Ethics of veneration of the holy Quran. What the Quran Says About Jesus What the Quran Says
With Christianity and Judaism, the teachings of the Koran closely intersect. Many data and fundamental principles, one way or another, find their echoes in the religion close to us - Christianity. However, what is written in the Quran is such that millions of people unconditionally listen to its truth. But first things first.
First of all, it is worth mentioning that the prophet Muhammad, who received the message of the angel Gabriel from Allah himself, wrote down the religious teaching in one book.
The first chapter of the Koran, consisting of 114 chapters, has the same meaning for Muslims as the prayer "Our Father" for Christians. The suras located at the beginning are in the nature of full-fledged treatises, while the final ones include literally a few lines. Moreover, the information contained in the suras is extremely diverse. At the same time, they present both a description of the real events of the confrontation between Mecca and Medina, and a presentation of the fundamental foundations of Muslim law and a retelling of biblical stories.
What does quran mean
For Muslims, the Quran is a Divine Encyclopedia, a constitution sent down by Allah himself so that each person reconsiders and improves his relationship with society, himself and, first of all, with the Lord. The Qur'an is called upon to educate and strengthen in Muslims the spirit of benevolence, piety and righteousness. It is believed that to follow the Qur'anic path means to follow the path of happiness and prosperity, while moving away from it will cause misfortune.
What does the Quran say
Like any other religious book, the Quran contains the usual collection of laws, traditions, and established practices of the past. It also contains traditions, legends, mythical tales, including those borrowed from other religious teachings. The Qur'an speaks of the widespread views of the Arab population of the period of the 6th-7th centuries. n. e., which are, as it were, a "mirror reflection" of the socio-economic relations that existed on the Arabian Peninsula.
Visiting FrontPage Magazine is Professor Khalil Mohammed, Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of San Diego.
Khalil Mohammed represents one of the existing, though not yet very widespread, views on what the Koran says about the Jews, Israel, and the right of the Jews to live in the land of Israel. On the basis of passages in the Quran, Khalil argues that Eretz Israel is a God-given land for the Jews, and to oppose this is to oppose the Quran and God himself.
- Glad to see you, Mr. Mohammed.
“It is a great honor for me to talk with you. I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to acquaint your readers with my position. As you probably know, I practice moderate Islam - an Islam that does not distinguish between people, advocating respect for all human rights. I see my mission in bringing back to the practice of Islam the beauty that was once characteristic of it. However, this position is currently unpopular among fundamentalist Muslims.
You are a Muslim yourself. However, you claim that the right of the Jews to rule over Israel is enshrined in the Koran. From Islamic scholars and clerics you hear this, to put it mildly, infrequently. Please tell us more about this doctrine.
— In the ideas outlined in the Qur'an, a common motif comes through: "Allah does not tolerate injustice and helps the offended." A lot of attention is paid to this topic. Note that the most frequently mentioned person in the Qur'an is Moses/Musa. In the Koran, Musa is portrayed as a kind of revolutionary from Allah. Musa led the people, who were subjected to humiliation and persecution for worshiping Allah, from captivity and brought them to the Promised Land.
In the fifth sura of the Qur'an (verses 20-21) it is clearly stated: “Musa said to his people: “O my people! Remember the mercy shown to you by Allah, when He appointed prophets among you, made you masters and bestowed on you that which he did not bestow on any of the inhabitants of the worlds. O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you; do not turn back (for fear of its rulers), otherwise you will suffer loss.
The Qur'an then explains why for forty years the Israelites were not allowed to set foot in the Promised Land... Key to my research is the passage where Moses says that the Holy Land is "prescribed" to the Israelites by Allah. In both Islamic and Jewish interpretations, the word "prescribed" carries connotations of finality, decisiveness, and immutability. Therefore, we have the Written Torah (unchanging) and the Oral Torah (suggesting changes in tradition in accordance with the spirit of the times). The Qur'an says, "Fasting is prescribed for you." Thus, it is emphasized: this is how Allah has ordained, and no one is free to change it. So, if you are guided by faith, everything is very simple: since Allah "recorded" Israel for the people of Moses, people are not free to change it.
The Qur'an mentions the exiles, but does not close the way for them to return... The Qur'an tells the Jews: if you do what you promised Allah, Allah will do what he promised you. Of course, we can refer to the fact that the modern State of Israel was not created by the most gentle methods, many were expelled: But, in my opinion, this is a secondary point. Much more important is the fact that back in the 7th century, Muslims, when they first came to this land, were well aware of WHOM it rightfully belongs to. And therefore, when the Muslims refused to submit to God's will (at least in the understanding of all confessions dating back to the faith of Abraham), they became accomplices in the crime. And now we are reaping the fruits of their deeds: innocent people, both Palestinians and Israelis, are dying every day.
Also, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the medieval interpreters of the Koran - and I have studied all their works without exception - recognized that Israel was given to the Jews and belongs to them by birthright. Here is how two of the most famous Islamic commentators of the Qur'an explain the word "prescribed" in verse 21 of the fifth sura.
Ibn Kathir (d. 774/1373) wrote: “into the land which Allah has ordained for you” i.e. “into the land which Allah promised you through the mouth of your father Israel, into the land which is the inheritance of those of you who believe.” Muhammad al-Shawqani (d. 1250/1834) understands the word "kataba" as: "that which Allah has allocated and ordained for you, based on His original knowledge, appointing this land for you as a dwelling place."
The idea that Israel does not belong to the Jews is a modern concept. It is probably born out of hostility towards European colonialism in the Middle East. But this idea certainly has nothing to do with the Koran. Unfortunately, the majority of Muslims do not read the Koran at all, do not try to interpret its original text on their own, but, on the contrary, accept the interpretations of imams and preachers on faith.
- You said that in the 7th century, Muslims, having appeared on the Promised Land, "became accomplices in crime." Could you explain this point in more detail? Does modern Islam conceal these facts?
How did the Jews lose their right to live in the Promised Land? Judging by all reliable sources, the looting and burning of cities, which began in 70-135 AD, were to blame. Muslims appear here in 638 - they conquer these lands from Byzantium. The Muslims knew perfectly well who these lands rightfully belonged to. But in Muslim chronicles we read that the Muslim caliph accepted the surrender of the local representative of the Byzantines, Sophronius, on certain conditions. One of these conditions was: "Do not allow Jews into the city." Personally, this story does not seem very plausible to me. Modern researchers have proven that these chronicles were written long after the events themselves, and therefore are less reliable than previously thought. We also know that in 1096-1099 the participants of the First Crusade, conquering these lands, killed many Muslims and Jews. If Omar indeed signed such a treaty in the 7th century, where did the Jews come from?
Speaking of complicity in a crime, I mean the actions of Abdul Malik, who built a mosque in Jerusalem and attributed fictitious hadiths to the Prophet. Mohammed allegedly said that a person should make the Hajj only to three mosques, to Mecca, to Medina and to Jerusalem. But how could the Prophet say this, if (ALL MUSLIMS unequivocally interpret this place) from the phrase of the Koran “Today I have completed [sending down] your religion” (sura 5, ayat 3) it follows that Jerusalem was not part of the geographical zone of the spread of Islam? That is why we are talking about "completion". It is understood that the Arabic Quran is for the Arab tribes. Therefore, Koranic Islam DOES NOT REQUIRE Muslims to conquer territory that belongs to foreigners.
When the Muslims took Jerusalem, its gates had to be thrown open so that the true owners could return there. It is possible that the Jewish doctrines of the time allowed for such a return only under the direction of the Messiah - but this subtlety should not have influenced the actions of the Muslims. The story of the treaty with Sophronius is refuted by information that indicates that Omar really opened the gates of the city to the Jews. In this case, the later Muslim occupation and the construction of a mosque on the site of the Temple were not sanctioned by the Qur'an. How openly is this story discussed in contemporary Islam? Well, what can I say. In the current climate in the Middle East, integrity is being sacrificed for politics.
- By lecturing at universities, you expose these fabrications of politicians and thereby often incur the wrath of Muslims.
— Yes, my position is criticized because it does not correspond to the geopolitical shift towards fundamentalism. I would like to draw the attention of your readers to the fact that fundamentalism is rapidly becoming the dominant current in Islam. Moderate Islam, on the contrary, is losing popularity. This is beautifully illustrated in Islam Besieged by Akbar Ahmed. Ahmed notes that the Taliban are no longer marginalized in Pakistan. Many Pakistanis were carried away by their teachings.
Even in the US, I irritate those mosque goers who use social pressure methods to impose their extremist views on others. I will share a story from personal experience: when my wife, after many years of studying the issue, came to the conclusion that women do not need to cover their heads, and appeared in the mosque without a headscarf, many of her Muslim “sisters” refused to even answer her greeting. And they were not at all interested in why she did this. Many Muslims oppose me for one reason only - because I claim that Israel has a right to exist.
There is a strange pattern in the statements of those who criticize me: people think that by recognizing the legitimacy of the existence of Israel, I deny the rights of the Palestinians. To which I reply that I am in no way denying the fact that the Palestinians have certain rights. But they don’t even want to hear me: my opponents profess the principle of “all or nothing”.
Recently, when I was giving a lecture in Santa Cruz, members of some Muslim organizations put up posters there claiming that I was saying that there were negative statements about Jews in the Koran. But these people greatly distort the facts. I admit that some verses of the Qur'an have a polemical meaning, but, in my opinion, there is a respectful attitude towards the Jews in the Qur'an (otherwise Musa \ Moses would not be mentioned so often in it). However, in the oral tradition of Islam (in the hadiths), Jews are portrayed as negative characters. This uncomfortable truth about the Quran is hard for many Muslims to come to terms with, having been taught for almost 12 centuries that an uncritical attitude to oral tradition is an integral part of the Islamic creed.
Often critics try to object to me by citing scattered quotations from the Koran, but here they fail, because I have been studying interpretations and exegesis for many years. Sometimes I am called to a duel. In Santa Cruz, the Muslims proposed a debate. I agreed on one condition - that the dispute be public. My opponents didn't show up. And those few Muslims who came to the lecture and had the patience to listen to me, could not find any incorrect interpretations of the postulates of Islam in my reasoning.
In Montreal, I was accused of racism when I said that 95% of Muslims these days are subjected to anti-Semitic indoctrination. I gave the answer (which the Montreal Gazette refused to publish): let every Muslim frankly answer one simple question: “How should the two final verses of the first sura of the Qur'an be understood: “Guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom You have favored, not those that [fell under Your] wrath, and not [by] the wayward ones?”
This verse does not say anything about Jews or Christians: however, almost every Muslim learns from his teachers that "those who fell under Your wrath" are Jews, and "those who have gone astray" are Christians. The main problem is that the average Muslim memorizes this sura and learns its interpretation at the age of 5-8 years. And, as we know, the knowledge gained at this age cuts deep into the subconscious. Almost into genetic memory, figuratively speaking.
I thought my answer was self-evident. But what were the results? Some of my closest colleagues began to deny that they had been taught this. For me, this situation was even more painful than the criticism from some Muslim leaders. I always ask people: well, if you deny something publicly, at least in private, have a conscience - admit the truth. But even in private, my fellow Muslims did not find the courage to admit what is obvious to everyone and everyone. That in itself shows how low we have fallen.
However, I must emphasize that attacks on me are expressed only in the form of polemics. I have not received any threats to my health or safety. No matter how embarrassing my fellow Muslims are by my position, they recognize that I am a Muslim. I do not give up my faith, and therefore we can discuss. Here at the University of San Diego, where I teach, the local branch of the Muslim Students Association wrote a complaint against me, claiming that I accuse members of this organization of anti-Semitism and homophobia. But soon these people retreated from their intention and did the right thing - otherwise they would look very stupid. Their letter speaks for itself. “We cannot be anti-Semites, because we ourselves are Semites,” they wrote, although there was not a single Arab by nationality among the authors of the letter. “And we are not at all homophobic, because among our neighbors there are gays and lesbians.”
Should we expect a reform movement to emerge in Islam? Is there any fertile soil for such a movement?
— The driving force behind the reforms will be Muslims living in the West. Here the main role belongs to women who resolutely raise their voices. I can name a few names that few people know so far. But these women have done a lot to change the Muslim worldview. Some of them argue passionately among themselves, but despite all their differences, they have done a lot to cure Islam of its centuries-old disease - male chauvinism: Fatima Mernissi, Aziza al-Khibri, Amina Wadud Muhsin, Irshad Manji, Rifat Hasan, Asma Jahangir. Of course, there are men among the supporters of reforms: Khalid Abu al Fadl, Abdallah al-Naim, Sad al din Ibrahim: Note that they were all educated in the West, and now, with one exception, they live there.
— Mr. Mohammed, we were very pleased that you honored us with your visit. I would like to thank you for defending your position so courageously in the Muslim community, which, unfortunately, does not favor honest disputes. Keep fighting for a moderate Islam capable of coexisting with Western democracy. We hope that your influence will only grow. So, at the end of the interview, let's dot the i's. Have we correctly understood from your words that the right of the Jews to own Israel is enshrined in Islamic doctrine and that the Holy Koran obliges Muslims to accept the existence of this state?
- At the very beginning of the second sura of the Qur'an it is said: "This is the Scripture, in the [divine sending down] of which there is no doubt, a guide for the God-fearing." Therefore, every Muslim should regard the content of the Qur'an as a guide to action sent down from above. The verses about Israel in the fifth sura are meant not only to be read, but also to be performed. One of the fundamental principles of Islam is the provision “The source of troubles should be removed” (“al darar yuzal”). Muslims must face reality. Many years have passed since the founding of Israel. All these years, the whole region has been making efforts to destroy this state. However, these attempts are fruitless, and there seems to be no hope of success. The most constructive and pragmatic thing would be to come to terms with the facts: Israel exists, and you need to choose from two options: either peacefully coexist with Israel, or fight with it until the end of time. The Qur'an makes it clear to Muslims that Allah will not change their life unless they change it themselves. This case is an excellent opportunity to put this dogma into practice.
Only by recognizing Israel on their own initiative will Muslims fulfill the prescription of their holy book, the Koran. Having received guarantees of its security, Israel will sit down at the negotiating table, and although some outbreaks of tension are possible, peaceful coexistence will become the norm.
- Thank you very much, Mr. Mohammed, for an interesting conversation.
Thank you, I was very glad to visit you.
The hypocrites are described in the Qur'an as two-faced people, the essence of unbelievers, but living among believers and hiding behind faith in order to achieve their goals and certain benefits. Almighty Allah informs in His Book that hypocrites bring confusion to the society of believers (Muminov), conduct secret actions in order to split their unity and brotherhood. To denote this essence of hypocrites in the Qur'an, the word is used in relation to them "munafiq"(مُنَافِق), which comes from the root of the Arabic word "nifak"(نِفَاق), meaning "discord", "discord", "separation".
Another distinguishing feature of the hypocrites is that they very skillfully disguise their duplicity - their true face is revealed only when the community of the faithful is faced with difficulties and trials. But the hypocrites are deeply mistaken, thinking that they can deceive the believers: by their actions they harm themselves first of all. Allah says in the Qur'an what delusion these people plunged themselves into:
“And some among the people say: ‘We have believed in Allah and the Last Day. But they don't believe. They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves and do not know. There is sickness in their hearts. May Allah increase their sickness! For them it is a painful punishment for lying" (2:8-10).
These people saw the messengers of Allah with their own eyes and lived among the believers, knew everything about faith, the truth of the Day of Judgment and eternal life, but, despite this, they showed amazing dishonor and baseness, they turned away and acted evil against faith and those who believed secretly, sowed seeds of discord in the community set the atheists against the sincere servants of Allah. All this is just a manifestation of their vice - pride and lack of fear of future retribution, which will certainly overtake them:
By what signs can a munafiq be identified?
Almighty Allah, having described in the Qur'an many features of munafiqs, warned believers about the need to be vigilant and wise, knowing about the existence of this wicked type of people who will exist at all times. Therefore, for a Mu'min who knows the Qur'an well, it will not be difficult to see all the signs and signs of this traitorous community operating behind the backs of the believers.
Munafiqs, in whose hearts there is vice, will never be able to hide their essence from the penetrating mind of a sincerely believing Muslim: no matter how much they try to hide disbelief in their hearts, they still betray themselves by their behavior, manner of speech, reaction to this or that worldly test.
However, the Mumins cannot say about such a person or people: “These are truly hypocrites!”, even if all the characteristic descriptions of the Koran are present, but they are forced to build relationships with this category of people with utmost attention and forethought. Here is just one of the many verses of the Qur'an, where Allah Almighty warns us about obvious signs pointing to hypocrites:
The insincerity of the behavior of the munafiqs described in this verse, who seek to earn only public praise through the commission of acts of a demonstrative nature, undoubtedly cannot go unnoticed by the sensitive heart of a sincere believer. The Koran also says that, by the will of Allah, each munafiq will sooner or later reveal to the community his true essence in appearance, speeches or deeds:
“Do those who have sickness in their hearts think that Allah will not reveal their wickedness? And if We had willed, We would have shown them to you, and you would have known them by their signs; and you would, of course, recognize them by the sounds of speech. And Allah knows their deeds!” (47:29-30).
Hypocrisy - behavior that covers insincerity and malice with feigned sincerity and virtue. The hypocrites have no faith:
“And some among the people say: ‘We have believed in Allah and the Last Day. But they do not believe” (2:8).
Hypocrites are liars who try to deceive their Creator:
“They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves and do not know” (2:9).
“Indeed, the hypocrites try to deceive Allah, while He deceives them! And when they get up to pray, they get up lazy, pretending to people, and remember Allah, only a little” (4:142).
Hypocrisy is a disease of the soul:
“There is a disease in their hearts. May Allah increase their sickness! For them it is a painful punishment for lying” (2:10).
Those affected by this disease believe that they are on the true path:
“And when they are told: “Do not spread wickedness on earth!” - they say: “We are only those who do good” (2:11).
But in fact, their duplicity breeds wickedness:
"Is not it so? For they are spreaders of wickedness, but they do not know” (2:12).
The hypocrites are stupid:
“And when they are told: “Believe, as the people believed!” - they answer: “Shall we begin to believe, as the fools believed?”. Is not it so? Verily, they are fools, but they do not know!” (2:13).
Two-faced people tend to mock those who truly believe:
“And when they meet those who believed, they say: “We believed! And when they stay with their shaitans, they say: “We are with you, we are only mocking” (2:14).
But they do not know that Allah is mocking them:
“Allah mocks them and increases their delusion, in which they wander blindly!” (2:15).
They prefer delusion to the true path:
“These are those who have bought delusion for the right way. Their trade was not profitable, and they were not on the right track!” (2:16).
Another distinguishing feature of them is demagoguery:
“And what happened to you when two parties met, by the permission of Allah and so that He would recognize the believers and recognize those who are hypocrites. And it was said to them: “Come, fight in the way of Allah or drive away!”. They said: "If we knew the battle, we would follow you!" They in that day are closer to unbelief than to faith! They say with their lips what is not in their hearts, and Allah knows best what they hide!” (3:166-167).
Sometimes they are sweet-tongued, but their hearts are filled with malice:
“Among the people there is one whose speech delights you in the next life, and he calls Allah as a witness to what is in his heart, and he is stubborn in strife” (2:204).
Munafiqs - distributors of wickedness:
“And when he turns away, he walks on the earth to spread wickedness there and destroy both crops and offspring - and Allah does not love wickedness!” (2:205).
They do not accept instructions:
“And when they say to him:“ Fear Allah! ”, then greatness seizes him in sin. Gehenna is enough for him, and she is a nasty haven! (2:206).
Their minds are clouded:
“And if good befalls them, they say: ‘This is from Allah,’ and when evil befalls them, they say: ‘This is from you. Say: Everything is from Allah. Why can't these people understand the story? (4:78).
Hypocrites are inherently unfaithful:
“Why are you two parties in relation to hypocrites? Allah cast them down for what they gained. Would you like to lead to the straight path those whom Allah has led astray? After all, if someone is knocked down by Allah, you will not find a way for him!” (4:88).
They tend to reveal other people's secrets:
“And when some business comes to them, safe or dangerous, they divulge it. And if they returned him to the Messenger and those in power among them, then those who try to penetrate him would recognize him. And if it were not for the bounty of Allah towards you and not for His mercy, then you would have followed Satan, except for a few” (4:83).
Therefore, they should be turned away:
“They say: ‘Obedience!’ And when they go out from you, then a group of them plot at night not what you say, and Allah writes down what they plot at night. Turn away from them and rely on Allah! And enough is the surety of Allah!” (4:81).
They rejoice at the disbelief of others:
“They would like you to be unfaithful, as they were unfaithful, and you would be the same” (4:89).
In the end, God's punishment will overtake them:
“Rejoice the hypocrites with the news that they will have a painful punishment” (4:138).
In Hell, the most terrible punishment is prepared for them:
“Indeed, the hypocrites are in the lower layer of fire, and you will never find a helper for them” (4:145).
The hypocrites have the audacity to mock the verses of the Holy Quran:
“Allah has already revealed to you in the Scripture that when you listen to the signs of Allah, which they do not believe in and which they mock, then do not sit with them until they are immersed in another story: then you are like them. Verily, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers all in Gehenna!” (4:140).
They do not like war, but strive for war trophies:
“Those who are waiting for what will happen to you if you have a victory from Allah, they will say:“ Were we not with you? And if there is an inheritance for the unbelievers, they will say: “Did we not try to help you and protect you from the believers?” But Allah will judge you on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah will never make a way for the unbelievers against the believers! (4:141).
These are the lost people.
“Walking between this (faith and disbelief), neither to one nor to the other. Indeed, if Allah leads anyone astray, then you will not find a way for him! (4:143).
However, they claim that Muslims are proud:
“Here say the hypocrites and those in whose hearts there is disease: ‘Their religion has seduced these. And whoever relies on Allah ... Verily, Allah is Great, Wise! (8:49).
Munafics strive for an easy life and are afraid of difficulties:
“If the direction were close and the path moderate, they would follow you. But the distance is far for them, and they will swear by Allah: “If we could, we would go out with you!”. They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars” (9:42).
The best test for identifying hypocrites is war:
“May Allah forgive you! Why did you let them stay at home until it became clear to you who was telling the truth and who was a liar?” (9:43).
In the battles "Uhud" and "Khandak" they carried out sabotage activities:
“And they used to seek confusion and turn things before you until the truth came and the command of Allah was revealed, although they hated” (9:48).
They cannot bear other people's joy and rejoice at other people's troubles:
“If something good befalls you, it makes them sad; and if misfortune befalls you, they say: “We took care of our business before!” - and depart, rejoicing. (9:50).
Allah does not accept their help of religion, and the reason why their help is not accepted is because of their unbelief:
“Say: “Spend voluntarily or under compulsion - it will not be accepted from you! You were a dissolute people." And the only thing that prevents them from accepting their expenses is that they did not believe in Allah and His Messenger, that they come to prayer only when they are lazy and spend only under duress” (9:53-54).
The hypocrites die unbelievers:
“Let you not admire their wealth and their children. Allah wants to punish them with this in the next life; their souls will go out, and they will be disbelievers” (9:55).
And in life they are always cowardly:
“And they swear by Allah that they are from among you, although they are not from among you, but they are people who are afraid. If they had found a shelter, a cave, or a hiding place, they would hastily go there” (9:56-57).
The Quran is the word of Allah Almighty. It was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by Allah Almighty through the archangel Jibril (peace be upon him) and came to us unchanged through tawattur (that is, transmission from generation to generation). To invent, compose, create something similar to the Koran is beyond the power of anyone except Almighty Allah, and the very reading of the Koran is one of the types of worship of the Almighty Creator. Because the Qur'an is the word of Allah, and the word of Allah is one of His attributes.
The first point of the ethics of honoring the Holy Quran is the awareness of the greatness and holiness of the Quran. The Quran is the word of Almighty Allah, as mentioned above, sent down to the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and there is no equal or more majestic, supernatural miracle in the world. From the moment of sending down until the Day of Judgment, the Qur'an will remain unchanged, without addition or subtraction. With all the efforts and possibilities of people and genies, they are not able to compose at least one verse similar to the sura of the Koran.
The Qur'an includes the meaning of all the books sent down by Allah earlier to other messengers-prophets. The Koran does not grow old, no matter how much time passes, it never loses its novelty, and in every era it gives each nation its priceless fruits that correspond to their interests and life. The Qur'an mentions the lives of previous prophets and their followers, those who disbelieved, the erring kings and their subjects - and this is an edification and a lesson for future generations.
The Qur'an provides general legislative aspects of life and the need to follow them, speaks of the greatest destiny of mankind, good morals and good deeds. It also tells about bad deeds, condemned morals and qualities of people and the need to reject them and counteract them. The Qur'an gives arguments and proofs of the unity of Allah, provides information about the highest attributes of Allah, about His most beautiful names, about the abundant blessings of Paradise, about the severe punishment in Hell. The Qur'an speaks convincingly about all this, describing vivid, memorable pictures of the afterlife.
Describing nature, the Sun, Moon, stars, heaven, earth, rivers, seas, mountains, winds, plants, subterranean interiors, animals and people, the Qur'an encourages people to think about all this. The Quran encourages us to follow the truth and reject all that is bad. The Koran rejects everything except truth and true science, points to the hidden slanders of hypocrites and unbelievers, their vile intentions, reveals the path leading to error. There was no more readable, more useful book in the history of mankind than the Koran. There is no limit to the depth of his scientific knowledge, meaning and miraculous manifestations. Only Almighty Allah can know the number of hafiz - people who know the Koran by heart. It would not be an exaggeration to say that in every era, in every century, the number of hafiz exceeded tens of thousands. And today the number of only minor children, not to mention adults who know the Koran by heart, exceeds hundreds of thousands. The merits and degree of reward for teaching the Qur'an, studying and reading cannot be overestimated - they are too great.
We list some of them based on the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
1."The best among you is the one who studies the Qur'an and teaches it to others"(Al-Bukhari, Muslim).
2. “If someone reads one letter from the Qur'an, one reward is written to him, and then this reward is increased ten times more”(At-Tirmizi).
3. “If people gather in the house of Allah (in a mosque or in another place) and read the Book of Allah, teach each other to read the Koran, peace and abundance of the mercy of Allah Almighty, His blessings will descend on them, they will be surrounded by angels and Allah will praise them among the slaves close to Him , i.e. prophets, angels(Muslim, Abu Dawud).
4. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his companions: “Would you like to go to Bhutan or Akik (places near Medina) and, without committing a single sin for the whole day, without oppressing, without offending anyone, get two thoroughbred big camels and return home?” “O Messenger of Allah, who would not want this? We would all like it." Then the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Then why don’t you go to the mosque and study or read at least one or two verses from the Book of Allah there? But the study or reading of two verses is more expensive than the cost of two camels, three verses is more expensive than three camels, four verses is more expensive than four camels, and no matter how many verses you read, they are more expensive than the same number of camels.(Muslim, Abu Dawud).
5. “Whoever listens to the recitation of one verse from the Qur'an will receive a reward increased several times. And the one who reads this verse, on the Day of Judgment will become a light (nur), illuminating his path to Paradise. ( Ahmad).
6. “Experts of the Koran will be next to the saints, the most worthy angels. And the one who finds it difficult to read the Qur'an, but still reads it, will receive a double reward.(Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizi, an-Nasai).
7."Read the Qur'an, on the Day of Judgment it will come and intercede for you"(Muslim).
9. “If a person reads the Qur'an and follows it, then on the Day of Judgment his parents will be put on a crown, the light of which will be brighter than sunlight. And how much reward will be received by the one who follows the Koran, think for yourself!”(Abu Dawud and Hakim).
10. “A person who reads the Qur'an is one who has introduced prophecy into himself, but revelation (wahya) does not descend to him”(Hakim).
11. “Of the deeds with which you turn to Allah, the best is the reading of the Qur'an received from Him”(Hakim, Abu Dawud).
12. “Readers of the Quran are special people close to Allah”(Nasai, Hakim).
13. “Whoever reads ten verses in one night, that night his name will not be written among the careless, distracted from Allah people”(Hakim).
14. “Whoever, after reading the Qur’an, thinks that Allah has given another better than he has given him, is the one who humiliated what Allah exalted”(Tabarani).
15. “The Almighty Allah says: Whoever, while reading the Qur’an, remains without asking anything from Me, will receive from Me the greatest reward that deserves those who thank Me.”(At-Tirmizi).
16. “The example of a reciter of the Quran is like a quince, which has a pleasant aroma and a delicious taste”(Al-Bukhari).
17. “The exaltation and dignity of the speech of the Almighty over the speech of His creations is the same as the exaltation and dignity of Allah Himself over His creations”(At-Tirmizi).
To obtain such high merits, diligence and striving to constantly observe the following ethical standards of reverence for the Holy Quran are necessary.
2. You should take the Qur'an in your hands and put it back at the end of reading, if possible avoiding turning your back to it.
3. It is forbidden to touch and carry the Qur'an, even the box or cloth in which the Qur'an is wrapped, without ablution. It is allowed to read the Qur'an by heart without ablution, but in this case it is also possible to be in ablution - the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
4. The one who, according to Shariah, is obliged to perform a complete ablution of the body (after sexual intimacy, etc.), and a woman, when she cannot pray (during menstruation, postpartum discharge), it is forbidden not only to touch the Koran, but also to read it by heart.
6. Putting the Qur'an on the floor (even clean) is considered a violation of the ethics of worshiping the Qur'an. It is better to put it on a pillow or a special stand, because it is Sunnah.
8. The Qur'an must be placed above all other books, it is impossible to put another book on the Qur'an.
9. If someone deliberately throws the Qur'an or a piece of paper with a sura or verse written on it into the dirt or throws dirt on the Qur'an, then he falls into disbelief.
10. It is forbidden to take with you to the toilet and similar unclean places, even a piece of paper with the verses of the Koran, as well as read them aloud there.
11. It is considered sunnah when the reader of the Qur'an sits facing the Qibla. There is no sin in reciting the Qur'an lying down.
13. It is considered sunnah to start reading the Quran by saying the phrase:
أعوذباللهمنالشيطانالرجيم . بسماللهالرحمنالرحيم
« A'uzu billahi mina-shchaytani-rrajim" (I resort to the help of Allah against the wiles of the accursed shaitan!), and then "Bismillahi-rrahmani-rrahim”(In the name of Allah, Merciful in this world to everyone, and in the next world - only to believers).
14. The rewards for reading the Qur'an are the highest for those who read it in the mosque or when they wake up at night.
16. It is Sunnah to cry while reading the Quran. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The Quran was sent down with sorrow, and you weep while reading it. If you can't cry, at least pretend to cry."
17. If, while reading the Qur'an, they reached the verse of sujda (i.e., the verse of prostration), it is considered sunnah to prostrate. It is considered sunnah to bow down to the ground both for the imam during prayer, if he read the verse of the bow to the ground, and for the jama’at standing behind him. After reading the verse of the prostration, the intention is pronounced for the prostration of the reading of the Koran. Imam, saying الله أكبر "Allahu Akbar" , begins to prostrate, the worshipers do the same after him, then the imam gets up, also saying "Allahu Akbar", and the worshipers repeat the same thing after him. If a person who is not currently performing prayer hears the reading of an ayat of prostration, it is also advisable for him to prostrate. But the one who performs the sujda must be in a state of ritual purity, with the ‘avra covered (that is, those places that, according to Shariah, should be closed during prayer) and turned towards the Qibla. It makes the intention: "I intend to make a sunnat prostration of reading the Qur'an", then, saying "Allahu akbar", makes a prostration, then, again saying "Allahu akbar", rises, and then says a greeting with the words:
السلامعليكمورحمةاللهوبركاته
“As-salamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullah” turning your head to the right and left.
18. Reading the Qur'an, following the text with the eyes, is valued more than reading by heart, because here there is worship of Allah with the eyes.
19. It is impossible to call a full-fledged reading of the Qur'an if at the same time the reader himself does not hear his own voice. But you can also read the Qur'an silently - it depends on the intention of the reader. If there is danger riya'a(ostentatious, proud reading) or loud reading interferes with others, it is better to read to yourself. And if no one interferes and there is no danger of reading for show, if there is an intention to inspire yourself or others, then it is better to read aloud.
20. When reading the Qur'an with an understanding of the meaning, it is sunnah to express the corresponding feelings, one's attitude to the verses. For example, if an ayat is read where Allah is glorified, then one should glorify Him by saying “Subhanallah”; if an ayat of praise of Allah is read, praise Him, saying “Al-hamdu lillah”, if the verse is about the mercy of Allah, one should ask for mercy for oneself and others, if the verse is about hellish torments for sins, then one should ask Allah to save yourself and others from such torments. So did the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
21. The greatest disrespect for the Quran should be considered the actions of those who, without understanding the true meaning of the verses of the Quran, try to interpret them superficially, according to their own understanding, following translations into Russian and other languages. An inaccurate transmission of the meaning of the Quran misleads people, and such a person, hiding behind the lofty words of following and calling others to the Quran, actually opposes Islam, as do the Wahhabis and others. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about such people: “Those who interpret the Quran according to their own understanding, let them prepare a place for themselves in the fire of Hell”(At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and an-Nasai).
If a pause is made while reading the Qur'an, then before you start reading again, you should say "A'uzu billahi meena-shchaytani-rrajim", brush your teeth and gums with a sivak.
23. If you belch or yawn while reading, you should stop reading. Then, after exiting this state, you should continue reading.
24. Reading the Qur'an in a state of drowsiness is not approved, since with such reading there is a high probability of making mistakes.
25. It is Sunnah to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an attentively. There are Ulama (scholars) who claim that listening to the recitation of the Qur'an is more valuable than the recitation itself.
26. If they hear an verse of the Qur'an a second time, a third time, etc., they should listen to it as attentively, with love, as they did the first time. This is considered Sunnah and respect for the Qur'an.
27. If the reader of the Qur'an hears the adhan, that is, the call to prayer, or someone greets him, he should stop at the end of the verse, answer the call or greeting, stop reading the Qur'an, and then resume reading again.
29. The reader of the Qur'an should be so focused, as if he is talking quietly, in a whisper with Allah, being sure that he is in front of Him and reading His Word.
31. The reader of the Quran should not pronounce other words in the process of reading, unless it is absolutely necessary, you should not laugh, play with your fingers - you should sit calmly and with respect.
32. Permission to speak "al-hamdu lillah" الحمد لله when sneezing and "yarhamukallah" يرحمك الله if another sneezes. When reading the Qur'an, it is allowed to stand up if an older, respected, well-behaved person has entered.
37. It is considered sunnah if there is a good reciter of the Qur'an in a group of people gathered, ask him to read some part aloud and listen to him.
38. When reading verses from the Qur'an that speak of unbelievers, in which unbelievers express their delusions and wrong thoughts about Allah, they should be read in a humble voice, this is a sunnah.
39. When they finish reading a verse from the Qur'an,
﴿انَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً﴾ سورة الأحزاب . 33: الاية 56
the meaning of which: “Indeed, Allah and His angels bless the Prophet, bless and greet you!”, it is considered sunnah to bless and greet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
40. Upon completion of the reading of Surah At-Tin (Quran, 95), it is considered sunnah to pronounce the words:
بلا وانا على ذلك من الشاهدين
“Balya wa ana ‘ala zalika mina-shshahidina.”
41. It is approved to read the Qur'an at least once during the day, it is better to read the juz (One thirtieth part of the Qur'an). The more they read, the better.
42. A beginner reader should not be afraid of mistakes and therefore put off reading the Qur'an. If you do not read for fear of making a mistake, you can never learn to read the Qur'an all your life. In an authentic hadith narrated by al-Bukhari, it is said that if a beginner, trying to learn the Qur'an, reads it with hesitation, with difficulty, he will receive a reward twice as much.
43. At the end of the reading of the Qur'an, one should say:
صدق الله العظيم وبلغ رسوله الكريم . اللهم انفعنا به و بارك لنا فيه والحمد لله رب العالمين و استغفر الله الحى القيوم
“Sadaqallahul-‘azim wa balyaga rasulukhul-kareem. Allahumma-nfa‘na bihi wa barik lana fihi wal-hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alamin wa astagfirullahal-hayyal-qayyuma”. (“Great Allah spoke the truth and the noble Prophet brought it to the people. O Allah, grant us the benefit and grace of reading the Qur'an. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and I turn to You with a request for the forgiveness of sins, O eternally Living and remaining forever!")
44. The imperative sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is to read a prayer (du'a) at the end of the reading of the Qur'an. Allah accepts such a prayer and answers it. It is considered equally important to hold a meeting (majlis) with the participation of all family members, relatives and friends after the reading of the Qur'an is completed. You should sincerely, for a long time and from the bottom of your heart ask Allah for the blessings of both worlds, not only for yourself, but also for your parents, household, relatives, relatives, friends and for all Muslims, ask Allah to elevate Islam and guide Muslim rulers on the path truth.
45. If someone deliberately adds at least one letter to the Qur'an or omits it, or considers a letter of the Qur'an to be false, doubts it, then such a person falls into disbelief, into kufr (may Allah save us from this and such people!).
47. The Qur'an is allowed both to be sold and to be bought as a book, but not as a text.
48. Reading the Qur'an for the souls of dead people is allowed, and the benefit of this to the deceased is obvious, as it is said in many hadiths. Reading the Qur'an is also approved at the grave, since Imam al-Shafi'i himself ordered us to do this, basing his command on the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Some misguided people who distort Islam claim that reading the Koran on the grave is a forbidden innovation (bid'ah) in Islam. As an argument, they cite a hadith that says: “You do not turn your houses into graves where the Koran is not read”. They distort the meaning of this hadeeth. The meaning of this hadeeth is that we should read the Qur'an in our homes, for the dead do not read the Qur'an in their graves, and we should not liken our houses to graves. This hadeeth does not prohibit reading the Qur'an at the grave. And there are a lot of arguments in favor of reading the Koran for the dead or on the graves. The blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “You read Surah Yasin over the dead”(Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Hakim).
Hakim reported from Sha'abi that the Ansar, that is, the companions of the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who lived in Medina, also went to the cemetery and read the Koran on the graves. An-Nasai's hadeeth expressly states: "You recite the Qur'an over your dead". The well-known companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar and others, may Allah have mercy on them, wrote in their wills that after their death, the beginning and end of the surah Al-Baqarah be read over their graves (Quran, 2 ). Imam al-Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on them, believed that reading the Qur'an on the graves of the dead was a useful activity. Imam ash-Shafi’i himself, may Allah have mercy on him, read the entire Quran from beginning to end on the grave of Lays ibn Saad. Additional arguments about the permissibility of reading the Qur'an on the graves and about its benefits for the dead can be found in the books "Ithaf sadat al-muttakin" and "Sharh as-sudur" (p. 311).
49. At the end of the reading of the entire Qur'an, it is better to additionally read the sura "Al-Fatiha"(Quran:1) and the beginning of the sura "Al-Baqara"(Quran: 2), that is, lay the foundation for later reading.
50. After reading the suras to the end, starting from the sura "Ad-Duha"(Quran: 93), one should say:
لاالهالااللهواللهاكبر
"La ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar".
The listed meanings of the hadiths are taken from the book “at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib”, written by al-Hafiz Abdul-Aziz al-Munziri. In addition to the above, it contains many hadiths that tell about the virtues of reading the Qur'an.
The provisions of the ethics of reverence for the Holy Quran given here are given according to the books: An-Nawawi. "At-Tibyan"; Az Zabidi. "Ithaf".
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All of us have repeatedly faced a situation where we were offended by someone or oppressed. This is a rather difficult test from Allah. When someone hurts us or restricts our rights, it is natural to feel angry or offended.
If a person hurts us repeatedly, we tend to slowly develop hatred and resentment in our heart. Therefore, it is not surprising that divorces are gradually becoming commonplace in Muslim families.
A spouse is the person who is always there, knows all your mistakes and negative sides. They know what is hidden to others. That is why disagreements most often arise between the closest and dearest people, which is even more frustrating and causes negative emotions in us.
If such disagreements are not resolved, if resentment is accumulated in the soul, then they will accumulate, giving rise to hatred and rejection between the spouses.
Ayats about marriage
Allah revealed to us a verse that specifically refers to the marriage relationship:
“Among His signs is that He created wives for you out of yourselves, so that you find comfort in them, and established love and mercy among you. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think.” (Quran, Surah Rum, verse 21)
Therefore, the purpose of the spouses is to find peace in each other.
In another verse, Allah says:
"He is the One who created you from one person. He created a spouse from him so that he would find peace in her (li-yaskuna ilyaikha)". (Quran, Surah Agraf, verse 189)
The Arabic word "yaskunu" has the same root as the words "sukun" or "sakina". You may be familiar with this word. It means "tranquility, peace." In Arabic, when writing, sukun also occurs, where it denotes letters that do not have vowels.
Our spouses were created so that we can find sukun in them, that is, comfort, so that we feel relaxed, at ease, and happy with them.
But often the opposite happens. This indicates that the husband and wife were unable to properly build a relationship. What then is the mistake and what is the secret of a happy family life?
In the first verse quoted above, Allah said that He concluded love and mercy (mawadda and rahma) between spouses. These two feelings are the key to marriage success.
Love (mawadda)
Often, at the beginning of their married life, spouses show concern for each other, give gifts, openly talk about their feelings, and confess their love. All this contributes to the preservation of love and mutual understanding. But, unfortunately, such relationships fade over time. Daily worries, problems and difficulties take over, and talking about love is no longer “accepted”.
Mawaddah is love that is evident. One of the beautiful names of Allah is al-Wadood, which comes from the same root.
His love for us is evident and manifests everywhere in the countless blessings He has given us. For example, Allah did not just provide us with food, being ar-Razzaq, He made our food tasty and pleasant, beautiful to the eyes and fragrant.
Rahma (mercy)
The root "rahm" means mother's womb. Rahma is the mercy, protection and gentleness that the fetus enjoys in the womb.
If mawaddah- strengthens the attitude in "peaceful" time, then rahm allows you to maintain relationships during quarrels and disagreements and find true peace in family life.
Allah infinitely endows us with His mercy and mercy, so we should treat our neighbors with kindness and care. Husband and wife are our partners in life, whom we have chosen to achieve the pleasure of Allah. It depends on us what our relationship will be. Spouses should help each other not only in worldly affairs, but also educate spiritually.
Often, spouses understand this literally and begin to reproach, point out mistakes and shortcomings, thereby giving rise to even more tension, negativity and hatred towards each other in the family. Condescension, mercy, understanding, gentle attitude and patience - all this is the most important factor in a happy family life, and spouses should remember this.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that Allah will reward with his mercy those people who show mercy towards others.