24 I SPECIAL FEATURE Passion Islam I September 2008
The month of the Qur’an
Ramadan has a special relationship with decrease and it is easier to concentrate, during its last 10 days.
the Qur’an, of course: “The month of as in Surah al-Muzzammil 73:6. “Al-Zuhri would say when Ramadan began,
Ramadan is the one in which the Qur’an Further, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased ‘It is recitation of the Qur’an and feeding
was sent down, a guidance for mankind, with her) narrated from her father (may of people.’ When Ramadan began, Imam
clear proofs for the guidance, the Criterion; Allah bless him and grant him peace), Malik would cease narrating Hadith and
so whoever amongst you witnesses this who told her that Jibril would rehearse the sitting with the people of knowledge, and
month, let him fast it.” (Surah al-Baqarah Qur’an with him (in Ramadan) once every stick to reciting the Qur’an from its pages,
2:185) The word ‘so’ (fa) in this ayah leads year, and he did so twice in the year of his while Sufyan al-Thawri would leave other
to the following paraphrase of one aspect death. (Bukhari 6/485) After mentioning acts of worship and stick to reciting the
of its meaning: “Fast this month because the above aspects of the Sunnah, Ibn Qur’an. ‘Aishah would recite from the
it is the one in which the Qur’an was Rajab al-Hanbali talks about the situation pages of the Qur’an at the beginning of
sent down”. Ibn ‘Abbas narrates “that the of the Salaf (the early Muslims) during the day in Ramadan (i.e. after dawn), until
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Ramadan: when the sun had risen, she would sleep.
sallam – may Allah bless him and grant him “... Some of the Salaf would complete “Zayd al-Yaami would bring copies of
peace) was the most generous person, reciting the whole Qur’an during the night the Qur’an when Ramadan began and
and he would be at his most generous in prayer of Ramadan every three days, gather his companions around him. ...”
Ramadan because Jibril would come to others every seven days e.g. Qataadah, Ibn Rajab later continues, “The
him every night and he would rehearse others in 10 days e.g. Abu Rajaa’ al- forbiddance of completing recitation of
the Qur’an with him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Atardi. the Qur’an in less than three days applies
Eng. trans. 6/486) This hadith contains “The Salaf would recite Qur’an in to this being made a regular practice, but
recommendation of the following: Ramadan in Prayer as well as outside it. as for favoured times such as Ramadan,
* Studying the Qur’an in Ramadan; “Al-Aswad would finish the Qur’an every especially the nights in which Laylat al-
* Coming together for this purpose; two nights in Ramadan; Ibrahim an-Nakh’I Qadr is sought, or favoured places such as
*Checking (one’s memory/knowledge would do likewise in the last 10 nights Makkah for the visitor, it is recommended
of) the Qur’an with someone who has specifically, and every three nights during to increase reciting the Qur’an to avail the
preserved it better; the rest of the month. time and place. This is the view of Ahmad,
* Increasing recitation of the Qur’an in “Qataadah would regularly finish the Ishaq and other Imams, and the practice
Ramadan; Qur’an in seven days, but in three days of others indicates this too.”
* That the night time is the best time during Ramadan, when he would study The purpose here is not to discuss
to recite, when other preoccupations the Qur’an especially, and every night whether or not the latter view is correct or
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