Ramadan flew past us like the breeze, rejuvenating our soul and giving life to our heart. The question now is, has this Ramadan done enough to improve our Iman? Or have we sunken into the ocean of this Dunya, struggling to keep up with the fast moving, hectic life with our iman paying the price? Are the Qurans closed and placed back on the shelves and the masjids empty?
In Ramadan, most of us managed to complete the Quran once, or at least more than we normally do. We prayed with so much eagerness and enthusiasm and stayed up nights standing up in prayer for hours, in long rukoo’s and sujoods. With Ramadan gone, it suddenly seems so difficult to manage even the obligatory acts of worship.
A hadith that always strikes me in this regard is the one where Abu Hurairah reported:
“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.” [Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240]
Surely, our Creator knows us more than we know ourselves. In our enthusiasm for a month we finish the Quran and pray all night. We then go back to our old lives where our Musaahif collect dust and our houses asleep all night. This shows that we surely do not lack ability. What we lack is discipline. Consistency is most beloved to Allah. Consistency shows discipline. If we were able to do one juzz per day, (around 20 pages) we can surely try to do 1-2 pages per day. If we could pray for long hours at night, we can at least attempt praying two Raka’at at the time of Tahajjud. Let us try to do it consistently, daily, for life.
In Ramadan, we drew close to the Quran. We become an Ummah of the Quran. And rightly so because Allah says about Ramadan: “Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for the people.” [Surah Al Baqarah: 185]
But is the Quran only for Ramadan? Isn’t it a guide and a mercy to mankind all year round? Allah says:
“Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward.” [Al-‘Isra':9]
The reason most commonly cited for our inability to remain consistent with the Quran is our busy lives, many tasks to complete and lack of time. We are running behind this world yet we fail to find blessing in our time. Allah talks about the Quran in numerous places and one word used to describe it is that it is a “Blessed book”
Some of the scholars of Tafsir would say: “We busied ourselves with the Quran so we were swamped with blessings and good in this life.”
Interesting! Isn’t that what we all desire and are so busy with? Yet ironically, in our attempt to attain the good in this life we neglect the very source of blessing and then wonder why there is no time.
Ramadan is gone and before we know it, another will come. In Ramadan, the Quran became an important part of our lives. We would plan around it. Sadly, after Ramadan, the ball game changes. We suddenly become extremely busy and Quran is pushed down in our list of priorities. We need this to change; we need to make the Quran a part of our daily plan. Not just something to do when we are finished with our daily plans. We need to dedicate time for it and incorporate it into our lives even if very little, just like in Ramadan.
Let’s look into the life of Prophet صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم :
Ahmad and Abu Dawud narrated from Aws bin Hudhayfa رضي الله عنهم, who said: ‘We came to the Messenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم, as part of the delegation of Thaqif.’ He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم would come to us every night after ‘Isha and speak to us.’ He said: ‘One night he was late from (coming to see us at) the time he would come to us.’ We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have come to us late tonight.’ He said: ‘I had my portion of the Quran to read and I did not want to come until I had finished it.’
Hear! Hear! A portion of the Quran. It was part of his plan, something he wouldn’t miss for delay socialization until he finished his portion. The hadith continues to what is most remarkable:
Aws said: ‘I asked the companions of the Messsenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم about how he divided up his reading of the Quran.’ They said: ‘Three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen and the Mufassal.’
Do you know what 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 are?
Day 1: Al-Fatihah to Al-‘Imran (three Surahs)
Day 2: Al-Nisa’ to Al-‘Anfal (five Surahs)
Day 3: Al-Tawbah to Al-Hijr (seven Surahs)
Day 4: Al-Nahl to Al-Nur (nine Surahs)
Day 5: Al-Furqan to Al-Fatir (eleven Surahs)
Day 6: Ya-Sin to Al-Fath (thirteen Surahs)
Day 7: Al-Hujurat to An-Nas (Mufassal)
SubhanAllah. He would finish the Quran weekly. The Quran took up a major part of their day, it wasn’t in the backburner. It was very much part of the daily plan. May we be able to emulate the teachings of our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Probably, we might not be up for all that much. However, let us not forget that the most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if little. Try to build your relationship with the Quran, slowly but steadily. Most importantly prioritize it and add it to your plan. Wallahi, the Quran only blesses everything it touches. We know all this but being consistent requires a lot of discipline. Many of us start off well and maintain it for a while and then a day or two of disturbance and we completely fall off track. But, did you know there are five levels of interacting with the Quran :
1. Listening: Allah says: “when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.” [Al-‘A`raf: 204]
2. Reading: Allah says: “Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with its true recital. They [are the ones who] believe in it.” [Al-Baqarah:121]
3. Memorizing: Allah says: “Rather, the Qur’an is distinct verses [preserved] within the breasts of those who have been given knowledge.” [Al-`Ankabut: 49]
4. Pondering: Allah says: “[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses…” [Sad: 29]
5. Implementing: Allah says: “Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding.” [Az-Zumar: 18]
Try not to let a day pass without engaging and interacting with the Quran at least in one of the five ways. Open it up and ask yourself at the end of each day. Did I listen? Did I read? Did I memorize? Did I ponder? Did I implement? Remember the Promise of your Creator:
“And this [Quran] is a Book We have revealed [which is] blessed, so follow it and fear Allah that you may receive mercy.” [Al-‘An`am: 155]
May Allah give us the ability to benefit from the Quran and may He elevate our status through it. Ameen.
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