7 Reasons to Read the Glorious Quran

By: Shabir Ali

(1) Intimate:

It dares you to disprove it. How? It says that humans can not write a book like
this even if they pooled all their resources together and got help also from the
spirits. The Quran said this fourteen hundreds years ago and yet no one has been
able to disprove it. Billions of books have been written - but not another one
like the Quran.

(2) Incorruptible:

It is the only religious sacred writing which has been in circulation for such a
long time and yet remains as pure as it was in the beginning. The Quran was kept
intact. Nothing was added to it; nothing was changed in it; and nothing was taken
away from it ever since it was completely revealed 1400 years ago.

(3) Unsurpassable:

The Quran is God's final revelation to humankind. God revealed the Torah to Moses,
the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and finally the Quran to Muhammad. Peace
be upon all of them. No other book will come from God to surpass his final
revelation.

(4) Indisputable:

The Quran withstands the test of time and scrutiny. No one can dispute the truth
of this book. It speaks about past history and turns out right. It speaks about
the future in prophecies and it turns out right. It mentions details of physical
phenomena which were not known to people at the time; yet later scientific
discoveries confirm that the Quran was right all along. Every other book needs to
be revised to accord with modern knowledge. The Quran alone is never contradicted
by a modern discovery.

(5) Your Roadmap for Life and Afterlife:

The Quran is the best guidebook on how to structure your life. No other book
presents such a comprehensive system involving all aspects of human life and
endeavor. The Quran also points out the way to secure everlasting happiness in the
afterlife. It is your roadmap showing how to get to paradise.

(6) God's Gift of Guidance:

God has not left you alone. You were made for a reason. God tells you why he made
you, what he demands from you, and what he has in store for you. If you operate a
machine contrary to it's manufacture specification you will ruin that machine.
What about you? Do you have an owner's manual for you? The Quran is from your
function for success lest you fail to function. It is a healing mercy from God. It
satisfies the soul, and cleans the heart. It removes doubts and brings peace.

(7) Your Calling Card to Communicate with God:

Humans are social creatures. We love to communicate with other intelligent life.
The Quran tells us how to communicate with the source of all intelligence and the
source of all life- the One God. The Quran tells us who God is, by what name we
should address God, and the way in which to communicate with God. Are these not
seven sufficient reasons for reading the Quran?

A Ramadhan Checklist

1. Ask Allah to enable you to reach Ramadan and to get the most out of it as the
Salaf used to do.

2. Intend to fast every day with Iman and pure intention seeking the reward from
Allah alone. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever fasts in Ramadan with
Iman and seeking reward (from Allah) his past sins will be forgiven". (Bukhari)

3. Read the whole Qur'an at least once as the Prophet peace be upon him did.
4. Have Suhoor as the Prophet peace be upon him said, "Have Suhoor because it is
blessed".

5. Make Du'a during the fast because the Prophet peace be upon him said that three
people's supplication is not rejected one of them is the fasting person. Ask for
the good of this life and the next for yourself, your family and Muslims in
general.

6. Make Dua before opening the fast. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "The
fasting person has a supplication that is answered when he opens his fast".

7. Give Sadaqah and be good to people. The Prophet peace be upon him was the most
generous of people and he was most generous in Ramadan.

8. Avoid anything that diminishes the fast such as, lying, backbiting, cheating,
getting angry. The Prophet peace be upon him said "Whoever does not give up false
statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others,
Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink." [Bukhari] 9. Do
not eat too much after Iftar.

10. Ask for forgiveness since this is the month Allah frees people from the fire.

11. Pray At-Tarawih with Khushoo. If you pray in the Masjid complete the Salah
with the Imam. If you pray at home prolong the Salah as long as you can. The
Prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever prays during Ramadan with Iman and
seeking reward (from Allah) his past sins will be forgiven".

12. Feed the poor and invite others for Iftar. The Prophet peace be upon him said,
"Whoever gives Iftar to someone fasting he will have the same reward without
decreasing the reward of the person fasting".

13. Try harder the last ten nights especially the odd nights. The prophet would
strive in Ramadan more than he would in any other month and more so in the last
ten days.

14. Say this Dua in the nights that Laitul-Qadr is likely to fall on: Allhumma
innaka afuwun tuhibbul-afwa fa'fu anni (O Allah you are Forgiving and love
forgiveness so forgive me).
15. Ask Allah to accept all your good actions during this month.

By Abu Talha

Say (O Muhammad ): "O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to
whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with
honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good.
Verily, You are Able to do all things.
You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the
night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during
winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead
out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without
limit (measure or account). (3:26,27)