Ramadhan and The Holy Quran: The source of guidance and salvation

Huzoor based today’s Friday sermon on the significance and excellence of the Holy Qur’an. Huzoor started by reciting the following Quranic verse:

‘The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and discrimination. Therefore, whosoever of you is present at home in this month, let him fast therein. But whoso is sick or is on a journey, shall fast the same number of other days. Allah desires to give you facility and He desires not hardship for you, and that you may complete the number, and that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you and that you may be grateful.’ (2:186)

Huzoor said: Allah the Exalted has explained to us in the Holy Qur’an the significance and status of the Holy Qur’an, the need to put it in practice, how to put it in practice, for whom is the Qur’an a life-giving source, what effects it has on human life and many other countless matters. This is so that not only we may put this great law-bearing Book in practice to facilitate our spiritual, religious and moral development, but also our worldly progress. In the verse that I have just recited, the blessings of the month of Ramadan have been linked to the Holy Qur’an and thus a connection has been established. By connecting Ramadan to the Holy Qur’an the significance of Ramadan has been further highlighted.

The statement; ‘The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down…’ informs us that this last law-bearing and perfect Book is connected to Ramadan. A person wishing to progress in faith, who wishes to disseminate this last and complete Book and Law in the world and for the world to know it, who wishes to try and take himself back to the time of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) to gain nearness of Allah the Exalted and hear the sound of: ‘…I am near…’ (2:187), should pay the dues of Ramadan and the Holy Qur’an and understand their mutual connection. These distances which seem very far-off in other days and months are gathered close-by in this month. Thus, a true believer should try and derive as much beneficence from this month as possible.

Commentators have written that there is such great significance of fasting in Ramadan described in this verse or the significance is in part of the verse that the Holy Qur’an has cited special commandments about it. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has also said that ‘The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down…’ is a phrase which informs of the magnitude of Ramadan. He also said that due to this magnitude, the reward of fasting is also very high and great. However, this is for those who also pay the dues of the correlation between fasting and the Holy Qur’an and those dues are to read the Holy Qur’an while fasting, to reflect over it, to listen to or read its commentaries. As far as I know and I have assessed that there are many even among us, quite a substantial number, who do not try to pay the dues of the Holy Qur’an even during Ramadan. They do not read it properly, meaning they do not read it as it should be read with due care and attention. If the read it, they read a little and nonchalantly. Anyway attention needs to be paid to this.

One meaning of: ‘The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down…’ is that the revelation of the Holy Qur’an started in this month. Hazrat ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) has related that each year in Ramadan Jibraeel used to revise with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) however much Qur’an had been revealed until then and in the year of his passing away, the Qur’an was revised twice. Thus the blessed model of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), owing to the distinct will of Allah the Exalted, draws our attention to at least try and finish one rea