Selected hadith (HadeethEnc), The Noble Qur'an and Qur'anic Sciences

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to consult people of wisdom and good reasoning about problematic issues. He used to let Ibn ‘Abbās, despite his young age, attend the gatherings along with the senior Companions and participants of the Battle of Badr. They were angry, however, that ‘Umar allowed Ibn ‘Abbās in and disregarded their own children. So, ‘Umar wanted to show them the status of Ibn ‘Abbās in knowledge, intelligence, and wits. He gathered them and invited him to the gathering. He recited Sūrat An-Nasr to them, which reads: {When there comes the help of Allah and the conquest, and you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, then proclaim the praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance} [Sūrat An-Nasr: 1-3]. When he asked them about its interpretation, some of them kept silent, while others said: “Allah, the Almighty, commands us to seek His forgiveness and to praise and exalt Him when He grants us victory and conquest.” However, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asking about the implicit significance of these verses, not their literal meaning. So, he put the question to Ibn ‘Abbās, and he said that the Sūrah was a sign of the Prophet’s imminent death, and Allah gave it to him as notice. {When there comes the help of Allah and the conquest}, meaning: the Conquest of Makkah; this is a sign of your impending death. {Then proclaim the praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.} Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I know nothing about it save what you have said.” Thus, Ibn ‘Abbās’s merit became manifest.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his uncle Abu Tālib when he was in his death throes and said to him: O Uncle, say: "La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah)," a statement with which I can testify in your favor before Allah. Thereupon, Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ’Umayyah said: O Abu Tālib, would you abandon the religion of your father ‘Abdul-Muttalib, i.e. worshipping idols?! They both kept talking to him until the last thing he said to them was about the religion of Abdul-Muttalib, i.e., the religion of Shirk (polytheism) and idolatry. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, said: I will ask forgiveness for you as long as my Lord does not forbid me from doing so. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed: {It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists[83], even if they are close relatives, after becoming clear to them that they are the people of the Blazing Fire.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 113] And the following verse was revealed concerning Abu Tālib: {You cannot guide whoever you like, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best who will be guided.} [Surat al-Qasas: 56] You cannot guide whoever you like to guide; your duty is only to convey the message, and Allah guides whom He wills.

It is prohibited to seek forgiveness for the polytheists regardless of their kinship, deeds, and benevolence.

Imitating ancestors and seniors in falsehood is a pre-Islamic practice.

The Prophet's perfect compassion and his keenness on calling and guiding people.

Refuting the claim that Abu Tālib embraced Islam.

It is the final deeds that count.

The invalidity of appealing to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone else to bring benefit or ward off harm.

Whoever says: La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah) out of knowledge, certainty, and belief, has entered into Islam.

The harmful impact of evil companions and bad friends.

"La ilāha illallāh" (there is no god but Allah) means: Abandoning the worship of idols, the pious, and the righteous and worshiping Allah alone, and the polytheists know its meaning.

It is permissible to visit the sick polytheist if there is hope that he will embrace Islam.

Placing guidance in the hearts is in Allah's Hand alone, without a partner, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is only responsible for guidance of direction, instruction, and message conveyance.

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite something from the Qur’an to him. Ibn Mas‘ūd said: O Messenger of Allah, how can I recite it to you when it was revealed to you? The Prophet (ﷺ) replied: Indeed, I love to hear it from others. So he recited to him from Surat an-Nisā’ and upon reaching the verse that reads: {How will it be when We bring a witness from every community, and bring you [O Prophet] as a witness against these [people]?} Meaning: What will be your condition—and that of your Ummah—when We bring you as a witness over your people, testifying that you conveyed to them your Lord's message? At that point, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Stop reading now. Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I turned to him, and his eyes were flowing with tears—out of awe for that scene and mercy for his Ummah.

An-Nawawi said: It is recommended to listen attentively to the recitation of the Qur’an, to weep while listening, and to reflect upon it. It is also recommended to ask someone else to recite so that one may listen, as this is more effective for understanding and contemplation than reciting it oneself.

Listening to the Qur’an entails reward just as reciting it does.

The virtue of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him), as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) loved to hear his recitation of the Qur’an. This indicates Ibn Mas‘ūd's diligence in learning, memorizing, and mastering the Qur’an.

The virtue of weeping out of fear of Allah Almighty when hearing His verses—while maintaining calmness, proper silence, and avoiding loud crying.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out in this Hadīth that envy is of different types. There is a type that is blameworthy and unlawful under Shariah; that is when a person wishes for the removal of some blessing from his brother. The permissible type of envy is when one sees someone enjoying a worldly blessing and he hopes to have the same for himself. There is also a praiseworthy type of envy which is recommended under Shariah. It is when one sees someone enjoying a religious blessing and wishes to have the same thing for oneself. This is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) intended by his statement: "There should be no envy except in two (cases)". This means that envy has different types, and its ruling differs according to its type. It is not praiseworthy and recommended by Shariah except in two cases: 1. When there is a wealthy righteous man whom Allah has given lawful wealth, which he spends in the cause of Allah, the Almighty. So one hopes to be like him, and envies him, the kind of envy that is free from malice, for that blessing. 2. When there is a knowledgeable man whom Allah has given beneficial knowledge which he acts upon, teaches to others, and judges between the people according to. So, he wishes to be like him.

Allah, Exalted and Glorified, increased the revelation that was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) before his death to complete the Shariah, up until the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died at a time when the revelation was most abundant.

Stoning the Jamarāt on the Day of Nahr (10th of Dhu al-Hijjah) and the Days of Tashrīq (11th-13th of Dhu al-Hijjah) is a great act of worship that implies submission to Allah, the Almighty, compliance with His commands, and following Prophet Ibrahīm (peace be upon him). The first ritual that the pilgrim starts with on the Day of Nahr is stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqabah to initiate the great acts on that day. One stands the way the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did by making the Ka‘bah on his left and Mina on his right, then facing the Jamrat and throwing seven stones at it while making Takbīr with every stone thrown. Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) stood that way and swore that that was the standing place of the one to whom Sūrat al-Baqarah was revealed, in reference to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man in charge of an army unit to be in charge and judge between them so that everything take place in an orderly fashion and without chaos. He chose the most religious, knowledgeable, and expert one of them. For this reason, rulers and scholars were to lead the prayers due to their knowledge and religion. He always concluded his recitation with Sūrat al-Ikhlās in the second Rak‘ah of every prayer because of his love of Allah and His names and attributes. It is natural whenever someone loves something that he increases its remembrance. When they returned to Madīnah, they reported this to the Prophet. So he said: "Ask him why he does this!" Is it a coincidence, or is there a special reason? The leader said: "I do this because this Sūrah contains the attributes of the Most Merciful and I love to repeat it because of this. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Inform him, just as he repeats this Sūrah - because of what it contains of Allah's beautiful names and attributes and because he loves it - Allah loves him as well."

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged his Ummah to read the Qur’an, and said that if they do so, on the Day of Resurrection Allah, the Almighty, will make the reward of their Qur'an recitation come in the form of an independent entity who will intercede for those who had read the Qur'an, those who were preoccupied with it, and those who abided by its commands and prohibitions.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) compared the one who studies the Qur’an and is accustomed to reciting it—whether by looking at the Mus'haf or from memory—to a person with camels tied from their knees with a rope. If he keeps them tied, he will keep hold of them, but if he unties them, they will run away and escape. Similarly, when the companion of the Qur’an recites it, he remembers it, and if he neglects it, he forgets it. As long as the connection is regularly maintained, the memorization remains intact.

Encouraging regularly maintaining the connection with the Qur’an and reciting it, and being cautious against exposing it to forgetfulness.

Constantly reciting the Qur’an humbles the tongue and makes its recitation easier. However, if it is neglected, recitation becomes difficult and burdensome.

Al-Qādi said: The meaning of "the companion of the Qur’an" is: the one who is familiar with it. Companionship: being familiar with. This is the same as saying: So-and-so is the companion of so-and-so or referring to the "companions of Paradise" and the "companions of Hellfire."

Using examples is one of the methods of Da‘wah (calling people to Islam).

Ibn Hajar said: He mentioned camels specifically because they are the most difficult domestic animals to tame. It is challenging to regain control over them once they have become accustomed to their freedom.

Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) was sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he heard a sound from the sky, like the sound of a door being opened. Gabriel raised his head and looked toward heaven, then he informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that it was a gate from heaven that was opened that day, and it had never been opened before this day. An angel descended from it to the earth, who had never descended except on that day. The angel greeted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with peace, and said to him: Rejoice in the good news of two lights that have been given to you, which no prophet before you was given: Surat al-Fātihah and the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah. Then the angel said: No one will recite a single letter from either of them except that Allah Almighty will grant him the good, supplications, and requests contained within them.

The merit of Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah, and encouraging people to recite them and act upon them.

Heaven has gates through which divine commands descend, and they do not open except by the command of Allah Almighty.

Clarifying the great honor and favor that Allah bestowed upon the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), honoring him with what He did not give the prophets before him: these two lights.

Giving glad tidings of good is among the methods of calling to Allah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the Companions to recite the Qur'an regularly and not to forget it after they had learned it by heart. He emphasized this fact by swearing that the Qur'an slips away from one's memory faster than camels tied with ropes in the middle of their foreleg. If their shepherd pays attention to them, they remain with him, and if he releases them, they go away and will be lost.

If a memorizer of the Qur’an regularly recites it time and again, it remains in his heart; otherwise, it goes away from him and will be forgotten.

Among the benefits of regular recitation of the Qur’an is obtaining reward and elevation of ranks on the Day of Judgment.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the best and higher-standing among Muslims in the sight of Allah are those who learn the Qur’an - in terms of recitation, memorization, tartīl (measured recitation), understanding, and interpretation - and teach others the knowledge of the Qur’an that they possess, along with acting upon it.

The Hadīth highlights the excellence of the Qur’an and that it is the best speech, for it is the word of Allah.

The best learners are those who teach others and do not keep the knowledge to themselves only.

Learning the Qur’an and teaching it comprises its recitation, meanings, and rulings.

Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) related a very interesting story that took place during the Prophet’s lifetime. A man was reciting Sūrat al-Kahf, and there was a horse near him, tied with a rope. Then, something like a cloud overshadowed him and started to come closer and closer. Frightened upon seeing that, the horse began to trample. The following morning, this man went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and related to him what had happened. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that this was tranquility descending due to the Qur’an’s recitation. This was a miracle-like event for this Companion and a proof from Allah, the Almighty, that His word is the truth. The man referred to in this Hadīth is Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbids us from failing to pray in our houses, thus making them like graveyards where prayer is not offered. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the devil runs away from the house in which Surat al-Baqarah is recited.

It is recommended to perform much worship and voluntary prayers at home.

It is not permissible to offer prayers in the graveyards, for this leads to polytheism and immoderate reverence for those buried in those graves. An exception is the permissibility of funeral prayer.

The prohibition against praying at the graves was well-established among the Companions, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from turning their houses like graveyards where prayer is not performed.

Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) after having listened to his beautiful, measured recitation of the Qur’an, said to him: “You have been endowed with one of the melodious voices of the family of Dawūd.” “One of the melodious voices of the family of Dawūd” means the voice of Dawūd himself. Prophet Dawūd (peace be upon him) had such a beautiful and melodious voice that Allah, the Almighty, says about him: {"O mountains, repeat [Our] praises with him, and the birds [as well].” And We made iron pliable for him} [Sūrah Saba': 10]. The phrase “the family of so-and-so” may sometimes be used to refer to the person himself. Indeed, none of them was given a voice as melodious as that of Prophet Dawūd (peace be upon him).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the types of people in terms of reciting the Qur’an and benefiting therefrom: First category: The believer who recites the Qur’an and benefits from it is like the citron fruit, good in taste, smell, and color, and has many benefits since he acts upon what he recites and is useful to people. Second category: The believer who does not recite the Qur’an is like a date that tastes good but has no smell. His heart contains faith just like the date contains sweetness in its taste and its inside. It has no smell that could be smelt by people since no recitation could be heard from him to give people comfort. Third category: The hypocrite who recites the Qur’an is like a basil that smells good but tastes bitter, as he did not reform his heart with faith or act upon the Qur’an but he shows up as a believer before people. So, its good smell resembles his recitation and its bitter taste resembles his disbelief. Fourth category: The hypocrite who does not recite the Qur’an is like a colocynth that has no smell and has a bitter taste. Not having a scent is like him not having a smell for not reciting the Qur’an, and its bitter taste is like the bitterness of his disbelief. His inside is void of faith, and his outside is useless; rather, it is harmful.

Clarifying the merit of the Qur’an bearer who acts upon it.

Giving examples is one of the teaching methods that makes things easier to understand.

A Muslim should constantly recite a regular portion of the Book of Allah Almighty.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth that the Qur’an has a 30-verse Sūrah that interceded for a man until Allah, the Almighty, forgave him. As he used to recite this Sūrah regularly during his lifetime, it interceded for him after his death, until Allah, the Almighty, averted His punishment from him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not name the Sūrah at the beginning of the Hadīth, but he did so at its end; a powerful indication of its sublimity and high rank and a greater motive for reciting it persistently.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf by heart will be protected, guarded, and shielded from the trial of the Antichrist, who will appear at the end of time and claim divinity. His trial will be the greatest trial on Earth from the time of Adam's creation until the advent of the Hour, due to the supernatural events that Allah Almighty will allow him to perform to deceive his followers. This is because the beginning of Surat al-Kahf contains wonders and signs that are greater than what the Antichrist will use to deceive the people. Therefore, whoever reflects upon it will not be deceived by the Antichrist. Another version reads: The last ten verses of the Surah from His statement: {Do the disbelievers think that they can take My slaves...}.

Pointing out the merit of Surat al-Kahf and that its beginnings or endings protect against the trial of the Antichrist.

It informs about the Antichrist and outlines the means of protection against him.

Encouraging the memorization of Surat al-Kahf in its entirety, and if one is unable to do this, then he may memorize its first and last ten verses.

Al-Qurtubi said regarding the reason for this: It is said: This is because of the wonders and signs found in the story of the People of the Cave; whoever reflects on it will not be astonished by the matter of the Antichrist and will not be alarmed by it, thus he will not be misled by him. It is also said that it is due to His saying: {To warn of severe punishment from Him}, emphasizing the severity of the punishment and its divine origin. This aligns with what the Antichrist will claim regarding divinity, his dominance, and the magnitude of his trial. This is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the seriousness of his matter, warned against him, and sought refuge from his trial. Therefore, the meaning of the Hadīth is that whoever reads these verses, reflects on them, and understands their meaning will be cautious and safe from him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah at night, Allah will protect him from evil and harm. It is also said that they are sufficient for him in place of qiyām al-layl (supererogatory prayer at night). They are also said to suffice him in place of all regular dhikrs. Others say that they are the least sufficient amount of Qur'anic recitation in qiyām al-layl. Other opinions were also expressed. Perhaps all those views are correct and consistent with the Hadīth's wording.

The Hadīth points out the merit of the last verses of Surat al-Baqarah - From {The Messenger believes...} to the end of the Surah.

The last verses of Surat al-Baqarah protect its reciter from evil, harm, and the devil if recited during the night.

The night starts at sunset and ends at dawn.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that any Muslim who recites one letter from the Book of Allah will be credited with a good deed for it, and the reward gets multiplied for him up to tenfold. To illustrate this, he said: "I am not saying that 'Alif-Lām-Mīm' is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter." Thus, they are three and equal thirty good deeds.

The Hadīth urges us to recite the Qur’an a lot.

For every single letter of every word, the reciter receives a good deed multiplied tenfold.

It shows the vastness of Allah’s mercy and generosity as He multiplies the rewards for His servants, as a favor and bounty from Him.

It demonstrates the superiority of the Qur’an over other speech and that it is recited as a form of worship because it is the speech of Allah Almighty.

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to recite the Qur’an with a melodious voice. The Arabic word "yataghanna", as mentioned in the Hadīth, has two possible meanings: 1. The one who does not make his voice melodious when reciting the Qur’an is not someone following our path and guidance. 2. The one who does not suffice with the Qur’an, seeking guidance elsewhere, is not one of us. Without a doubt, whoever seeks guidance in anything other than the Qur’an, Allah will lead him astray; we seek refuge with Allah. Hence, the Hadīth shows that a Muslim should recite the Qur’an with a melodious voice and find sufficiency in it from anything else.

An-Nawwās ibn Sam‘an reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, the Qur'an and its people who acted upon it will be brought forth, preceded by Sūrat al-Baqarah and Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān, arguing on behalf of those who were committed to them.” the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) restricted the benefit in this Hadīth, reciting the Qur'an to acting upon it because those who read the Qur'an are of two kinds: the first are those who do not implement it nor believe in its statements and descriptions nor apply the rulings contained therein. On the Day of Judgment, the Qur'an that they recited will argue against them (because they read it yet did not believe it or act upon it). The second kind are those who believe in its statements and descriptions and apply the rulings it contains. Those are whom the Qur'an will argue for them and on their behalf on the Day of Judgment. This Hadīth is a manifest proof that the most important thing regarding the Qur'an is to act upon it. This is supported by the statement of Allah, the Almighty: {It 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} [Sūrah Sād: 29]. To “reflect upon its verses” means to understand their meanings; and “that those of understanding would be reminded” means that they implement those verses. Reflection preceded implementation in the verse because one cannot act upon a verse if he does not understand its meaning. Reflection leads to the acquisition of knowledge, and implementation is a consequence and fruit of the knowledge. The purpose of the revelation of the Qur'an is that Muslims recite it, act upon it, believe in all its statements and descriptions, implement its rulings, act upon its commands, and avoid its prohibitions. If he does all of this (sincerely), then on the Day of Judgment, the Qur'an will argue on his behalf.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent a letter to ‘Amr ibn Hazm when the latter was the judge in Najrān. It was a long letter that contained many of the Shariah rulings, such as the rulings on inheritance, Zakah and charity, and blood money. It is a well-known text that was accepted by Muslim scholars as authentic. "No one should touch the Qur'an unless he is pure': touch here means touching it directly without a barrier. Accordingly, holding the Qur'an with a separating medium, such as carrying it in a bag or case or turning its pages with a stick, is not included in this prohibition because there is no direct touch. The 'Qur'an' here refers to what the Qur'an is written on, such as boards, papers, parchments and the like. It does not mean 'speech' (verbal Qur'an), because speech is not touched; rather, it is heard. The word 'pure' has four possible interpretations. It may refer to: 1. The Muslim, as Allah says: {Indeed the polytheists are unclean/impure.} [Sūrat At-Tawbah: 28] 2. The person free of impurity, like when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said about the cat: "It is not impure." 3. The one pure from Janābah. 4. The one who performed ablution. All of these meanings of ‘pure’, according to Shariah, are possibly meant here in this Hadīth. There is no evidence to hold any of them preponderant over the others. Therefore, it is preferable to adopt the last meaning, which refers to the 'pure' as someone who has performed ablution to purify himself of minor Hadath (urinating, defecating, passing gas, sleeping). This is more certain than the other possible meanings and it is in agreement with the opinion of the majority of scholars, including the four Imāms and their followers, and it is also the safer choice.

The mother of the believers, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was very keen on remembering Allah Almighty and that he used to remember Him at all times and in all places and conditions.

Purity from the minor and major hadath (impurity) is not required for remembering Allah Almighty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to remember Allah Almighty persistently.

The Hadīth urges us always to remember Allah Almighty, in adherence to the Prophet's example, excluding those conditions in which remembrance of Allah is prohibited, like answering the call of nature.

Abu Sa‘īd Rāfi‘ ibn Al-Mu‘alla,(may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: 'Shall I': He used this form of speech to alert the addressed person to what comes after it. "Shall I teach you the greatest Sūrah in the Qur’an before you leave the mosque": He said so instead of teaching him the Sūrah directly in order to prompt him to clear his mind to receive this information with wholehearted readiness. "Then he took me by the hand": i.e. after he had said that, and we walked on. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, you said: 'I shall teach you the greatest Sūrah in the Qur’an.'" He said: "It is Alhamdulillāh Rabb al-‘Ālāmīn" (i.e. Sūrat al-Fātihah): Al-Fātihah is the greatest Sūrah because it encompasses all the purposes of the Qur’an and hence is called "Umm al-Qur’an" or 'the Mother of the Qur’an'. Then he mentioned what distinguishes Al-Fātihah from the other Sūrahs, thus making it the greatest of them all, saying: "It is As-Sab‘ al-Mathāni”. Mathāni is plural of "muthannah", meaning 'doubled', because it is recited twice in each Rak‘ah; or because it is followed by another Sūrah, so it is recited in a pair of Sūrahs; or because it includes two parts: praise and invocation; or because it includes eloquent meanings and skillful structure; or because it is repeated over the passage of time, so it will never cease to exist, and it is always taught, so it will never become extinct; or because its benefits are renewed with each state infinitely; or because it is derived from "thanā" or 'praise' because it includes praise of Allah, the Almighty, as if praising Him with His beautiful Names and Attributes; or because it is derived from "thanāya" because Allah has made it peculiar to this nation; and there are other possible meanings. "And the Glorious Qur’an": means that Al-Fātihah is also called 'the Glorious Qur’an' because it encompasses everything that is related to existence in this worldly life and in the afterlife as well as rulings and creeds.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the one who recites the Qur’an with strong memorization, precision, and proficiency will have the reward in the Hereafter of being in the rank of the noble and obedient angel-scribes. As for the one who recites the Qur’an while stuttering and rehearsing in his recitation due to weak memorization, yet continues to maintain his connection with the Qur’an despite its difficulty for him, he will have two rewards: one reward for his recitation and another for the difficulty and his rehearsing in his recitation.

Encouraging memorization of the Qur'an, mastering its recitation, and frequently reciting it to attain the reward and recompense, along with highlighting the elevated status of those who do so.

Al-Qādi said: It does not mean that the one who stutters in the recitation has a greater reward than the proficient reciter. Rather, the proficient reciter is superior and has a greater reward because he is with the angel-scribes and receives multiple rewards. This elevated status was not mentioned to anyone else. How could someone who has not shown the same dedication to the Book of Allah, its memorization, mastery, frequent recitation, and understanding until he has excelled in it be equal to him?!

Ibn Bāz said: The one who recites the Qur’an proficiently, mastering its recitation and memorizing it well, will be with the noble and obedient angel-scribes, i.e., if he recites it both in word and action—not merely recitation alone. He excels in reciting it and acting upon it, i.e., he adheres to it both in word and meaning.

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you not seen," i.e. "Don't you know?" Though he is addressing ‘Uqbah in particular, the purpose is to address everyone in general. This is a rhetorical question to express wonder, and he referred to the reason for such wonder in his statement: "the like of which has never been seen before," i.e. they are unprecedented in their category which is "Isti‘ādhah", or seeking refuge in Allah. He said "never" to emphasize that they are unprecedented. His statement: "They are: {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak} [Sūrat al-Falaq], and {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind} [Sūrat An-Nās]," i.e. there are no verses of a Qur'anic Sūrah which all serve to give refuge to their reciter from the evil of all evils like the verses of these two Sūrahs. Anyone who seeks refuge with these verses while having sincere faith, Allah, the Almighty will grant him refuge. In brief, the Muslim should seek refuge from evil by reciting these two Sūrahs.

This Hadīth means that the Qur'an is taken up by some people, who consequently read it. Allah elevates by means of the Qur'an some people in the world and afterlife, and demotes by means of which others in both worlds. Those who are elevated are those who follow the Qur'an, believe in its news, observe its commands and prohibitions, and take as their model the ethics it promotes. Allah will raise their status in this world and in the Hereafter because the Qur'an is the fountainhead of knowledge. Allah, the Almighty, says: {Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees} [Sūrat al-Mujādalah: 11]. In the Hereafter, these people will be elevated in the gardens of bliss. On the other hand, the people whom Allah degrades by means of the Qur'an are those who read the Qur'an and even recite it well, but are arrogant toward it. They neither believe in its news nor implement its rulings. They are arrogant in theory and practice. For example, when they come across stories of the previous Prophets or others, or information about the Last Day, they suspect and do not believe in them. They might even end up denying the Qur'an, although they read it. These Allah will demote in both worlds.

One day, Abu Jahl asked his companions whether Muhammad prayed and prostrated on dust while they saw him. They said: 'Yes.' So he swore by the two idols of Al-Lāt and Al-‘Uzza that if he saw Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrate, he would trample on his neck or throw dust on his face. Abu Jahl saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrate, so he came over to step on his neck. Suddenly, however, the people saw Abu Jahl retreat in terror, extending his hand as if he was pushing something away. His companions asked why he was doing so. He told them that when he tried to step on the Prophet's neck, he saw a ditch of fire, wings, and horrible things in between the both of them. The scene terrified him so much that he withdrew. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remarked that had Abu Jahl drawn closer to him, the angels would have torn him apart. Hence, Allah revealed these verses: {No! [But] indeed, man transgresses, because he sees himself self-sufficient. Indeed, to your Lord is the return. Have you seen the one who forbids a servant when he prays? Have you seen if he is upon guidance or enjoins righteousness? Have you seen if he (Abu Jahl) denies and turns away? Does he not know that Allah sees? No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock - a lying, sinful forelock. Then let him call his associates; We will summon the guards of Hell. No! Do not obey him} [Sūrat al-‘Alaq: 6-19]. In these verses, ''man'' refers to Abu Jahl, who indulged himself in disbelief, sins, and injustice, for he considered himself rich enough. This disbeliever will return to your Lord, O Muhammad, so that Allah lets him taste a painful punishment. Abu Jahl indeed tried to prevent the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from praying at the Ka‘bah, puffed with arrogance and unbelief. That is quite amazing. The verses go on to draw this comparison between the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Jahl. The former was on the right way, commanding piety. The latter, however, was belying the truth with which Muhammad was sent. So he did not believe in him. Yet, Abu Jahl should have learnt that Allah sees him and will punish him on the Day of Resurrection. He is even warned that if he does not stop offending the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) Allah will take him by the forehead, the forehead of a monstrous liar. Again, let Abu Jahl seek the support of his companions. If he does, then strong harsh angels will be summoned against them. Finally, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is commanded not to listen to Abu Jahl and just continue his prayers to get closer to Allah through worship.

Zayd ibn Thābit al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Abu Bakr As-Siddīq summoned him during his caliphate, after the Companions of the Prophet had fought against Musaylimah the Liar in the battle of Yamāmah in 11 AH. The battle was sparked due to Musaylimah's claim to be a prophet and also due to the apostasy of many of the Arabs. Many of the Prophet's Companions were killed in those battles. Zayd went to Abu Bakr and found ‘Umar sitting with him. Abu Bakr told Zayd that ‘Umar had come to him and told him that many of the Companions had been killed in their battles with Musaylimah and he feared that more of the Qur'an memorizers would be killed in subsequent battles with the disbelievers, and consequently parts of the Qur'an could be lost. So ‘Umar had proposed that the Qur'an should be collected. Abu Bakr wondered how he could do something that the Messenger of Allah had not done. ‘Umar replied that collecting the Qur'an would be better than leaving it scattered around. Abu Bakr said that ‘Umar had talked to him about collecting the Qur'an until he had felt comfortable with the idea and decided to collect it. Zayd ibn Thābit commented that ‘Umar was sitting there, silently. Then Abu Bakr said to Zayd that he was an intelligent young man whom they could not accuse of lying or forgetfulness. As Zayd had written the revelation for the Messenger of Allah, they suggested that he should track down the Qur'an and collect it. The whole Qur'an had been written down during the Prophet's life, but it had not been collected in one place nor were the Sūrahs arranged in their current order. Zayd commented that moving a mountain would have been easier for him than collecting the Qur'an. He wondered how Abu Bakr and ‘Umar could do something that the Prophet had not done. Abu Bakr said that this would be good, and he continued to talk to Zayd about the benefits of collecting the Qur'an until he felt comfortable with the proposal and decided to collect the Qur'an for the public interest. Zayd collected the Qur'an written on parchments, shoulder blades, and palm stalks, and also from the hearts of men who had fully memorized it, such as Ubai ibn Ka‘b and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal. In this way, the text that was written on parchment and shoulder blades would be further evidence to what had been memorized by the Companions. He only found the last two verses of Sūrat At-Tawbah written down by Khuzaymah ibn Thābit al-Ansāri. These are the verses that state: {There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer, [he is] concerned over you...} until the end of the two verses [Sūrat At-Tawbah: 128-129]. The sheets on which the Qur'an were collected remained with Abu Bakr until he died, then with ‘Umar until he died, and then with Hafsah, ‘Umar’s daughter (may Allah be pleased with them all). The Shias objected to Abu Bakr's collection of the Qur'an, because he had done something that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had not done. Abu Bakr did not do anything objectionable, as he embarked on this project for the sake of Allah, His Messenger, and His Book. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had allowed this as in the Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd: ''Do not write anything from me other than the Qur'an.'' [Muslim]. So Abu Bakr did nothing other than collecting the Qur'an that was already written. Thus, the Shias' objection to Abu Bakr's collection is baseless.

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him) visited ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) who was then preparing the Syrians and Iraqis to conquer Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hudhayfah heard people read the Qur’an differently. Some of them followed the reading of Ubai, while others followed the reading of Ibn Mas‘ūd, to the point that conflict and turmoil was about to develop among them. This situation alarmed Hudhayfah, who therefore asked the Commander of the Believers ‘Uthmān to save the situation lest the people would diverge on the Qur’an as the Jews and Christians diverged on the Torah and the Gospel and tampered with them by adding to and deleting from them. At that point, the Qur’an was collected in sheets, not in a Mus'haf. Therefore, ‘Uthmān sent to Hafsah, requesting her to send him the sheets in which the Qur’an was written so that he would transcribe them into the Mus'hafs and then return the sheets to her. The sheets that he received from Hafsah were the sheets which Abu Bakr and ‘Umar had commanded the Qur’an be written in. So ‘Uthmān then collected the Qur’an in a Mus'haf. The difference between this Mus'haf and the sheets is that the sheets were the edited papers in which the Qur’an was collected during the time of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. They had separate Sūrahs, and each Sūrah was arranged in the order of its own verses. However, these Sūrahs were not arranged one after another in one volume. So when these Sūrahs were transcribed and arranged, they formed the Mus'haf. Thus, the Mus'haf started to exist only during ‘Uthmān's time. So Hafsah sent the sheets to ‘Uthmān, who then commissioned Zayd ibn Thābit, ‘Abdullāh ibn Az-Zubayr, Sa‘īd ibn al-‘Ās, and ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Hishām to transcribe the sheets into the Mus'hafs. Zayd ibn Thābit was from the Ansār, whereas the rest were from the Quraysh. ‘Uthmān told the three Qurayshis that if they differed with Zayd ibn Thābit on anything of the Qur’an, they should write it in the dialect of Quraysh, for the Qur’an was revealed in their dialect. They did so. When they had transcribed the sheets in the Mus'hafs, ‘Uthmān returned the sheets to Hafsah. He also sent a Mus'haf to each province. Other Qur’anic materials, sheets, and private Mus'hafs were burned on ‘Uthmān's order.

It is reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) heard Hishām ibn Hakīm (may Allah be pleased with him) recite Sūrat al-Furqān during the lifetime of the Prophet. His recitation differed from Umar's recitation in several words. ‘Umar had recited this Sūrah before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) so he thought that Hishām was reciting it incorrectly. So he was about to leap upon Hishām and take him by the head in the prayer. However, he waited until Hishām finished his prayer. Then ‘Umar seized him by his clothes from around his neck and asked him who had taught him how to recite this Sūrah. Hishām said that it was the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who had taught it to him. On that, ‘Umar belied him, swearing by Allah that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught him the same Sūrah in a way that was different from Hishām's recitation. Then ‘Umar dragged him to the Messenger of Allah, as he was a man with a fiery temperament regarding the matters that pertained to Allah, the Almighty. ‘Umar told the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he heard Hishām recite Sūrat al-Furqān in words which he did not hear from the Messenger of Allah, although he taught him how to recite it. Hence, the Prophet asked him to let go of Hishām and asked Hishām to recite Sūrat al-Furqān. When Hishām read it, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) confirmed that this Sūrah was revealed by Allah as Hishām recited it. Hishām was not mistaken as ‘Umar thought. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked ‘Umar to recite the same Sūrah. When ‘Umar recited it, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) confirmed that this Sūrah was revealed by Allah as ‘Umar recited it, just as it was revealed in accordance with Hishām's recitation. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, this Qur’an has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easy for you." Thus, both ‘Umar and Hishām were correct in their recitation, for the Qur’an was revealed in more than one way of recitation. It was indeed revealed in seven different ways of recitation. Hishām's recitation did not include more verses than that of ‘Umar. The difference was only confined to the manner of recitation. For this reason, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told each of them, having listened to their recitation, that the Sūrah had been revealed in that way. He explained that by saying: "Indeed, this Qur’an has been revealed in seven ways, so recite it in the way that is easy for you." This means: do not commit yourself to one way of recitation, for Allah, the Almighty, has given you more options and made it easy for the Muslims to recite the Qur’an in seven ways of recitation, out of His mercy and bounty. So praise and gratitude are due to Him. The scholars held different opinions on identifying the seven ways. It seems — and Allah knows best — that these ways refer to the aspects of the language of the Arabs. The Qur’an was revealed in accordance with those aspects for facilitation purposes at the beginning of Islam. The Arabs lived in different places and had different dialects. One tribe might have linguistic facets that other tribes did not have, yet with the advent of Islam they became united and harbored no more animosity toward each other. Thus, each became familiar with the language of the others. At this point, ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people around one of the seven ways of recitation and burned the copies of the Qur’an that were written according to the other ways of recitation so that no difference would occur in this regard.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) met Jibrīl and told him that he had been sent to an illiterate nation who could not read. By this, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) meant that if he instructed people to recite the Qur'an according to one Harf (mode of recitation/style of Arabic language), they could not do it, because some of them pronounced words differently, others were too old to learn, others were too young to read, and others had never read anything that was written before. So Jibrīl told the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that the Qur'an was revealed in seven Ahruf (plural of Harf), so each person could read it in a way that was easy for them. Scholars have differed greatly on what the seven Ahruf meant. It seems (and Allah knows best) that they refer to the different styles of pronouncing the Arabic language. The Qur'an was revealed according to those styles to make things easy at the beginning of Islam, as the Arabs were dispersed then, in disagreement, and every tribe had their own dialect. Some tribes would have had a linguistic style that other tribes did not. However, when Islam brought them together, and they were united and harmonious under Islam, each tribe knew the linguistic style of the other tribes. ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) got the people to recite in one Harf and burned the other copies of the Qur’an that were written in other Ahruf, so there would be no differences in the recitation of the Qur'an.

The two glorious Tābi‘is ‘Abd al-‘Azīz ibn Rufay‘ and Shaddād ibn Ma‘qil entered upon Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) and Shaddād asked him: "Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave anything after his death?" Ibn ‘Abbās said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave anything behind except the Qur’an that exists in the Mus'haf. They entered upon Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and asked him the same question, and he gave them the same answer. Based upon this Hadīth, it is clear that the Rāfidah are incorrect in claiming that the Qur’an has explicitly stated the Imāmate of ‘Ali and that the Companions concealed this statement. Ibn ‘Abbās is the cousin of ‘Ali, and Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah is ‘Ali's son. Both were among his close associates. So if this claim of the Rāfidah was true, then Ibn ‘Abbās and Ibn al-Hanafiyyah would have been acquainted with it in the first place, and they would not conceal it. The same response that is reported from them was likewise reported from ‘Ali.

Al-Hārith ibn Hishām (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) how the revelation came to him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that the angel, Jibrīl, would sometimes come to him and his voice communicating the revelation was as strong as the sound of a bell. This form was the hardest on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and afterwards he would be overwhelmed and severely distressed and then it would lift. After this he fully understood and had memorized what the angel had said to him. The angel would make a loud sound when he came down with the revelation to distract the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from matters of the worldly life and to make him focus on the sound. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would understand what the angel said to him, as he heard nothing but the angel's voice. At other times, the angel would come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the form of a man, such as Dihyah (may Allah be pleased with him) or another man, and communicate the revelation to him, and the Prophet would understand it. ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that on very cold days, the Prophet's forehead would sweat due to the stress of receiving the revelation.

Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) received revelation, he would experience hardship and distress to the extent that the color of his face would change due to the gravity and difficulty of that matter. Besides, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid much attention and care to the revelation and showed great awe to whatever he was asked to observe, such as fulfilling the rights of servitude, showing due gratefulness to Allah, the Almighty, and glorifying His commands and reports.

The Mother of the Believers ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says in this Hadīth that revelation would descend upon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a cold morning and his forehead would perspire so much, due to the difficulty of receiving revelation.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to experience hardship and intense stress while the revelation was being sent down upon him. He used to move his lips with what he received from Jibrīl before Jibrīl had finished the revelation, fearing that he would not be able to memorize it before Jibrīl left. Ibn ‘Abbās described to his student Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr how the Prophet moved his lips. This indicates that Ibn ‘Abbās had seen the Prophet in that state. Sa‘īd, likewise, described it to his students. Allah, the Exalted, sent down a verse commanding the Prophet not to move his tongue with the Qur'an to hasten in receiving it, for Allah ensured that the Qur'an would be collected in the Prophet's heart. Then, Allah, the Almighty, revealed another verse telling the Prophet to listen attentively when Jibrīl recited the Qur'an to him, for Allah ensured that the Prophet would recite it just as Jibrīl had recited it. Later on, when Jibrīl came to the Prophet with revelation, the Prophet would listen to him, and when Jibrīl had departed, the Prophet would read the Qur'an as Jibrīl taught him to read it.

The Hadīth means that one should adorn the Qur'an by beautifying the voice when reciting it, as the good words increase their goodness and excellence when communicated in a beautiful voice. The wisdom behind this is to encourage extra contemplation of the meanings of the Qur‘an and a deeper understanding of the commandments, prohibitions, warnings, and glad tidings included in the recited verses. People naturally incline to a beautiful voice and the mind can be cleared of all distracting thoughts by virtue it, and in turn it draws the full attention to listening to and reflecting on the Qur'an. As a result, the main purpose of humility and submission would be achieved. Beautifying the voice, as mentioned in the Hadīth, refers to a beautiful recitation that brings humility, not to tainting the recitation with melodious music that violates the limits of recitation.

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) criticizes whoever says that he has forgotten such-and-such verse of the Qur'an, because it gives the impression that he takes the issue of neglecting the Qur'an and forgetting it indifferently. Actually, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added “for indeed, he has been caused to forget it”, meaning: he was punished by forgetfulness for neglecting the regular recitation and memorization of the Qur'an. After that, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Muslims to keep refreshing their knowledge of the Qur’an by regularly reciting, memorizing, and studying it since it is more likely to escape from the hearts of men faster than camels. The camel was mentioned in particular here because it is the readiest of domestic animals to run away, and if it does run away, recapturing it is very difficult.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the regular recitation of the Qur’an, for it will intercede on the Day of Judgment for those who recite it and act upon it. He then emphasized the recitation of Surat al-Baqarah and Āl ‘Imrān, referring to them as "Az-Zahrāwayn"—the two radiant ones—due to their light and guidance. The reward of reciting them, reflecting on their meanings, and acting upon their teachings will come on the Day of Judgment in the form of two clouds, or something similar, or two flocks of birds with outstretched wings joined together, offering shade to their companion and defending him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) further emphasized the importance of consistently reciting Surat al-Baqarah, reflecting on its meanings, and acting upon its teachings. He stated that doing so brings immense blessing and benefit in both this world and the Hereafter, while abandoning it brings regret and sorrow on the Day of Judgment. Among the virtues of this surah is that magicians are unable to harm those who recite it.

The command to recite the Qur’an frequently, and that it will intercede for its companions on the Day of Judgment—those who recite it, adhere to its guidance, uphold what it commands, and refrain from what it forbids.

The merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Āl ‘Imrān and their great reward.

The merit of Surat al-Baqarah and that it protects its companion from magic.

This Hadīth means that the Muslims should recite the Qur’an together as long as they agree on its interpretation. However, if they disagree in understanding its meanings, then they should stop reciting it lest this disagreement should lead to evil. Another possible meaning: stick to the meanings of the Qur’an which are not prone to different interpretations. If you come across meanings which can be interpreted differently and cause dispute, avoid debating and arguing regarding them. This could also be an instruction to recite the Qur’an as long as one's heart is inclined to do so. If the heart feels bored or tired, then recitation should be left until the heart becomes fresh and active again. The same command was given concerning the prayer. The first interpretation, however, seems more probable.

A group of the Companions were sitting by the door of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and they disagreed on some matter. They differed about predestination, as told elsewhere, so some of them proved their arguments with verses from the Qur’an, and others did the same. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard them. So he came out, with a very red face, as if a pomegranate was squeezed on his face. He asked them whether they were created to differ, argue, and conflict on the Qur’an, comparing some parts of it to others. Were they commanded to do so? He means that neither is intended, so they did not need to do so. He also told them that the previous nations strayed because of this matter. He guided them to what would rectify and benefit them: to do what Allah ordered them to observe, and to desist from what they were forbidden to do. This is exactly what they were created for, and this is exactly what is useful to them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade arguing about the Qur’an, for doing so leads to disbelief. Also, one might hear a verse or a word of the Qur’an being read in a certain way that he is unaware of, so he would hasten to judge the reader as mistaken, attribute to him that he reads something other than the Qur’an, or argue with him about the meaning of a verse that he is not versed in, thereby misguiding him. Argument might distract one from the truth, even if the point is made. Therefore, argumentation of this kind has been forbidden and is called 'disbelief', because it leads the arguer to disbelief. Argumentation, when it is free of such implications, is allowed or commendable, such as when asking to learn or to show the truth. In this regard, Allah, the Exalted, says: {And argue with them in the fairest manner.} [Sūrat An-Nahl: 125]

In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that he fears two things for his Ummah: the Qur’an and milk. As for milk, some people seek it in pastures and plantations, follow their desires and pleasures, and stay away from the cities, where the Friday prayer and the congregational prayers are held. Then they neglect the prayers in their pursuit of milk. As for the Qur’an, the hypocrites learn it, not to benefit from it or comply with it, but to argue with the believers by means of it in order to falsify the truth that they believe in. Neither milk nor the Qur’an are subjects of fear or damage in themselves. However, they are mentioned metaphorically in relation to things that are pertinent to them. Allah knows best.

This noble Hadīth indicates that it is permissible to recite the Basmalah at the beginning of Sūrat al-Fātihah in prayer, because it is part of the Sūrah. However, he means that it should be recited in a low voice and not loudly, since this is what has been transmitted in more authentic Hadīths. At-Tahāwi said: "Abandoning reciting the Basmalah aloud in prayer has been collectively and contiguously reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his successors."

This report means that if a man says to his wife: "You are unlawful for me," or: "You are forbidden," or something similar, this saying does not constitute divorce. It will be treated like a normal oath for which an expiation is required. In this respect, Allah, the Almighty, says: {O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your protector, and He is the Knowing, the Wise} [Sūrat At-Tahrīm: 1-2]. The last verse means that Allah ordained for the Muslims the dissolution of their oath by making the expiation that is stipulated in Sūrat al-Mā’idah.

According to this Hadīth, the Qur’an initially stated that ten times of confirmed breastfeeding make the breastfed person Mahram (unmarriageable) to those who shared breastfeeding from the same woman and their Mahram relatives. Yet, both the ruling and wording of this verse were abrogated and replaced with another verse stipulating five times of confirmed breastfeeding. Later, only the wording of the latter verse was abrogated while its ruling remained in force. As for ‘Ā'ishah's statement that the Prophet died while this verse was still being recited as part of the Qur'an, it means that the abrogation came so late that news of it did not reach some people and, thus, they continued reciting the abrogated verse as part of the Qur’an due to their ignorance of its abrogation.

Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) whether the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had given his family special knowledge that he had not given to other people. Abu Juhayfah asked him this because some of the Shias claimed that the Prophet's family, especially ‘Ali, had parts of Divine revelation that the Prophet had assigned exclusively for them. Many people had asked ‘Ali about this issue, so he swore an oath that the Arabs used; swearing by Allah, the One Who created mankind and grew the grain. ‘Ali swore that the Prophet's family had nothing special apart from an understanding that Allah endowed some people with. In addition, ‘Ali also had a sheet on which he wrote what he heard from the Prophet, such as the rulings on blood money, the release of Muslim prisoners of war, and the ruling that a Muslim should not be killed for killing a non-Muslim, because they are not equal.

This tradition is reported by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who says about himself that he will be the first person to kneel before the Lord of the worlds on the Day of Resurrection for the dispute and that Verse 19 of Sūrat al-Hajj was revealed concerning himself, Hamzah, and Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with them) when they dueled with the heads of disbelief during the battle of Badr: Shaybah ibn Rabī‘ah, ‘Utbah ibn Rabī‘ah, and Al-Walīd ibn ‘Utbah. This indicates that it is permissible to duel with the swords before the battle starts.

This Hadīth explains the type of power that Muslims are commanded to adopt in combating the enemies and disbelievers: shooting, because it is more effective. When the verse was revealed, archery was prevalent. However, the miraculous indications of the verse suggest that this power is not time-bound. It involves all types and tools of shooting in any time and place, and with any weapon.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that among the major portents of the Hour is that the sun will rise from the west instead of the east, and when people see it, they will all believe. At that point, the belief of a disbeliever will not benefit him, nor will the righteous deeds or repentance be of any avail. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Hour will come so abruptly that people will be busy with their life affairs. So, the Hour will come when a buyer and a seller have spread out a garment between them, but they cannot finish their transaction or fold up the garment. And the Hour will come when a man has taken milk from his she-camel but will not be able to drink it. And the Hour will come when a man is repairing his tank, but he will not be able to water his livestock therefrom. And the Hour will come when a man has lifted a morsel to his mouth but will not be able to eat it.

Embracing Islam and repenting are accepted so long as the sun has not risen from the West.

We are urged to get prepared for the Hour by belief and righteous deeds, for the Hour will come abruptly.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that death will be brought on the Day of Judgment in the shape of a sheep that is black and white in color. Then, it will be called out: O people of Paradise! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say to them: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen and known it. Then, the caller will call out: O people of Hellfire! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen it. Then, it will be slaughtered, and the caller will say: O people of Paradise, eternity, and no death; O people of Hellfire, eternity, and no death. This will add to the bliss of the believers and the punishment of the disbelievers. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Warn them of the Day of Remorse when all matters will be decided, but they are heedless.} On the Day of Judgment, the people of Paradise will be separated from the people of Hellfire, and each will enter the place where they will stay forever. So, the wrongdoer will feel sorrowful and regretful that he did not do good, and the one who fell short in doing good will regret that he did not do better.

People's destination in the Hereafter will be eternity in Paradise or Hellfire.

The Hadīth gives a stern warning about the horror of the Day of Judgment and that it will be a day of sorrow and regret.

It demonstrates that the dwellers of Paradise will be in permanent pleasure, while the dwellers of Hellfire will be in permanent grief.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned his Ummah not to get deceived by what the People of the Book report in their books. The Jews, during the Prophet's lifetime, used to read the Torah in Hebrew, the language of the Jews, and expound on it in Arabic. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Neither believe nor disbelieve the People of the Book. This applies to things that are not known to be true or false. In fact, Allah Almighty commanded us to believe in the Qur’an revealed to us and the Book revealed to them. But there is no way in which we can know whether what they relate to us from these books is true or false, unless our Shariah clarifies whether it is true or false. Hence, we should stop, neither believing them, lest we may become their partners in what they distorted, nor disbelieving them, lest their statement may be right, and thus we will be denying what we were commanded to believe in. And Allah Almighty commanded the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that we should say: {We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob]; and what was given to Moses and Jesus; and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136]

What the People of the Book relate falls under three categories: what is consistent with the Qur’an and the Sunnah - it must be believed; what contradicts the Qur’an and the Sunnah - this is false and must be denied; and what is not established in the Qur’an or the Sunnah to be true or false - this is to be narrated and should not be believed or denied.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) points out that the Qur’an's surahs would reveal to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he did not know where they should end and be separated, until "In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful" was revealed to him; thereupon, he knew that the previous surah came to an end and this was the beginning of a new surah.

Basmalah "In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful" separates between surahs, except between Surat al-Anfāl and Surat at-Tawbah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that it will be said to the reciter of the Qur’an, who acts upon it and devotes himself to it, in terms of recitation and memorization, when he enters Paradise: Read the Qur’an and ascend thereby in the degrees of Paradise. Recite in a measured and calm manner as you used to recite in the worldly life, for your rank will be at the last verse you recite.

Rewards are given according to the deeds, in terms of their amount and the manner of performing them.

The Hadīth urges us to recite the Qur’an and master, memorize, ponder, and act upon it.

Paradise contains numerous ranks and degrees, of which the reciters of the Qur’an attain the highest.

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would receive ten verses from the Qur’an and not move to other verses until they learned the knowledge contained in those ten verses and acted upon it. Thus, they learned knowledge and application together.

The Hadīth highlights the merit of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their keenness on learning the Qur’an.

The proper learning of the Qur’an is done by gaining the knowledge contained therein and acting upon it, not by merely memorizing it.

Knowledge precedes speech and application.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b about the greatest verse in Allah's Book. He initially hesitated about the answer and then said: {Allah: none has the right to be worshiped except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining...} The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) agreed with him and struck him on the chest, indicating that it is filled with knowledge and wisdom. He also supplicated that this knowledge be pleasant and easy for him.

The Hadīth highlights great excellence for Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him).

The verse of al-Kursī is the greatest verse in the Book of Allah Almighty. So, we should memorize it, ponder its meanings, and act accordingly.

It was part of the Prophet's custom that when he went to bed, he would join his palms together and raise them as a supplicant does, and he would blow into them in a mild manner, along with little saliva. Meanwhile, he would recite the three surahs of al-Ikhlās, al-Falaq, and an-Nās. Then, he would wipe with his palms over as much of his body as he could, starting with his head, face, and the front part of his body, repeating this three times.

We are recommended to recite Surat al-Ikhlās and the two refuge-seeking surahs of al-Falaq and an-Nās before going to bed and to blow with them into our palms and then wipe over as many parts of our bodies as we can.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the Jews are people who incurred Allah's wrath because they knew the truth but did not apply it. The Christians are people who went astray because they acted without knowledge.

Combining knowledge and action guarantees safety from the path of those who incurred Allah's wrath as well as those who went astray.

Warning against the path adopted by the Jews and Christians and calling to adhere to the straight path, which is Islam.

Both the Jews and the Christians have gone astray and have incurred Allah's wrath; however, incurring Allah's wrath is the Jews' most distinct characteristic, whereas the Christians' most distinct characteristic is their misguidance.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: {It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are definite verses, which are the foundation of the Book, while others are ambiguous. Those with deviant hearts follow the ambiguous verses, seeking discord and seeking their [false] interpretation. But no one knows their [true] interpretation except Allah. And those who are well-grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it. It is all from our Lord." None will take heed except people of understanding.} Allah Almighty says in this verse that it is He Who sent down the Qur’an to His Prophet and that it contains clear verses that give specific unambiguous rulings; these serve as the foundation and points of reference of the Book, and they are to be referred to when differences arise. And it contains other verses that may give a number of potential meanings, over which people may get confused or they may think there is a contradiction between one of those verses and another verse. Then, Allah points out how people deal with those verses. Those whose hearts are deviated from the truth abandon the definite verses and turn to the ambiguous ones, thereby seeking to create misconceptions and mislead people. On the other hand, those well-grounded in knowledge know these ambiguous verses and refer them to the definite ones, believing in them and that they are from Allah Almighty and that they cannot be confusing or contradictory. But no one remembers this or takes heed from it except the people of sound minds. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that, if she saw those who follow the ambiguous verses, then indeed they are the ones named by Allah in the verse that reads: {Those with deviant hearts}; so, beware of them and do not listen to them.

The definite verses of the Qur’an are those verses whose meanings are apparent and clear; whereas the ambiguous verses are those verses with a number of potential meanings and so they require consideration and understanding.

The Hadīth warns against associating with the people of deviation and religious innovations and those who raise ambiguous issues with the aim of misleading people and casting doubts into their hearts.

The concluding part of the verse {None will take heed except people of understanding} is an indirect reference to the deviant people and praise for those well-grounded in knowledge. In other words, he who does not take heed and admonition and follows his vain inclination is not one of the people of understanding.

Following the ambiguous verses causes deviation of the heart.

The ambiguous verses whose meanings may not be understood should be referred to the definite verses.

Allah Almighty has made some of the Qur’an definite and some of it ambiguous as a test for people to distinguish the people of faith from the people of misguidance.

Part of the wisdom behind making some of the Qur’an's verses ambiguous is to show the superiority of scholars to others and to highlight the limitations of people's minds, so that they may submit to their Creator and acknowledge their own deficiencies.

The Hadīth highlights the merit of being well-grounded in knowledge and the necessity of steadfastness in it.

The Qur’an's exegetes have two views on the pause after the word 'Allah' in the verse that reads: {But no one knows their [true] interpretation except Allah. And those who are well-grounded in knowledge.} In the case of those who advocate the pause after the word 'Allah', the 'interpretation' here refers to knowing the reality and essence of it and such matters that cannot be realized like the spirit, the Hour, and other things whose knowledge Allah kept exclusively to Himself. Those well-grounded in knowledge believe in it and leave its realities to Allah, and thus they submit and become safe. On the other hand, those who advocate the continuity of recitation and not taking a pause after the word 'Allah' hold that the 'interpretation' here means explanation and clarification. Thus, Allah Almighty knows it, and so do the people well-grounded in knowledge, who believe in them and refer them to the definite verses.

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and complained about the bad behaviors of his slaves, mentioning that they lie to him, deceive him, and disobey his orders; whereas he curses them and disciplines them by beating. So, he asked the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) about his condition on the Day of Judgment in relation to them. In response, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: The extent to which they betrayed you, disobeyed you, and lied to you will be measured against how much you punished them. If their sins and your punishment are equal in amount, nothing is due to you or upon you. But if your punishment is greater than their sins, you will be held accountable, and the excess amount will be taken from your good deeds and will be given to them. The man went aside and started to weep and cry. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Do you not read this in the Book of Allah: {We will place the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection, and no soul will be wronged in the least.} No one will be wronged whatsoever on the Day of Judgment, and the scales will weigh people's deeds justly. So, the man said: By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I find nothing better for me and them than leaving and parting with them. Bear witness that they are all free for the sake of Allah. This is because it would be truly hard to strike this balance and be constantly careful about such accountability. Responding to oppression falls under different categories: If retaliation is equal to the oppression, or less than that, it is valid. However, if it goes too far and exceeds the amount of oppression, it is prohibited and punishable.

The Hadīth points out Allah's justice in measuring people's deeds on the Day of Judgment.

It indicates the man's sincerity in freeing his slaves out of fear from Allah's punishment.

Responding to oppression falls under different categories: If retaliation is equal to the oppression, or less than that, it is valid. However, if it goes too far and exceeds the amount of oppression, it is prohibited and punishable.

Some men from the polytheists came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as they had gone to extremes in killing and committing adultery, and said: Indeed, what you call to (Islam) and its teachings are something good. But, as for our condition and the polytheism and major sins we have committed, is there an expiation for them? Thereupon, the two verses were revealed, as Allah accepted the repentance of those people despite their numerous and severe sins. Had it not been for that, they would have persisted in their disbelief and transgression and would not have embraced this religion.

The Hadīth points out the excellence and greatness of Islam and that it wipes out the sins committed before embracing it.

It shows Allah's vast mercy towards His servants and His forgiveness and pardon.

Shirk (polytheism) is prohibited, and so is killing a soul without right and the charge of adultery. There is a warning to those who perpetrate these sins.

True repentance coupled with sincerity and righteous deeds expiates all major sins, including disbelief in Allah Almighty.

It is prohibited to despair and lose hope in the mercy of Allah Almighty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a speech on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, saying: O people, indeed Allah removed from you the arrogance and fanaticism of jāhiliyyah and the boastfulness about one's ancestors. People are of two types: Either a believer who is pious, righteous, and obedient to Allah Almighty - and this is honorable in the sight of Allah, even if he does not occupy high status among the people. Or a disbeliever who is wicked and wretched - and this is insignificant and worthless in the sight of Allah, even if he occupies a high status, strong position and authority. People are the children of Adam, and Allah created Adam from dust. Allah says: {O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most noble of you before Allah is the most righteous among you. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing and all-aware.} [Surat al-Hujurāt: 13]"

The Hadīth prohibits us from bragging about our lineages and reputation.

When the following verse was revealed: {Then on that Day, you will indeed be asked about your worldly pleasures} i.e., You will be asked about the gratitude you showed for the pleasures Allah has bestowed upon you - Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah, which pleasures will we be asked about?! Only two blessings are not among the things that deserve to be asked about, namely dates and water! Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, you will be asked about the worldly pleasures despite the state you are in, for these two are great blessings from among the blessings of Allah Almighty.

The Hadīth stresses the duty of showing gratitude to Allah Almighty for His blessings.

Worldly pleasures are among the things a person will be asked about on the Day of Judgment, whether little or great.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty, in a Qudsi Hadīth, said: I have divided Surat al-Fātihah in prayer between Myself and My servant in two halves; a half for Myself and a half for him. In the first half: praise, exaltation, and glorification of Allah, for which I give him the best reward. And in the second half: entreaty and supplication, to which I respond and give him what he has asked for. When the praying person says, {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}, Allah says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says, {The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful}, Allah says: My servant has extolled Me, praised Me, and acknowledged My general favor upon My servants. And when he says, {Master of the Day of Judgment}, Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and that is a great honor. And when he says, {You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help}', Allah says: This is between Me and My servant. The first part of this verse, namely {You alone we worship), is an acknowledgment of the divinity of Allah and responding to Him with worship, and with it the half which is for Allah comes to an end. The second part of the verse, namely {and You alone we ask for help}, contains the quest for help from Allah and His promise of help. And when he says, {Guide us to the straight path*, the path of those whom You have blessed; not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray}, Allah says: This is entreaty and supplication from My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for, and I have answered his supplication.

It shows how Surat al-Fātihah is so important that Allah Almighty called it 'prayer'.

Allah Almighty is kind to His servant, as He commends him for praising, extolling, and glorifying Him and promises that He will give him what he asks for.

This noble Surah contains praise of Allah, mention of the Day of Judgment, supplication to Allah, sincere devotion of worship to Him, asking for guidance to the straight path, and warning of the wrong paths.

If a praying person recalls this Hadīth - when he recites Al-Fātihah - his humility and focus will increase in prayer.

Jundub ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) as young men near the age of puberty—strong and powerful. We learned faith at the hands of the Prophet (ﷺ) before learning the Qur’an. Then, when we learned the Qur’an, it increased our faith.

Highlighting the fact that faith increases and decreases.

It shows the importance of setting priorities in raising the young, focusing first on instilling faith in their hearts.

The Qur’an increases faith, enlightens the heart, and brings comfort to the chest.

The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned that all the prophets were supported by Allah and were given miraculous signs that served as proof of their prophethood and led those who witnessed them to believe in their truthfulness. These miracles were beyond human ability to challenge or resist, though some people might still deny them out of stubbornness and arrogance. As for the Prophet (ﷺ), his sign and miracle is the Qur’an that Allah revealed to him, for it contains a clear and everlasting miracle due to its immense benefit and universal guidance. It includes the call to truth, decisive proof, and knowledge of what is yet to come. Thus, its benefit extends to those present and absent, to those who have existed and those who will exist. Then he said: I hope to be the one among them with the greatest number of followers on the Day of Judgment.

Affirmation of the miracles granted to the prophets, and this is from Allah's mercy and grace upon the nations.

Highlighting the greatness of the Prophet's miracle.

Highlighting the great status of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his superiority over all other prophets.

Ibn Hajar said regarding the Prophet's words: "But what I have been given is revelation which Allah has revealed to me": The meaning is not to confine all his miracles to this one, nor to deny that he was granted other miracles like those given to previous prophets; rather, the intent is that the Qur’an is his greatest and most distinctive miracle, unique to him alone.

An-Nawawi said: (And I hope to have the most followers among them)— this is one of the signs of his prophethood, for the Prophet (ﷺ) said this at a time when the number of Muslims was very small. Then Allah Almighty bestowed His grace, granted victory to the Muslims, and blessed them until Islam spread far and wide to the extent we see today—and all praise is due to Allah.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur’an. He said: He would prolong his voice in recitation with Madd (elongation); he would extend the lām before the hā’ in the word Allāh, extend the mīm before the nūn in Ar-Rahmān, and extend the hā’ in Ar-Rahīm.

Madd (elongation) means fully extending the sounds of the letters of madd—alif, wāw, and yā’— when they are in a state of sukūn (silent) and preceded by a vowel that matches them.

Clarifying the Prophet's way in reciting the Qur’an.

The practical demonstration of how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur’an.

As-Sindi said: His statement (he would prolong his voice in recitation with Madd) means that he would lengthen the letters that are suitable for elongation, using this to aid in contemplation, reflection, and reminding those who take heed.

Importance of knowing Tajwīd (reciting the Qur’an in accordance with established rules of pronunciation and intonation) and the sciences of the Qur’an.

Understanding the texts is referred to the scholars, as Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked and he explained to the questioner.

Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), was asked: How was the Prophet's (ﷺ) recitation of the Qur’an? She said: You would not be able to recite like he did. It was said to her: Tell us about it. Nāfi‘ said: Ibn Abi Mulaykah recited to us slowly to demonstrate and bring closer to them how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite. He recited: {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}, then paused, {The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful}, then paused, {Master of the Day of Judgment}.

Clarifying the Prophet's (ﷺ) way in reciting the Qur’an.

The practical demonstration of how the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur’an.

The permissibility of reciting the Qur’an slowly, as it is more conducive to reflection and contemplation.

The devotion of the righteous predecessors to the Qur’an and to following the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Importance of knowing Tajwīd (reciting the Qur’an in accordance with established rules of pronunciation and intonation) and the sciences of the Qur’an.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach and recite the Qur’an to his Companions in all conditions, except when he was in a state of Janābah due to marital relations with his wives.

It is impermissible for one in a state of Janābah to recite the Qur’an until he makes Ghusl (ritual bath).

Teaching by actions.

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that a man heard another reciting the Surah: {Say, “He is Allah, the One”} repeatedly throughout the night, without adding anything else. The next morning, he came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned that to him, as if the questioner thought it was not enough. Thereupon, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore by way of confirmation: By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, it is equal to one-third of the Qur’an.

The merit of Surat al-Ikhlās and that it is equal to one-third of the Qur’an.

It is permissible to recite a small number of verses during the night prayer and repeat them, without belittling this.

Al-Māziri said: It was said: It means: The Qur’an consists of three categories: stories, rulings, and the attributes of Allah Almighty. {Say, “He is Allah, the One.”} is exclusively about Allah's attributes, making it one-third—a part of three parts. It was also said: It means: The reward of reciting it is multiplied to equal the reward of reciting one-third of the Qur’an without any additional multiplication.

When Allah Almighty revealed to His Prophet (ﷺ) His saying: {To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth} in creation, ownership, control, and management. {Whether you reveal} show and declare {what is within yourselves} and in your hearts {or conceal it} and hide it in your hearts, {Allah will call you to account for it} on the Day of Judgment. {He forgives whom He wills} out of His grace and mercy {and punishes whom He wills} out of His justice, {for Allah is Most Capable of all things} and nothing is beyond His power. When the Companions heard this verse, it was hard on them, for it implied being held accountable even for the thoughts that pass through the heart. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and knelt down on their knees, saying: O Messenger of Allah, we have been commanded with bodily acts of worship that we are able to perform—such as prayer, fasting, Jihad, and charity—but this verse has been revealed to you and we cannot bear it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to them: Do you wish to say as the Jews and Christians said: {We hear and disobey}? Rather say: {We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.} The Companions obeyed the command of Allah and His Messenger and said: We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination. When the Muslims spoke those words with their tongues and their hearts submitted to them, Allah revealed—as a commendation for the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Ummah—His saying: {The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers} and their tongues and hearts submitted to Allah's command. {All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.”} Rather, we believe in all of them. {And they say, “We hear} your words {and obey} Your command, and we seek {Your forgiveness, our Lord} and Your pardon, {and to You is the [final] destination”} and the return on the Day when the reckoning will take place. When they did that and said what they were commanded to say—openly declaring their willingness to hear and obey Allah's commands—Allah eased the burden upon this Ummah and abrogated that verse with His saying: {Allah does not burden any soul greater than it can bear} beyond its ability, strength, and effort. {For it is} the reward of {what it has earned} and performed of goodness, {and against it is} the punishment of {what it has incurred} of evil and sins. Thus, Allah does not hold anyone accountable for another's sin, nor for the whispers and passing thoughts within one's own self. {Our Lord, do not hold us accountable} and punish us {if we forget} and do not remember {or fall into error} and unintentionally deviate from what is right. So Allah responded to their supplication and said: Yes, I have done so. {Our Lord, do not place on us such a burden} hardship and load {as You have placed on those before us} from among the Children of Israel and others. So Allah responded to their supplication and said: Yes, I have done so. {Our Lord, do not burden us with that which we cannot bear} of duties, trials, or hardships beyond our strength. Allah said: Yes, I have done so. {Pardon us} and erase our sins, {forgive us} conceal them and overlook them, {and have mercy on us} through Your vast mercy. {You are our Protector} and Master, {so give us victory} by granting us steadfastness and triumph in battle and argument {over the disbelieving people} in fighting and striving against them. So Allah responded to their supplication and said: Yes, I have done so.

A clarification of Allah's mercy toward this Ummah because of its Prophet (ﷺ)—the one about whom Allah said, in honoring his status: {We have not sent you [O Prophet] except as a mercy to the worlds.} [Surat al-Anbiyā’: 107]

Affirming the abrogation in the Noble Qur’an, and that within it are verses that are still recited, yet their rulings have been abrogated and are no longer acted upon.

The virtue of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their submission and obedience to the command of Allah, and their immediate compliance with the orders of His Messenger (ﷺ).

The Prophet (ﷺ) was deeply concerned and fearful that his Ummah might follow the path of previous nations by rejecting the commands of Allah Almighty.

It is obligatory to submit to the command of Allah Almighty and to beware of objecting to His command, for such objection resembles the behavior of the People of the Book.

Highlighting the superiority of this nation over the previous nations, as they said to their prophets: We hear and disobey. But this nation said: We hear and obey.

The virtue of this Ummah lies in Allah's mercy toward it—by removing hardship from it, answering its supplication not to be held accountable for forgetfulness or mistakes, lifting the burdens that were upon previous nations, and not charging it with what it cannot bear.

Allah Almighty does not burden us with what we cannot bear, nor does He charge us with more than we can do. The passing thoughts and whispers that occur in our hearts do not harm us as long as we do not dwell upon them, feel content with them, or act upon them.

Allah Almighty informed us of this supplication made by the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers, and He placed it in His Book so that those who come after the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would also recite it. Therefore, it is a supplication that should be memorized and frequently recited.

A man from among the Jews came to the Commander of the Believers, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), and said: There is a verse in your Book—the Qur’an—which you recite. If it had been revealed to us, the Jews, in our Book, the Torah, we would have taken that day as a festival, celebrating it in gratitude for the blessing of such a great verse. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Which verse is that? He said: {Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen Islam as your religion.} ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: We know well the day and the place in which this noble verse was revealed. It was sent down on a day of celebration—on Friday—while the Prophet (ﷺ) was standing at ‘Arafah. Both are great days for the Muslims.

This shows ‘Umar's great care and attention to both the place and the time where the verse was revealed.

This verse highlights the immense favor that Allah Almighty has bestowed upon this Ummah, as He perfected their religion and completed His blessings upon them so that they are in no need of any addition in religion. Therefore, anything introduced into the religion after its completion—without evidence from it—is considered an innovation and a misguidance, as it was authentically reported from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he said: "Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not part of it, it will be rejected."

This Hadīth indicates that festivals are not to be established based on personal opinion or innovation, as was done by the People of the Book before us. Rather, they are determined by divine law and prophetic guidance. This verse, which declares the perfection of the religion and the completion of Allah's favor, was revealed on a day that Allah Himself ordained as a festival for this Ummah in two respects: First, it was revealed on Friday, which is the weekly festival for Muslims; and second, it coincided with the Day of ‘Arafah, which is the festival of the pilgrims, their greatest gathering, and their most significant occasion.

As-Sa‘di said in his commentary on this verse: {Today I have perfected your religion for you} by completing the victory of Islam and perfecting both its outward and inward laws, its fundamentals and its branches. For this reason, the Qur’an and the Sunnah are entirely sufficient in addressing all matters of religion, both its principles and its subsidiary issues. Therefore, anyone who claims that people must rely on other sciences besides the Qur’an and Sunnah to understand their beliefs and rulings—such as speculative theology and the like—is ignorant and false in his claim. Such a person implies that the religion is incomplete without what he has introduced, and this is among the gravest forms of injustice and ignorance toward Allah and His Messenger. {Completed My favor upon you} both the outward and inward; {and have chosen Islam as your religion} i.e., I have chosen and selected it for you as your way of life, just as I have chosen you for it. So uphold it in gratitude to your Lord, and praise the One Who has blessed you with the noblest, most complete, and most perfect of religions.

Among the Jews of Madīnah were Banu Quraydah and Banu an-Nadīr. One of the two tribes had overpowered and subdued the other during the pre-Islamic period. They agreed and made a pact that if a person from the strong and dominant tribe killed someone from the weaker and subjugated tribe, the blood money would be fifty Wasqs only; but if the weaker tribe killed someone from the stronger one, the blood money would be double—one hundred Wasqs (1 Wasq equals sixty Sā‘s, a traditional measure of volume). They remained upon that agreement until the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in Madīnah as an emigrant. Both tribes then submitted to his presence (ﷺ), even though at that time he (ﷺ) had not yet triumphed over his enemies nor compelled them to obey him, for that was at the beginning of the Hijrah, during a period of peace. Then the weaker tribe killed a man from the stronger tribe. So the stronger tribe sent a message to the weaker one, saying: Send us one hundred Wasqs as agreed. The weaker tribe replied: Has it ever been that two clans, whose religion is one, whose lineage is one, and whose land is one, have unequal blood money—some worth half of the others? We only gave you that before, out of a sense of injustice toward us and fear of you. But now that Muhammad has arrived, we will never give you that again. War was about to break out between them, but they agreed instead to make the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a judge between them. Then the stronger tribe reconsidered and said: By Allah, Muhammad will not give you from them double of what he gives them from you. They have spoken the truth—they only gave us that before out of injustice and domination over them. So secretly send someone to Muhammad to find out his opinion for you: if he gives you what you want, you will appoint him as judge; but if he does not grant you what you desire, you will avoid him and not make him a judge between you. So they secretly sent some of the hypocrites to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to find out his opinion. When they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Allah revealed to him all about their affair and what they intended. Then Allah Almighty revealed in Surat al-Mā’idah, beginning with His words: {O Messenger, do not grieve for those who rush to disbelief – those who say with their mouths, “We believe”} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 41] until His saying: {Whoever does not judge according to what Allah has revealed, it is they who are the rebellious.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 47] Then Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: By Allah, these verses were revealed concerning them: {Whoever does not judge according to what Allah has revealed, it is they who are the disbelievers} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 44] And {...it is they who are the wrongdoers} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 45] And {...it is they who are the rebellious} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 47], and it was they whom Allah Almighty meant.

The Jews knew of the Prophet's (ﷺ) truthfulness and integrity.

The Jews' deceit and injustice even toward their own people.

Declaration of Allah Almighty that the Jews will have disgrace in this world and a great punishment in the Hereafter.

Failing to judge by what Allah has revealed and refusing the judgment of the Prophet (ﷺ) is a sign of disbelief, injustice, and defiance.

The danger of the hypocrites and their cooperation with the Jews.

The unseen belongs to Allah alone; none knows it except Him. The Prophet (ﷺ) informed us that the keys and treasures of the unseen are five: First: None knows when the Hour will occur except Allah—this refers to the knowledge of the Hereafter, for the Day of Judgment is its beginning. And if the knowledge of its beginning is unknown, then all that follows it is even more hidden. Second: None knows when rain will come except Allah—this refers to matters of the higher world. Rain is mentioned specifically, even though there are apparent causes that may indicate its coming by custom and observation, yet these causes do not provide certainty or exact knowledge. Third: What is in the wombs—whether male or female, black or white, complete or defective, wretched or blessed, and the like. The womb was mentioned specifically because people often make assumptions about it based on customary signs, yet Allah denied that anyone truly knows its reality; and if this is the case for what is most observable, then what is beyond it is even more hidden and unknowable. Fourth: No one knows what will happen tomorrow except Allah—this refers to the events that occur within time and its unfolding happenings. The word “tomorrow” is mentioned specifically because it is the nearest of future times; so if no one truly knows what will occur in such a near time—despite possible signs or indications—then knowledge of what lies further ahead is even more beyond reach. Fifth: No soul knows in what land it will die—this refers to matters of the lower world. Although people generally die in their homelands, this is not always the case. Even if one dies in their own land, they do not know the exact spot where they will be buried, even if there is a graveyard of their ancestors. {Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware}—He encompasses all things, outward and inward, the hidden and the unseen, the secrets and the mysteries. Thus, this verse includes all types of the unseen and refutes every false claim to the knowledge of it.

A clarification of the five treasures of the unseen, which none knows except Allah.

As-Sindi said: His statement (the keys of the unseen are five)— these five are called the keys of the unseen because whoever possesses knowledge of these five, possesses knowledge of all the unseen. Thus, they are like the means by which the treasures of the unseen are unlocked.

Ibn Hajar said: Ibn Abi Jamrah said: The term "keys" was used to make the meaning easier for the listener to grasp. Everything that is veiled from you is considered unseen to you, and access to what is behind a veil or barrier is usually through a door. When the door is locked, one needs a key to open it. So, if a person cannot even know where the key to what is hidden is kept, then how could he possibly know the unseen itself?

Ibn Abi Jamrah said: The wisdom behind making them five is to indicate that all realms of existence are encompassed within them.

Allah Almighty may reveal some aspects of the unseen to His messengers, out of His divine wisdom.

The false claims of astrologers and soothsayers regarding their knowledge of the unseen are invalidated, for whoever claims to know anything of the unseen that Allah Almighty alone possesses has indeed belied Allah Almighty, His Messenger (ﷺ), and the Noble Qur’an.

An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) mentioned that he was sitting near the pulpit of the Prophet (ﷺ) when he heard a man say: I do not mind doing no other deed after becoming Muslim except giving water to the pilgrims. And another man said: I do not mind doing no other deed after becoming Muslim except maintaining and serving the Sacred Mosque. Then another said: Jihad in the cause of Allah is better than what you both have said. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with them) rebuked them for raising their voices near the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)—and it was Friday morning. Then he said: When I have prayed the Friday prayer, I will go in and ask the Prophet (ﷺ) about the matter in which you have differed. So Allah Almighty revealed: {Do you consider giving water to the pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque as equal to believing in Allah and the Last Day and striving for Allah’s cause? They are not equal before Allah, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 19]

Good deeds vary in virtue and reward.

Deeds differ in virtue according to what the Shariah has prescribed—not according to people's personal opinions or judgments.

The virtue of Jihad in the cause of Allah on the condition of believing in Allah and in the Last Day.

An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth indicates the dislike of raising one's voice in mosques, whether on Friday or at other times, and that one should not raise his voice for teaching or anything else when people are gathered for prayer because it causes distraction and disturbance to those praying and remembering Allah.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned regarding the statement of Allah Almighty: {And whoever intends to deviate therein by evildoing, We will cause him to taste a painful punishment} [Surat al-Hajj: 25]. He said: If anyone intended and resolved to commit an evil deed in the sacred sanctuary of Makkah—violating its sanctity by words or intentional killing that Allah has forbidden—this is considered wrongdoing. Even if this intention and resolve occurred in the city of ‘Adan in Yemen, he deserves Allah's painful punishment because of it, even if he does not carry it out. It is enough that he made the resolve.

Emphasizing the unique status of the Haram (Sacred Sanctuary) and reverence for it.

As-Sa‘di said: This noble verse emphasizes the obligation to respect the Sacred Sanctuary, the necessity of deeply venerating it, and the warning against intending or committing sins therein.

Ad-Dahhāk said: A man may intend to sin in Makkah while being in another land, and it will be recorded against him, even if he does not carry it out.

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Allah revealed to me tonight verses, the like of which have never been seen—meaning in seeking refuge— and they are the two Mu‘awwidhats: Surat al-Falaq and Surat an-Nās.

Pointing out the great merit of these two Surahs.

Encouraging seeking refuge with them from all evils.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that when the following verses were revealed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): {Indeed, We have given you [O Prophet] a clear conquest, so that Allah may forgive you your previous and future sins, complete His favor upon you, and guide you to a straight path, and so that Allah may help you with a mighty victory. It is He Who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers so that they may increase in faith along with their faith. To Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and earth. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. So that He may admit the believing men and women to gardens under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, and absolve them of their sins; that is a supreme triumph before Allah.} [Surat al-Fat'h: 1-5], as he was returning from Hudaybiyyah, and the Companions were overcome by sadness and depression as they were prevented from performing ‘Umrah due to the terms of the treaty, which they thought was not in favor of the Muslims, and they had slaughtered their sacrificial animals at Hudaybiyyah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, a verse has been revealed to me that is more beloved to me than the entire world, then he recited it.

Highlighting the greatness of Allah's blessing upon His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) through the great conquest achieved in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, as He said to him: {Indeed, We have given you [O Prophet] a clear conquest} the two verses.

Highlighting the favor that Allah Almighty bestowed upon the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when they submitted to His command and obeyed, as Allah revealed for them His saying: {So that He may admit the believing men and women to gardens under which rivers flow...}.

Clarifying the favor of Allah upon His Prophet and the believers by promising them the conquest and victory.

As-Sa‘di said in his commentary on this verse: {Indeed, We have given you [O Prophet] a clear conquest} [Surat al-Fat'h 1]. This mentioned conquest refers to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when the polytheists prevented the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from performing the ‘Umrah. After a lengthy process, the final agreement was that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would enter into a treaty with them to stop the war between them for ten years and would perform ‘Umrah the following year. Additionally, anyone wishing to join the covenant of Quraysh and their alliance could do so, and anyone wishing to join the Prophet's covenant and contract could do so. As a result, when people were secure with one another, the scope of the call to the religion of Allah Almighty expanded. Every believer, regardless of his location in those regions, was able to practice his faith. Those who were eager to learn the truth of Islam were able to do so, and during this period, people embraced Islam in large numbers. Therefore, Allah referred to it as a "conquest" and described it as a "clear conquest," i.e., evident and apparent. This is because the goal of conquering the polytheists' countries was to honor the religion of Allah and secure the Muslims' victory, which was achieved through this conquest.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he was serving drink to those in the house of his stepfather, Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), and their wine at that time was Fadīkh—a mixture of dates and unripe dates. Then, a caller from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) announced: Indeed, wine has been declared unlawful. He said: Abu Talhah said to me: Go and pour it out and spill it. So, I went and poured it out and spilled it, and the wine flowed through the streets of Madīnah. Some people said: Some of the Companions had been killed before its prohibition while it was still in their bellies. Thereupon, Allah revealed: {There is no blame on those who believe and do righteous deeds for what they consumed...} [Sūrat al-Mā’idah: 93]. This means: There is no sin incurred on those who believe for what they consumed of the wine before its prohibition.

The merit of Abu Talhah and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) as they swiftly and unquestioningly responded to the command of Allah, and this is the attitude that befits a true Muslim.

"Khamr": A name that includes all intoxicants.

"Fadīkh": A drink made from unripe and ripe dates without being exposed to fire. "Busr" refers to the fruit of the date palm before it ripens.

Ibn Hajar said: Al-Muhallab stated: The wine was poured out in the street to publicly announce its rejection and to make its abandonment widely known. This served a greater benefit than the harm caused by pouring it into the street.

Clarifying Allah's mercy towards His slaves and that He does not hold them accountable for actions committed before the revelation of the ruling.

Allah Almighty prohibited Khamr due to its evil consequences that harm the mind and wealth, and because it leads people to commit many sins as a result of the loss of their mind.