The Objectives – Recitation of the Holy Qur’aan

Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem

The Objectives

All praises are due unto Allah alone and Durood and Salaams upon Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam.

“Recite the Qur’aan which has been revealed to you and establish Salaah. Verily Salaah prevents immoral behaviour and evil. Without doubt the Thikr of Allah is greatest. And Allah knows what you do.” (Surah 29, Aayat 45)

Amidst all the ongoing debates and discussions, amidst all the disputes and deliberations, we somehow seem to have lost sight of the objectives of our relationship with Allah Ta’ala.

Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi Rahmatullahi alayh cites the above Ayat as a barometer whereby we can measure our relationship with Allah Azza Wajal.

Three issues have been mentioned in the Aayah:

1) Recitation of the Holy Qur’aan: Recitation of the Qur’aan is, according to Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi alayh, a means of conversing with Allah Ta’ala. In a Hadith it is mentioned that the recitation of the Holy Qur’aan is a means of purifying the heart of rust. Our spiritual hearts are constantly exposed to the evils and vices around us. From the morning until night time, our feeble hearts are continiously bombarded by Fisq (sin) and Fujoor (evil). Around every corner shamelessness and greed accosts us. Our eyes and ears inadvertently absorb, in various degrees, the evil. Being created from clay, the heart is impressed if not with all the filth and pollution, then at least with the residue of it. Allah Ta’ala, in His infinite Mercy blessed us with His Holy Speech. Once Imaam Ahmed bin Hambal Rahmatullahi alayh asked Allah Ta’ala in a dream as to how he could obtain greater proximity. It was told to him to recite the Holy Qur’aan irrespective of whether it was with or without understanding.

2) Establishing Salaah: This is the second criteria mentioned in the Aayah. Without establishing Salaah, a person has no Deen. He may be a freedom fighter, he may be an intellectual, he may be an author but he certainly has no truck with Islam. Accountability of Salaah is the very first issue which everyone will be faced with in the Court of Allah Ta’ala. Salaah will be one of the deciding factors of whose companionship one will share on the Day of Qiyamah. Those who destroyed and those who never fulfilled this command of Allah, will be ushered into the circle of the arch enemies of Allah such as Firaun and Haaman. (May Allah save us).

The Shariah has allowed a space wider than the skies and deeper than the oceans for us to extend and to develop our relationship with Allah Ta’aala. The more Salaah one reads, the stronger one’s bond with Allah T’aala becomes.

Ishraaq and Chasht, Awwabeen and Tahajjud, Salaatul – Wudhu and Salaatul – Masjied, Salaatul-Tasbeeh and Salaatul Haajaat, Salaatut-Taubah and Salaatul- Istighaarah, Salaatush-Shukr – all of these beckon and call us before Salaatul Janaazah is performed upon us. May it be that before we meet Allah Azza Wajal, that we hasten to Mer’aj, the Me’raj which is called Salaah.

3) The third criteria in our relationship with Allah Ta’ala is Dhikr. In a Hadith it is mentioned that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam used to remember Allah Ta’ala at every moment. One thinks and speaks much about the one he loves. The various masnoon Du’aas from the time we awaken until we go and sleep have been ordained by the Shairah as a form of remembering Allah Ta’ala. Read Subhanallah, read Alhamdulillah, read Allahu-Akbar, read Astagfirullah, read Durood Sharief. These “Dhikrs” are infinitely better than listening endlessly to talk radio stations.

A tramp was going around town and telling everyone about his impending marriage to the princess. Everyone was highly bemused. The tramp assured them that half the marriage was already agreed upon. He was interested in the marriage; about her he does not yet know! Thus did the tramp lead his life in self-deception and thus did he foolishly console himself.

If there is no Tilaawat, no Salaah, no Dhikr – we are simply deceiving ourselves if we assume that we have a relationship with Allah Ta’ala.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us Taufeeq. (Ameen)