some facts discovered today. That’s why when one reads the Qur’an, you find a distinct characteristic. The descriptions of the natural world in the Qur’an seem remarkably timeless. The Qur’an addresses various levels of intellect, at various times, and has a whole host of meanings for a particular word that it uses to describe the natural world. These words can relate to the past and present understanding of the physical world, and they can relate to non-scientific meanings too, they can be spiritual and moral insights Masha Allah.
- The Holy Quran still Applies to our Lives Today
Before the coming of Islam, the world was in a state of oppression and injustice. Pre-Islamic Arabia was a dreadful place to live in. The Arabs were an immoral people. Slavery was an economic institution. Male and female slaves were bought and sold like animals. They were the most depressed class of the Arabian society. Illiteracy was common among the tribes, as were alcoholism and adultery.
Can you imagine being tasked with reforming such a society? Have a think about how long it would take one person to cure all these social ills. A lifetime? Perhaps several generations? You may even view it as an impossible task.
Well, the Quran managed to completely reform all the social ills of Arabian society and humanity as a whole in a single generation. It took just 23 years! This was a revolution, the likes of which the world has never witnessed.
If the Qur’an had never been revealed, then what would be the likely state of the world today? Let’s think this through step by step. From the Qur’an emerged the justice of Islamic law; from that justice came peace and co-existence; with that peaceful co-existence came free intellectual activity in Muslim lands and from this freedom of literacy originate the knowledge that took many countries out of the Dark Ages and ushered in the Renaissance.
Thus, isn’t it reasonable to conclude that the modern world, with all of its advanced technology like the internet and mobile phones, is a direct consequence of the revelation of the Qur’an?
- Reason to Read the Holy Quran
What benefit will we get from reading the Holy Quran? What kind of satisfaction we can get from Allah’s Word? With all the important things that distract us and demand our attention every hour of every day, why should we spend some time with God’s Word, The Holy Quran?
- “Because the Quran got Answers”
One thing is sure in today’s world; it’s a lot easier to ask questions than it is to find answers. Yet, a life without explanation is exhausting. Therefore, we demand explanation, and fortunately, the Holy Quran plus the Islam worldview comes nicely furnished with explanation.
Insha-Allah, this should give us hope. It also means that now is not the time to throw in the towel. As believers, we may not become spatially disoriented, but we do become spiritually disoriented when we are racked with doubts, the Quran got answers for us.
- The Holy Quran is a measuring tape for truth
In the world we live contain many lies and false teachers, even within the Islamic Communities. Being familiar with Allah’s word helps us discern truth from lies. Reading the Quran thus provides a beneficial opportunity to know truths for ourselves rather than only leaning from a specific scholar.
- Reading the Quran stuff ours our minds and our hearts to face the world every day.
The Holy Quran basically serves our Manual for Humanity, our Guide to Life and everything else. The words within those pages can surely equip it readers for daily living.
- The Quran empowers us to fight temptation.
Knowing from the Quran the status of committing sins and its ultimate consequence in the sight of Allah empowers us to fight it. As a practicing Muslim, with the aid of the Quran, you no longer must follow the sinful way. The Quran keeps us from wasting our precious lives on matters which does not matter and will never last.
To find out more on the reasons why one should not miss reading the Holy Quran each day, please click here Insha-Allah.
The Holy Quran isn’t just a book of pages and lines to be memorized. It is much more alive, much more useful and practical than you may think. To leave it on the shelf is to leave out an opportunity for a fuller, more satisfying and joyful life.