“This is the book that never lets the wishes astray, never lets mingle the languages, scholarship never gets satiated, whosoever talks to it gets the right most reply, whosoever gave verdict in accordance with it has done justice, whosoever called towards it has called for the rightmost path, whosoever sought guidance from sources other than this, Allah will crumble him down, it’s a reminder – full of wisdom, this is the right path…”

It was a chaotic time and Muslims were busy in purposeless and futile discussions. To bring back impaired Ummah on the right course, the then Caliph… Ali (RA) remembered the prophetic era and mentioned to one of his pals a Hadith of prophet, which was narrated in regards to such circumstances. The above mentioned Hadith is a part of the same.
The truth is Quran is neither a book of recitation nor of mere reading… it’s a book of guidance; it’s a book of life! Adherence to it keeps lit the lamp of life and it keeps illuminating further. It is a guide, teacher and trainer of the highest order. Its company is the guarantee of augmenting Iman and softness in heart.

Quran narrates the weakness of Adam that, “he forgot, and we found less of determination in him.”(Taha-115) All human beings bequeathed this weakness from Adam. And, Allah has decided upon Quran being the cure for these weaknesses. That is why Quran calls itself a Zikr meaning – ‘a reminder’. For the same purpose Quran repeats most of its basic ideas. Instead of ‘Manifestations’ (such as good deeds) Quran renders greater mention of ‘Motives’ (such as, craving for Heaven, repugnance of Hell, portrayal of mehshar, keepsake of death, will of God, etc).
Strange does it seem that, a nomad, a labourer, and an uneducated person obtains guidance from Quran; at the same time, an erudite, scholar, scientist and philosopher also procures pearls of knowledge and wisdom from Quran. Indeed, it is book for all humankind!

The campaign تمسک بالقرآن‘Hold fast to the Quran’ for associates and adherents of the organisation by SIO is only to deliver the message that Quran is just not a ‘sacred document’ but a ‘living book’. It’s our own book. Its accompaniment is our favourite hobby. Without it neither our day is complete nor do we find solace. Only our eyes don’t read it but by pursuing it with the whole personality. This study is not a conventional, mechanical activity, but an activity of absorbing it in ourselves. Procurement of information is not its only purpose but to procure the foundations for the making of life… to make it a source of motivation and inspiration… to evaluate all our individual and social activities with the scale of its teachings… to realise the reality of everything in its mirror… to seek solutions for contemporary issues in its light… all of these are the objectives of attachment with Quran. Recitation of Quran, understanding of Quran, pondering over Quran, invitation towards Quran, memorisation of Quran are all the prerequisites for achievement of its objectives. Each of them is of significant importance and deserves due attention. Each of them has its bounties and benefits too. It should be the evident feature of individual lives of adherents of the organisation that they should behold Quran from all its possible dimensions.

But it is of prime importance that in the process of attachment with Quran, we should address ourselves… and self development should be the real objective… each and every precept and verse should reveal upon our soul and conscience. Ties will be unknotted, riddles will be unravelled, solaces will the heart find and the whole personality will get orientation. Lastly, in the words of Maulana Maududi, Quran should become that ‘Master Key’ which will open all the locks of Individual and Collective life. But it requires self motivation and constant struggle. None of its precept can have its desired objective realised, unless we retain strong determination and constant struggle. As it is Quran does not agree to any difference between knowledge and practice.

At the day of resurrection, the companion of Quran will be told ‘read Quran and escalate towards highness as conveniently as you used to read Quran. Your abode will be that high place where you will recite the last Verse’. (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Nisai)

Md. Azharuddin

National President SIO