What is Your Intention When you Read the Qur’aan?
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya
‘An important question, what is your intention when you read the noble Qur’aan?
From Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen Abu Hafs Umar bin Al-Khattab, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- say:
إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى
‘Indeed actions are but by intentions and every man shall have that which he intended.’
Collected by Bukhari and Muslim
Having a great regard for intentions was the transactions of the hearts of the Companions -Radhi Allaahu anhum- and those who about Allaah and the scholars who raise the people. Indeed they would perform one action and they would have many intentions for that action, so that they could gain great rewards for themselves with every intention.
Ibn Katheer -Rahimullaah- said:
النية أبلغ من العمل
‘The intention is more profound than the action.[1]‘
Here are some of the intentions which are good to have when reading the Noble Qur’aan:
1 – By reading the Qur’aan we ask Allaah that the Qur’aan intercedes for us.
The saying of the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam:
إقرأوا القرآن فإنه يأتي يوم القيامة شفيعا لأصحابه
‘Read the Qu’raan since indeed it will come on the Day of Judgement interceding for its companions.’
Collected by Muslim
2 – We make the intention so we gain increase in good reward.
The Messenger said:
من قرأ حرفا من كتاب الله فله به حسنة والحسنة بعشر أمثالها …
‘Whoever read a letter from the Book of Allaah then he will receive a reward for it and every good reward is multiplied by ten the like of it’[2]
3 – We regard reading the Qur’aan as a rescue from the Fire.
The Messenger of Allaah said:
“لو جمع القرآن في أهاب لم يحرقه الله بالنار”
‘If the Qur’aan is gathered in a leather skin covering[3]then Allah will not burn it with fire.’
Authenticated by Albaani[4]
4 – We regard reading the Qur’aan as a foundation for the heart.
The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:
الرجل الذي ليس في جوفه شئ من القرآن كالبيت الخرب
‘A man who does not have in his inside anything from the Qur’aan is like a house that has no furnishing.’
Collected by Tirmidhi[5]
5 – We regard reading the Qur’aan with the intention of acting upon every Ayaah we read so that we can acquire the highest levels in Paradise.
The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said :
يقال لقارئ القرآن اقرأ وارق ورتل كما كنت ترتل في الدنيا فإن منزلتك عند آخر آية تقرأها
‘It will be said to the recitor of the Quraan, read and ascend [in Paradise] and recite like you used to recite in the Dunyaa, since indeed your place will be at the last Ayaah which you read.’
Collected by Abu Dawood & Tirmidhi[6]
6 – We regard reciting the Qur’aan as a cure for the sicknesses of our hearts and illnesses of our bodies and a means of mercy descending upon us.
Allaah Ta’ala said :
وننزل من القرآن ما هو شفاء ورحمة
《And We send down from the Qur’aan that which is a healing and a mercy》[Israa: 82]
7 – We regard reading the Qur’aan as a means for tranquility for our hearts.
Due to the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
((ألا بذكر الله تطمئن القلوب))
《 Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest. 》 [Rad:28]
8 – We regard reading the Qur’aan as a means of reviving our hearts, and Noor to our sight and distances our sadness and disappearance of our grief so the Qur’aan is like the season of spring for the believer just like a heavy rain pour is like the season of spring for the land.
Like the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said in his Dua’:
‘. . . . that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and light of my heart and keep away from me my sadness, and that my grief goes away.’ Saheeh.[7]
9 – We regard reading the Qur’aan as a means for guidance.
Allaah Ta’ala said:
((ذلك الكتاب لا ريب فيه هدى للمتقين))
《 This is the Book (the Qur’aan), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous]》[Baqara: 2]
In the Hadeeth Qudsi:
“ياعبادي كلكم ضال إلا من هديته فاستهدوني أهدكم”
‘O My worshippers all of you are astray except for the one whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me and I will guide you.’
[Collected by Muslim]
10 – We read the Qur’aan with the intention that we die while following the Qur’aan. Just like when Allaah Ta’ala granted Uthmaan -Radhi Allaahu anhu- martyrdom while he was reading the Qur’aan.
Ibn Katheer said:
‘Whoever lives according to something then he dies upon that and whoever dies upon something then he will be resurrected upon that. . . . . based upon the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
((أم حسب اللذين اجترحوا السيئات أن نجعلهم كالذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات سواء محياهم ومماتهم ساء مايحكمون))
《 Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make. 》[Jatheeya:21 ]
11 – We read the Qur’aan with the intention of hoping for a closeness to our Lord with love for His Great Speech.
As is in the Hadeeth:
“إنك مع من أحببت”
‘Indeed you will be with whom you loved’
[Collected by Muslim]
12 – We regard reading the Qur’aan as a great means for the increase of Eemaan.
This is due to the saying of Allaah Ta’ala :
(( وإذا ما أنزلت سورة فمنهم من يقول أيكم زادته هذه إيمانا فأما اللذين آمنوا فزادتهم إيمانا وهم يستبشرون))
《 And whenever there comes down a Surah (chapter from the Qur’aan), some of them (hypocrites) say: “Which of you has had his Faith increased by it?” As for those who believe, it has increased their Faith, and they rejoice. 》 [Tawbah:124]
13 – From our intentions of reading the Qur’aan is that indeed we want to increase our knowledge about our Lord and knowing about Him by which we can increase our humility and neediness of Him so that we can seek assistance from Him in every single moment of ours.
14 – From intentions for reading the Qur’aan is that we hope by reading it we acquire a great excellence which is that it will be a means for Allaah Ta’ala to choose us to be from His people and those special to Him due to the saying of the beloved Messenger:
إن لله أهلين من الناس
‘Indeed Allaah has a certain people from among the people.’
They asked: ‘who are they O Messenger of Allaah?’
He answered:
“هم أهل القرآن ، أهل الله وخاصته”
‘They are the people of the Qur’aan, the people of Allaah and those special to Him.’
Authenticated by Albaani[8]
15 – From the greatest of intentions and most important of them and at the forefront of them is that we worship Allaah Ta’ala by reading the Qur’aan
This is due to the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
((ورتل القرآن ترتيلا))
《and recite the Qur’aan (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style 》 [Muzamil:4]
After all what has preceded, have you ever asked yourself what is your intention while you read the Noble Qur’aan.
[1] T.N. From Hileeyat al-Awaaleeyah 3/70
[2] T.N. The complete hadeeth is:
From Ibn Mas’ood who said that the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:
من قرأ حرفا من كتاب الله فله به حسنة و الحسنة بعشر أمثالها لا أقول : { ألم } حرف و لكن : ألف حرف و لام حرف و ميم حرف
‘Whoever read a letter from the Book of Allaah then he will receive a reward for it and every good reward is multiplied by ten the like of it, I do not say that ‘Alif, Laam, Meem‘ is a letter but Alif is a letter, and Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter.’
[Collected by Bukhari in ‘Tareekh’, Tirmidhi, Hakim & authenticated by Albaani in Saheehah no. 3327, ‘Saheeh al-Jamia’ no. 11415 & Saheeh Targheeb no. 1416]
[3] T.N. Some of the people of Knowledge have explained this to mean a person who memorises the Qur’aan and is attached to reciting it. & Allaah knows best.
[4] T.N. The Hadeeth is narrated from Ismat ibn Malik, & declared Hasan by Albaani in Saheeh al-Jamia’ no. 9397
[5] T.N. Shaykh Albaani declared this hadeeth to be weak in ‘al-Mishkat’ No. 2135 & ‘Da’eef al-Jamia’ No. 1524. Albaani also said: ‘. . . meaning: had not memorised anything of the Qur’aan and I spoke about the hadeeth in al-Mishkat No. 2135 which indicates that it is Da’eef.’ [Riyadh as-Saliheen no.388]
[6] T.N. Collected in Saheeh Targheeb No. 1426 & Albaani declared it Hasan Saheeh & in Saheeh al-Jamia.
[7] T.N. The complete hadeeth is: ‘Allaah does not afflict a slave with grief nor sadness, except that if the slave says:
O Allaah indeed I am Your slave, and the son of Your slave, and the son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your Hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask of You with all Your names, which belong to You, which You have named Yourself with, or which You have taught someone from Your creation or revealed it in Your Book or that which You have taken unto Your self with the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and light of my breast and keep away from me my sadness, and that my grief goes away – then Allaah takes away his grief and sadness and replaces it with happiness.”
The narrator said: It was said: O Messenger of Allaah should we not learn it?
He answered: Of course, it is necessary for the one who hears it, that he learns it. [From ‘Silsilah Saheehah: 199]
[8] T.N. Albaani declared the Isnad to be Saheeh in Saheeh Ibn Majah No. 179 & Saheeh al-JamiaNo.2165
