Necessity of Understanding the Quran Part-5

Allah has Asked the Whole of Mankind to Understand, Follow and Not to Ignore the Quran.

Many people recite the Quran without understanding even though they have capability and resource to understand. Some Muslims believe that it is only the duty of scholars to understand Quran. So, they generally make an effort to learn how to recite the Quran and they do not make any effort to understand.  But if we fail to understand the message in the Quran, then how can we practice Islam.

Let us take it in this way, whenever we buy any book, we buy it to understand it and not just to recite it and when we say that we read something then there is an inherent meaning that we understand in it. But this is not the case with Muslim and the Quran, we do the opposite in case of the Quran which is a message and guidance from Allah to us. We recite it without understanding.

We must save ourselves from this cultural trap of only reciting Quran in Arabic without understanding. It is always good if we recite Quran in Arabic and of course we will get reward (Sawab) for it, but the Quran is a guidance/solution to mankind, and we can only know about the solution by understanding the Quran. If we keep on reciting the Quran without understanding, then we are not fulfilling the primary purpose of the Quran.

Allah has asked whole of the mankind to understand, follow and not to ignore the Quran. Those who are not serious about the Quran are categorically mentioned by Allah as deaf, dumb, cattle and donkey which carries huge scholarly books but understands them not. Let us ponder over few Ayat of Quran in similar context.

Allah says in Surah Al Araf 7: Ayat 178 and 179

178.  Whom Allah doth guide, – he is on the right path: whom He rejects from His guidance, – such are the persons who perish.

179.  Many are the Jinns and men we have made for Hell: They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle, – nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning).

Allah says in Surah Al-Anfal 8: Ayat 20.21 and 22

20.       Ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger and turn not away from him when ye hear (him speak).

21.      Nor be like those who say, “We hear,” but listen not:

22.      For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb,- those who understand not.

Allah says in Surah Al Naml 23: Ayat 83 and 84

83. One day We shall gather together from every people a troop of those who reject our Signs, and they shall be kept in ranks,-

84. Until, when they come (before the Judgment-seat), (Allah) will say: “Did ye reject My Signs, though ye comprehended them not in knowledge, or what was it ye did?”

Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan 25: Ayat 30

“Then the Messenger will say: “O my Lord! Truly my people took this Quran for just foolish nonsense.”

Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan 25: Ayat 43 and 44

43.    Seest thou such a one as taketh for his god his own passion (or impulse) ? Couldst thou be a disposer of affairs for him ?

44.    Or thinkest thou that most of them listen or understand ? They are only like cattle;- nay, they are worse astray in Path.

Allah says in Surah Az-Zumar 39: Ayat 9-10

9. Is one who worships devoutly during the hour of the night prostrating himself or standing (in adoration), who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord – (like one who does not)? Say: “Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition.

10.    Say: “O ye my servants who believe! Fear your Lord, good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world. Spacious is Allah´s earth! those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!”

Allah says in Surah Muhammad 47: Ayat 24

“Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur´an, or are their hearts locked up by them?”

Allah says in Surah Al-Jumua 62: Ayat 5

“The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of Allah: and Allah guides not people who do wrong.”

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Note: 

• Please ignore and discard anything in this write-up which is not in coherence with the Quran and Authentic Hadith.
• Ayats of the Quran mentioned in this write-up is referred from the translation of the Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.