Quran Khutbah

Fasting and the Quran, Revealed Together

Besides fasting, Ramadan is the month in which we reconnect with the Quran through Taraweeh, Qiyam, tilawah, and contemplation. Is there a connection beyond the obvious fact that fasting is prescribed in Ramadan and the Quran was revealed in Ramadan?

یَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَیْكُمُ الصِّیَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِینَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.”

Al-Baqara 2:183

Guidance for Those Who Have Taqwa

"This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah" (Al-Baqara 2:2). Putting these verses together: we can achieve taqwa by fasting in Ramadan, and through that taqwa we can further receive guidance from the Quran, which was itself revealed in Ramadan for the guidance of people. The Glorious Quran is to man as the soul is to the body — a light for guidance.

During the weeks of preparation for the holy month, we should aim not just to start Ramadan, listen and read Quran, and go back to normal life, but to develop a deep relationship with it — fall in love with the Quran, be addicted to it.

شَهْرُ رَ مَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِیهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَیِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْ قَانِ

“The month of Ramadhan is that in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”

Al-Baqara 2:185

Hearing It Anew

Many ayahs seem as though heard for the first time — this used to happen to the Sahabah, as with Omar (RA) at the time of the Prophet's (PBUH) death, when this verse reminded him of the reality of the Prophet's mortality and steadied the Ummah.

وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَ سُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّ سُلُ أَفَإِن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىَ أَعْقَابِكُمْ وَمَن یَنقَلِبْ عَلَىَ عَقِبَیْهِ فَلَن یَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَیْئًا وَسَیَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِ ینَ

“AND MUHAMMAD is only an apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him: if, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? But he that turns about on his heels can in no wise harm God — whereas God will reward all who are grateful [to Him].”

Al-Imran 3:144

The Quran's Effect on the Believing Heart

لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَّرَ أَیْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْیَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَتَفَكَّرُونَ

“HAD WE bestowed this Qur'an from on high upon a mountain, you would indeed see it humbling itself, breaking asunder for awe of God. And [all] such parables We propound unto men, so that they might [learn to] think.”

Al-Hashr 59:21

• Al-Hadid 57:16 — Is it not time that the hearts of all who have attained to faith should feel humble at the remembrance of Allah and of the truth bestowed on them, lest they become like those before them whose hearts hardened with the passing of time?
• An-Nisa 4:82 — Will they not, then, try to understand this Qur'an? Had it issued from any but God, they would surely have found in it many contradictions.

A Dua for Relief Through the Quran

It was narrated that the Messenger of Allah said whoever is afflicted with grief and distress and recites this dua, Allah will remove his grief and change his sorrow into happiness. When asked whether these words needed to be memorized, he said, "Yes, whoever hears them should learn them."

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ نَاصِیَتِي بِیَدِكَ مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّیْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أَوْ أَنزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَیْبِ عِندَكَ أَن تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِیعَ قَلْبِي وَنُورَ صَدْرِي وَجَلَاء حُزْنِي وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي

“O Allah, I am your slave, the son of your slave. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your judgment of me is inescapable. Your trial of me is just. I am invoking You by all the names that You call Yourself, that You have taught to anyone in Your creation, that You have mentioned in Your Book, or that You have kept unknown. Let the Qur'an be the delight of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my sadness and the pacifier of my worries.”

Musnad Ahmad 1/391, narrated by 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud

How the Quran Was Sent Down

The Quran was brought down in two stages. The first, referred to by the word anzala, was from the Preserved Tablet (Lawh Mahfuz) to the lowest heaven, as in Ad-Dukhan 44:3: "Behold, from on high have We bestowed it on a blessed night; for, verily, We have always been warning [man]." The second stage, referred to by the word nazzala, was from the lowest heaven to the Messenger (PBUH) over 23 years, as in Al-Isra 17:106: "[bearing] a discourse which We have gradually unfolded, so that thou might read it out to mankind by stages, seeing that We have bestowed it from on high, step by step, as [one] revelation."

Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) said the Quran was placed in the lowest heaven and Jibreel (AS) took it from there and revealed it to the Prophet (PBUH) in parts, and that it was revealed on Laylatul Qadr in the month of Ramadan to the lowest heaven all at once, then in parts thereafter. Both narrations are certified sahih.

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

“Behold, it is We Ourselves who have bestowed from on high, step by step, this reminder; and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it [from all corruption].”

Al-Hijr 15:9

The Compilation and Preservation of the Quran

The reason for knowing this history is to appreciate how Allah SWT preserved the Quran — there are no different versions as with other religious texts. The Quran is a clear miracle: if anyone tries to change, add, or delete from it, those who know it will notice immediately, and its message cannot be undone in debate. A large group of huffaz protects the Quran from corruption, and it is inimitable — no one can produce something like it.

• It was revealed to the Prophet SAW, who taught it to the Sahabah who memorized it.
• It was compiled by Zaid bin Thabit (RA) on the instruction of Abu Bakr (RA).
• Manuscripts were rewritten in one Quraishi dialect and all other copies were burnt.
• In later periods, dots (nuqat) and vowel marks (harakat) were added for ease of reading.

The Unmatched Challenge

We tend to relegate the Quran to a holy book only, without reflecting on its meanings — a failure that leaves us unable to understand Allah's laws for human beings and natural phenomena, and vulnerable to erroneous concepts caused by unrestrained love of this world and fear of death.

Ziyad Ibn Labid Al-Ansari narrated that the Messenger of Allah mentioned that a time will come when there will be no more knowledge. The companions asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, how will knowledge disappear while we have the Quran and teach it to our children who will teach it to theirs?' The Prophet replied, 'I thought you were one of the most knowledgeable people of Madinah! Are there not Jews and Christians who have their scriptures with them and yet take no benefit from what is inside them?' (At-Tirmidhi)

قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَن یَأْتُواْ بِمِثْلِ هَـذَا الْقُرْآنِ لاَ یَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِیرً ا

“Say: "If all mankind and all invisible beings would come together with a view to producing the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce its like even though they were to exert all their strength in aiding one another!"”

Al-Isra 17:88

• Al-Baqara 2:23 — And if you doubt any part of what We have bestowed upon Our servant, then produce a surah of similar merit, and call upon any witness other than Allah, if what you say is true!

Night Prayer and Ramadan's Golden Hours

Ramadan should be regarded as a wonderful opportunity to purify our souls in preparation for Quranic guidance through night prayer. It is a great opportunity for Muslims to wake for night prayers, seeking refuge with Allah and turning to Him, for none has the power to answer their call except Him. The Lord descends to the nearest heaven in the last third of the night and asks: "Is there anyone who seeks My forgiveness so that I can forgive him?" Do we reflect upon and appreciate this period when supplications are answered?

The Quran is a book of life that makes life meaningful and builds our hopes for today and tomorrow, containing the most beautiful words — the greatest treasure of the Creator and greatest gift to us. It transforms wealth, poverty, sadness, and joy into worship. Whoever opted for it has found salvation, and whoever turned their back on it has been defeated.

The Quran taught us righteousness, justice, compassion, morality, and virtue — to differentiate between good and evil, right and wrong. It taught us not to even display minute annoyance towards our parents, to be compassionate to elders, to be good spouses, friends, and neighbors, and to take care of orphans, the handicapped, and immigrants.

Let us rebuild our hearts, minds, and lives in the climate of Ramadan. Let us bring the Quran to the horizons of our hearts and souls, consolidating our knowledge of it with contemplation — remembering that the more we open ourselves to the Quran, the more doors of goodness open to us. May Allah guide us on this journey.

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّیْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْءًا وَأَقْوَ مُ قِیلًا

“Indeed, the hours of the night (i.e. the rising for Tahajjud prayer) are more effective for concurrence of heart and tongue, and more suitable for words (i.e. for recitation of the Quran and for hearing and understanding it).”

Al-Muzzammil 73:6