HOW TO USE QUR’ANIC SURAS AND VERSES

HOW TO USE QUR’ANIC SURAS AND VERSES

 

I am highly humbled to be called upon on this noble platform to make this presentation on the aforementioned topic,  may Allah give us focus in the course of the discourse and decorate it with the garments of understanding and guidance

It will be of immense help if we grasp the notion of what really connotes benefit

The best benefit one can ever avail himself of has to do  primarily with " progress and success " in every department of his life: his interactions with his creator,  his relation with his loved ones, his economic endeavors, his intellectual and professional discovery as he journey through this life.

All of these as mentioned, will only be actualised by having a guide which is standard, stood the test of time and quite pragmatic or if you like realistic in its practicalities in relation to all these departments one can benefit himself from.

We can have no other scripture and manuscript than the Surahs and verses of Quran for such benefit

The question however now is, how do we do that

With regards to the how, there is the need for reorientation of our perspectives from what most of Muslims held for so long when it comes to benefiting from the QuranicSurahs and verses

There are two principal things we must understand when it comes to Islamic religious rituals and for matter recitation of Quran

First,  we have the reward aspect of the equation and secondly the effect aspect

For example, Quran says: "verily salat restrain from immorality and forbidden acts"(Al-ankabut)

Now if a Muslim perform salat in jammat as we all know,  he will have 27 darajaat, yet if he is still indulging in those immoralities, it implies that,  he benefit himself of the reward and not the effect of salat.

In the same vein, one can equally get the reward of Quran but denying himself of the intended effect,  and effect is the name of the game, not too much reward. The prophet says"recite the Quran in a way that it will hold you back from evil, if it does not hold you back from evil, then you have not really read it. (Ahmed ibn Jamal, zuhd, p. 401/1649

Ahmed ibnhambal

Yet we are all aware of the hadith in which the prophet said that, recitation of Quran will earn one, ten rewards for each letter and he gave aliflaammeen as an example.

Having our perspectives changed regarding the Quran is the first step towards unlocking the door of its treasury.

The benefits I mentioned earlier on were not just poetic conceit, rather it's reality were exemplified in the lives of the companions of the prophet which the pages of history will testify to.

 

For example, the tremendous wealth of abdulrahamanibn Auf, the incomprehensible knowledge of Ali ibnTalib, the incredible memory of Abu Khuraiara, the unique personifies of our rightly guided caliphs. Dagombas say" if you are enumerating hot objects, you exclude the name of fire" but I will include,  and that is, the incomparable Leadership of our beloved master Mohammed( S. A. W),

Guess the source of all these benefits, " QURANIC SURAHS AND VERSES"

Fortunately for us, they are still coherently codified in there,  waiting for us to use them to transform our lives,  so that we can have the replicates of the abdulrahamanibnAufs, the Ali ibntalibs and the Abu khurairas of our time.

And these companions were not extraordinary human beings  such that we cannot do what they did. Allah even command the prophet:"say,  I am a man like you."(Al-kafh:110)

The essence of the verse according to Mufassirrin, is that having the sense that the prophet -and for that matter the companions-, are like us, is to stimulate us to also do all that they were doing

Allah has given the condition under which he operates in respect to how he benefit his servants. It's mentioned in Quran" indeed Allah will not change the condition of the people until they change what is in them...... "(Ar-ra'ad:11)

Any benefit we will get from Quran will be a changed condition of some kind,  from our previous condition, but this time in a better form.

Therefore the prerequisite for attaining any benefit from Quran is to make up a firm commitment to change from your ways of the past and ready to embrace the new ways needed to qualify you to deserve the benefits ingrained in it.

Importantly,  you need to specify what you really need in order to have a quick reference, remember I said earlier on that the Quran is a guide

Here are some samples

(1) knowledge: I understand that there so many verses we mostly used from Quran in our supplications when we are seeking knowledge from Allah. However,  the most effective of all is to practice and follow these verses to produce the effect needed,  and that is,  knowledge.

The verses are:

"and fear Allah and Allah will teach you,  and Allah is all knower of each and everything".(Al-baqara:282)

                     

By fearing Allah, that is, doing what he enjoins you and distance yourself from what he forbids for you,  you will begin to change your condition from ignorance and Allah can now come in here to help you have the knowledge you will possibly have in your life time.

The prophet say,  that he who will practice what he knows Allah will teach him what he knows not.  So by practicing what you know when it comes to fearing Allah, you made yourself qualify for the support of Allah and in this case acquisition of knowledge

Again another verse pertaining to knowledge "and we verily gave knowledge to Dawud and Suleiman and they said: praise be to Allah, who has preferred us to many of his slave" (Al -naml:15

We can learn from the verse that,  by being grateful for the knowledge you have now,  you changed your condition to deserve more knowledge from Allah

(2) wealth/sustainance: we all know and have heard of suratulWaaqi'a, yet many might have recited it for so long and not having any sign of sustaince or wealth, it would do us good when we have a look at the verse in suratulnuhu, from verse 10-12

10"ask forgiveness from your lord,  verily, he is oft-forgiving.11"He will send rain to you in abundance. 12"and give you increased in your wealth and children and bestow on your gardens and bestow on your rivers.

 From these verses pertaining to wealth we can understand that,  by reducing our sins and seeking forgiveness and repentance, we will start changing our condition and then ourselves deserve the benefit of wealth and sustaince.

  Or maybe you have your need unique to you and not added in the examples of either knowledge or wealth, and you would need supplications, the Quran again can help only if you would go by the terms and conditions it gives.

Quran says" and when my slaves ask you concerning me,  then I am indeed near.  I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls on me. So let them obey me and believe in me, so that they may be led aright.(Al-bakara:186)

The condition is to obey and believe in him and then Allah will change your condition by answering your prayer.

The bottom line is,  any Surah or verse that you're referred to for solution of your need of some kind,  find out the meaning and bring to requisition it's demands in your actions, surely when you do that,  you will change your condition as part of the equation and Allah will do the rest for you as he promised.

Allah help those who help themselves and quranicSurahs and verses are not different

Here are some Surahs and their associated benefits.

1.yasin: for fulfilment of needs

2.mulk and aliflaaminsajda: protection from punishment in the grave

3.kahf: recite on Friday's for protection

   In order to really gain access to the benefits of the above surahs and many other Surahs you may know later from your learning, it's good we learn how the prophet used to recite Quran.

He would recite it slowly,  with deep of feeling. He contemplate the meaning of each verse,  immediately putting into practice their commands, upon reciting a verse commanding to glorify the almighty he would say "subhanallah " and when it's prayer he will pray and when it's refuge he will seek refuge(muslim, musafirin, 203

It will be a shocker to tell you that, the Quran can also be very dangerous, just like any powerful thing when not handle well can be dangerous, like fire, gas, knife, etc.

Quran says".....by it He mislead many and  many he guides thereby. And he misleads thereby only those who are rebellious"( Albakara :26)

Prophet says, most at times one may recite Quran and it curses him. 

When you understand the teachings of Quran and do opposite it becomes a witness against you on the day of judgement.

Some who memorised the Quran and forget out of negligence shall be resurrected as blind,  according some scholars.

Therefore, inasmuch as we want to benefit from the Quran we should equally be aware of this flip side and work on our consistency in terms our good deed and our ability to recite the Quran and follow.

I will end here,  to Allah's care I leave my brethren in Islam and to Him do I have infinite confident that this endeavor will not be in vain. Salaamualaikum