Book Review: Revive Your Heart – Putting Life in Perspective, by Nouman Ali Khan

This is essentially a transcript of some sermons that Nouman Ali Khan has delivered. So if you're familiar with his talks and like them, you'll enjoy reading this book. Each chapter in the book is a transcript of a particular sermon and each sermon is an explanation of a small series of Ayahs of the Quran. The sermons included in the book are those that deal with the attitudes that we should adopt as Muslims, i.e. our attitude to prayer/supplication, our attitude to giving/receiving advice, our attitude to suspicion/assumption, our attitude to spending/charity, and so on and so forth! Overall a good read which will increase your appreciation of the Quran.

Book Review: The Story of the Quran, by Ingrid Mattson

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the author did a good job of presenting the history and preservation of the Qur'an from its early revelation through to the present day. But I found this book to be so much more than a telling of the Qur'an's history. I thought the author did a fantastic job of communicating the different layers of the Qur'an; from its aural beauty to its role in the everyday life of a Muslim to its impact on Muslim architecture to the rich sciences that underpin how Muslim scholars interpret the Qur'an. It's probably this depth and detail that will make this book more appealing to Muslim readers wanting to gain an appreciation of their own history than somebody outside of the faith with a passing interesting in Islam. For me though this book far exceeded my expectations and I'd go as far as putting it in my top ten books on Islam in the English language.

Below are some passages from the book which I particularly enjoyed:

"... God created a community of men and women to whom he wanted to speak, in a manner that would have universal and eternal significance for people of other times and places."

"To be awake to God, while awake to the world, is the goal of seekers of the Divine."

"The fact that much of the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet when he was in the company of others highlights the importance of his contemporary community in the process of revelation. Although Muslims consider the Qur'an universal in its application, they have generally believed that an accurate understanding of the scripture is contingent in large part on an understanding of the historical and social context of the revelation."

"What is impossible to convey when translating these verses is the way their sound when recited accords so well with their meaning. Perhaps it is not even enough to say that the sound of the recitation is in harmony with the meaning of the words, but that the sound itself conveys meaning."

"The simplicity and accessibility of Surah al-Ikhlas accords with the Qur'anic and Prophetic message that belief in such a God is innate (fitri) and universal."

"Even when slaves were allowed to raise their own children, they were forbidden from teaching them about Islam, and they certainly could not transmit the Qur'an, orally or textually, to the next generation. As a result, the chain of the transmission of the Qur'an among perhaps thousands of African Muslims ended with their enslavement in America."

"When Abu Bakr heard that the Prophet Muhammad said that he had been taken to Jerusalem and then into the Divine Presence in the 'Night Journey', he declared, 'If he says so then it is true. And what is so surprising in that? He tells me that news comes to him from heaven to earth in an hour of a day or night and I believe him, and that is more extraordinary than that which stupefies you!'"

"How much better would it be if we stopped making declarations for a while and humbly, earnestly, tried to listen to God?"

Book Review: The Crowning Venture, by Saadia Mian

This is the fourth book I've come across in the last couple of years that captures some of the beauty of the Quran memorisation journey. The book shares the stories of present-day women living in the West who have managed to memorise the Quran; some who have done so earlier in their life and some who have done so later. The book mixes the stories of these women nicely with memorisation tips and it makes a good effort at dispelling a number of myths that prevent many people, women especially, from memorising the Quran. I really hope more people stumble across this book and we start to see a concerted effort in our communities towards getting more girls memorising & engaging with the Quran.

Below are some quotes from the book:

"The hours I spent with the Quran were the most beautiful hours of my life." 

"Sometimes doors open for us because of the effort we put in when we assume we do not have the time to do something... You may not have the most ideal situation time-wise, but if you really want to, you can find five minutes a day to devote to something you care about. Based on your intention and effort, bigger doors may open. But you can only know if you put in the initial effort." 

"Memorising the Quran gave me a heightened awareness of myself and where I needed to be going. It made me want to constantly learn more about the meanings of the Quran and try to live up to them." 

"Whether you are able to go abroad or not, whether you have children or not, whether you are young or young at heart, whether your career is demanding or not, whether you think you have a good memory or not. The Quran is for you and you can be one of those blessed to carry it in your heart."

Best books for memorisers of the Quran

Below is a list of the best books I've come across in the English language – in terms of guidance and inspiration – for anyone who is memorising the Quran, has memorised the Quran or intends to memorise the Quran.

1. 114 Tips to Help You Finally Memorize the Quran, by Suleiman Hani
2. 365 Tips to Help You Memorise the Quran, by Ishaaq Jasat
3. Meadows of the Divine: 40 Prophetic Traditions on the Virtues & Rulings of the Quran, by Alomgir Ali
4. The Crowning Venture: Inspiration from Women Who Have Memorized the Quran, by Saadia Mian
5. The Promise of Ten: How an ordinary person can memorise the Quran in 6 months, by Mubashir Anwar

Qur'an: Intercession

"... All that is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to Him.

Who is there that can intercede with Him except by His leave?

He knows what is before them and what is behind them..."

(Abdul Haleem's translation of Ayah 2:255)

Qur'an: They differed

"... it was only those to whom it was given

who disagreed about it after clear signs had come to them,

because of rivalry between them..."

"... If God had so willed,

they would not have fought each other,

but God does what He will..."

(Abdul Haleem's translation of Ayahs 2:213 and 2:253)

Qur'an: Be patient

"O you who believe,

be patient,

be more patient than others,

guard your frontiers,

and fear God

so that you may be successful."

(Al-Qur'an, Surah Aal Imran, Verse 200)

Qur'an: People of Understanding

Surely, in the creation of the heavens and the earth,

and in the alternation of night and day,

there are signs for people of understanding,

who remember God

standing, sitting and [lying] on their sides,

who ponder on the creation of the heavens and the earth:

'Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain.

You are far above that!

So save us from the torment of the Fire.'

(Al-Qur'an, Surah Aal Imran, Verses 190-191)

Qur'an: Gentleness

So it is through Mercy from God that you were gentle to them.

Had you been rough and hard-hearted,

they would have surely dispersed from around you.

So pardon them, seek forgiveness for them,

and consult them in the matter.

And once you have taken a decision,

place your trust in God.

Surely, God loves those who place their trust in Him.

(Al-Qur'an, Surah Aal Imran, Verse 159)

Qur'an: Those who do good

"... Those who spend in prosperity and adversity

and who control their anger and forgive people.

And Allah loves those who do good.

And those who,

when they commit a shameful act or wrong themselves,

remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins

- and who is there to forgive sins except Allah? -

and do not persist in what they have done, knowingly.

Their reward is forgiveness from their Lord

and gardens beneath which rivers flow

where they shall live forever.

And excellent is the reward of those who work.

(Al-Qur'an, Surah Aal Imran, Verses 134-136)

We see here in this sequence of verses that qualities relating to the rights of men are mentioned together with qualities relating to the rights of God. It's important to remember though that the rights of God are not meant to benefit God in any way! God does not suffer in any way if they are not fulfilled. The one who worships Him is the one who gains.

Qur'an: Forgiveness, Paradise

"And race one another towards Forgiveness from your Lord

and towards a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth,

prepared for the righteous..."

(Al-Qur'an, Surah Aal Imran, Verse 133)

Interesting that the mention of Forgiveness in this verse precedes the mention of Paradise. Perhaps this is to suggest that seeking God's Forgiveness is the way to Paradise, that entry to Paradise is impossible without humility before God, that Forgiveness tilts one's balance of deeds to be worthy of Paradise...

Qur'an: You are the best of communities

"... you are the best of communities raised for mankind:

you order what is right, forbid what is wrong,

and believe in God..."

(Surah Aal Imran, Verse 110)

If there's anything that singles you out as a community

it is your camaraderie

in establishing what is right and proper

and your assisting each other

in steering clear of the wrong and improper.

And your belief in God.

And there is nothing intrinsic within you

neither your blood line nor your skin colour

that warrants you for merit

except this.

Qur'an: Unity

"... Hold onto the rope of God, all of you,

and be not divided.

And remember the blessing of God upon you:

When you were enemies to each other

and He brought your hearts together

and you became, by His grace, brothers..."

(Al-Qur'an,  Surah Aal Imran, Verse 103)

The rope of God,

the connecting link,

between the believers and their Lord,

and the believers one to another,

it is the Qur'an.

And in the Qur'an is their unity,

and in their unity is their strength.

Qur'an: Spending the cherished

"You shall never attain righteousness

until you spend from what you love.

And whatever it is you spend,

God is fully aware of it."

(Surah Aal Imran, Verse 92)

Spending the cherished:

to give away what one likes and holds dear,

preferring another over one's self,
knowing with certitude that God recompenses.

Qur'an: The desires of the heart

"Beautified for people

is the love of that which they desire;

of women and sons,

heaped-up sums of gold and silver,

fine branded horses,

and cattle and tilled land.

That is the enjoyment of the worldly life.

And God has with Him the best return."

(Surah 3, Verse 14)

How lucky man is
to have in the desires of his heart

a means
to distinguish himself:

to realise the temporariness of his wants;

to act on them only in what is necessary;

to overcome them for deeds eternal.

Qur'an: The Ever-Living, the All-Sustaining

"God:

there is no god but Him,

the Ever-Living, the All-Sustaining."

(Surah 3, Verse 2)

Herein lies a declaration and a proof:

God has no beginning and no end,

and it is He Who sustains all that exists.

And can there be two gods

who have no beginning and no end,

and sustain all that exists?

And can there by any other than God

who is worthy of adoration and worship?

Qur'an: God does not burden a soul

"God does not burden a soul

with more than it can bear."

(Surah 2, Verse 286)

Meaning:

man is not taken to account for involuntary thought

but for intent.

"Each gains whatever good it has done,

and suffers its bad."

The verses of Riba in Surah Al Baqarah

Here's some points taken out from Ma'aariful Qur'an about the verses of Riba (interest/usury) in Surah Al-Baqarah. Worth a ponder!

1. The verses of Riba (verses 275-279) are surrounded by the verses of charity (verses 261-274 and verse 280), signifying perhaps that the two concepts are related to and at odds with each other. One is to do with giving (decreasing one's stock), and the other is to do with taking (increasing one's stock).
2. God does not respond to the reasoned argument that "Riba is similar to trade" with a counter-argument but, rather, responds by stating that one is allowed and the other is not. (See verse 275.)
3. God has stated that one who lived his life in the consumption of Riba will be raised on the Day of Judgement like one tormented by Satan's touch. Raising the consumers of Riba in this state is perhaps indicative of a certain parallelism: They lived their lives in pursuit of money, senseless & unaware of the harms of their actions, and thus they will be raised.

The etiquettes of giving in charity

Here's some lessons on giving charity taken out from verses 261 to 274 of Surah Al-Baqarah:

1. Give to attain God's approval, and as an affirmation of your faith, and not to be seen by people.
2. Do not follow your giving with reminders of benevolence or hurtful words.
3. A kind word and forgiveness is better than a charitable deed followed by hurtful words.
4. Give from the good things you have acquired and not from the bad things which you yourself would not accept.
5. To give openly is good, and to give in secret is even better, and know that God is well aware of all that you do.

Number of Ayahs in each Juz

Here's a count of the number of Ayahs (verses) in each Juz of the Qur'an...

Juz 01 - 148 verses
Juz 02 - 111 verses
Juz 03 - 126 verses
Juz 04 - 131 verses
Juz 05 - 124 verses
Juz 06 - 110 verses
Juz 07 - 149 verses
Juz 08 - 142 verses
Juz 09 - 159 verses
Juz 10 - 127 verses
Juz 11 - 151 verses
Juz 12 - 170 verses
Juz 13 - 154 verses
Juz 14 - 227 verses
Juz 15 - 185 verses
Juz 16 - 269 verses
Juz 17 - 190 verses
Juz 18 - 202 verses
Juz 19 - 339 verses
Juz 20 - 171 verses
Juz 21 - 178 verses
Juz 22 - 169 verses
Juz 23 - 357 verses
Juz 24 - 175 verses
Juz 25 - 246 verses
Juz 26 - 195 verses
Juz 27 - 399 verses
Juz 28 - 137 verses
Juz 29 - 431 verses
Juz 30 - 564 verses

... That's 6236 verses in total.