President Hamza Yusuf: The Jewels of the Qur'an Session 3

Introduction

The speaker introduces the topic of the adab of Quran and apologizes for any technical difficulties. He explains that adab is a difficult word to translate from Arabic and describes it as proper manners.

Understanding Adab

The speaker explains that adab is about proper manners at a banquet, including respecting boundaries and conversation etiquette. He emphasizes the importance of having adab towards the Quran in everything.

• Adebs are people who have proper manners, while those without are called "they without adab."

• Imam Razadi discusses the adab of Quran in two places: Jawahar Quran and Table.

• The Quran has been preserved perfectly, which some Christian scholars have tried to attack by creating doubt about its transmission.

Ornamentation of the Quran

The speaker discusses how Muslims understand the importance of having adab towards the Quran, as evidenced by ornamentation such as putting Allah's name in gold ink and illumination around it.

• Muslims have been blessed with absolute preservation of the book.

• Some Christians see Islam as an enemy and try to undermine perfect preservation of the Quran.

• Credentialed scholars do not take these attacks seriously.

Preservation of the Quran

The speaker explains that there were many recensions (versions) of the Quran, but Muslims have never denied this fact. Uthman put together and preserved the Quran due to fear over loss and alternate recensions.

• Some Christian scholars create doubt about transmission by pointing out mistakes in early manuscripts and things that were erased.

Differences in the Uthmanic Script

This section discusses the differences in the Athemanic script, specifically in diacritical marks and a few of the fives which change the meaning and give nuances to it.

Nuances in Meaning

• The addition or removal of certain diacritical marks can change the meaning of words.

• These differences were transmitted by the ruat.

Importance of Recognizing Differences

• Scholars recognized masters who were weak in hadith but strong in other areas, such as narration of Quran.

• Many scholars from different regions around 120 AD are recognized for their contributions to Quranic studies.

Importance of Nafi'a Laity

This section highlights Nafi'a Laity's importance as an Imam and his contributions to Quranic studies.

Contributions to Quranic Studies

• Nafi'a Laity was originally from Isfahan and led prayers in Medina for 60 years.

• He was known for his beautiful recitation, which was considered sunnah above other kerat because it is in the la ja of quresh.

• His recitations are still read today, including imam which is read in Africa.

The Ten Reciters

This section discusses ten important reciters and their contributions to Quranic studies.

Important Reciters

• Hamza Zayat from al-qufa 156 had Khalaf.

• Abu Jafar Ya'akob and Khalaf are among the ten most important reciters.

• There are four more that are considered ahad and then there's fourteen shadow.

Introduction to the Transcript

The speaker introduces the topic of the transcript and mentions that it will be saved for a podcast.

Understanding Insightful Listening

The speaker discusses the concept of insightful listening, which involves paying attention quietly and mindfully. This type of listening is important in order to gain knowledge and increase faith.

• Watchful listening involves attentive listening with the ear, while insat requires being silent.

• True believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe when God is mentioned, and their faith increases when His revelations are recited.

• There is a debate about whether iman (faith) can increase or not. Some argue that it increases with knowledge, while others believe that it increases in intensity and power.

• Iman as a reality is one thing, but increasing iman refers to an increase in knowledge.

The Five Prayers in the Quran

The speaker discusses how some people believe that the five daily prayers are not mentioned in the Quran. However, there is an ayah that refers to them indirectly.

• Even though there are technically three times for prayer (Fajr, Dhuhr/Asr, Maghrib/Isha), some argue that there are only two times because Asr has two separate prayers but they share one time slot.

• Reciting Quran during Fajr time has immense barakah due to the number of angels coming down and going up at this time.

• Tahajjud means "to fight off sleep" and refers to supererogatory prayers done out of love for Allah.

• Nafila refers to extra actions done out of love, such as putting out candles or doing something special for a loved one.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes by mentioning how Aisha noticed that the Prophet had venous stasis in his lower legs from standing up a lot. He also mentions the importance of recognizing that nafila comes from love.

• No bullet points.

Introduction

The speaker introduces the topic of reciting the Quran and discusses the importance of being a grateful servant.

Being a Grateful Servant

• The Prophet Muhammad said, "Shouldn't I be a grateful servant?" to emphasize the importance of gratitude towards Allah.

• Reciting the Quran is an act of love and gratitude towards Allah.

• By reciting the Quran, one can raise their position in front of Allah on the Day of Judgment.

Virtues of Reciting the Quran

The speaker discusses some virtues of reciting the Quran and how it relates to worship.

Worshiping Allah

• One verse commands us to worship Allah, who has made Mecca a sanctuary.

• Reciting the Quran is part of our ibaadah (worship).

• Giving out from what we've been given is also part of our worship.

Desire for Commerce that Never Declines

• Those who follow and recite the book of Allah establish prayer and give out in secret and openly.

• They have a desire for commerce that never declines, which refers to trading with Allah where there are no losses.

External Rules and Mental Tasks Related to Recitation

The speaker discusses external rules related to recitation as well as mental tasks such as mindfulness during recitation.

External Rules

• Imam Azadi looks at external rules related to recitation such as pronunciation, intonation, and pauses.

Mindfulness During Recitation

• Paying attention internally while reciting is important for mindfulness during recitation.

Understanding Tafsir with Right

The speaker discusses understanding tafsir with right and interpreting the Quran out of opinion.

Interpreting the Quran Out of Opinion

• There are hadiths that are terrifying about interpreting the Quran out of opinion.

• Imam Azadi refutes the idea that this limits tafsir only to nakan.

Understanding Tafsir with Right

• Imam Azadi argues that understanding tafsir with right means looking at both the ayahs and hadiths.

• He also looks at the sayings of sages in Islam.

Teaching Quran

In this section, the speaker talks about teaching Quran and shares a story about a man who was fired for not valuing the Fatiha as much as Bakara.

Importance of Quran

• The speaker emphasizes that if someone thinks that the Fatiha is worth monetarily, it's a problem. He also mentions that if someone thinks Bakara is greater than the Fatiha, then they don't know much about the Quran.

• The speaker quotes a hadith stating that "the best of you are those who learn the Quran and then teach it."

Hadiths on Quran

• The speaker mentions a weak hadith where Allah read Baja and Yasin to angels before 1000 years.

• He explains how scholars accept weak hadith for Fatiha but not for other purposes. He also explains how to grade hadith based on their authenticity.

• The speaker shares an interesting hadith about three people on Judgment Day who recite the Quran solely for Allah's sake.

People of Quran

• The people of the Quran are called "Folk of Quran" or "Law." They are like Quraysh to Haram.

A Story About Burned Car

In this section, the speaker shares his personal experience with his friend Father Ben from Libya. They were staying in Granada when Gaddafi was assassinating opposition. Their car was bombed, but his bound copies of IBM and Mustafa were perfectly intact.

Personal Experience

• The speaker shares his personal experience with Father Ben from Libya, who was in opposition to Gaddafi.

• He explains how their car was bombed and how his bound copies of IBM and Mustafa were perfectly intact.

Impact on Faith

• The speaker shares that this experience had a huge impact on him because he knew it was real. It increased his iman.

Hadith About Quran Recitation

In this section, the speaker talks about a hadith where the reward for reciting Quran is better than the reward of grateful ones.

Hadith on Quran Recitation

• The speaker mentions a hadith where the reward for reciting Quran is better than the reward of grateful ones.

The Importance of Reciting Quran

This section discusses the importance of reciting Quran and the conditions for recitation.

Conditions for Recitation

• Allah listens more attentively to a reciter of Quran than someone listening to singing.

• The reciter should be in wudu, have sukina, and wear nice clothes.

• It's important to dress appropriately when going to pray or recite Quran.

• It's preferred not to sit cross-legged while reciting Quran. Sitting like a student with a teacher is better.

• Although it is permissible, it's better not to recline while reciting Quran.

Amount of Reading

• Everyone should have a daily word of Quran. Not having one is considered shameful in Sudanese culture.

• According to preference, the entire Quran should be recited once a week which takes about two hours per day.

• Time management is key. People waste time on things like watching movies or reading magazines instead of prioritizing their time for daily Quran reading.

Prioritizing God in Your Life

This section discusses how people prioritize their time and how they can prioritize God in their lives.

Prioritizing Time

• People need to prioritize their time and recognize that there is always time if they make it a priority.

• Marcus Aurelius learned from his teacher never to use "I don't have any time" as an excuse.

• Where people prioritize God in their lives is important. Answering His call should be a priority.

Starting with Small Steps

In this section, the speaker advises listeners to start small when it comes to practicing their faith.

Start Small

• The speaker advises listeners not to take on the whole deen at once and instead recommends starting with half a page or a page of Quran per day.

• Ibn Masood and others would recite by odd surahs. For example, they would recite Al-Fatiha, then the first three surahs (Al-Baqarah, Ali Imran, and Nisa), then five surahs (starting from Al-Ma'idah), then seven surahs (starting from Yunus), and so on until they reach Surat Al-Fath.

• Reciting the Quran is mustahab (recommended).

Proper Recitation of the Quran

In this section, the speaker discusses proper recitation of the Quran.

Tajweed

• Tajweed is wajib (obligatory). Those who do not use tajweed are committing itham (sin).

• If someone has difficulty pronouncing certain letters or words correctly, they should try to learn tajweed properly. However, if it's too difficult for them, they can still recite grammatically correct Arabic without using tajweed.

• Slow recitation is for those who are learning the Quran or want to focus on it. Moderate recitation is quicker than slow recitation but still requires proper tajweed. Hadar is fast but also requires proper tajweed.

Conclusion

Properly reciting the Quran with tajweed is important and obligatory. Slow, moderate, and fast recitation are all acceptable as long as proper tajweed is used.

Quran Recitation and Its Importance

This section discusses the importance of Quran recitation and its significance in Islam.

Levels of Tartil

• There are three levels of tartil in Quran recitation: tajwid, tarteel, and tadween.

• Tajwid refers to the correct pronunciation of each letter in the Quran.

• Tarteel refers to the proper rhythm and melody used when reciting the Quran.

• Tadween refers to memorizing and preserving the Quran.

Fulfilling Rights of Verses Recited

• According to Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafi, there are 14 verses that require sajdah (prostration).

• Malikis only have 11 because they don't include those found in Mufasal.

• Sajdah is mandub according to Abu Hanifa but considered mandu by other imams.

• If you can't do sajdah, say subhanallah four times instead.

Ornamenting The Quran With Your Words

• It's preferred to recite the Quran aloud unless it's going to disturb others.

• Some scholars interpret ornamenting as makalub which means changing words around.

• However, Allah loves his quran read beautifully.

Importance Of The Quran

• The Prophet Muhammad would sometimes pass out when he opened the most half because it was so powerful for him.

• Playing the quran as background music is not appropriate since it should be given more respect than that.

• The language used in the quran was something new for Arabs at that time.

Distinction Between Hadith And The Quran

• Hadith is revelation through the Prophet's own words while the Quran is a conduit of Allah's words.

• The Quran is unique in that it has meaning all the way down, even if we don't understand it.

• Arif Lame should convince anyone that this is not a human book.

The Importance of Deep Contemplation

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of deep contemplation and understanding when reading the Quran.

Tadabbur and Tafahhum

• Tadabbur means to penetrate something deeply, while tafahhum means to make an effort to understand.

• It is important to deeply contemplate the Quran in order to avoid having a sealed heart.

Abandoning Barriers to Understanding

• One barrier is not properly pronouncing words in Arabic.

• Blind dogmatic following can also be a barrier.

• Limiting understanding to what has been narrated in tradition can also be a barrier.

Ascending with the Quran

• As one's heart opens up to the Quran, there will be periods where they get overwhelmed by it.

• Reciting the Quran as if it's being revealed to you can help you feel that it's from God.

• Having awe and a sense of humility when reading about righteous people in the Quran is important.

Using Personal Opinion

• While personal opinion can provide insights into meanings of the Quran, it cannot go against Arabic language rules.

Understanding the Quran

In this section, the speaker discusses how Allah rewards those who act according to their knowledge and how ilham (divine inspiration) is real. He also talks about the importance of weeping during sajdah and how the Quran will never end.

Importance of Acting on Knowledge

• Allah rewards those who act according to their knowledge.

• Ilham is real and Allah can give it to people.

Weeping During Sajdah

• It's important to weep during sajdah.

• If you can't weep, at least pretend to do so.

Commentary on the Quran

• The Prophet did not comment on many ayahs because he left it for his ummah to find meanings that they need.

• The meanings of the Quran will never end.

Prohibition of Hastening Interpretation

• Some people interpret the Quran based on apparent meaning in Arabic language without requisite knowledge.

• This leads to validating heresy and following passions.

Rulings Related to Reciting the Quran

In this section, the speaker talks about rulings related to reciting the Quran, such as whether a woman who's menstruating can recite it or if a non-Muslim can carry it.

Rulings Related to Reciting the Quran

• Can a woman who's menstruating recite the Quran in Maliki madhhab?

• Can a non-Muslim carry the Quran?

The Joaher and Striking Ayahs

In this section, the speaker talks about the Joaher and striking ayahs in the Quran.

The Joaher and Striking Ayahs

• The Joaher are striking ayahs that knock out shayatin.

• Imam looks at the reasons for prohibition of hastening interpretation.

Importance of Liberal Arts in Understanding the Quran

In this section, the speaker discusses how studying liberal arts can help unlock a deeper understanding of the Quran.

Importance of Liberal Arts

• Saint Augustine argued that you should not be allowed to interpret the Bible if you had not studied liberal arts.

• Grammar and rhetoric are absolutely essential, while logic is less so.

Logic in the Quran

In this section, the speaker discusses how logic is used in the Quran and how it can be studied.

Methods of Learning Logic from the Quran

• The speaker explains that God uses logic in the Quran and that he learned logic from it.

• Imam al-Ghazali responds to Imam Khazari using logical arguments found in the Quran.

• The Quran contains enthymemes, which are types of syllogisms.

Importance of Studying Logic and Arabic

• It is possible for non-Arabic speakers to understand and learn from the Quran.

• Reciting the sounds of the Quran can impact one's heart even if they do not understand it.

• While basic understanding of Arabic can be achieved relatively quickly, studying Arabic and the Quran is a lifetime pursuit.

The Complexity of Language in the Quran

In this section, the speaker discusses how complex language is used in the Quran.

Understanding Arabic Language

• The subtleties in language make studying Arabic a lifelong pursuit.

• Even native speakers struggle with understanding all aspects of Arabic language.

• According to Arab tradition, only prophets can fully encompass Arabic language.

Unseen Enemies Mentioned in the Quran

• "Adam" and "Wahzoon" mentioned together may indicate a biological weapon from unseen enemies.

• "Jinn" refers to anything unseen, including microbes or viruses.

Acupuncture and Crisis of Faith

This section discusses the relationship between acupuncture and viruses, as well as whether Imam al-Razadi had a crisis of faith or not.

Acupuncture and Viruses

• Acupuncture is like a needle prick from unseen enemies, similar to how viruses penetrate cells with spiked proteins.

• Imam al-Razadi did not have a crisis of faith in God or Islam but rather in the epistemology of knowing with certainty.

Crisis of Faith

• Imam al-Razadi's crisis was more about his relationship to reality due to his fame and position.

• He realized that he was an intellectual master but a spiritual fraud because his intellectual tradition was in a religious tradition.

• His intellectual knowledge had not transformed him spiritually, leading him on a journey to find himself.

Richard Alpert's Journey

This section discusses Richard Alpert's journey from being a Harvard professor of psychology to becoming Baba Ramdas after taking LSD and going to India.

Richard Alpert's Journey

• Richard Alpert took LSD with Timothy Leary at Harvard before going to India.

• In India, he found himself with the help of an extraordinary guru.

• "Be Here Now," written by Baba Ramdas (formerly Richard Alpert), became a bestseller in the 70s.

• After having a stroke, he realized that he was a religious phony who did not practice what he preached.

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