Table of Contents
The Ethics of the People of the Qur’an
The people of the Qur’an, who learn it by heart, should abide by certain ethics and shoulder specific duties in order to deserve the description of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he said, “Surely, Allah has beloved servants amongst people?” People asked, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” “The people of the Qur’an the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied adding, “They are the beloved and favorite servants of Allah.”[1] Following, however, are some of the ethics that the people of the Qur’an should firmly adhere to:
[1] Reported by Ahmad and An-Nasa`i.
1- Frequent Reading and Listening to the Qur’an
The one who learns the Qur’an by heart should frequently read and listen to it so that he can retain it in his heart. In this context, ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“The example of the person who knows the Qur’an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away. “[1]
In the narration of Muslim, however, it is added,
“If the one who learns the Qur’an by heart awakens to read the Qur’an by day and night, he will remember it; whereas if he does not awaken (to recite it), he will forget it. ”
`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
“It is a bad thing that some of you say, ‘I have forgotten such-and-such verse of the Qur’an, ‘for indeed, he has been caused (by Allah) to forget it. So you must keep on reciting the Qur’an because it escapes from the hearts of men faster than camels that are released from their lead ropes. “[2]
According to the above hadith, Allah, Most High, may cause a person to forget some of what he memorizes because of committing sins.
Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“Keep on reciting the Qur’an, for by Him in Whose Hand my life is, the Qur’an runs away (is forgotten ) faster than camels that are released from their lead ropes. “[3]
The one who memorizes the Glorious Qur’an should make the Mus-haf his companion in loneliness and his close friend in times of alienation in order to retain it. In this connection, Al-Qasim ibn `Abdur-Rahman said, “I asked a devout man, ‘Do you not have a close friend (in this wilderness)? Whereupon, he replied, ‘This is my close friend,’ pointing to a Mus-haf Explaining the Islamic ruling regarding forgetting the Glorious Qur’an, As-Suyuti pointed out that forgetting the Glorious Qur`an after memorizing it is a major sin. To support his point of view, As-Suyuti quoted the following hadiths:
“The faults of my people are shown to me. Yet, I do not see a more grievous fault than that of a mart who memorizes a surah or an ayah of the Glorious Qur’an and then forgets it” [4]
“Whoever recites (memorizes) the Quran arid then forgets it, will meet Allah on the Day of Judgment as a leper.”[5]
Also, he quoted the aforementioned two hadiths narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas`ud and Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with them both).
In fact, the hadiths which indicate that forgetting what one memorizes of the Glorious _Qur’an is a major sin are proven to be da’if (weak), i.e., unauthentic, according to the sayings of the Scholars of Hadith. Therefore, we can say that forgetting the Glorious Qur`an after memorizing it is condemned and disliked, not prohibited or regarded as a major sin by the Shari`ahl.[6]
I fear that people would refrain from memorizing the Glorious Qur`an owing to the grievous sin they would commit in case of forgetting it. So, I admitted that forgetting the Qur’an after memorizing it is disliked, not prohibited.
[1] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[3] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[4] Reported by Abu Dawud.
[5] Reported by Abu Dawud.
[6] Sharfah is the Islamic Law. Which contains all ordinances that Allah, Most High, has
prescribed for Muslims.
2- Compliance with the Morals of the Qur’an
Whoever memorizes the Glorious Qur’an, should be distinguished by the morals of the Qur’an and follow the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) about whom `A’ishah, Mother of the Believers, said, “The morals of the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) are exactly that of the Qur’an.”[1]
People of the Qur’an should be like a mirror wherein people see the values and morals of the Glorious Qur’an reflected. Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The one who learns the Qur’an by heart should be distinguished by his prayer and recitation at night while people sleep, his (earnest) work while people laugh, his silence while people indulge (in nonsense), and his consciousness (of Allah) while people are conceited. One who memorizes the Qur’an, moreover, should be humble and tender-hearted. He should not be hard-hearted, disputant, vociferous, or harsh.”
He, also, denied the character of some people, saying, “The Qur’an has been revealed in order to be put into practice. Some people, unfortunately, concern themselves only with studying it, to the extent that one of them may recite the whole Qur’an without leaving out any letter while neglecting to work according to it.”
Al-Fudayl ibn `Iyad, the well-known ascetic, said, “People of the Qur’an are the bearers of the banner of Islam. Therefore, they should not indulge in amusement, nonsense, or play like other common people do. as a manifestation of their consideration of
The rights of the Qur’an.” Furthermore, he, added, “People of the Qur’an should not long for seeking others’ favors, be the ru1ers’ or the public’s. On the contrary, people should look forward to their favors.”
An early Muslim was reported to have said, “A servant of Allah may recite a surah of the Qur’an whereupon the angels pray for him from the beginning until the end of the surah; whereas another servant may recite a surah of the Qur’an whereupon the angels invoke Allah’s curses upon him.” Then, he was asked, “How is that’?” Thereupon, he disclosed, “lf a servant of Allah abides by the commands and prohibitions of the surah (which he recites), angels will pray for him; otherwise, they will invoke Allah`s curses upon him.”
Some scholars, likewise, said, “A person may invoke Allah’s curses upon himself while reading the Glorious Qur`an, that happens, for instance, when one reads Qur’anic verses like: (Behold the curse of Allah is on those who do wrong!) (Hud: 18) and) lnvoke the curse of Allah on those who lie.); (Al `Imran: 61) whereas he himself does wrong and tells lies.”
This is in accordance with the saying of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that reads, “A person may read the Qur’an, while the Qur’an invokes Allah`s curses upon him.”
Maysarah said, “It is a strange thing that the Qur’an be in the heart of a wicked man.”
Other scholars said, “lf a son of Adam reads the Qur`an, then commits faults, and then reads it once more, it would be said to him, ‘What do you want from My Words as long as you ignore Me.”‘
It is no surprise to see the people of the Qur’an precede others in virtue. Thus, you see them in the first rows in Prayer, in the first lines of men in Jiliad[2], and in front of others in doing good. In battles, people used to call upon the people of the Quran, saying, “O people of sum: Al-Baqarah, today sorcery will be nullified.” That happened, for example, in the well-known battle of Al-Yamamah. ln that battle, Hudhayfah said, “O people of the Quran! Adorn the Qur’an with practice.” Also, Salim, the slave of Abu Huzayfah, said on that day when the Mtthajirim expressed to him their fear that they may be defeated because of him, “I would be a wicked man to be the reason you were defeated while I have learned the Qur’an by heart.”[3]. On the day of Al-Yamamah, a great number of those who memorized the Qur’an were martyred[4] for they were in front of others in fighting.
The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to memorize the Glorious Qur’an in a way that led them to act according to its rules and morals. In his Al-Bayan, Abu `Amr Ad-Dani reported on the authority of `Uthman, lbn Mas`ud, and Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with them all) that the Messenger of Allah used to teach them ten verses of the Qur’an and not to continue on to the next ten until they had translated their teachings into practice. “ln this way he taught us both the Qur’an and action,” the Companions commented.
`Abdur-Raziq, likewise. in his Musannaf reported on the authority of Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Salami who said, “We used to learn ten verses of the Quran and not to continue on to the next ten until we had gotten ourselves well-acquainted with its rules, as well as its commands and prohibitions.”
In his Muwatta’, Imam Malik narrated that it took `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) ten years to learn swat Al-Baqarah.
Apparently, that great Companion, ibn `Umar, took so long to learn this surah so as to abide by it and to learn its rules and instructions.
In this connection, ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “For us, memorizing the Qur’an is so difficult while acting according to it is so easy. For our successors, this matter will be on the contrary.”
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “In this Ummah[5], the early generation of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to memorize a little of the Qur’an but they were gifted with acting according to it. Yet, the later generations of this Ummah will read the Glorious Qur’an but they will not be gifted with action.”
Mu`adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Acquire all the knowledge you want but bear in mind that Allah will not reward you until you apply what you know.”[6]
[1] Reported by Muslim.
[2] Jihad means fighting is the cause of Allah or any kind of effort to make Allah`s word Superior. Which is regarded as one of the principles of Islam. (Translator).
[3] lbn Kathir, Al-Bidayyah wan nihayyah. Vol.6, p.324, Beirut
[4] It is said that on the day of Al-Yamamah 500 men of those who memorized the Qur’an were martyred
[5] This word refers to the Muslim nations all over the world as one entity.
[6] All these sayings and comments are stated by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir, vol. I, pp. 34-35. ·
3- Sincerity in Memorizing the Qur’an
People of the Qur’an must seek the pleasure of Allah with memorizing the Glorious Book, the Qur’an. In the Glorious Qur’an, Allah, Most High, says,
(Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him.) (An-Nisa’: 36)
Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness. and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.
(Al-Kahf: 110)
in this context, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him`) said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say,
The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Judgment will be a man who had died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (The Almighty) will say: And what did you do about them? He Will say: I fought for You until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied – you only fought so that it might be said (of you}: He is courageous. And so it was said. Then, he will be Ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. (Another) will be a man who had studied (religious) knowledge and had taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him. H is Favors and he will recognize them. (The Almighty) will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied (religious) knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake. He will say: You have lied – you only studied (religious) knowledge so that it might be said (of you): He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might he said (of you): He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will he ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. (The other) will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will he brought and Allah will make known to hint His Favors and he will recognize them. (The Almighty) will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: l have left no path in which. You like money to be spent without spending in it for your sake. He will say: You have lied – you did but do so that it might be said (of you): He is generous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to he dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. “[1]
Another hadith reads,
“Whoever seeks knowledge for someone’s sake other than Allah, should anticipate his dwelling place in the Hell-fire. [2]
Moreover, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace he upon him) said,
“Whoever seeks knowledge, which should he dedicated to Allah’s sake, but beseeches a worldly gain through it, will never smell the fragrance of Paradise.”[3]
Also, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said.
“Seek refuge in Allah from Gubb Al-Hazan.” The people said. “O Messenger of Allah? What is Gubb Al-Hazan?”
He replied, “A valley in Hell-fire from which Hell-fire, itself seeks refuge in Allah a hundred times everyday. ” Then, they asked, “Who will enter it, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Readers of the Quran who show off by their deeds. “[4]
Whoever memorizes the Glorious Qur’an and seeks knowledge, should be conscious of his intention and dedicate his work to Allah, Most High. People of the Qur’an are required to be more sincere in their practices than others as they get more rewards than others do.
Sufyan ibn `Uyaynah said, “I know that ibn `Abbas said, ‘Should the people of the Qur’an carry out its rights, Allah will love them. Yet, they may seek the world through it, and so Allah would dislike them and people would disregard them.”‘
Abu Ja`far ibn `Ali is reported to have commented on the Quranic Verse that reads (Then they will be thrown headlong into the (Fire), they and those strayirig in Evil) saying, “The Verse refers to some people who describe truth and justice in their speech while their actions are the contrary.”
[1] Reported by Muslim.
[2] Reported by ibn Majah,
[3] Reported by At-Tirmidi and Ibn Majab.
[4] Reported by al-tirmidhi
Intellectual and Devotional Duties of the People of the Qur’an
In his well-known Tajsir, Al-Qurutbi said: The People of the Qur’an should dedicate their endeavors for the sake of Allah and be consistent in reading the Glorious Qur’an by night and day, in Prayer and in other conditions so that they may never forget it.
In this context, ibn `Urnar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“The example of the person who learns the Quran by heart is like the owner of tied camels. U he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away. “[1]
In the narration of Muslim, however, it is added,
“If the one who learns the Quran by heart awakens to read the Quran by day and night, he will remember it; whereas if he does not awaken (to recite it), he will forget it. ”
The person who memorizes the Glorious Qur’an should be deeply grateful to Allah and always remember Him. He should put his trust in Him and seek help and protection from his Lord, Allah. He should, furthermore, bear in mind the inevitability of death and prepare himself for it.
People of the Qur’an should be afraid of committing sins, long for the forgiveness of their Lord, and think good of Him.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
“None of you should court death except hoping good from Allah [2]
They should get themselves well-acquainted with the people of their time and be aware of their rulers. They should concern themselves with salvation and exert themselves to the utmost to Attain it. Consciousness of Allah and adherence to His commands and prohibitions should be their distinctive characteristics.
Here, we may recall the saying of ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him), “The one who learns the Qur’an by heart should be distinguished by his (Prayer and recitation at) night While people sleep, his (earnest) work while people laugh, his silence while people indulge (in nonsense), and his consciousness (of Allah) while people are conceited.”
People of the Quran should steer clear of doubtful matters, and be tolerant, forbearing, and sober-minded. They should be humble and avoid pride, conceit, and useless argumentation. Furthermore, they should not wrong others. They should offer men their favors, and accompany righteous people who will help them do good.
It is the duty of the people of the Qur’an to get themselves well-acquainted with the rules, teachings, and meanings of the Qur’an so as to act accordingly. They should distinguish the Makki revelation from the Madani [3] revelation in order to know what was revealed in the beginning of Islam and what was revealed later, and to know the Nasikh (later revelation that abrogated earlier Qur’anic verses) and the Mansukh (the verses that were abrogated) in the Qur’an
[1] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[2] Reported by Muslim.
[3] Makki revelation means the Qur’anic verses that were revealed in Makkah while the Madani revelation means the verses that were revealed in Madinah. The majority of scholars hold the opinion that the Makki revelation refers to what was revealed before the Hijra of the Prophet Muhammad to Madinah while the Madani revelation refers to what was revealed after the Hijra. (Trans.)
Teaching the Glorious Quran
`Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it. “[1]
In his Al-Barham, Az-Zarkashi said, “Teaching the Qur’an is a communal duty. Likewise, memorizing the Qur’an is an
Obligation upon the Ummah. That means, according to Al-Juwayni, if a sufficient number of people shoulder the task of teaching the Qur’an, the rest of the people will be excused; otherwise, the whole community will be held sinful.
Accordingly, if there is no one in a city or a village that can recite the Qur’an, all the inhabitants of that city or village will be held sinful.”[2]
But, the question which arises now is what is meant by learning and teaching the Qur’an’? Is it merely to learn the Glorious Qur’an by heart?
Some people confine the meaning of learning and teaching the Qur’an to this limited sense. This is the reason behind awarding those who memorize the Qur’an with great financial gifts.
However, I do not agree with this stance since it gives priority to memorization over understanding. I have dealt with this point thoroughly in my Fiqh AI-Awlawiyyat (Understanding Of Priorities). According to the Glorious Qur’an, one of the Prophet’s salient roles is to instruct his people in the Book and Wisdom. This role is mentioned in four places in the Glorious Qur’an. For instance, Allah, Most High, says,
(Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error. (Al `Imran: 164)
No doubt, instructing the Book does not mean only recitation or memorization. In some hadiths, learning as well as teaching the Glorious Qur’an is called “study”. Abu Hurayrah, for example, narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“No people assemble in a house among the houses of Allah (mosques) and recite the Book of Allah and study it (among themselves), but there would descend upon them tranquility; mercy would cover them; and the angels would surround them and Allah makes mention of them in the presence of those who are near Him. “[3]
Studying the Glorious Qur’an signifies learning its rules of recitation, knowing its teachings, and drawing attention to its admonitions. That is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to do with the Archangel Gabriel in the month of Ramadan during his lifetime. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, “The Prophet was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel visited him, and Gabriel used to meet with him on every night of Ramadan until the end of the month. The Prophet used to recite the Glorious Qur’an to Gabriel, and when Gabriel met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind (which causes rain and welfare).”[4]
It is not sufficient, therefore, to learn the Glorious Qur’an by heart without knowing its meaning, even though one will be rewarded by Allah, Most High, for memorizing His Book. In this context, we may recall the following hadith narrated by `Uqbah ibn `Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) who said,
“Once we were in Suffa when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out and said, ‘Which of you would like to go out every morning to But-han (a place near Madinah) or Al-Aqiq (a valley near Madinah) and bring two large she-camels without being guilty of sin or without severing the ties of kinship? ‘We said, ‘Messenger of Allah, we would like to do it.’ Upon this he said, ‘Does not one of you go out in the morning to the mosque and teach or recite two verses from the Book of Allah, the Majestic and Glorious? That is better for him than two she-camels, and three verses are better than three (she-camels), and four verses are better for him than four (she-camels), and so on. “‘[5]
I think what is meant by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the above hadith is not merely learning the Qura’nic verses by heart. Rather, it means learning and acting according to them.
Learning the Glorious Qur’an as well as acting according to its instructions was a characteristic of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). By doing so, the Glorious Qur’an will be a light and a proof in favor of man on the Day of Judgment. Abu Umamah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever memorizes a verse of the Book of Allah will be faced by it on the Day of judgment while it is smiling.”[6]
[1] Reported by Al-Bukhari.
[2] Az-Zarkashi, Al-Burhan. vol. 1, p. 456.
[3] Reported by Muslim.
[4] Reported by Al-Bukhari.
[5] Reported by Muslim.
[6] According to Al-Haythami in Az-Zwaid. vol. 7, p. 161, this hadith is reported by At-
Tabarani.
Receiving Payment for Teaching the Qur’an
Muslim scholars hold different opinions regarding the permissibility of receiving payment for teaching the Glorious Qur’an. A group of scholars are of the opinion that it is permissible to receive payment for teaching the Glorious Qur’an. The proponents of this view quote the following narration of ibn`Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) in support of their opinion,
“You are most entitled to take wages for (performing a Ruqya[1] with Allah’s Book. [2]
lt is said that one can receive payment for teaching the Quran in case it is not his duty to do so. This opinion has been maintained by Al-Halimi.
In his Al-Bustan (the Garden), Abu Al-Layth stated that teaching is of three kinds: (l) teaching in anticipation of Allah’s reward without receiving payment, (2) teaching in lieu of a certain payment, and (3) teaching without any condition in which case if the teacher is offered any gift he can accept it.
The first will be rewarded by Allah, for it is the mission of the Prophets. As to the second kind, there are different opinions. Early scholars, on the one hand, were of the opinion that it is not Permissible to receive payment for teaching, since the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“Inform about me even (fit is only one verse. “[3]
A group of late scholars, on the other hand. have stated that it is permissible. They have added that it is preferable not to fix a certain payment for teaching the Quran or writing. However, in the case of fixing a certain payment for teaching the Qur’an, I prefer the opinion that there will be no wrong done because Muslims are in need of doing so.
Regarding the third kind, scholars unanimously agree that it is permissible because the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a teacher for all people and he used to accept gifts. In this context, we may recall the incident when some Companions of the Prophet went on a journey until they reached a tribe whose people refused to treat them as their guests. The chief of that tribe was then bitten by a snake and they tried their best to cure him but in vain. They asked those Companions if they had anything useful. One of the Companions accepted to recite a Ruqyah for the patient on condition that they fix some wages for it. They agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. After reciting surat Al-Fatihah as a Ruqynh for the patient, he became well. They paid them what they had agreed to pay. The Companions went to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and narrated the
story. Allah’s Messenger said, “You have done the right thing. Divide (what you have earned) and assign a share for me as well.” The Prophet smiled thereupon. [4]
Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made teaching the Quran a dowry for a woman, as Sahl ibn Sa`d narrated that a lady came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and declared that she had decided to offer herself to Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet Said. “I am not in need of women.” A man said (to the Prophet), “Please marry her to me.” The Prophet said (to him),
“Give her a garment.” The man said, “I cannot afford it.” The Prophet said, “Give her anything, even if it be an iron ring.” The man apologized again. The Prophet then asked him, “What have You memorized of the Qur’an?” He replied, “I memorize such-and-such portion of the Qur’an.” The Prophet said, “Then I marry her to you for that much of the Qur’an which you learn by heart.”[5]
We should keep in mind, however, that what is mentioned above is pertinent to receiving payment for teaching the Glorious Qur’an which is not permissible for reciting it. Reciting The Glorious Qur’an is an act of worship that the worshiper cannot receive payment for. Worship should be dedicated to Allah alone, the Only One Who rewards for it. In this connection, `Abdur-Rahman ibn Shibl reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“Recite the Quran; act according to it; do not abandon it; do not be excessive regarding it; do not earn livelihood by means of it; and do not seek increase (in wealth) through it. “[6]
`Umran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
“Recite the Qur’an and ask (the favor of) Allah by it before the coming of some people who recite the Qur’an to ask ( the favor of) people by it. “[7]
Nevertheless, if the person who recites the Qur’an is given something as a gift or alms, he is permitted to accept it.
[1] Ruqyah: (pl. ruqa); It means the recitation of some Qur’anic verses as a treatment for
a disease. (Trans.)
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhari.
[3] Reported by Al-Bukhari.
[4] Reported by Ibn `Abbas.
[5] Agreed upon hadith,
[6] Reported by Ahmad. At-Tabarani. and Al-Bayhaqi.
[7] Reported by Ahmad. At-Tabarani, and Al-Bayhaqi.