Chapter VIII: Excellence of the Quran
Those were God-fearing people who used to faint when they heard some verse of the Quran and even some of them met with instantaneous death. God says : How many signs there are in the heaven and earth which pass by them but they turn there aces from them. A wise man said : Whose recites the Quran and does not imbue himself with that idea. God says to him : What connection have you got with My word ? You have turned your face from me. The sinner who reads the Quran repeately is like a man who reads the letter of the king repeatedly. Therein there is order to him for making his reign firm but he remains busy to recite it and thinks that to read the letter is sufficient. If he does not read the letter and acts contrary to the order of the king, his order is hated and he becomes an object of wrath of the king. He who acts contrary to the commands of the Quran is guilty according to this verse : They threw it behind them and took small price in lieu of it. How bad is that which they purchase.
The Prophet said: Recite the Quran till you pay attention to it and till the skin of your body is alright. Close it when this condition does not remain. God says : When God is remined to them, their hearts become soft and when the verses are read out to them, their faith increases and they rely over their Lord. The Prophet said : The sweetent voice in reciting the Quran is of that a man who fears God when he makes it recitation. The Prophet said. The Quran is not heard from anybody so sweet as it is
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heard from the God-fearing men. When the Prophet expired, he left behind him twenty thousand companions out of whom only six committed the whole Quran by heart Majority of the companions committed to memory only one or two chapters.
They moved their tongue very li ttleas theQu ra n reci ters withou t action are fit to receive rebuke according to the following verse :
If a man turns away from My remembrance, there is narrow provision for him and he will be raised up blind on the Resurrection Day. This verse is also applicable to him : This My verse came to you butyou forgot it. You will be forgotten to. day inasimilar manner.
(9) To raise up mind. Raise up your mind by reciting the Quran so much that you are hearing the words of God. There are three excellences in reciting the Quran. The lowest excellence is that a man should think that he recites the Quran standing before God and that He sees and hears his recitation. At this time, he should invoke and pray. Secondly your mind will bear witness at the time of reciting the Quran that God sees you and He is speaking secretly with you. You should apply your full mind to it and be careful of its understanding. Thirdly, you will see God in the recitation of the Quran and His attributes.