Where to start?

We live in an era where we are inundated with information, pulled in many directions whilst managing a busy schedule of work, family, friends, leisure and personal down-time. We live in a world of instant gratifications and instant fixes. We have so many options but a limited time, it is not always obvious to know what to do at the best of times.

We see so many wrongs and injustices around the world,  we see disasters one after another, both natural and man made, we see an abundance of poverty, homelessness, famine, drought, earthquakes, war and the list goes on… Some of us realise that something is not quite right… and that’s a good start.  We want to help and make a difference in whatever way we can. We also see Islam put under the media microscope; scrutinised and even mocked. We may feel an internal pressure to re-connect with our Deen, to study and learn for ourselves what the religion is really saying.

In our attempt, we may go and study a course or two on Hadith, Arabic, Fiqh (Jurisprudence), Seerah, Aqeedah, Spirituality etc… from the branches of religious knowledge. From worldly subjects we may study Politics, Philosophy, Psychology, International Law or refer to the countless self-help books in the market place today.

Going back to the source

A quick search on ‘the best Islamic books to read’ resulted in lots of blogs and articles. Clicking on the links brought some useful and interesting list of books to read. Yet the primary book for Muslims was not on the list. Qur’an, the source of knowledge for us believers is not on the list! One may argue, it’s not on the list because it is given that Muslim read the Qur’an, but the reality is we don’t. I remember attending a number of courses of Journey Through the Qur’an. The course instructor would ask at the beginning of the course: “By a show of hands, how many people have read the Qur’an with meaning from cover to cover, from beginning to end?” About 10-15 hands would be raised in every 100. The real number could be even lower due to bias in our sample group (as the course delegates were all people who were interested in the Qur’an). This mean 80-90% of Muslims have not fully read the Qur’an with meaning. It suggests we don’t know what Allah has revealed to us.

Remember, all other Islamic sciences whether it is Fiqh, Hadith, Tassawuf, Scholastic Theology… refers back to the Qur’an and are no more than a human attempt to understand the Qur’an. The Prophetic Sunnah itself is a human implementation of the Qur’an. And it is the best lived and demonstrative interpretation by the best of creation, and therefore he is modelled and emulated. Divine Speech validated his best practices: “Verily in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example” [Al-Ahzab: 33:21]. And we know that he was referred as the walking Qur’an – the total human embodiment of the Qur’an. 

Prioritising the Qur’an

The Qur’an is the ‘Mother of all books’, providing a complete framework for a blessed life. Imam Al-Haddad said:

“Know that the Qur’an is the ocean where from the jewel of knowledge and the treasures of understanding are extracted. Any believer who is granted the way to understand it, his opening becomes permanent, his light complete and his knowledge vast.” [i]

There are often many barriers preventing us from accessing the Qur’an, some were placed to protect the Qur’an from being misinterpreted, however, a good number of these barriers along with cultural practices have had an adverse effect in alienating people from reading the Qur’an. Allah sent this book for the whole of mankind; the scholars and the common people alike.

The majority of the Qur’an is clear and can be understood without difficulty. This doesn’t mean you go and derive rulings from the Qur’an, but take lessons and follow its precepts and guidance. It is then, imperative for anyone who wants to have spiritual growth to maintain a personal relationship with the Qur’an, to read the Qur’an regularly, to ponder over its’ verses, pose questions to it, go to the learned if something is unclear. Everyone should be familiar with the Qur’an as we will be questioned about it:

“Verily, this (the Qur’an) is indeed a Reminder for you (O Muhammad) and your people and you will be questioned (about it).” [Al-Furqan: 25: 30].

Take heed of Allah’s words, otherwise on the Day of Judgement the Messenger of Allah may testify against you.

“And the Messenger called out, ‘O my Lord, surely my people have treated this Qur’an as a forsaken thing’.” [Az-Zukhruf: 43: 44].

[i] Book of Assistance – Imam Al-Haddad – page 24