Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam o alaikum Burhan bhai,

may Allah reward you with the best of this world and hereafter for your valuable efforts.

i have a few questions as below:

Q1: about understanding the Quran, some people read and understand the Quran in their own manner and in their own interests, whereas some people looking at those say its difficult to understand the Quran, i`m very much confused about this situation as how to

tell them the truth

Q2: i was having discussion with my friend about ESAAL-E-SAWAAB of deceased, he says that we can read Quran and transfer reward to dead person. when i quoted the hadith as you have mentioned about the reward transfer of dead, he questioned that Prophet(SAW)

id not forbid to do that. further more he said that as we respect Quran and place the book at a high place, this also was not present at

the time Prophet Muhammad(SAW) as Quran was not present in book form at that time.

Please teach me regarding these questions through Quran and sunnah. Thank you for your time

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Answer:

Read Quran and reward for parents

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: about understanding the Quran, some people read and understand the Quran in their own manner and in their own interests, whereas some people looking at those say its difficult to understand the Quran, i`m very much confused about this situation as how to tell them the truth

Allah says in Chapter 2, Surah Baqarah aayat 185:"Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down: this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of CLEAR teachings which show the right way and are a Criterion of the Truth and falsehood."

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah Dukhan verse 58:We have made this Book easy in your own tongue so that they may ponder and take good counsel.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 12 Surah Yusuf verse 1-2:These are the verses of the Book that makes its object perfectly clear. We have sent it down as a Quran in Arabic, so that you may understand it well.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 89:We have sent down to you this Book, which makes everything plain, and is a guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 19 Surah Maryam verse 97:O Mohamed, We have made this Quran easy, and sent it down in your tongue so that you should give good news to the pious and warn the stubborn people.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Ha Mim As Sajdaah verse 2-4:This is a Revelation from the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful Allah. A Book whose verses are well-expounded, an Arabic Quran for the people who want to understand, and a giver of good news and a warner.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 1-3:All praise is for Allah Alone, Who has sent down this Book to His Servant (Mohamed (saws), and assigned nothing crooked to it. This Book says everything directly, so that he may warn the people of the severe chastisement of Allah and give good news to the believers, who do righteous deeds, that they will have an excellent reward.

If anyone tells you that the Glorious Quran is difficult to understand, then let him read, study, understand, and contemplate on the above quoted verses of the Holy Quran! Allah Subhanah Himself Declares that the Quran is a Perfect Guidance, consists of clear teachings, shows the Right Way, is a Criterion of Truth and falsehood, is easy so that people may ponder and take good counsel, is a Book which makes its object perfectly clear, is a Book which makes everything plain, is a blessing, is a Book whose verses are well-expounded, and a Book which states everything directly without any crookedness!

The Quran is indeed a blessing and a Mercy from the Most Merciful, and a Book which gives good news of success in the Hereafter to the Believers, and warns the stubborn and disobedient people of the Wrath and Anger of Allah Subhanah.

If one declares that the Quran is difficult to understand, he in effect accuses the Merciful Lord and Creator of the Heavens and the earth, of being unjust for sending us a Book of Guidance which cannot be understood by human beings, and will One Day call everyone to account for it! The believers bear witness that our Lord and Creator is not unjust, but He Alone is the All-Just, Most Merciful.

Allah Subhanah Himself Declares this Glorious Quran is easy to understand for those who want to understand it; but some people say it is difficult to understand! The choice is whose word do we accept: Allah Subhanah’s or these ‘some people’?

Allah Subhanah gives the answer Himself in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa verse 122:The promise of Allah is true, and who can be truer in his word than Allah?

Q-1A: some people read and understand the Quran in their own manner and in their own interests

Indeed, what you have said is true, that some people do try to justify their beliefs and deeds from a few chosen words or verses of the Glorious Quran, and disregard the verses which challenge their pre-determined beliefs and deeds; instead of submitting, accepting, obeying and following the Glorious Quran in its context and in its entirety! These ignorant people try to make the Quran follow their beliefs, rather than forming their beliefs in light of the clear guidance and teachings of the Glorious Quran! They only follow the Aayahs which are in their interest and benefit, and conceal the rest of the Quran and hide it behind their backs as if it did not exist! Such people will be brought forth as criminals in the Court of Allah Subhanah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Al-Baqarah verse 174:Indeed those, who conceal the commands that Allah has sent down in His Book and barter them away for paltry worldly gains, fill their bellies with fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He regard them as pure and there is a painful torment for them!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 159:Those who conceal the clear (Revelations) and Guidance We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, on them shall be Allah’s ‘laanah’ and the ‘laanah’ of those who are entitled to curse!

Q-1B: i`m very much confused about this situation as how to tell them the truth

Give them a copy of the Glorious Quran translated in the language they understand best, and invite them to read it and then decide whether it is difficult to understand or not. If one never ever opens the Quran, nor strives to understand the clear Guidance and Teachings which His Creator has sent for his guidance….but simply states that it is difficult to understand is not becoming of a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day.

Q-2: i was having discussion with my friend about ESAAL-E-SAWAAB of deceased, he says that we can read Quran and transfer reward to dead person. when i quoted the hadith as you have mentioned about the reward transfer of dead, he questioned that Prophet(SAW) did not forbid to do that. further more he said that as we respect Quran and place the book at a high place, this also was not present at the time Prophet Muhammad(SAW) as Quran was not present in book form at that time.

There is enough evidence in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he permitted the believers to do the worship that is done by one’s wealth, and the worship that is done by one’s wealth and self combination, to be transferred to others, especially one’s parents!

Ibn Abbas narrates that a woman from the tribe of Johainah came to the Prophet (saws) and said: "My mother had vowed to perform Hajj but she died before fulfilling her vow, should I perform Hajj on her behalf?” The Prophet (saws) said: "Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf. Would you not pay off any debts your mother might have left behind upon her death? Pay off what you owe to Allah, for He is most deserving of settlement of His debt."

Related by Bukhari.

Narrated from Abu Hurairah that, "A man said to the Prophet (saws), ' My father died leaving wealth but no will. Would he be pardoned if we gave charity on his behalf?' He (saws) said: 'Yes.’

Related by Muslim and Ahmad.

Narrated from Al-Hasan from Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah that his mother died and he said, 'O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died. Should I give charity on her behalf?' He (saws) said: 'Yes.' I said: 'What is the best charity?' He (saws) said, 'Offering people a drink of water'.

Related by Muslim and Ahmad.

But there is absolutely no authentic narration from the Prophet of Allah (saws) whereby he permitted the believers to recite the Quran and transfer the deeds to the deceased.

Q-2A: when i quoted the hadith as you have mentioned about the reward transfer of dead, he questioned that Prophet(SAW) did not forbid to do that.

Indeed, there is no authentic hadith whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) specifically forbade the believers to recite the Quran and transfer the reward to the deceased! But neither is there a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (saws) which forbids the believers from praying four rakahs in the Magrib obligatory prayer; or from praying seven obligatory prayers in a day; or from fasting the whole month of Muharram every year, or from doing Hajj in the month of Rajab! Do these acts of worship become permissible just because the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not specifically prohibit them?

Beloved brother, in all acts of worship, the ‘daleel’ or evidence of its legality should always be if the Messenger of Allah (saws) did it himself, or allowed it, or saw it happening in front of him and he did not say anything! But simply because the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not forbid any act or form of worship, would not make it permissible for the believers to worship Allah in that self-invented format!

The guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) is very straight forward regarding the rewards which reach the deceased:

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, 'When a person dies all his good deeds cease except for three:

a continuous act of charity,

beneficial knowledge (that he taught or spread when he was alive)

and a righteous son who prays for him.''

Related by Muslim, and the Sunan.

Abu Hurairah also reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, 'The righteous works that continue to benefit a believer after his death include the knowledge that he taught and spread among others, a righteous son whom he leaves behind, or a copy of the Qur'an that he bequeaths to his inheritors, or a mosque that he builds, or a rest house that he builds for the wayfarers, or a canal of water that he digs for the benefit of others, or a charity that he gives out of his property during his life while he is sound of health. He will continue to receive reward for all these even after his death.'

Related by Ibn Majah.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 5123 Narrated by Abu Usayd Malik ibn Rabi'ah as-Sa'idi

While we were with the Messenger of Allah (saws) a man of Banu Salmah came to him and said: “O Messenger of Allah (saws)! Is there any kindness left that I can do to my parents after their death?” He (saws) replied: “Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, ask forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honour their friends.”

Q-2B: further more he said that as we respect Quran and place the book at a high place, this also was not present at the time Prophet Muhammad(SAW) as Quran was not present in book form at that time.

Indeed the Glorious Quran is the Book which contains the very Words of the Majestic and All-Mighty Lord, and it definitely deserves our reverence and utmost respect.

Indeed, the Quran was not available in a book form which we have amongst us today at the time of the Prophet (saws); but it is not as if the verses of the Quran were not documented. Many of the noble companions would write down the verses as they were being recited on tree barks, and leather, etc. and they would safeguard it with honor and with respect.

The best way to respect the Glorious Quran is to read it, understand it, obey it, follow it, and implement it upon our lives! If one declares that he respects the Quran and places the Book on the highest shelf; but has never bothered to understand it or obey it; can we possibly say that he really respects the Quran, or derives guidance from it? The reason one keeps the Glorious Quran on a high shelf, is to safeguard it, so that one would not trample or step on this Divine Book by accident, or that a child may not tear it, or someone may accidentally not throw it away, etc.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan