There is a misconception prevalent among people in society, and I am writing this article with the aim of correcting it, praying to Allah to reform our society and the people.
Although people’s inclination towards religion is low, as a result, practical religiosity, adherence to Shariah rulings, acquisition of religion, and people’s inclination towards religious institutions are seen less. The scarcity of students in religious centers and the abundance in contemporary educational institutions cause people, on their own and for their children, to distance themselves from religion. No matter how much the era progresses, no matter how much science and technology advance, the importance of Islamic sciences does not diminish even slightly. It is a fact that all worldly sciences originate from here. The Quranic teachings are a means of success in both this world and the Hereafter, while contemporary sciences are limited to this world only. Oh, if only we Muslims could understand this.
Some people are religious and adorn their children with Islamic knowledge for their success in the Hereafter, although generally, they are unaware of economics, but the life of the Hereafter appears better to them. These are some people who have Islamic zeal and passion, who want to immerse their children in religious education out of love for Islam and the religion. Among them, some are short-sighted in their thinking; they think only for the near future, not the distant future. Who are those people? Those who make their children Hafiz of the Quran in two or three years and then rely solely on that. The child remains a Hafiz of the Quran from that time until youth, and from youth until old age.
Memorizing the Quran is an excellent education, and being a Hafiz of the Quran is a great honor, but here is a point for us to ponder. It is a matter of reflection for all those guardians who, due to not knowing the correct meaning of the Ahadith, consider their child’s being a Hafiz of the Quran as a guarantee of Paradise and stop the child’s education at this point. That child lives his whole life relying on the Quran but, Alhamdulillah, neither understands its translation nor its meaning; pondering over the entire Quran, taking admonition from Quranic verses, and gaining guidance is far from his reach. This is a matter of great sorrow.
First, let us understand the reality of the matter on which people rely and think that a child’s being a Hafiz of the Quran grants Paradise to ten people in the household.
Among people, it is popular that one Hafiz of the Quran will take ten people or ten relatives or ten sinners to Paradise with him; this is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ. Let us look at the related Hadiths.
First Hadith: لِحامِلِ القرآنِ إذا عمِلَ بِهِ ، فأَحَلَّ حلالَهُ ، وحرَّمَ حرامَهُ ، يشفَعُ فِي عشرَةٍ مِنْ أهلِ بيتِهِ يومَ القيامَةِ ، كلُّهم قدْ وجبَتْ لَهُ النارُ۔(شعب الایمان)
Translation: The Hafiz of the Quran who makes lawful what Allah has made lawful and unlawful what Allah has made unlawful will intercede for ten members of his household for whom Hellfire has become obligatory.
* It has been declared weak by Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him).
* Imam Bayhaqi also declared its chain weak.
Second Hadith: مَن قرأَ القرآنَ واستَظهرَهُ فأحلَّ حلالَهُ وحرَّمَ حَرامَهُ أدخلَهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ الجنَّةَ وشفَّعَهُ في عَشرةٍ من أهلِ بَيتِهِ كلُّهُم قَد وجبَت لَهُ النَّارُ(الترمذی:2905)
Translation: Whoever recites the Quran, memorizes it, makes lawful what Allah has made lawful and unlawful what Allah has made unlawful, will intercede for ten members of his household for whom Hellfire has become obligatory.
* Imam Tirmidhi himself did not consider its chain authentic.
* Sheikh Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it very weak.
* The commentator of Tirmidhi, Sheikh Mubarakpuri, mentioned that it contains Hafs bin Sulaiman, whom Hafiz declared as a narrator of abandoned Hadith.
From the above two Hadiths, it is clear that the claim that a Hafiz of the Quran will intercede for ten people for whom Hellfire has become obligatory is not proven. Therefore, this statement should not be made, nor should anyone abandon deeds hoping for Paradise solely because of their child being a Hafiz of the Quran. A person will be punished for their own deeds and will attain Paradise by the grace of Allah based on their own good deeds.
One misconception has been clarified that a Hafiz of the Quran interceding for ten people is incorrect. Now let us know whether just being a Hafiz of the Quran is sufficient or whether the Quran has some rights and demands? Undoubtedly, memorizing and reciting the Quran is a cause of reward, but the purpose of the Quran’s revelation is not to recite it blindly. Allah Almighty revealed the Quran so that it is read with understanding and acted upon. Here, another misconception is corrected. It is also popular among people that the Hafiz of the Quran will keep reciting in the Hereafter and ascend the steps of Paradise. Consider the Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said:
يقالُ لصاحِبِ القرآنِ: اقرأ، وارتَقِ، ورتِّل كَما كُنتَ ترتِّلُ في الدُّنيا، فإنَّ منزلتَكَ عندَ آخرِ آيةٍ تقرأُ بِها(صحيح الترمذي:2914، صحيح أبي داود:1464)
Translation: (On the Day of Judgment) the owner of the Quran will be told: “Recite and ascend (in ranks).” And recite as you used to recite in the world, slowly and with tartil (measured recitation). So your rank will be at the last verse you recite.
The virtue of reciting the Quran in the Hereafter is for the owner of the Quran, and we must see who the owner of the Quran is. Accordingly, the Quran has five rights upon us.
The first right: To believe in it. Believing in the Quran includes considering it the Word of Allah, understanding it as based on justice and fairness, having no doubt whatsoever in it, considering its lawful and unlawful as lawful and unlawful, and affirming it. When a believer answers three questions in the grave, Munkar and Nakir will ask a fourth question: وما يُدريكَ ؟ فيقولُ: قرأتُ كتابَ اللَّهِ فآمنتُ بِهِ وصدَّقتُ(صحيح أبي داود: 4753)
Translation: How did you come to know this? He will say: I read the Book of Allah, believed in it, and affirmed it.
Second Right:
Its recitation and reading. In the Hadith about the owner of the Quran, the second right of the Quran is also meant by “Iqra” (Read), which a person fulfills in this world, and its benefit will be in the Hereafter.
Third right: Acting according to the Quran after reading it is the third right. One who reads the Quran but does not act upon it is like one who has not read the Quran at all.
Allah Almighty says: وَهَـذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُواْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Translation: And (O disbelievers) We have sent down to you a blessed Book, so follow it and fear Allah that you may receive mercy.
Whoever reads the Quran, learns it, and acts upon it, his parents will be crowned with a crown of light on the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet ﷺ said: من قرأ القرآنَ وتعلَّمه وعمِل به ؛ أُلبِسَ والداه يومَ القيامةِ تاجًا من نورٍ
Translation: Whoever reads the Quran, learns it, and acts upon it, his parents will be crowned with a crown of light on the Day of Judgment.
Fourth right: To ponder over it, meaning the Quran requires that it be understood and read with reflection. One who reads the Quran without understanding cannot fulfill four of the five rights of the Quran. Allah Almighty has also mentioned reflection as a purpose of the Quran’s revelation. Allah’s command is: كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ
Translation: (This) is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you so that they may reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding may take admonition.
Fifth right: The fifth right of the Quran is to propagate it. That is, after reading and understanding the Quran, one must first act according to it and then invite others to it. The Prophet ﷺ said: بلغوا عني ولو آيةً
Translation: Convey from me even if it is one verse.
Whoever fulfills these five rights of the Quran completely is the true owner of the Quran. Wherever the virtue of the owner of the Quran is mentioned in the Hadith, it applies to such a person who fulfills all the rights of the Quran.
عن ابی امامہ رضی اللہ عنہ قال: سمعت رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم یقول: اقْرَؤوا القرآنَ . فإنه يأتي يومَ القيامةِ شفيعًا لأصحابه
Translation: Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: Recite the Quran, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for its companions.
This Hadith is also for those who fulfill the rights. Whoever abandons fulfilling all the rights is a forsaker of the Quran, meaning one who abandons reading the Quran, listening to its recitation, believing in it, confirming it, obeying its commands and avoiding its prohibitions, reflecting upon it, and propagating it to others. The Prophet ﷺ will present a case against such a person before Allah. If memorizing the Quran alone were sufficient for us, the Prophet ﷺ would have exempted the memorizers of the Quran from this case. Allah’s command is: وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
Translation: And the Messenger will say, “O my Lord, indeed my people took this Quran as [a thing] abandoned.”
The polytheists used to make a lot of noise when the Quran was being recited so that it could not be heard; this is also forsaking. Not believing in it is forsaking. Not reflecting upon it, not acting upon its commands, and not avoiding its prohibitions is also forsaking. Similarly, abandoning this book and preferring any other book is forsaking the Quran, which the Prophet of Allah will complain about before Allah on the Day of Judgment.
According to the Hadith about the owner of the Quran narrated by Abu Dawood, Allama Shams al-Haq Azimabadi (may Allah have mercy on him), attributing it to some scholars, writes that whoever acts according to the Quran is as if he has always read the Quran even if he does not actually read it, and whoever does not act upon the Quran is as if he has never read it even if he always reads it. Allah Almighty said: كتاب أنزلناه إليك مبارك ليدبروا آياته وليتذكر أولو الألباب (This book, the Quran, which We have revealed to you, is blessed so that people may reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding may take admonition). Therefore, merely reciting or memorizing will not grant the high ranks in Paradise.
It is a matter of great regret that many memorizers of the Quran have forgotten, many memorizers are far from the rulings of the Quran, many act contrary to the rulings of the Quran while being memorizers. The majority of memorizers are ignorant of the meanings and understandings of the Quran, yet they hope for high ranks in Paradise and forgiveness for ten people among their parents and family.
From the above texts you have studied, nowhere is the Quran’s recitation without action, because the Quran was revealed to be acted upon, and nowhere is its recitation without understanding, because the Quran was revealed to be read with understanding so that its rights may be fulfilled and the complete teachings of the Quran may be implemented in practical life. Allah’s command is: الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِ أُولَٰئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۗ
Translation: Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with its true recital; those [are the ones who] believe in it.
This verse mentions the condition of recitation as “its true recital,” and such reciters are declared true believers. The right of recitation is that the Quran be read with reflection and understanding so that it may be acted upon. In Lisan al-Arab, one meaning of recitation is explained as “reading with the intention to act.” Reading the Quran with the intention to act is only possible when it is read with understanding and reflection.
In summary, there is a difference between a memorizer of the Quran and the owner of the Quran; the true reader is the owner of the Quran. We should not be content with just memorizing the Quran but should fulfill all five rights of the Quran to attain the virtue of the owner of the Quran. If you want your children to become memorizers of the Quran, do not limit their education to mere memorization but provide them with enough education so that they can read the Quran with understanding and reflection, act according to it, and invite others to it. Doing so will be the best ongoing charity for you. I am not saying that reading the Quran without understanding has no reward; a memorizer of the Quran who does not know its meaning has no virtue. Undoubtedly, reading and memorizing the Quran is a cause of reward, but salvation in the Hereafter depends on reading the Quran with understanding, acting upon it, and inviting others to it. Remove from your society the notion that a memorizer of the Quran will take ten people with him to Paradise, and also change the custom that limits your children’s lives to mere memorization and recitation of the Quran.
May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to learn the Quran, act according to it, and invite others to it, and grant our children the ability to memorize the Quran along with understanding its meanings and concepts so that they may also act and encourage others. Ameen.
