Nouman Ali Khan on Memorising and Reciting
v/s
Reading and Understanding the Quran
Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo has declared as HIS responsibility to Protect and Preserve the Holy Quran in its nascent form till eternity. In the seventh century onwards HE committed the Book to the memory and hearts of the Muslims. For centuries it was transmitted faithfully from one generation to the next by the word of mouth, retaining its purity all along. In the meantime Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo has taught man through the “PEN”-mentioned in the very first Revelation- to print and digitalize. Hence we now have billions of printed Quran, tens of thousands of computers, tablets and smartphones to read, hear and see our Holy Text. What was critical in days bygone - hifz-e-Quran- is superfluous now as a need though it continues to be as pious and holy. Muslims do not seem to see this fact and still assign the same usefulness and relevance to it and persist on it with great vigour and enthusiasm.This takes an ugly face in the non-Arabi Muslim world i.e. eighty one percent of the Ummah. It becomes merely parroting the amazing and captivating language of Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo. HE is addressing us; we just by-pass HIM. This is taken a step further by Quranic calligraphy which has turned out modern forms of amulets which were worn on the arms in the olden days. What used to once adorn the Holy Kaaba and the masaajid are now spotted in most homes. Good trend, indeed. But, for what purpose? Most may just glance at it and not bother to read it. And even if they do, its meaning will elude them. Worst, some of them are too intricate to even decipher the words and articulate the sound. The magnificent words of our Lord and Creator are used mainly and only to produce an attractive design and pattern to decorate our walls. I am sorry, I think this last version is shameful in not sinful. Most of my brothers and sisters, though do not see it as such. May be they are right and I am just trying to be too correct.
However recently I came across a video https://youtu.be/g09E2qcry5M wherein the well known scholar Nouman Ali Khan has dealt with this problem in his characteristic buoyant and compelling style. I would like to share it with you. The relevant part is right at the end as a sort of take home message. You may fast forward to 1:03:21 to reach it.
