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If Surah Ikhlas is 1/3 of Quran Then Why Read The Whole Quran?

Firstly: there follow some of the ahaadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) which state that Soorat al-Ikhlaas (Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad) is equivalent to one-third of the Quran.

Al-Bukhaari (6643) narrated from Abu Saeed that a man heard another man reciting Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad and repeating it. The next morning he came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him about that. The man thought that it was too little, but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it is equivalent to one-third of the Quran.”

Muslim (811) narrated from Abul-Dardaa that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Is any one of you unable to recite one-third of the Quran in one night?”

They said, “How could anyone read one-third of the Quran?”

He said, “Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad is equivalent to one-third of the Quran.”

Muslim (812) narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Gather together, for I will recite to you one-third of the Quran.”

So those who could gather together gathered there, then the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out and recited Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad, then he went in.

They said to one another, Perhaps there has been some news from heaven on account of which he has gone inside (the house).

Then the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out and said, “I told you that I was going to recite to you one-third of the Quran. Verily it is equivalent to one-third of the Quran.”

Secondly: The bounty of Allah is immense, and Allah has bestowed His bounty upon this ummah and has made up for its short life span by giving it more reward for simple deeds. It is strange that with some people, instead of this motivating them to do more good, this makes them apathetic and lazy in doing acts of worship, or they feel that this bounty and reward is strange and farfetched.

With regard to the meaning of the hadeeth:

There is a difference between jaza (reward) and ijza (what is sufficient). What is making the brother confused is that he does not see the difference between them.

Jaza means the reward which Allah gives for obeying Him.

Ijza means what is sufficient and takes the place of something else.

Reciting Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad brings a reward equivalent to reciting one-third of the Quran, but it does not take the place of reading one-third of the Quran.

If a person vows – for example – to read one-third of the Quran, it is not sufficient for him to read Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad, because it is equivalent to one-third of the Quran in reward, but not in terms of being sufficient or taking the place of reading one-third of the Quran.

The same may be said of reciting it three times. If a person recites it three times in his prayer, that does not mean that he does not have to recite al-Faatihah, even though he will be given the reward of reciting the whole Quran.

A similar example is the reward given by the Lawgiver to one who offers a single prayer in the Sanctuary of Makkah, and that he will have the reward of one hundred thousand prayers. Does anyone take this divine bounty to means that he does not have to pray for decades because he offered a single prayer in the Haram that is equivalent to one hundred thousand prayers?

Rather this has to do with reward; as for what is sufficient, that is another matter altogether.

Rewards are of different types, just as wealth is of different types, such as food, drink, clothing, houses, money and so on. If a man possesses one type of wealth, to the value of one thousand dinars, that does not mean that he can do without the other types. Rather if he has wealth in the form of food, he also needs clothing and a place to live, etc.

Similarly if it is a type other than money, he still needs other things. If he has nothing but money, he will need all kinds of wealth that are usually needed.

 

And he said:
The knowledge that is to be gained by reading the rest of the Quran cannot be gained by reciting this soorah only. So whoever reads the whole Quran is better than one who simply recites this soorah three times in the sense that he earns different kinds of reward, even though the one who recites Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad earns a reward equivalent to that reward, but it is of one type and does not include all the types that a person needs. This is like a man who has three thousand dinars and another who has food, clothing, accommodation and money equivalent to three thousand dinars. The latter has that which will benefit him in all his affairs, whereas the former needs what the latter has, even though what he has is equivalent in value.

Similarly, if he has the finest food, equivalent to three thousand dinars in value, he still needs clothing and accommodation, and weapons and tools that will ward off harm from him, and the like, which cannot be done with food alone.

Majmoo al-Fataawa, 17/137-139

Always Say That Which Is Best

Al-Isra (The Ascension) Sura 17: Verse 53

Tell My servants (O Muhammad), to always say that which is best. Verily it is Satan who sows discord among men. Satan indeed is an open enemy to man.

In their discussions with the unbelievers and polytheists, in fact with all opponents of their faith, Muslims should refrain from losing their temper. Additionally, they should not resort to exaggerated and extremist statements. Even in the face of provocation from their opponents, Muslims should not utter even a word that is contrary to the truth; nor should they lose their temper at the vulgarities which are flung at them by their opponents, nor should they be provoked to the point of paying back their opponents in the latter’s own coins. Instead, they should keep their composure and say only that which is balanced and true, and is in keeping with the grace and dignity of the faith which they seek to uphold.

The Quran tells believers that whenever in the course of their discussion on contentious issues with unbelievers, they feel overly provoked and overwhelmed with rage, they should immediately realize that such reactions are instigated by Satan who is keen to hurt the cause of their faith. Satan will certainly try to prompt the believers to give up, as their opponents had done, all efforts of reform, and to become entangled in futile wrangling and strife. For it is Satan’s aim that all mankind remain perpetually enmeshed in such controversies.

Compiled From:
“Towards Understanding the Quran” – Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol. 5, p. 51

Unbeliever’s Argument In Hell

What the Qur’an teachers :
Before the fire they are brought, morning and evening, and then on the Day when the Last Hour comes, it will be said: Cast Pharaoh’s people into the worst suffering. They will contend with one another in the fire: The weak will say to those who were arrogant, “We have been your followers, so can you relieve us of some share of the fire?” The arrogant will reply: “We are all in it together. For God has judged between His creatures.” Those in the fire will say to the keepers of hell: “Pray to your Lord that He lighten this suffering of ours, though it be for one day only.” They will ask: “Did your messengers not come to you with clear evidence of the truth?” They will say: “Yes, indeed.” (The keepers of hell) will say: “Pray, then!” But the prayers of the unbelievers will be all in vain.

(The Forgiving; 40: 46-50)

It describes the end suffered by Pharaoh and his people as a result of their arrogant rejection of Moses’ call on them to believe in God’s oneness. The way this verse is phrased suggests that they are brought before the fire during the time between their death and the Day of Judgment. This may be a reference to the torment suffered in the grave. The statement that follows reads: “and then on the Day when the Last Hour comes, it will be said: Cast Pharaoh’s people into the worst suffering.” This means that this suffering precedes the Day of Judgment. It is a terrible punishment involving exposure to the fire morning and evening, either to make them expect its burning and pain, which is a terrible suffering, or to experience it, which is even worse. Then, on the Day of Judgment, they will be cast into the worst suffering.

The verse that follows tells us of something that happens after resurrection. The unbelievers are shown arguing in hell: “The weak will say to those who were arrogant, ‘We have been your followers, so can you relieve us of some share of the fire?’” This means that the weak are together with the arrogant in the fire of hell. The weak have not been spared on account of their weakness, or their being driven like cattle, having no say or choice. God granted them a position of honor, which equipped them to exercise free choice and to be responsible for what they choose. They relinquished all this and followed their arrogant leaders instead. They did not object to anything the leaders said. In fact, it did not occur to them that they could object. They did not think about what their arrogant leaders said to them, or the errors they landed them in: “We have been your followers.” The fact of their relinquishing responsibility and what God granted them could never serve as extenuating circumstances in God’s sight. Therefore, they will be in hell, driven there by their leaders, just as they used to drive them like sheep in the life of this world. We see them asking their leaders: “Can you relieve us of some share of the fire?” This question is a reminder of what such leaders used to assert, pledging to protect their followers against evil and harm.

Such arrogant leaders, however, are soon fed up with their weak followers’ requests. Their answer betrays their boredom, but nonetheless they acknowledge what has happened: “We are all in it together. For God has judged between His creatures.”

“We are all in it together.” We are all weak, lacking all support and help. We are all alike. So why do you put such a question to us when you realize that the noble and the weaker elements are all the same? “God has judged between His creatures.” There can be no review or change to His judgment. The matter is settled. No creature can reduce or amend God’s judgment.

When all realize that no refuge can be sought from God’s punishment except with Him, they all humbly appeal to the guards of hell, in a way that makes them all equal: “Those in the fire will say to the keepers of hell: Pray to your Lord that He lighten this suffering of ours, though it be for one day only.”

They want the guards of hell to intercede on their behalf, hoping that their terrible ordeal can be lifted a little. They ask them to pray to God to reduce their punishment for one day, just to breathe and have a bit of rest. Even a day’s reduction is worth such appeals.

The guards of hell, however, do not respond to this humble and passionate appeal. They know their limits, and they are aware of God’s law and that the time is long passed. Therefore, they increase the suffering of the dwellers of hell by rebuking them and reminding them of the reasons for their suffering: “They will ask: ‘Did your messengers not come to you with clear evidence of the truth?’ They will say: ‘Yes, indeed.’”

The question and its answer suffice. There is no need for any more argument. The guards of hell leave them to their fate, allowing them to sink into despair. “(The keepers of hell) will say: Pray, then!” If any praying will change your situation even a bit, why do you not offer such prayers yourselves? The verse concludes with a comment on such prayers: “But the prayers of the unbelievers will be all in vain.” Such prayer is ignored, remains unanswered. Those who say it are forgotten, be they the leaders or their followers.

– By NAUSHAD SHAMIM AL-HAQ

You Don’t Get Any U-turns On The Way Up To Allah

When we pack our bags to go visit our friends, we remember to pack our clothes, shoes, and other little things.

Since we could know right from wrong, we have started packing our bags and will finish when our souls leave us.

Have you packed your prayer in your bag of provisions everyday? Have you packed your fasting? Have you packed your reading and memorizing the Qur’an?

Our bags are called life. We have to pack everyday because we don’t know when Allah will call us back, so we have to be ready for the journey.

And on the way up to Allah, you don’t get any U-turns so that you could go back and get the things you forgot to pack. So start packing if you already haven’t, and don’t forget, there’s no such thing as too many bags when we’re packing for our trip to Allah.

Benefits Of Reciting Quran

“When a man dies and his relatives are busy in funeral, there stands an extremely handsome man by his head. While the dead body is shrouded, that man gets in between the shroud and the chest of the deceased. When after the burial, the people return home, 2 angels, Munkar and Nakeer(names of two special Angels), come in the grave and try to separate this handsome man so that they may be able to interrogate the dead man in privacy about his faith. But the handsome man says, “He is my companion, he is my friend. I will not leave him alone in any case. If you are appointed for interrogation, do your job. I cannot leave him until I get him admitted into Paradise”.

Thereafter he turns to his dead companion and says, “I am the Qur’an, which you used to read, sometimes in a loud voice and sometimes in a low voice. Do not worry. After the interrogation of Munkar and Nakeer, you will have no grief.” When the interrogation is over, the handsome man arranges for him from Al-Mala’ul A’laa (the angels in Heaven) silk bedding filled with musk.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihe Wa-aalihi wasallam) said:

“On the Day of Judgment, before Allah, no other intercessor will have a greater status than the Qur’an, neither a Prophet nor an angel.”

Our position in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an we memorize in this life! ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunya! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!” [Aboo Daawood and At-Tirmithee, saheeh]

There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur’an. As an authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well.

The benefits of memorizing Quran are infinite…. Alhamdulilah!

The Prophet (May peach be upon him) said, “Whoever takes a path seeking knowledge by it, Allah will facilitate for him a path to Paradise because of it. And indeed the angels lower their wings for the student of knowledge, pleased because of what he is seeking (knowledge). And verily those who are in the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the water, seek forgiveness for the scholar .” (Ahmad )