How to Reflect on the Qur'an

How to Reflect on the Qur'an

My dear brothers and sisters, this is the month of Ramadan. And we've heard so many khatirat already about the connection of Ramadan and the Qur'an. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chose — out of all the months of the year — to reveal the Qur'an in the month of Ramadan.

He said subhanahu wa ta'ala: this is the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was revealed — guidance for the people, for the world. Brothers and sisters, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala did not make it a secret what the purpose of the Qur'an is.

But ask yourself the question: do you even know why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sent the Qur'an to you? What your relationship with it should be? We understand the relationship between Ramadan and the Qur'an — we understand that. But what is your relationship with the Qur'an? Whether it's in Ramadan or outside the month of Ramadan.

Alhamdulillah, at least Ramadan is an environment. It creates the environment for us to have that connection re-established and understand the purpose that we have with the Qur'an.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala did not make it a secret, my dear brothers and sisters, that your relationship with the Qur'an was revealed in one ayah when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

He said: This is a blessed book that We have revealed to you, so that they might contemplate its verses, and that those of understanding may be reminded. The Qur'an is a blessed book. You're looking for blessings? It's there — you'll find it there.

So the Qur'an — Allah is saying it's no secret — was sent for you to reflect over its ayat, to start having reminders. And reminders come when you are losing focus, when you forget, when you become heedless. So much of our time in this life is within that heedlessness. We get distracted. And the Qur'an was brought to you as a reminder to reflect on it.

Now my question to my dear brothers and sisters: do we even do that? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Shouldn't they contemplate the verses of the Qur'an? He is asking you, subhanahu wa ta'ala — which means Allah knew, even though the Qur'an's purpose is clear and it's in people's hands, they are still not doing what the Qur'an was sent for.

So what do we do with the Qur'an? Mainly, we read it. We beautify our recitation with it. But how much time do we spend focusing on the words of the Qur'an, so that we can put them into action?

Three Levels of Engaging with the Qur'an

Brothers and sisters, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, when He speaks about the Qur'an or our relationship with the Qur'an, He uses three verbs usually.

1. Al-Ta'aqqul — Reasoning and Comprehension

He says subhanahu wa ta'ala: أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ — Shouldn't you be reasoning? Like those who have reason — use your reason. And what does it mean to come to reason regarding the Qur'an? It means to understand the ayat of the Qur'an and the way they were revealed to you. At the very least, this is the basic level.

Al-'Aql — to comprehend — is when you understand the meaning of the ayah for what it is. That's it. So when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala speaks about Jannah and Jahannam, you know what they are. When He speaks about the promises for the believers, you understand exactly what that means. That is the basic level of connecting with the book of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

2. Al-Tafakkur — Reflection and Correlation

But then there's another level. The second level is called al-Tafakkur. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentioned that in many ayat. As mentioned in Surah an-Nahl:

And We have revealed to you the Dhikr so that you explain to the people what was revealed to them, and so that they might reflect.

And when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala spoke about the mountains, what did He say?

If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and crumbled from fear of Allah. And these are the parables We set forth for the people, so that they might reflect.

So the other purpose is to reflect. What is reflecting then? The ulema say: reflecting comes after you understand. After you understand the basic meaning of the ayat, you collectively put everything together. That is tafakkur. You start comparing, looking at different ayat and verses, and trying to develop a new meaning, a new understanding for yourself.

So when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says Paradise is a reward for the believers, but then He also says: أَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ — you need to pray and pay the zakah — what is the correlation? If I need to go to Jannah, what do I need to do? I need to pray, I need to give charity and zakah. If Allah says that those who go to Hell did certain things, then the correlation is: I need to avoid those things so that I don't end up there. That is called tafakkur.

How many of us sit down and try to see — what's the connection? What are the messages Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is sending to me in the story of Musa and Fir'aun, for example? In the story of the People of the Cave? Or the story of Yusuf, alayhis salam? What messages is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sending to me here, right now? So I can reflect on these verses, so I have new knowledge — a new development of that knowledge.

And what is the purpose of that knowledge? Allah says clearly: are they equal — those who know and those who know not? The answer is obviously absolutely not. So if you want to have that knowledge of the Qur'an, you need to do tafakkur. It is not sufficient to just sit down and think, "Oh, this was a beautiful story. What an amazing chapter of the Qur'an." I need to know — what is the correlation between these stories and verses, and what are the gems hidden in the Qur'an, and how should I understand them and put them in the right order?

3. Al-Tadabbur — Contemplation and Action

The third verb that Allah uses in the Qur'an is al-Tadabbur — which may be translated as contemplation. What is the difference now? Al-Tafakkur is when — after you understand through reasoning and put things in the right perspective — you develop and increase your knowledge and understanding of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and His creation. What comes next is: what is the point of all this knowledge? It has to be put into action.

So al-Tadabbur is to go all the way to the bottom of these things. Now — exactly what is Allah asking me to do? Now that I understand, and I know the correlation and the importance, what is the action item for me?

Al-Tadabbur is all about your action items. And that is why Allah says about some hearts — they have locks over them. They don't understand, they don't comprehend, and they don't put it into action.

The Qur'an as Your Life Manual

Brothers and sisters, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala made the Qur'an for us like a road map. This is your life manual, by which you will find peace and tranquility. You find that certainty that we always fight for in this world, in this life. This will give you peace and tranquility in the midst of chaos.

Everywhere we look right now is chaotic. And we need those moments in which we can find that peace and tranquility — that break from the craziness of this world. We need that. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has put for you in the Qur'an, message after message after message, where you can find that peace and tranquility. But unfortunately, we get so distracted in this dunya.

Allahu al-musta'an. Of course, and rightly so, we are distracted by what is happening around the world — for our brothers and sisters in Gaza. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make it easy for them, ya Rabbal 'Alamin. Alhamdulillah, we find peace and tranquility in coming here to pray Jumu'ah, to come for Tarawih, to pray at night, and to come for Fajr in thousands. Our brothers and sisters in Gaza don't have that luxury anymore. Nothing is safe — not even the roof above their heads. Nothing is safe. Allahu al-musta'an. May Allah make it easy for them, ya Rabbal 'Alamin.

Brothers and sisters, this is a distraction — no doubt about it. But we need to understand: what does Allah want from me in regard to this situation? In matters like these, when I hear the news, what is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's message to me? Where can I find the answer to what's going on around me?

And we know that, masha'Allah, they are huffadh and believers. We have seen the videos of people reading Qur'an even under the rubble — praying when they are trapped. Subhanallah. The power of the Qur'an is unbelievable. If people in such a situation can find peace and tranquility — to remove their physical pain, let alone the emotional pain, the stress, the anxiety — if they can find that moment with the Qur'an in such difficulty, what about us? Sitting here, alhamdulillah, in the luxury of our homes, our cars, our masajid. Why can't we find that peace and tranquility? We have everything, alhamdulillah Rabbal 'Alamin. And still we have so much anxiety. We are dealing with depression.

Brothers and sisters, you really need to go back to the purpose. The purpose of this Qur'an was not just to sit there at home for the barakah. Or to put it in your car for protection. Or to read it over water just for healing. All of these are good. But there is much more to the Qur'an than just this. And that is to live by the Qur'an — so you can find that peace and tranquility you have been pursuing and looking for your entire lifetime.

And how would you do that? By doing ta'aqqul — you start now to understand and reason. I want to understand the words of the Qur'an. I want to understand what Allah wants from me. Then tafakkur — to correlate and connect these ayat and stories to my life. And then tadabbur — what I need to do, what I need to implement in my personal life. That is how you find peace and tranquility with the book of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

And Ramadan, by the fadl of Allah tabaraka wa ta'ala, is a golden opportunity, my dear brothers and sisters. It opens the door for you, insha'Allah, to find that peace and tranquility and reconnect with the Qur'an. So now that you are reading the Qur'an — take extra time with it, and focus on these three things: to understand, to reflect, and to contemplate. So you realize the meaning of the words and the ayat. You realize the connection between all these ayat and your life. And you ask: what is the action item I need to implement in my personal life?

Wallahi, I guarantee you will find that peace and tranquility that Allah promised you. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Those who have faith — their hearts find peace and tranquility through the remembrance of Allah. Because through the remembrance of Allah, the hearts will definitely find peace and tranquility. No matter how chaotic the situation is, how difficult the pain is, how hard the circumstances around you — wallahi, with the connection with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, you will find that peace and tranquility.

How to Prepare Yourself for Reflecting on the Qur'an

Brothers and sisters, how can I prepare myself for that? If I would like to prepare myself, what do I need to do?

The first thing is: it starts from the inside. The connection is with the heart — not with your eyes, not with your ears. It doesn't matter how beautiful the reciter's voice is. It doesn't matter how fancy the mus'haf you're carrying is — colorful or not colorful, one version or a different version. That is not the most important thing. But you need to be prepared. Prepare your heart, first and foremost. Bring it into the recitation of the Qur'an. Make your heart available as you recite the words of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

The second thing you need to do as well: make du'a to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Because it is a gift — wallahi, to connect with the Qur'an is a gift. Not everybody is given that gift. So you need to work for it. You ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to give you that gift.

One of the great scholars of Islam — he said: I would sometimes read a hundred tafaseer, so much tafseer, trying to find specific guidance in one ayah, and I don't find that satisfaction. He says: I would go out in the open, put my face on the ground, put my cheek and my forehead on the ground in sajdah, and ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala:

O You who taught Dawud — teach me. O You who gave Sulayman understanding — give me understanding. He would say: Ya Allah, You gave the knowledge to Dawud — give me that knowledge. Ya Allah, You gave the proper understanding of Your message to Sulayman — give me that understanding.

Even someone like Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, made du'a like this. How often do we make du'a to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to help us understand the Qur'an?

Brothers and sisters, when your kids start going into exams — what do you do for them? You prepare the whole environment. You make sure it's quiet, no distraction, the room is comfortable, food is ready, everything is set — just so your kids can study well, focus on their material, reflect on it, and pass their exams. The Qur'an requires from you that same attention. If you want to study the Qur'an, create that ambience, that environment around you. Bring your heart into it. And you will see how Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will answer your call.

What to Look For When Reflecting on the Qur'an

My dear brothers and sisters, when it comes to reflecting — what do I need to look for? The ahkam, the rules, the messages, the hidden messages. It's not all just about do or don't do. If you hear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala say in the Qur'an, "O you who believe" — pay attention to it. Because you are going to hear a command toward guidance to follow, or a prohibition against misguidance to stay away from. How often do we focus on those words — O you who believe, O mankind — because there will be an important instruction for us to follow afterwards.

A Warning: Don't Let Reading Distract from Reflecting

Brothers and sisters, one of the distractions I would like to add before we close, insha'Allah ta'ala — and believe it or not, it is a paradoxical thing — is that when you read the Qur'an and want to connect with it, we focus so much on just reading. We focus on reading from cover to cover. We focus on finishing as many times as we can, no matter what. The reward is still there, alhamdulillah, for reading it — you get the reward for reading. But focusing too much on just reading is itself a distraction from tafakkur and tadabbur. We start racing with time to finish from cover to cover, rather than focusing on three, four, or five pages the entire month of Ramadan that will change your life.

So it is better for you to focus and contemplate. Give some time for reflection on the Qur'an. Give tadabbur to the Qur'an. Even if it is just for a few minutes every single day — you will see how your life starts changing, bi'idhnillahi tabaraka wa ta'ala.

O Allah, teach us what benefits us and benefit us with what You have taught us — verily You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Allah, grant our souls their taqwa and purify them — You are the best of those who purify them, You are their Guardian and their Master.