Knowing the Qur'an, Yet Not Knowing It

Truly, this Qur’an is recited by slaves and children who have no knowledge of its interpretation, for they have not followed the matter from its beginning.

ALLĀH, Mighty and Majestic, said,

{كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَیۡكَ مُبَـٰرَكࣱ لِّیَدَّبَّرُوۤا۟ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِیَتَذَكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ}

‘A Book, WE have sent it down to you, Blessed, that they may ponder its signs deeply.ʼ(Sūrah Sad: verse 29)

Pondering its signs deeply is no more than following it, and ALLĀH Knows best. But by ALLĀH, it is not preserving its letters while wasting its limits!

One of them even says, ‘I have recited the whole Qur’an without missing a single letter of it,’ although by ALLĀH, he has missed it all, for the Qur’an is not seen in him in any of his character or deeds.

Another even says, ‘Truly, I can recite a surah in one breath’! By ALLĀH, these are not reciters, or people of knowledge or wisdom or spiritual caution! When did real reciters every say things like this?

May ALLĀH not make their like widespread amongst the people!

— Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī (رحمه الله)

(Imam Abu Baker Muhammad b. al-Husayn al-Ajurri, The Character of the Bearers and People of the Qur’an. Page 41)

#Quran #Recitation #Knowledge

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