‘… Except the people of Yunus’

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Some thoughts over Surah Yunus. Hope it benefits…

وَقَالَ مُوسَى رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ آتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلأهُ زِينَةً وَأَمْوَالاً فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِكَ رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُواْ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الأَلِيمَ

“And Musa said: “Our Lord! You have indeed bestowed on Fir’awn and his chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of this world, our Lord, that they may lead men astray from Your Path. Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment.”
[Yunus: 88]

Fawa’id:

• From the ayah, it is clear that only Musa (`alayhisalam) made the du’a for Fir’awn’s destruction. However, in the next verse, Allah `azza wa jall responds by saying: قَالَ قَدْ أُجِيبَت دَّعْوَتُكُمَا – “Verily, the invocation of you both is accepted.” It was Musa who made the du’a but in the response Harun was also included as if he too made the du’a.

This is because Harun was in the presence of Musa and according to the mufassirin: كان يؤمِّن – he was saying ‘Amin after his brother. Now, there is the existing rule: المؤمن يأخذ حكم الداعي – the Mu’ammin (one saying ‘Amin) takes the same ruling as the Da’i (one making du’a) and as Imam al-Tabari said in his tafsir of this verse: فلذلك نسبت الإجابة إليهما لأن المؤمن داع – ‘For this reason the answer came for both for them because the mu’ammin is also a da’i’. Hence, the du’a of a person becomes the du’a of another if they pronounce the Ta’min (Amin) and consequently because of this strong link, if the du’a is answered for the da’i it is also answered for the mu’ammin.

• The end of Musa’s supplication was a call for destruction. But as a lesson for Fir’awn and his mala’ (chiefs), Musa asked that this punishment take place just after they saw the indisputable signs of Allah which would leave with no choice except to believe. Allah `azza wa jall fulfilled this completely when the end came for Fir’awn and his mala’:

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْياً وَعَدْواً حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آمَنتُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلِـهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

‘And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Fir’aun (Pharaoh) with his hosts followed them in oppression and enmity, till when drowning overtook him, he said: “I believe that none has the right to be worshipped but He in Whom the Children of Israel had believed, and I am one of the Muslims.’

• Allah `azza wa jall says ‘حتى إذا أدركه الغرقُ’ – this literally means: ‘until the deep sea/drowning’ caught up with him.’ The فاعل (subject) here is the sea, although it’s غير عاقل (an inanimate object); and this in the Arabic language is what’s referred to as تشخيص – personification.

The sea has been made out to be a living & moving entity, almost as if Allah `azza wa jall describes it as being an army from among His armies which has been sent ahead to take down an enemy – just like one would say: أدرك الجيشُ العدوَ عند مكان ما (the army met their enemy at such and such a place etc), the sea is the force which caught up with Fir’awn and his chiefs. وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ – ‘… And no-one knows the forces of your Lord except He Himself…’ [al-Muddathir: 31] 

• Fir’awn’s disbelief blinded him. He saw how Allah saved Musa by parting the sea for him and the believers, but he forgot the ultimate qadhiyya and Divine plan: That he was destined to be drowned and that the sorcerers’ news from beforetime was to take place any moment (the news that a man from Bani Isra’il would take over his kingdom was what caused Fir’awn to begin killing every male newborn on alternate years). The reason the ayah says بغيا و عدوا (in oppression and enmity) is because these characteristics are what blind a person from the truth and encourage him to persist in wrongdoing and in seeking unachievable (and often wrong) aims. These two characteristics are what caused Fir’awn to go after the believers and hasten to his place of destruction – so it should be realized that if these characteristics persist in a person (enmity and oppression of the believers), they will also eventually cause a person’s destruction in this world and ruin their affairs in the Hereafter.

 

• The audacity and boldness of Fir’awn didn’t seem to halt even at the time of destruction. The ayah states his ’shahadah’ (testimony of faith) but we find that it is devoid of the Name of Allah. He surrendered, but in his own words he surrendered to ‘the One whom Bani Isra’il believed in’ – even though he may have intended to avoid uttering the name of Allah, in effect he ended up giving Bani Isra’il full credit for being right and him being wrong.

This highlights 2 things: Firstly, when Signs come to a person, if they’ve previously lived a life of arrogance, this arrogance will not let him fully and completely acknowledge or submit to a superior being or even allow him to have the humbleness he needs to surrender to Allah `azza wa jall. And secondly, opposing the believers doesn’t do a person any good because in the end he will be forced to recognize the virtue of the believers and the correctness of the path they have taken. So every oppressor and opponent of a believing people should realize that he will one day be humbled to these ‘Ibad and forced to recognize them as being superior.

• The response of Allah `azza wa jall to Fir’awn was clear:

آلآنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

“Now? When you had refused to believe before and you were from the Mufsidin?’

• Fir’awn proclaimed the testimony of belief but his time had run out (hence: ءآلآن وقد عصيت قبل…؟) and his soul had reached the point of yaqin (certainty) – the point at which no-one’s Iman or deeds are accepted any longer. His was an Iman of اضطرار (coercion) and not إختيار (choice), and thus it was further rejected.

 

• It is interesting to note how Allah `azza wa jall responded. It wasn’t a direct answer, in fact it was a question – a rhetorical one: استفهام إنكاري – i.e. ‘Do you claim belief now?’ Fir’awn’s act was insulting and didn’t deserve a direct response. He claimed by saying ‘… And I am one of the Muslimin.’ But Allah responded by saying , ‘… You were from the Mufsidin.‘  – Fasad (corruption and wrong-doing) is therefore not something compatible with one’s true practice of Islam and to be a Muslim means to be a Muslih (one who rectifies things) and not a Mufsid (who corrupts).

 

• As is known, when Fir’awn claimed belief at this point, Jibril (`alayhisalam) stuffed the dirt from the seabed into the mouth of Fir’awn out of fear that Fir’awn would praise Allah which in turn would bring the Mercy of Allah*. This act of Jibril tells us a number of things:

1) The knowledge that Jibril had of the Greatness of Allah’s Mercy (that it can reach even the staunchest of enemies)

2) His hatred of Fir’awn, and we know this from his own statement in a hadith narrated by al-Tabarani: يا محمد ما أبغضت أحدا كبغضي لفرعون عندما قال: “ما علمت لكم من إله غيري” – ‘O Muhammad, I have never hated anyone as much as I’ve hated Fir’awn when he said (to the people): ‘I do not know of another God for you, apart from me.’ [Al-Qasas: 38]

3) The angels are aware of the slaves of Allah `azza wa jall and accordingly they love and hate for the sake of Allah.

 

Major point of benefit: These details of how Fir’awn decided to believe at the last minute and utter his (rejected) statement of belief are mentioned in the Qur’an here only. Nowhere else in the Qur’an is this statement of his quoted. Why? Well, perhaps this is where the name of the Surah comes into the discussion:

Surah Yunus is the first surah (in chronological order) named after a Prophet and interestingly it tells us of one major exception that took place in the history of the Da’wah of the Messengers and in the history of Mankind – an exception to the rule of disbelief and destruction. As is known, nations who belied and disbelieved in their Messengers were often destroyed, and their belief at time of punishment was not accepted nor did it benefit them in the least. But…

فَلَوْلاَ كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلاَّ قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُواْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ

“And there was not a single town which believed (at the time of destruction) and whose faith saved them, except the people of Yunus (Jonah); when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the world, and permitted them enjoyment for a while.”
[Yunus: 98]

Belief at the time of halak (destruction) never benefited a person or a nation, except for the people of Yunus (`alayhisalam). The scholars differed as to why this nation was exempt from the Sunnah of perished Nations, but it’s something that happened by the Will of Allah for a wisdom that none knows except the Lord of Mankind, `azza wa jall.

Therefore, for Fir’awn, claiming to believe when he saw the descent of halak, was a lost cause. It is impossible for a disbelieving nation to be saved at the time of destruction, and the one & only exception to this Divine Law had already taken place with the people of Yunus – for they were given what everyone else (including Fir’awn) was denied; Decree thereafter is sealed upon Mankind:

يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ لاَ يَنفَعُ نَفْساً إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِن قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْراً

“… The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he did not believe before, nor earned good (deeds)…”
[Al-An'am: 158]

• Verses 90 and 91 are held by some scholars and linguists to be from the most eloquent verses in the Qur’an which hold the greatest form of balagha (rhetoric).

الله تعالى أعلى وأعلم

______________________________

* According to the narration:

قال جبريل: يا محمد لو رأيتني وأنا آخذ من حال البحر وأدسه في فيه مخافة أن تدركه الرحمة
Jibril said: ‘O Muhammad, if you could but see me as I took from the dust of the sea and thrust it into his mouth out of fear that Mercy would come to him.’ – Sahih (al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad)

- Some points were based on Silsilat Ta’ammulat al-Qur’an by Shaykh al-Maghamisi

Imam al-Shafi’i and the Old Man

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Rabi’ ibn Sulayman (a companion of Imam al-Shafi’i) said:

‘We were with al-Shafi’i one day when an old man wearing garments of wool came to us with a walking-stick in his hand. Al-Shafi’i stood up, fixed his clothes and greeted the old man. He sat down and al-Shafi’i began looking at him in admiration when the man said:

Old man: Can I ask?
Al-Shafi’i: Ask.

Old man: What is the Hujjah (evidence) in the religion of Allah?
Al-Shafi’i: The Book of Allah.

Old man: What else?
Al-Shafi’i: The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).

Old man: What else?
Al-Shafi’i: The consensus of the Ummah.

Old man: Where did you get ‘consensus of the Ummah’ from? (i.e. what’s your evidence).

Al-Shafi’i pondered for a moment when the old man said:

Old man: I will leave you for 3 days. If you come up with evidence from the Book of Allah, fine. If not, then repent to Allah Ta’ala.

Al-Shafi’i’s face changed colour and then he left. He didn’t come out until the third day, between dhuhr and ‘asr. His face, hands and legs had swollen and he became ill. He sat down but it was only a short while when the old man returned. He greeted him and sat down then he said,

Old man: Do you have what I asked for?
Al-Shafi’i: Yes.

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

Allah, the Most High said:

وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءتْ مَصِيراً
“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We shall keep him on the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – and what an evil destination.” [al-Nisa: 115]

… And He (Allah `azza wa jall) will not burn him in Hell for opposing the believers in something except that it is something obligatory.’

Old man: You have told the truth.

Then he got up and left.

Al-Shafi’i then said to those around him: I read the Qur’an 3 times every day (in the 3 days he was given), until I came to this verse.’

- Siyar A’lam al-Nubala

It’s the case that sometimes, the Qur’an reveals its gems and answers at different times and on different occasions. Even if we may have read a particular verse many times before, it will suddenly sink in with us differently at another time.

As they say, ‘لا تنقضي عجائبه ‘ – its wonders never cease. May Allah grant us good understanding of His Book.

Al-Kisa’ee: Of Nahw and Nobility

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Imam al-Kisa’ee (one of the 7 Qurra’) penned the following poem regarding Nahw (grammar):

.
إنما النحو قياس يتبع *** وبه في كل أمر ينتفع
Indeed grammar is only a scale that’s followed
And by it, benefit is derived in every matter

فإذا ما أتقن النحو الفتى *** مر في المنطق مرا فاتسع
So if a youth perfects his knowledge of grammar
Then he excels in eloquence and expands therein

واتقاه كل من يسمعه *** من جليس ناطق أو مستمع
All who hear him stand wary of him
Every companion who sits either speaking or listening

وإذا لم يعرف النحو الفتى *** هاب أن ينطق جبنا فانقمع
And if a youth has no knowledge of grammar
Then he cowardly fears to speak, so he remains restrained

يقرأ القرآن لا يعرف *** ما صرّف الإعراب فيه وصنع
He reads the Qur’an but he does not know
What changes the I’rab brings and what function it has

فتراه ينصب الرفع وما *** كان من نصب ومن خفض رفع
So you see him cause the marfu’ to become mansub
And whatever was mansub or makhfud, he makes marfu’!

وإذا حرف جرى إعرابه *** صعب الحرف عليه وامتنع
And if a letter has no sign of I’rab
That letter puts him in difficulty and so he holds back!

يتقى اللحن إذا يقرأه *** وهو لا يدرى وفي اللحن وقع
He is fearful of falling into error when he does read
But he has no knowledge and so in error does he fall!

يلزم الذنب الذى أقرأه *** وهو لا ذنب له فيما اتبع
The sin of this is upon the one who taught him so
And there is no sin on him for what he has followed

والذى يعرفه يقرأه *** وإذا ما شاك في حرف رجع
As for him who has knowledge, reads it well (Qur’an)
And if he is doubtful over a letter, he takes to review

ناظرا فيه وفي إعرابه *** فإذا ما عرف الحق صدع
He looks to it precisely and to its I’rab
And when he finds the answer, he overcomes (the difficulty)

أهما قيه سواء عندكم *** ليست السنة فينا كالبدع
Are they one and the same in your perspective?
In our perspective, the Sunnah is not like the Bid’ah!

وكذلك العلم والجهل فخذ *** منهما ما شئت من شيء ودع
And likewise is the case of ‘ilm and jahl (ignorance)
So take from it what you wish, and leave what you wish

كم وضيع رفع النحو وكم *** من شريف قد رأيناه وضع
How many a debased one was elevated by Nahw
And how many a noble one have we seen debased?

- Imam al-Kisa’ee

Name: ‘Ali ibn Hamza ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Bahman (Abul Hasan)

Originally from Persia, he settled in Kufa. When asked about his nickname (al-Kisa’ee), he said, ‘Because I entered into Ihram (Hajj/’Umrah) dressed in a Kisaa’ (garment).’

He (rahimahullah) was not only an Imam in the Qira’at, but he was also skilled and proficient in Nahw (grammar). It is said that he sought knowledge in nahw in his later years due to the following incident:

One day, he was out walking when he became tired and sat down with a group of people whom he used to sit with a lot due to their virtue. So he said to them قد عيَّيْتُ (‘I’ve become tired’). They said to him, ‘How can you sit with us whilst making such errors in language?!’ He said, ‘And how have I erred?’ They said, ‘If you meant to say ‘out of tiredness’ then say أعْيَيت and if you meant to say ‘out of incapacity and confusion’ then say عّيِيت’

He rejected this statement and got up immediately. He began to ask around for someone to teach him Nahw and they guided him to Mu’adh al-Harraa’ whom he studied from much. He then went to Basra and studied from the likes of ‘Isa ibn ‘Umar, al-Khalil and Yunus.

Imam al-Shafi’i: ‘Whoever wishes to delve deep into Nahw, then he’ll be like a child compared to al-Kisa’ee.’

Ibn al-Anbar: ‘They concurred that he (al-Kisa’ee) was the most knowledgeable of Nahw, leading in understanding the gharib (unique terms in language) and the foremost in having knowledge of the Qur’an (Qira’at etc).’

A humbling experience

Imam al-Kisa’ee relates: ‘I lead Haroon al-Rashid in prayer one day and I took a liking to my recitation. But then I made a mistake that not even a child makes! I wanted to say,

ولعلهم يرجعون
‘… So that they may return’

But instead I said,

ولعلهم يرجعين
‘… So that they (she) may return’ – [In other words, he mixed up the verb indicating a single fem. subject rather than the masc. plural]

He said, ‘By Allah, Haroon didn’t have the boldness to say ‘You have made a mistake,’ but when I finished the prayer he asked me, ‘O Kisa’ee, what language/Qira’ah is this?’ I said, ‘O leader of the faithful, even the fine horses stumble at times.’ He said, ‘Yes, this is true.’

- أهميت تعلم علم النحو ومكانته عند السلف

5 Principles of Prayer

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

“Just as the prayer has been built upon 5 principles: Qira’ah (recitation), Qiyam (standing), Rukoo‘ (bowing), Sujood (prostration) and Dhikr (remembrance), it has also been named as such.

The prayer has been called ‘Qiyam‘ in the verse:

قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً
Stand (to pray) all night, except a little.” [al-Muzzammil: 2]

And in:

وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ
“… And stand before Allah with obedience” [al-Baqarah: 238]

It has been called Qira’ah in:

وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُوداً
“… and recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.” [al-Isra: 78]

And:

فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ
“… So recite as much of the Quran as may be easy…” [al-Muzzammil: 20]

It has also been termed ‘Rukoo‘ in:

وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ
“… And bow down along with the Raki’un (those who bow in prayer).” [al-Baqarah: 43]

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ
“And when it is said to them: “Bow down yourself (in prayer)!” They bow not down.” [al-Mursalat: 48]

And again it’s been named Sujood in:

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ
“So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him).” [al-Hijr: 98]

وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ
“… Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!” [al-'Alaq: 19]

And finally it has been called Dhikr in:

فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“… come to the remembrance of Allah (i.e. the Friday prayer)…” [al-Jumu'ah: 9]

لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“… Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah (i.e. prayer).” [al-Munafiqun: 9]

Ibn al-Qayyim: ‘The most honourable of actions (in the salah) is the sujood and the most honourable of adhkar (words of remembrance) is recitation. The first chapter revealed to the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was:

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ
“Read in the Name of your Lord…” [al-'Alaq]

It begins with the command to read and it ends with the command to prostrate. So each unit of prayer has been established upon this, its first part is recitation and its end is that of prostration.’

['Asrar al-Salat', by Ibn al-Qayyim]

ssThe Prayer is built upon 5

Just as the prayer has been built upon 5 principles: Qira’ah (recitation), Qiyam (standing), Rukoo’ (bowing), Sujood (prostration) and Dhikr (remembrance), it has also been termed with these.

The prayer has been called ‘Qiyam’ in the verse:

قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً

Stand (to pray) all night, except a little.” [al-Muzzammil: 2]

And in:

وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ

“… And stand before Allah with obedience” [al-Baqarah: 238]

It has been called Qira’ah in:

وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُوداً

“… and recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.” [al-Isra: 78]

And:

فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ

“… So recite as much of the Quran as may be easy…” [al-Muzzammil: 20]

It has also been termed ‘Rukoo’ in:

وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ

“… And bow down along with the Raki’un (those who bow in prayer).” [al-Baqarah: 43]

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ

“And when it is said to them: “Bow down yourself (in prayer)!” They bow not down.” [al-Mursalat: 48]

And again it’s been named Sujood in:

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ

“So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him).” [al-Hijr: 98]

وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ

“… Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!” [al-'Alaq: 19]

And finally it has been called Dhikr in:

فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

“… come to the remembrance of Allah (i.e. the Friday prayer)…” [al-Jumu'ah: 9]

لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

“… Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah.” [al-Munafiqun: 9]

Ibn al-Qayyim: ‘The most honourable of actions (in the salah) is the sujood and the most honourable of adhkar (words of remembrance) is recitation. The first chapter to be revealed upon the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was:

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ

“Read in the Name of your Lord…” [al-'Alaq: 1]

It begins with the command to read and it ends with the command to prostrate…’

Qur’an Bearers: Nobles of this Ummah

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Update: I’ll be on a break for about 2 months, so unfortunately no updates until after then. But I leave you with this beautiful piece below…

Imam al-Jazari’s praise for the Qur’an bearer – taken from the Muqaddimah of ‘Tayyibat al-Nashr.’

وبعد: فالإنسان ليس يشرف *** إلا بما يحفظه ويعرف
A person is not honoured or raised
Except by what he knows and has memorised

لذاك كان حاملو القرآن *** أشراف الأمة أولى الإحسان
For that reason the bearers of Qur’an
Are the nobles of this Ummah and its righteous

وإنهم في الناس أهل الله *** وإن ربنا بهم يباهي
And they are the people of Allah amongst Mankind *
And indeed our Lord has boasted of them

وقال في القرآن عنهم وكفى *** بأنه أورثه من اصطفى
He spoke of them in the Qur’an, and it is sufficient
That He gives it (the Qur’an) to those He has chosen **

وهو في الأخرى شافع مشفع *** فيه وفوله عليه يسمع
And in the Hereafter, it is an ardent intercessor
And its statement is something surely heard

يعطى به الملك مع الخلد إذا *** توجه تاج الكرامة كذا
By it a person is given the dominion and immortality
And likewise, he is given the crown of honour

يقرا ويرقى درج الجنان *** وأبواه منه يكسيان
He’ll read and ascend the ranks of Paradise by it
And his parents will also be clothed by it ***

فليحرص السعيد في تحصيله *** ولا يمل قط من ترتيله
So let a person strive to attain it
And let him never tire of its recitation.

____

* Due to the hadith: ‘Indeed Allah has people from amongst Mankind. The people of Qur’an, they are the people of Allah and His Specialties.’ [Ahmad, Ibn Majah]

** Due to the verse in Soorah Fatir:

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ

“Then We gave the Book for inheritance to such of Our slaves whom We chose…” [Fatir: 32]

*** Due to the hadith: ‘The Qur’aan will meet its companion on the Day of Resurrection when his grave is opened for him, in the form of a pale man. It will say to him, ‘Do you recognize me?’ He will say: ‘I do not recognize you.’ It will say: ‘I am your companion the Qur’aan, who kept you thirsty on hot days and kept you awake at night. Every merchant benefits from his business and today you will benefit from your good deeds.’ He will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left, and there will be placed on his head a crown of dignity, and his parents will be clothed with priceless garments the like of which have never been seen in this world. They will say: ‘Why have we been clothed with this?’ It will be said: ‘Because your son used to recite Qur’aan.’ Then it will be said to him: ‘Recite and ascend in the degrees of Paradise,’ and he will continue to ascend so long as he recites, either at a fast pace or a slow pace.’ [Ahmad, Ibn Majah]