The Glorious Qur‘an states,“[It is] the month of Ramadhan in which the Qur’an was revealed, as a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of guidance, and the criterion [for distinguishing right and wrong] …” [2:185], and, “We sent it (the Qur‘an) down on a blessed night …” [44:3]
Ibn ‘Abbas RA narrates, “The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was the most generous person; and he would be at his most generous in Ramadhan because [the angel] Jibra`il would come to him every night and he would study the Qur’an with him. Indeed, when Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) would meet Jibra`il, he would be more generous than a fleeting wind.” Additionally, in the last year of his life, the Prophet PBUH informed his beloved daughter, Fatima RA, “Jibra`il used to revise the Qur’an with me once every year; but this year, he has revised it with me twice. I do not suspect but that my time has come. And you shall be the first of my household to join me.” [Both narrations are found in Sahih `l-Bukhari]
Similarly, the act of fasting and the recitation of the Qur‘an has a close relationship. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “Fasting and the Qur‘an will intercede for the slave of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I prevented him from food and drink during the day, so allow me to intercede for him.’ The Qur‘an will say, ‘O Lord, I prevented him from sleeping during the night, so allow me to intercede for him.’ And they will be allowed to intercede.” [Muslim]
Many pious predecessors would abandon everything else during this sacred month and dedicate their day and night to the recitation of the Qur‘an. Few examples are provided hereunder:
Aswad b. Yazid ‘l-Nakha’i used to complete the recitation of the Qur‘an in Ramadhan every two nights [Siyar]; sleeping between maghrib and ‘isha. Outside of Ramadhan, he used to complete a recitation every six nights. [Hilyah]
Imam Shafi‘i used to complete reciting the Qur‘an sixty-times (one during the day, and one during the night) in Ramadhan, all in the salah. [Siyar; Hilyah]
Abu ‘r-Raja ‘l-Atarudi would complete with us a recitation of the Quran in the night prayers of Ramadan every ten days. [Hilyah]
Qatadah used to complete the recitation of the Quran once every seven nights, and when Ramadhan came, once every three nights. During the last ten nights, he would complete a recitation every night. [Siyar; Hilyah]
Imam Bukhari used to complete a recitation [of the Qur‘an] once a day in Ramadhan, and would pray after Tarawih every night, completing another recitation every third night. [Siyar]
Mujahid used to complete the recitation of the Qur’an every night in Ramadhan. [Tibyan of ‘n-Nawawi]
‘Ali `l-Azdi used to complete the Qur’an every night in Ramadhan. [Tahzib `l-Kamal]
Qasim b. ‘l-Hafiz b. ‘Asakir said, ‘My father used to pray in congregation and recite the Qur’an regularly: he would complete it every week, and every day in Ramadhan. ‘ [Siyar]
The Caliph, Walid b. Abd ‘l-Malik, used to complete the recitation of the Qur’an every three days; and he would recite it seventeen times, in total, during Ramadhan. [Siyar]
Imam ‘z-Zuhri and Sufyan ‘-Thawri RA would leave all other acts of worship including studying and teaching Hadith, in the month of Ramadhan, and concentrate completely on the recitation of the Qur‘an.
The following are few ways to use this Ramadan as an opportunity to connect to the Qur‘an: Recite the Qur‘an – at least a juz/ para a day; Listen to the recitation of the Qur‘an; Listen to a commentary of the Qur‘an from a reliable scholar; Study a short commentary on the Qur‘an; Memorise some of the surats of the Qur‘an; Read the prophetic traditions on the virtues of the Qur‘an and the people of the Qur‘an; Support organisations promoting the teaching and learning of the Qur‘an; Distribute books on Qur‘an (with short translations and explanations) amongst Muslims and non-Muslims; Read out daily discourses to children from the stories of the Qur‘an; Sponsor a poor child in their Qur‘an studies; Purchase and distribute Qur‘ans to where there it is needed.
