Is it Better to Listen to or Read the Qur’aan? | Shaykh Bin Baz

Which is better, reading the Quraan or listening to a reciter on a tape?

 It is better for an individual to do what is more beneficial to his heart and has a greater influence over it, whether it is reading or listening. The point of reading the Book of Allaah is to contemplate over it, understand it’s meanings and act on what it teaches, as Allaah the Exalted said:

{A Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember.}

Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, also said:

{Indeed, this Quraan guides to what is most just and right, and gives glad tidings to the believers}

Allaah, the Glorified said:

{Say: “It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing.}

• Reference: The Correct Response Concerning the Rulings of Night Prayers and Taraweeh
• Translators: Nadir Ahmad, Abu Abdul-Waahid
• SOURCE: Madeenah.com

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Advice to the Students of Knowledge

  

By ‘Shaykh’ Muhammad ibn Salih al-`Uthaymeen
Extracted from “Differences of Opinion Amongst the Scholars”© 1997 al-Hidaayah
 

Finally, I sincerely advise, myself first, and my Muslim brothers, especially the students of knowledge not to make haste and be quick when a new issue befalls a person until he verifies the situation, gains knowledge and then speaks, so that he does not speak about Allaah without knowledge.                           

As, the person who gives judgment is an emissary between the people and Allaah; he conveys the Sharee’ah of Allaah as has been reported from the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam):  

“The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets” [Ahmad (5/196). Aboo Daawood, at-Tirmidhee and others];  and the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) has also said:   

“The judges are three: (only) one of the judges being in paradise and he is the one who knew the truth and judged according to it.” [Related by Aboo Daawood with the following wording: “The judges are three; one of the judges is in Paradise and two are in the Fire.  With regards to the one in Paradise then he is the man who knew the truth and judged according to it. The man who knew the truth and was unjust in his ruling is in the Fire, and the man who judged between the people out of ignorance is in the Fire.”]  

Also of importance, when a new issue befalls you, draw your heart towards Allaah and feel in need of Him so that he causes you to understand and imparts knowledge to you; especially in grave and important matters, where many people remain in ignorance.  Some of my teachers mentioned to me that it is befitting for the person who has been questioned on an issue, to seek forgiveness from Allaah even more; deducing that from Allaah’s statement,

Surely, We have revealed to you the Book in truth that you may judge between the people by that which Allaah has shown you; so do not be a pleader for the treacherous. And seek the forgiveness of Allaah, certainly, Allaah is ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Soorah an-Nisaa’ (4):105-106]  

An increase in seeking forgiveness necessitates the wiping away of the repercussions of sins, which is one of the causes of forgetting knowledge and becoming ignorant, as Allaah says, 

So, because of their breach of their covenant. We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their proper places and forgot a good part of the message that was sent to them. [Soorah al-Maa’idah (5):13]  

Imaam ash-Shaafi`ee once said:
I complained to Wakee` (*) about my poor memory.
So he advised me to abandon disobedience.
and he said, ‘know that knowledge is light.
And the light ofAllaah is not bestowed upon a disobedient. 

 So it is certainly possible that seeking forgiveness causes Allaah to give a person enlightenment.
 

All praise is for Allaah alone, and may He praise, send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his Companions.

*Wakee’ Ibn al-Jarraah was a famous scholar from the Salaf and one of the teachers of Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee. He died in the year 196H 

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Charity in Secret

 

On the authority of ‘Amru ibn Thaabit who said:

When ‘Alee ibn al-Husayn died, they washed him and noticed a black mark on his back, so they (some of them) said:

“What is this?”

So they (the others) said:

“He used to carry a sack of flour on his back during the night and used to distribute it to the poor and needy of the people of Madeenah.”

• Siffatus-Safwah – Volume 2, Page 96 | Ref: Fatwa-Online

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Warnings to the Da’ee

Words Of Advice Regarding Da’wah 

Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Baaz

1. Beware of Being Extreme

It is correct to name this awakening, which pleases and excites every believer, an Islamic movement, an Islamic revival and an Islamic movement. It is necessary to encourage and guide this awakening towards adhering and clinging to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) as well as warning leaders and individuals within this awakening from exceeding the limits, exaggerating and being extreme in their actions. In accordance with what Allah says in the Qur’aan,

“O people of the scripture, do not exceed the limits in your religion.” [An-Nisaa 171]

The Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: “O you people, beware of being extreme and exceeding the limits in the religion, for that which destroyed the people before you was none other than extremism in the religion.” He (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The extremists are destroyed, the extremists are destroyed, the extremists are destroyed.”

2. Speaking about Allah without Knowledge

Beware of speaking about Allah, the Most High, without knowledge. It is not permissible for one who believes in Allah, the Most High, and the Last Day to say: ‘This is halaal and this is haraam’ or ‘This is permissible and this is prohibited’, except with a proof and completely depending upon that. It should be sufficient for him to do what the people of knowledge did before him, and that is to restrain oneself from rushing into saying that which he does not know but rather to say: “Allah knows best” or “I do not know”.

“How excellent is the speech of the angels when they said to their Lord, Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except that which You taught us.” [Al-Baqarah 32]

When the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) were asked about something that they did not know, they would say: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” This is only because of the completeness of their knowledge and their faith and their glorification of Allah, and being far removed from embarking on matters beyond them.

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Comfort at the Onset of Calamity

One is Comforted at the Onset of Calamity and Hardship

One is faced with trials and difficulties in every moment of life, but having faith and certainty serves to comfort and console one of them. Strong faith, reliance upon Allaah, hope in the reward of Allaah and desire for His beneficence are the basic constituents that help bring this state about. The sweetness of the reward lessens the bitterness of patience. Allaah, Exalted is He says:

“If you feel pain, they too are feeling it just as you are, but you hope for something from Allaah which they cannot hope for“ [Soorah an-Nisaa, 4:104]

This is why you can find two people who have been afflicted with the same calamity, or almost the same calamity; one of these two having faith and the other not; and there is a huge difference between the states of the two and the way that it affects them, inwardly and outwardly.

Just as faith consoles one at the onset of calamities, it also consoles one when he does not attain, or loses what he desires. Therefore, if the believer loses his beloved, be it his family, son, property, close friend etc., he is comforted by the sweetness of faith. Faith is the best replacement that the believer has for anything he loses, and this is something clearly seen and experienced. In reality losing something beloved is counted amongst the calamities.

It was the faith of Jacob that allowed him to bear the losing of his son, Joseph, despite his immense love for him. When his brothers asked him to allow Joseph to come and play with them he said:

“It grieves me to let him go with you“ [Soorah Yusuf, 12:13]

thereby informing them that the cause of his grief, preventing him from letting him go, was that he would not be able to bear being away from him for even a mere hour. However they argued with him until they were able to convince him:

” …so that Allaah would settle a matter whose result was preordained” [Soorah al-Anfaal, 8:42]

So if this was his state, having this intense love that cannot be expressed in words, is it possible to imagine that he could have born this separation for so many years? Rather one would expect that the pain of parting with him would have soon rent asunder his liver! However it was the strength of his faith and his hope in Allaah that allowed him to restrain himself for all these years until Allaah brought about the relief that He has promised the believers.

• Excerpt: The Tree of Faith | Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (rahimuhullaah) | Pages 71-72

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Why Do We Learn Tawheed?

{1} Allah تعالى created us for it.    

   {وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ}           

 [I have not created Jinn and men [for anything], except that they worship Me alone].  Al-Qur’an, 51.56 (Adh-Dhariyat)  

{2} It is the meaning of `ibaadah [worship]. How come?

Allah تعالى does not accept `ibaadah except with tawheed. Ibn Abbaas رضي الله عنهما said: “every `ibaadah mentioned in the  Qur’an means tawheed [to single out Allah in worship” 

{3} It is the only way to achieve security in this life and the Hereafter.     

{الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الأمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ} 

[It is those who believe and do not mix their belief with Dhulm [Oppression, by worshipping others with Allah] – that are (truly) in security, and they are guided]. Al-Qur’an, 6.82 (Al-An`aam)  

{4} It is the only way to obtain the Intercession of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم on the Day of Judgement.

As in the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه  , when he asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم : Who will be the happiest of people to receive your intercession?

 He replied: 

 ((من قال لا إله إلا الله خا لصاً من قلبه))      

The one who said: Laa illaaha illa Allah sincerely from his heart.[1]

{5} It is the deen [religion] of all the Prophets عليهم الصلاة و السلام  and all of them called their people to it.       

{وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوت}                                                                                                                                We assuredly sent amongst every Nation a messenger, (with the Command), “Worship Allah, anddistance Taaghoot [all what is worshipped besides Allah].  Al-Qur’an, 16.36 (An-Nahl)

 1 Narrated by al Bukhaaree in his Saheeh [the book of Knowledge 1/52]

• Source: DAGAMBIA

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The Doors of Success

Shaqeeq Ibn Ibraheem said: 

“The doors of success have been closed upon the creation because of six things:

Their busying themselves with the blessings of Allaah instead of thanking Allaah for them, their desire for knowledge while they abandon actions, the hastiness to sin and delaying repentance, the deception of having righteous companions and not taking them as examples, the turning away of the dunya from them while they chase it, and the approach of the afterlife towards them while they turn away from it.” 

 Source: Al Fawaai’d by Ibn Al Qayyim: P. 161
Translated by: Abu ‘Abdul Waahid, Nadir Ahmad.

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