In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah, The Exalted, said:
وَإِنَّهُ لَتَذۡكِرَةٌ۬ لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ
And verily, this Qur’an is a Reminder for the people who fear Allaah. [Al-Haaqqah. 48]
The Qur’an is a reminder for the people who fear Allah. The person who fears Allah is reminded through the Qur’aan, then enabled to see what is beneficial and harmful to him, thus, he pursues what is beneficial and avoids what is harmful.
The Qur’an reminds him of the Perfect Names, Attributes and Actions of his Lord, so he believes in them.
The Qur’an reminds him of Allah’s reward, punishment, threats, commands and prohibitions, and the amazing events through which Allah’s allies (were supported) and His enemies (destroyed).
The Qur’an reminds the pious person about his soul, the means to its purification, cleanliness and elevation, and what would defile, lower and disgrace it. He remembers, through the Qur’an, the knowledge related to the beginning of creation, the Hereafter, paradise and hell fire, and the knowledge about good and evil.
The Qur’an is a reminder about reality, a proof for humankind and Jinn, a benefit and source of good welfare (in all affairs of their life) and a guidance for those who seek knowledge. [1]
Allah, The Most High, said: [وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ۬ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۙ – And We send down from the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it)]. [Al-Israa. 82]
There are three statements (of the scholars) regarding the Qur’an being a healing: It is a healing for misguidance due to what it contains of guidance. It is healing for illnesses due to what it contains of blessings. It is healing due to its explanation and clarification of the obligatory duties and rulings of the religion. [2]
The Qur’an is a healing for the diseases of ignorance, doubt and scepticism. Allah has never revealed a cure that is neither more comprehensive and beneficial; nor greater and quicker in removing diseases than the Qur’an. [3]
The healing that the Qur’an contains deals with all (diseases) of the hearts, such the disease of Shubhah (a matter that is made to resemble truth but is falsehood in reality), ignorance, corrupt views, perversion and evil goals. This is because is founded on the Knowledge that is based on absolute certainty through which every ambiguity and ignorance is removed, and it contains an admonition and a reminder through which every desire that is in opposition to the command of Allaah is removed. It is a healing for the bodies against harmful things and illnesses. As for it being a mercy, it is due to the Asbaab [i.e. sound means] and Wasaa’il [i.e. paths] it guides to, which if the servant of Allah acts upon them, they will be successfully (receive) Mercy and an everlasting happiness- reward in this worldly life and everlasting reward in the Hereafter. [4]
The Qur’an combines between healing for the diseases of the heart, such as doubt, hypocrisy and other than that. It is a healing for the bodies when utilised for Ruqya, such as what took place in the story of the man who performed ruqya with Surah Al-Fatihah on a man who was stung and it is an authentic and well known story. [5]
Attention Given To The Qur’an By The Pious Predecessors
Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Whenever Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, sat with Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he may say to him, “O Abu Musa! Remind”. So he recited. [6]
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Whoever is able to learn something from the Qur’an, let him do so. Indeed, the houses that are deprived of good the most are the ones where there is no recitation of Allah’s Book. This is because the houses where there is no recitation is like the demolished houses that have no inhabitants. Indeed shaytaan exits a house in which Surah Al Baqarah is heard. [7]
He also said: The hearts are receptacles so busy filling them with the Qur’aan and do not busy them with other than it. [8]
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said: It would be more beloved to me to recite Surah Al-Baqarah during the night than recite the Qur’an haphazardly. [9]
Ubayd Bin Ja’d, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported from a man from who said, “I heard the people in the towns saying that Salman Al-Farisi, may Allah be pleased with him, is in the Masjid, so they approached him until about a thousand people gathered. He stood up and said, “Sit down, sit down”. When they sat down, he started reciting Surah Yusuf, then the people began moving away and departing until about a hundred were left. He became angry and said, “So you wanted adorned speech, but then I recited to you the book of Allah and you left!” [10]
Masruq, may Allah have mery upon him, said: A man from the people of Makkah said to me, “This is the place where your brother Tameem Ad-Daaree, may Allah be pleased with him, used to stand. Indeed, one night I saw him until in the morning or nearly morning time, while he was crying and reciting: [أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسۡبِقُونَاۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحۡكُمُونَ – Or does those who do evil deeds think that they can outstrip Us (i.e. escape Our Punishment)? Evil is that which they judge! [Surah Al-Ankabut. Verse 4]” [11]
Muqatil Bin Hayyan, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: I once prayed behind Umar Bin Abdil Azeez, may Allah have mercy upon him; he read [وَقِفُوهُمۡۖ إِنَّہُم مَّسۡـُٔولُونَ- But stop them (i.e. when the wrong doers will be held to account on the day of judgement), verily they are to be questioned] [As-Saffaat. 24]. He kept on repeating it and was not able to go past it (i.e. due to the severity of what the verse meant). [12]
Maymun Bin Mihran, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: Once Umar Bin Abdul Azeez, may Allah have mercy upon him, cried after reciting the verse [أَلۡهَٮٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ-The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you]. Then he recited [حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ – until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die)]. Then he said, “I will not see the graves except as a visitor and the one who visits them must either be returned to paradise or hell”. [13]
Aamir Bin Abdil Qays, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: I don’t care what escapes me from the worldly things after knowing this verse:
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزۡقُهَا وَيَعۡلَمُ مُسۡتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعَهَاۚ كُلٌّ۬ فِى ڪِتَـٰبٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬
And no (moving) living creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterous, grave, etc.). all is in a Clear Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz – the Book of Decrees with Allah). [Hud. 6]
And Allah’s statement: [مَّا يَفۡتَحِ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحۡمَةٍ۬ فَلَا مُمۡسِكَ لَهَاۖ وَمَا يُمۡسِكۡ فَلَا مُرۡسِلَ لَهُ ۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۚ – Whatever of mercy (i.e. of good), Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter]. [Fatir. 2] [14]
Malik Bin Deenaar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: When the Qur’an is recited to the truthful people, their hearts become enraptured by the Hereafter. [15]
Ibn Wahb, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: It was said to the sister of Malik Bin Deenaar, “What did Malik use to busy himself with in the house?” She replied, “With the Mushaf and recitation”. [16]
Imam Fudayl Ibn Iyaad, may Allah have mercy upon him, once cried after reading Allah’s statement: [أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ-Have We not made for him (i.e. the human) a pair of eyes?][ وَلِسَانً۬ا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ -And a tongue and a pair of lips?]. He was asked why he cried, he said, “Have you spent a night really thanking Allah (for giving) you two eyes through which you can see and a tongue through which you speak?” [17]
[1] at-Tibyaan Fee Aqsaamil Qur’an. 193-194
[2] Zaad Al-Masir Fee Ilm at-Tafsir By Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi—Tafseer Surah al-Israa
[3] Al-Jawaab Al-Kaafee page 4
[4] Tafsir As-Sadi
[5] Adwaa Al-Bayaan–Tafseer Surah Al-Israa Ayah 82
[6] Siyar Alam An-Nubulaa 1/280
[7] Hilyah Al-Awliyaa (Tahdheeb). 1/119
[8] Az-Zuhd 298. By Imam Ahmad
[9] Sifatus Safwa 1/372
[10] Hilyah Al-Awliyaa (Tahdheeb) 1/163
[11] Mawsu’ah 1/256-257 by Ibn Abee Dunyaa
[12] Mawsu’ah 3/255.
[13] Mawsu’ah 255.
[14] Mawsu’ah 1/279.
[15] Sifatus Safwa. 3/204
[16] Siyar A’laam An-Nubulaa 2/736
[17] Jami Al-Ulum Wal-Hikam. page 259