'' Our Lord ! grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire '' [Ameen]
-
{in Arab} :->
Rabbanaa aatinaa fid-dunyaa hasanatan wafil aakhirati hasanatan waqinaa 'athaaban-naar/-
(Surah Al-Baqarah ,verse 201)
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Will a person (a believer) be rewarded if he listens to the Qur'aan
without understanding what he is listening to, but he knowsthat it is
Qur'aan? Or will he not be rewarded unless he understands what he is
hearing? I hope you could give someevidence from the Qur'aanand saheeh
hadeeth.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Allah, may He be exalted, has commanded the believers to listen to the
Qur'aan attentively, in a general command. He says (interpretation of
themeaning): "So, when the Qur'aan is recited, listen toit, and be
silent that you may receive mercy" [al-A'raaf 7:204].
Shaykh al-Sa'di (may Allahhave mercy on him) said:
This command is general and includes everyone who hears the Book of
Allah being recited. He is enjoined to listen to it and keep quiet.
The difference between listening and keeping quiet is that keeping
quietis done outwardly by not speaking or being distracted with
anything that would keep one fromfocusing on listening to it.
As for listening to it, this means that one hears it with an attentive
heart, pondering the meaning ofwhat one is listening to. The one who
adheres to these two commands when the Book of Allah is recited will
attain a great deal of good, beneficial knowledge, ongoing and renewed
faith, increased guidance and insight into his religion. Hence Allah
connected the attainmentof mercy to them, which indicates that the one
who does not keep quiet and listen attentively when the Book is
recited to him will be deprived ofthe share of mercy and has missed
out on a great deal of good.
The most emphatic command with regard to listening to the Qur'aan
attentively has to do withprayers in which Qur'aan is recited out loud
by the imam, in which one is enjoined to listen attentively, to such
an extent that most of the scholars say that his focusing on keeping
quietand listening attentively takes priority over his reciting
al-Faatihah etc.
End quote from Tafseer al-Sa'di, 314
The greater aim of keeping quiet and listening attentively is so that
the listener may ponder and understand the meanings, and act upon
them. Imam al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah says to those who believe in Him and in His Book, for whom the
Qur'aan is guidance and mercy: "So, when the Qur'aan is recited", to
you,O believers; "listen to it", i.e. lend your ears so that you might
understand its verses and learn from its exhortation; "and be silent"
and listen to it attentively, so that you might understand and ponder,
and do not utter idle talk during it lest you do not understand; "that
you may receive mercy" i.e., that you might receive the mercy of your
Lord by heeding His exhortation and adhering to His limits and to what
He enjoins upon you in the verses.
End quote from Tafseer al-Tabari, 13/244
If a person manages to achieve that, i.e., keeping quiet, listening
attentively, pondering what is recited to him andunderstanding its
meanings, that will bring him goodness in this world and the
Hereafter.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
By means of this listening,Allah guides His slaves and sets straight
their affairs in this world and the Hereafter; with this the Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent, and he enjoined
it upon the Muhaajireen and Ansaar and those who followed them in
truth. The early generations used to gather for this purpose. When the
Companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) gathered together, they would tell one of their number to
recite whilst they listened. 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be
pleased with him) would say to Abu Moosa: Remindus of our Lord, and
Abu Moosa would recite Qur'aan whilst they listened.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 11/626
Secondly:
As listening in the complete sense is that in which one understands
and ponders, there is no doubt that the one who does that as much is
he is able is to be commended for what he does, and he is excused for
what he is incapable of. But what one is incapable of shouldnot be an
excuse for not doing what one is able to do of goodness. What is
possible is not to be omitted because of what is difficult; in other
words,whatever a person is able to do of obligatory or mustahabb
actions is not waived because of what he is incapable of doing,
because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "So keep your duty
to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabun 64:16].
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) was asked:
Will a person be rewardedif he reads the Qur'aan, even if he does not
understand its meanings?
