How to Approach the Qur’an:

From: http://muslimmatters.org/2010/01/05/how-to-approach-the-quran-shaykh-jamaal-zarabozo/

By: Jamaal Zarabozo

You must approach the Quraan with an open mind so to allow the Quraan to speak for itself. You cannot approach the Quraan with the mentality that you already know the truth, as this will cause you to try and twist the Quraan to meet what you want to believe. If you approach the Quraan in such a manner, you will miss some of the intended guidance of the Quraan. This approach is the manner of Ahl-ul Bid’ah (the people of innovation), they only accept from the Quraan what they already believe and if there is any conflict they try and make it support their ways. Despite this, Ahl-ul Bid’ah are better than some Muslims today. Some Muslims today (progressives) have said that we have to approach it in progressive terms, for example feminists say we have to approach it in a feminist perspective.

One of the goals of claiming that the Quraan was created (Ahul-Sunnah believes it is the speech of Allah, uncreated), is to claim imperfection, because if it was created, like all other creations, there must be some defect in it. This would then open all types of interpretation—and this was seen when the mu’tazilah tried to change the Quraan. They could not accept the fact that Allah speaks, and tried to completely deny this attribute. When they came upon the verse kalam Allahu musa takleema in the Quraan, they said it should be kalam Allaha—so to say that Musa spoke to Allah rather than Allah spoke to Musa. The key factor that drove them to this point is that they approached the Quraan with preconceived notions and tried to make the Quraan fit those notions. If you approach the Quraan in this manner then it is as if you are saying that you are not in need of the guidance of Allah. Don’t speak for the Quraan, let the Quraan speak for itself.

The Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa salam, said the Quraan is Hujatun laka aw ‘alayk, or a proof for you or against you. With this being said, you have to understand and recognize your position with regards to the Quraan. Allah ta’ala tells us:
وَلَا يَزِيدُ الْكَافِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
And the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them except in loss. [35:39]

Notice, there is no neutrality here—either you will benefit from the Quraan or you will lose with the Quraan.
Principles regarding approaching the Quraan
Approach the Quraan with an open mind. When we read the Quraan, we must realize and understand that everything Allah ta’la says is true and we must have complete trust in this. Allah has said in the Quraan:

وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَدِيثًا
And who is more truthful than Allah in statement? [4:87]

The next principle is that we should realize that the Quraan is universal. Release the texts of the Quraan from the restraints of time and place. If we have the mindset that the Quraan is speaking about some people at some time, then we are at fault. Although the action or state did occur at a specific time—it can happen again and we must learn from it. Another example is when Allah ta’la says:

الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا
وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Those to whom hypocrites said, “Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.” [3:173]

When we read the Quraan—do we think about for whom this Quraan was revealed? It was revealed for us—it is our own personal guide. Allah, azza wa jal, leaves it to us to benefit from it or not. Allah ta’la says in many ayaat wa hudan wa rahmatan lil mu’mineen—there has come to you and an admonition from your Rabb, and it is healing for that which is n the chests and a rahmah and guidance for the believers. Fa man absara fa li nafsih, wa man ‘amiya fa ‘alayha—whoever takes it will do good for his own self, and whoever turns away only harms his own self.

He revealed it for every individual, so approach it as if it is your guidance. Allah doesn’t need you to follow the Quraan—it is for your own benefit. Allah in His grace, Mercy and Compassion has revealed a book that should go directly to your heart so that you can see the path. The sahaba would say that if you hear yaa ayuha-al latheen aamano in an ayah, then you need to listen attentively because it shows that Allah ta’la will tell you something or benefit or keep you away from something harmful. Similarly when you read about the pleasures and reward of Jannah, imagine that this is you, and when you read about the punishment of hell-fire, know that Allah ta’la may be speaking about you as well—and this all goes back to your attitude towards the Quraan.

A’ishah radiy Allahu anha was told that there are people who finish the Quraan in one night. In response to that she said that whether they read it or not, it does not matter. She said that she prayed behind the Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa salam, one night and he read Surat Al-Baqarah, Al-Imran and An-Nisaa, and he did not pass by any glad tidings except that he made dua that Allah gave it to him and did not pass by any warning except that he would ask Allah for protection from it. From this we see that despite the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa salam being a special case, He was still attentive to what he was saying. When you read the Quraan this way, you realize that blessings be referred to in the Quraan can be for you. You need to realize that this book has been revealed for your sake and for your benefit. Mohammad Al-Ghazali said that although everyone is addressed by the speech of the Quraan, the reader himself is the one who is addressed in actuality. He has nothing to do with the rest of the people and he must realize that what is being read is referring to him. There is an ayah in the Quraan that says “That I may warn you and whoever this Quraan reaches.” One of the tabi’een said that this verse means that whoever the Quraan reaches, it is as if Allah has spoken to Him himself. If one is able to reach this realization, then he will read this Quraan as if he is a slave reading a letter from his master and following up on what the master commands and leaving what he prohibits. The guidance from the Quraan is like your own personal guidance from Allah ta’ala. When this fact is realized it will change the way you read the Quraan because you will read it looking for that guidance yourself. You will not pass by a passage in the Quran without asking yourself “what does Allah mean for me in this passage? What is the point I’m supposed to get out of this passage?” It is the guidance for you. Don’t discard half or a third of the Quraan thinking it is not relevant to you, rather take the time and look for this guidance yourself. You are holding and reading the words of Allah ta’ala himself. He did not give us this book baatila or in vain, but He gave it to us to save ourselves.

When we read the Quraan, we have to realize what it is in essence. If you start with that, then you will not be able to take it lightly. Allah ta’la says:
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ
And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember? [54:17]

Ibn Abbas said that if Allah did not make it easy for humans, no one would be able to speak the words of Allah. In fact, for philosophers, this entire idea is unheard of. It is beyond their comprehension but we take it for granted and simply say “Oh it is Allah’s words”. Our ulamaa discuss that this from Allah, and we have no means to understand and encompass Allah ta’ala and yet, He has made it easy for us to read His words. In fact, He has made it so easy we just ignore it! How many times in the Quran do you find that Allah ta’ala reminds us the source of this book? Very often. Allah ta’ala reminds us and states it in a way that highlight the attributes that this book is coming from. In Ali-Imraan he says:

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوم
نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنجِيلُ
Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. [3:2-3]

Allah is reminding us where this book came from. Not simply that it came from Allah, but He is also reminding us of his many Attributes. Is there any being who can be more concerned about your well-being and want you to come to the bounties of this life and the hereafter more than Allah? He is reminding you this revelation from Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem. What more needs to be said to us to take this book seriously in our lives, other than the fact that it is the speech of Allah—the only ilaaah, Al Hayy, Al Qayoom, Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem? The Question is, do we approach the Quran in this way? Are these motivating factors for us? When we enter this into our subconscious, the Quraan will then affect us. Imagine the difference between someone who reads the Quraan in this nature versus someone who only reads it for barakah.

Lastly, let’s look at the importance of living in the shade of the Quraan. The more you live the Quraan, the more you realize what the Quraan is talk about. As you experience what Allah ta’ala is telling you to do, you will understand what the Quraan is talking about. It will no longer be a theoretical thing, but it will become part of your life and the more you increase in your understanding of the Quraan. If you do not take the steps to strive in any of these directions, you will not understand the Quraan. You will begin to understand more and more lessons of the Quraan when you begin to live the Quraan. On the other hand, one of the things that will take away your guidance and knowledge is the committing of sins. The more sins you commit, the less you will understand the Quraan. It is a dynamic relationship. The more you turn to Allah, the more Allah turns towards you.