"READ! READ! READ!"
All Praise be to Allah
These are the first words of the Book of Guidance, Mercy, and Healing The Qur'an (96:1) given to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by the Angel Gabriel repeated three times. Why read? Why gain beneficial, worthwhile knowledge that can create a healthy, productive society and country beginning with a healthy, knowledgeable individual, marriage and family? The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim (male and female). (Hadith Narrated By Tirmidhi) He also said, "If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, God will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge. The inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and (even) the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man." (Hadith Narrated By Abu Dawood) and "God, His Angels and all those in the Heavens and Earth, even ants in their hills and fish in the water call down blessings on those who instruct others in beneficial knowledge." (Hadith Narrated By Tirmidhi)
Why should we obey and be mindful of the first word of the Qur'an after finishing our month of worship and renewal (Ramadan)? Why should we sit quietly and absorb new knowledge and increase our awareness and strengthen the Muslim Ummah (Nation) with new ideas, inventions, business, scientific and technological discoveries? Who would like to travel on a road to Paradise? Who would like the inhabitants of the heavens and earth to ask forgiveness for them?
How can we exercise our brain and boost our mental capabilities?
Scientists have proven that the more we exercise our brain, the sharper it becomes. (Winston, 2004)
Dhahabi wrote: "Any organ strengthens and becomes active when it is exercised regularly and so does the mind; if you want to sharpen your memory and boost your intellect, increase learning, memorize the Qur'an, keep on thinking and meditating and persist in remembrance of Allah."
Reading the Qur'an with proper tajweed (recitation rules) will not only gain a sharper intellect but the Prophet (pbuh) told us: "The person who recites the Qur'an and masters it by heart will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels in heaven). And the person who exerts diligent efforts to learn it by heart and recites it with great difficulty will have a double reward." (Hadith Narrated By Bukhari)
Remember, the more Qur'an one knows, the higher one will go up in Paradise. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Read, ascend and recite as you used to recite in life, for your status will be as high as the last verse you recite" (Hadith Narrated By Tirmidhi)
Wow! That is motivating!!!
We can also join or gather a group to study and recite the Qur'an. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves without tranquility descending upon them, mercy enveloping them, the angels surrounding them and Allah making mention of them amongst those who are with Him." (Hadith Narrated By Muslim) Tranquility of the heart and mind is something that is treasured in our fast-paced, stressful lifestyle. We see people who have no guidance popping pills to keep them calm and tranquil and here we have the natural way to be tranquil. We also know who the best people are on this earth from the guidance of the Prophet's saying, "The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and then teach it to others."
Amr Khaled.net had an excellent program during Ramadan on "Stories in the Qur'an". The twentieth episode he talked about 17 ways we can gain knowledge and change ourselves to change our condition. (Qur'an 13:11)
1) Read a book every week or every 2 weeks
2) Read a useful newspaper
3) Subscribe to a cultural magazine
4) Travel in order to experience various lifestyles and cultures
5) Learn a handcraft from a handcrafts man
6) Visit the monuments in your countries with a guide
7) Make friendships with successful people
8) Watch the Discovery channel
9) Watch the daily news
10) Research your family history
11) Write down an idea, a poem, a story using pen and paper
12) In class, always ask questions, debate and discussion. Do not just listen to what is being said.
13) Play chess
14) Research the intellectual and cultural sites on the internet
15) Visit a Public Library
16) Work during the summer
17) Learn a new skill or sport every three months
Are we obeying the first word of the Qur'an? Are we reading and learning new beneficial things every day that will strengthen and revive our Ummah? Beneficial knowledge is power to the Muslim Ummah.
READ! READ! READ! .Then share your beneficial knowledge with those who have ears to hear.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "A servant of God will remain standing on the Day of Judgment until he is questioned about his time on earth and how he used it; about his knowledge and how he utilized it; about his wealth and from where he acquired it and in what (activities) he spent it; and about his body and how he used it." (Hadith Narrated By Tirmidhi)
When we obey Allah Most High and READ, we then FEED our brains and have the SEEDS of knowledge to LEAD ourselves, our families, our friends, our co-workers, our community to lead healthy, productive lives living on the straight path resulting in eternal happiness and peace: Paradise!
AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST!
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