The noble Qur’an is the revealed word of Allah Almighty, whose recitation is an act of worship. Allah spoke it in reality, and Jibrīl (Archangel Garbriel) received it from Him and then went down with it upon the heart of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
There are numerous general merits for the Qur’an and special merits for certain verses and Surahs. The believers should be very keen to recite the Book of Allah and ponder and act upon it. {[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.} Indeed, the Qur’an is light, spirit, and life for the believers and insight for them in knowledge and actions.
991/1 - Abu Umāmah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Read the Qur’an, as it will come as an intercessor for its companions on the Day of Resurrection.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) It gives great glad tidings to the believers, as the noble Qur’an will come on the Day of Judgment as an intercessor for those who used to recite it in pursuit of reward from their Lord.
2) It urges us to recite the Qur’an with reflection and understanding so as to earn this great promised reward.
3) We should believe the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as he informed us that the Qur’an would intercede on the Day of Judgment and not ask how would it intercede? Indeed, the Prophet’s speech is true and truthful. {The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say: “We hear and we obey.” And those are the successful.}
992/2 - Al-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “On the Day of Resurrection, the Qur’an and those who acted according to it will be brought with Surat al-Baqarah and Sūrat ĀI-‘Imrān preceding them and pleading for their companion (i.e. the one who read them and acted upon them).” [Narrated by Muslim]
--
--
1) It shows the merit and reward of those who act upon the Qur’an in this worldly life.
2) A person can act upon the Qur’an only after he ponders it and understands its meanings properly. Knowledge should precede actions.
3) It highlights the merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl-‘Imrān.
993/3 - ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) The best among people are those who combine these two traits: learning the Qur’an and teaching it to others.
2) Learning and teaching include both recitation of the Qur’an and explanation of its meanings.
3) Giving due care to the noble Qur’an is a sign of the virtue of the believer, and when this spreads among the believers at large, this denotes the merit of this Ummah.
994/4 - ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The one who reads the Qur’an skillfully will be in the company of the noble and righteous messenger-angels, and the one who reads the Qur’an but stutters and finds it difficult receives a double reward.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
--
--
1) It shows the merit of those who recite the Qur’an. They always get a reward, whether they recite it skilfully or otherwise.
2) The reward depends on the difficulty and benefit involved. There is the benefit of the recitation itself, and there is patience over the difficulty.
3) A skillful reciter of the Qur’an is with the noble angels, a great merit indeed.
995/5 - Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The example of a believer who recites the Qur’an is like that of a citron; it smells good and tastes good. And the example of a believer who does not recite the Qur’an is like that of a date; it has no smell and tastes good. And the example of a hypocrite who recites the Qur’an is like that of a basil; it smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur’an is like that of a colocynth; it has no smell and tastes bitter.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) A believer who recites the Qur’an is better than a believer who does not, as the former has a good soul and heart, and he brings good to himself and to people. He is like a fruit that smells good and tastes good. But a believer who does not recite the Qur’an brings good only to himself and does not benefit others. He is like a date; it tastes good but has no smell.
2) The hypocrite has evil character and malicious soul. There is no good in him whether he recites the Qur’an or not; he is like a basil or a colocynth.
3) Setting examples is one of the most effective and useful methods of teaching.
996/6 - ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah elevates some people with this Book and degrades others.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) It encourages us to seek the reward for acting upon the Qur’an, believing its information, observing its commands and prohibitions, and adhering to its guidance and finding sufficiency therein. Indeed, Allah Almighty elevates the rank of the people of the Qur’an in this world and in the Hereafter.
2) It warns us of the punishment of reciting the Qur’an for show-off and superiority over others and do not take guidance from it nor believe its information or observe its rulings. Allah Almighty debases such people.
997/7 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There should be no envy except in two cases: a man whom Allah has given the Qur’an so he acts upon it during the day and night; and a man whom Allah has given wealth so he spends it (in charity) during the day and night.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It urges us to compete and seek what is beneficial in the worldly life and in the Hereafter, like applying the Qur’an and spending in the way of Allah.
2) A true believer bases all his deeds upon the guidance of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
3) A person whom Allah gives wealth should fulfill the rights and duties related to it by spending it on charitable causes.
998/8 - Al-Barā ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: While a man was reciting Surat al-Kahf, with his horse tied with two ropes beside him, a cloud overshadowed him. As it began to come nearer and nearer, the horse began to trample violently. In the morning, the man came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and narrated the incident to him. Thereupon, he said: “That was tranquility which descended by virtue of the Qur’an.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
--
--
1) One of the merits of the Qur’an is that tranquility descends when it is recited.
2) It establishes a supernatural incident that occurred to this Companion. The occurrence of such incidents to the allies of Allah (Awliyā’; devout worshipers) is an established confirmed truth. Every pious believer is an ally of Allah Almighty.
3) Supernatural incidents that occur at the hands of people who do not adhere to the Shariah, like jugglers and impostors, are not honorable incidents, but in fact they are insults for them and part of the deceit that Satan targets them with.
999/9 - ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that {Alif-Lām-Mīm} is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1) It shows the great reward for reciting the noble Qur’an.
2) It points out the merit of this Ummah, for Allah Almighty endows them with abundant rewards in return for simple deeds.
1000/10 - Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily, the one who does not have any portion of the Qur’an in his heart is like a ruined house.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)] [11]
1) It points out that the heart blossoms and brightens by the noble Qur’an, becoming like a house bright with lights.
2) It warns us against abandoning the Qur’an, lest our hearts become like ruined houses.
1001/11 - ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The companion of the Qur’an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last verse you recite.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
--
1) A person who is devoted to the Qur’an and acts upon it will be in a high rank in Paradise. His rank in Paradise will be as high as the level of his diligence and recitation of the Qur’an in the worldly life.
2) Ranks in Paradise vary according to the good deeds and hard work of the believers.
3) It shows the merit of the proper and measured recitation of the noble Qur’an.