Read Quran

Maulana Fazlur Rahman speech during inauguration of
library in Masjid-e-Fatima, Tolichowki, Hyderabad
Published in Muslim Murasu, July 2011

The opening verses of 96th Surah Alaq were the first direct Revelations to the holy Prophet. Iqra- read. In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created. Created man, out of a clot of blood. Read! And thy Lord is most bountiful. He who taught the Pen – taught man that which he knew not.
In some narration of this incident, it is said as “Gabriel showed a slate and asked to read what is written there”. But the general account is that the holy Prophet was asked to recite what was recited.
First command from God is to read. Read with the name of Allah. “Ilm”, knowledge, will make one close to Allah. Moomins are bestowed with ilm. Ilm is that which is associated with Allah’s name. This is beneficial knowledge. Rest all is useless. Prophet prayed Allah for purposeful knowledge and sought refuge from wasteful knowledge.
Contemporary education has no association with the name of Allah. This is not knowledge. This will not help in pleasing Allah. This does not inspire tenderness and sympathy on creations of Allah. Alimiyan shares his thought that the character of well-educated people today is to steal food from others and feed their dogs, and take clothes from others and decorate their walls. The education that fills one with greed is ignorance and folly. This is not light, but darkness.
Where are our children heading? We should think. Too far from God. Target of today’s education is duniya, not akhirat. It looks like ilm but in reality is foolishness. Those who associate “iqra” verse with this materialistic education are wrong and committing a grave mistake.
There was a period when doctors commanded high respect from people after Islamic scholars and Sufis. They were not greedy, they never grabbed others food or dress. They lived a humble and honest life. They were sympathetic to creations of Allah. Allah blessed them with sublime honor.
Iqra, kalam, allama, malam yahlam, all these words make it clear that the subject is knowledge. Of all the miracles bestowed to the holy Prophet, chief of them is Quran, a knowledge-based miracle. Moses had his hand-stick and luminous hand. Jesus hands will give relief and cure from diseases. ‘Kitab’ means that which is written. This is the miracle given to our holy Prophet. Knowledge that is written. The people of that prophet, the prophet on whom ilm-miracle happened, are today ignorant of the importance of ilm. We are in a pathetic situation to proclaim its importance.
One important incident in Abdul Khader Jeelani misses our attention. Thieves stopped him on a journey and inquired him about money. But where was he traveling and for what purpose? He was traveling in the pursuit of knowledge. Those days did not have transport facilities. There is no guarantee one will return if he ventures out. Journey was hard and treacherous. Still he journeyed with quest for knowledge.
Our offspring today are going to parks, picnic spots, hill stations and international tour for amusement. There is no clarity even about basics and fundamentals. Prophet told that life period of my ummath is between 60 and 70. My sheik used to tell me that when a person crosses 60, thereafter he should consider every year as extension. After 70, every day should bring to his mind that his life is extended. Still one has not finished reading a single seerath book.
Please don’t keep newspapers in Muslim libraries. They will talk futile about Iran and Afghan. They will know the world but unaware of their neighborhood. Talk about Quran, prophet, his companions and their lives, in mosques. The life of prophet is practical illustration of Quran. One should change and deserve good rewards. The education that creates arguments and counter-arguments will lead to hell. Counter arguments are of no use. “I will earn fame, sit with scholars or fight with less-informed people”. This knowledge takes one to hell.
One has no habit of crying before Allah, does not shudder in solitude, does not read or memorize Quran. But despite all these some people are giving tafseer. Read for your own benefit. It is food for your soul. Now there is rise in CDs, computers and internet. But the experience one gets in reading a hardcopy book stands apart. This is found after research. After spoiling one generation, now they have realized that mother’s milk is energy-rich than bottled milk. They come to proper sense after losses. Reading books is useful and there is no match to it.
Everyone should return to Allah, read having this in the back of the mind. Abandon TV. Don’t waste your time and life. God has been merciful. Hair has become white. Do not see cricket and spoil life. Do not miss ‘waqt’ seeing TV. Consider the remaining life as bounty. Sleep and take rest for some time.