Allah made it obligatory for us to ponder over the Qur'an. Through تدبر a lot of knowledge is attained and the tree of faith will be firmly fixed in the heart of the person.
When the person recites the Qur'an he reads about Allah, His names, attributes, the meeting with Him, the descriptions of people, etc. repeatedly. Undoubtedly this will have an effect on his heart.
In (38:29):
"كتاب أنزلناه إليك مبارك ليدبروا ءاياته و ليتذكر اولو الباب"
Allah didn't send down a blessed book to only be recited. He sent it down to be pondered over. And as a reminder. But it's not a reminder for just anyone; only the people who recite it with understanding.
The Qur'an cures the sicknesses of the hearts. And the hearts have many sicknesses. The most common sickness is love of the Dunya. It weakened people's faith and made them forget their Lord.
The Qur'an gives you solutions to your problems.
In سورة النساء and سورة محمد Allah repeated the same statement twice:
(47:24)
"افلا يتدبرون القرآن ام على قلوبهم اقفالها"
This verse came in the context of the hypocrites. It is as if the evil in their hearts are locked inside, with no way of coming out. If they pondered over the Qur'an their hearts would open and it would be cured.
What do we mean by a 'sick heart'? This heart doesn't recognise the articles of faith. It is a heart that doesn't know who Allah is, heedless of the fact that he will die one day, meet Allah, etc.
As faith increases, as these facts come alive in your heart.
E.g. He has the sickness of envy in his heart. If he read the Qur'an with understanding and pondering he would come to know about Allah's name الرزاق and it would cure him. All sicknesses have a cure.
The real متدبر is the one who looks into the verses and reflects over it. Reflection requires considerable and deep thinking. And he does this repeatedly, in order for these facts to enter his heart. He wants the feelings of love, hope, fear, in Allah to enter his heart.
E.g. Contemplating the Verses which talk about the worldly life.
Allah set forth three parables in the Qur'an about this Dunya. In Surah Yunus, Hadid, and Kahf.
It is like a plant which flourishes after Allah sends down rain from the sky which later on dies, becomes dry, crusty, and yellow.
This land we are living on will one day be crushed. The sky which protects us will split asunder. The only thing that will remain is the human with his deeds in front of Allah. What is the good you have done that you want to meet Allah with?
When you read this repeatedly your heart will cease to be attached to worldly things. سنة الله in this Dunya is that you will either leave things in this world or it will leave you.
The mindful person will not choose what he loves over what Allah loves. Allah doesn't love this world. He gave us everything as a test to see what we will prefer. You either pass or fail this test.
When the correct belief enters the heart of the person it will affect his way of thinking, his attitude, and his heart. You get that correct belief from the Qur'an, the Speech of Allah. He is talking to you, and advising you. Will you think considerably and take heed of His advice?
The problem is that we stop at understanding the Qur'an. A further step is required from us - we need to act upon what we have learnt. We need to apply every single verse in our lives.
There are actions of the heart, tongue, and limbs.
E.g. You read about Allah's actions with the previous nations. How he rescued His believing slaves and destroyed His enemies. How can you act upon this? The first thing you need to do is believe. Believe with certainty, unblemished with doubt, that what Allah mentioned is true. This is an action of the heart.
Allah destroyed the previous nations for certain sins. Ask yourself if you're committing this sin. If you're falling into it you ask Allah to forgive you, make an effort to stop. And even if you aren't then praise Allah and be thankful for protecting you from it.
E.g. You read about the ruling of cutting the theifs hand. In your heart it should be established that Allah knows that that is the best ruling for the community. You need to think. Allah is العليم and الحكيم. People claim there is no mercy behind it. They argue because their faith in Allah isn't established firmly in their hearts. They don't know who Allah is.
Acting upon the Qur'an will keep you firm and steadfast on the Religion. Nothing will be able to shake you.
In (35:29):
"إن الذين يتلون كتاب الله أقاموا الصلاوة و انفقوامما رزقناهم سراو علانية يرجون تجارة لن تبور"
تلاوة is to follow the Qur'an.
They establish the pillars of the prayer and its obligatory acts.
They spend from what Allah provided them with secretly and openly.
رجاء = This is an action as well. They are hoping for a profitable commerce which never perishes.
They do these deeds with sincerity, they don't want worldly gain. This is the effect of the تلاوة القرآن on the hearts.
The Qur'an requires a lot of effort and exertion in order to be the spring of our hearts. It's not like any other book.
What is the description of the متدبر of the Qur'an?
1) He is not hasty
Pondering over the Qur'an can never be done haste. Many people read the Qur'an wanting to finish. They don't like spending months over one chapter. It's all about how many times you complete the Qur'an.
Our concern should be how much we are acting over what we recite.
2) He should have authentic sources and references
We can't just use any تفسير. The interpreter should have the correct عقيدة.
(At-Tabari, Baghawi, Ibn Kathir, As-Sa'di are good examples)
3) Many people immediately resort to the تفسير book.
If you keep going back and forth between the Qur'an and Tafseer you would end up losing the plot. Many people who do this abandoned it altogether because they lost the sweetness of understanding the speech of Allah and increased in doubts.
The correct attitude is: You need to read the verse repeatedly, explain it to yourself. If you don't understand something then put aside a question. When you finish reciting the chapter, then you go to the Tafseer to find the answers to your doubts.
المتدبر has an inquisitive heart. He's always inquiring, wanting to know the wisdom behind things, etc.
E.g. In Surah الشمس Allah talks about Thamud after all the oaths. What is the relation between the two?
When you find the answer to your questions in the تقسير you will find rest and happiness in your heart. You will enjoy reading the Qur'an.
Set aside time for recitation and another time for تدبر. Because with تدبر it may take you hours or days just to think about a single verse. This is what some scholars advised.
4) He has priorities in his questions
As beginners we need to focus on the articles of faith. If someone were to ask you to talk about the Angels from the Qur'an all the verses should immediately come your mind.
If you want get the whole picture of an article of faith or topic you go through the entire Qur'an from beginning to end and write down the verses which talk about it.
Or you could choose a chapter and see all the articles of faith mentioned in it.
5) His faith increases when He recites the Qur'an
He learns about Allah, what He loves, what He hates, Whom Allah praised and dis praised in the Qur'an, etc.
6) He looks into the احكام of the Qur'an.
It is a revelation from حكيم، حميد. If Allah is perfect, then what about His speech?
There are discrepancies, no contradiction, no mistakes, etc.
It is in harmony, it is consistent.
The scholars focused on the sequences of the chapters. They wanted to know the secrets behind it, and they found how much the Qur'an is connected.
Eg. HADITH: It is narrated that the Prophet used to recite المسبحات before he went to sleep. He said, "There is a verse which is better than a thousand verses"
المسبحات are the Surahs which start with سبح.
Ibn Kathir and AlQurtubi said they are 5 Surahs, starting with الحديد and ending with التغابن.
Some scholars added سورة الإسراء and others added الاعلى but these scholars didn't because the former is mentioned in noun form and the latter is a command.
The end of الواقعه is a command to glorify Allah. The beginning of الحديد tells you the reason.
Nothing is mentioned or put randomly in the Qur'an. There is a wisdom behind everything.
In سورة الحديد the first 6 verses talk about Allah:
"سبح لله ما في السماوات و الارض و هو العزيز الحكيم
له الملك السماوات والأرض يحي و يميتو هو على كل شئ قدير
هو الاول و الآخر و الظاهر و الباطن و هو بكل شئ عليم"
The Scholars said the 3rd verse is the verse that is equal to a thousand verses. Because you can't find them except in this سورة. And because it is mentioned in this سورة, all المسبحات are impacts of these four names: الاول ، الآخر، الظاهر، الباطن.
An example of this:
Verse 4:
هو الذي خلقالسماوات و الارض is an impact of Allah's name الاول
ثم استوى على العرش is an impact of الظاهر
يعلم ما يلج في الارض و ما يعرج فيها is an impact of الباطن
Verse 5:
و الى الله ترجع الأمور is an impact of الآخر
Verse7:
مستخلفين فيه is an impact of الاول.
Verse 13:
بسور له الباب باطنه فيه رحمة و ظاهره من قبله العذاب is an impact of Allah's name الباطن. He knows what the hearts conceal, accordingly he distinguished them. The hypocrites in this world, imitated and appeared to be like the believers, but Allah knew that their hearts contained something else.
The next Surah is سورة المجادله. The entire Surah is about the name of Allah الباطن.
This Surah started with:
قد سمع الله قول التي تجادلك في زوجها و تشتكي الى الله والله يسمع تحاوركما
Aisha was in the next room when Khawlah went complaining to the Prophet.
Alisha said, "All praise to Allah who hears all voices. I was there, I didn't hear her, but Allah heard"
This indicates Allah's nearness to his believing Slaves. They were talking quietly and Allah heard them.
This verse has names of Allah which indicates His nearness: ان الله سميع بصير
The whole Surah compromises of names and words with سميع، بصير، يعلم، الخبير, etc.
Verses 7-13 are about secret talking. Allah knows and this indicates His nearness.
We need to be careful of talking in sin.
In Verse 11:
يأيها الذين ءامنوا
It as if this najwa happens in assemblies. When there are people and two are talking secretly.
In Verses 14-22:
Allah is talking about the hypocrites here who take the disbelievers as their allies. Allah discloses their behaviour to us. This is another indication for Allah's knowledge of the secrets.
The next Surah is الحشر which is all about the name of Allah الظاهر.
أظهرا المؤمنين على الكافرين
Allah is the One who gave victory to the believers over the disbelievers.
The relation between المجادله and الحشر: In المجادله Verse 21 Allah says " كتب الله لأغلبن انا ورسلي"
In Surah alHashr Allah shows us how He gave victory. All he did was throw fear in the heart of the disbelievers and they ran away.
And in Verse 22 Allah says "لا تجد قوما يؤمنون بالله و اليوم الاخر يوآدون من حاد الله و رسوله"
In Surah AlHashr verse 4: "ذالك بأنهم شاقو الله و رسوله"
In verse 11 of AlHashr Allah talks about the hypocrites again. Again they are making allegiance with the disbelievers, the Jews specifically.
Therefore, الممتحنه is the next Surah and talks all about allegiance. Allah is forbidding us from making allegiance with the disbelievers. This is a part of the عقيده.
Allah tested them to see if they left for the sake of Allah, or because they had a conflict with their husbands, or for worldly gain, etc.
And Allah knows the reality of what is in the hearts of الممتحنه. He is الباطن.
After الممتحنه is الصف which is all about Jihad. He says it is a تجارة with Allah.
The next Surah is الجمعة and there is a great relation between it and الصف:
1) in As-Saff - Allah loves those who go for Jihad in rows. Jum'ah is performed in rows as well.
2) in Verse 5 of As-Saff - Bani Israeel harmed their Prophet. In verse 2 of الجمعة Allah talks about the merit of the Prophet.
3) in As-Saff verse 6 - Isa gave the glad tidings of a Prophet. In Jum'ah Allah talks about the Prophet. This indicates the truthfulness of Isa,
4) in As-Saff the fruits of making Jihad (verse 10) in Jum'ah verse 9. Jum'ah is better than all the worldly gain. And in verse 11 when the hypocrites or weak faith hear about worldly تجارةthey run to it.
Then comes Surah المنافقين. Allah knows their inner secrets, an indication of Allah's name الباطن. And then التغابن which is about the day of judgement, an indication of Allah's name الآخر.
In the end of almunafiqeen verse 10:
Don't be diverted by children and wealth and spend before death comes to you. Then التغابنcomes. There are people who will be in loss on the day of judgement, those who wasted their lives in this world without gaining benefit for the next world. When they see the believers in high ranks and they are in low ranks or in the hellfire while others are in hellfire. The person will feel بغن because he didn't take benefit of the Dunya for his aakhirah.
This is the end of المسبحات.
Eg.2
Beginning of الأنبياء and Hajj:
اقترب للناس حسابهم و هم في غفلة معرضون
Allah says that the حساب is approaching and the people are heedless and turning away.
In alHajj:
يأيها الناس اتقوا ربكم
The word الناس is repeats. It is as if you are told the time has approached, and you ask what should I do? Allah says اتقوا ربكم.
Then comes almu'minoon to tell you about the people who feared Allah.
The Qur'an is a miracle from Allah. Don't think they came in vain or wisdomless. There is حكمه in the sequences of the verses.
Those who have doubt whether the Qur'an is the word of Allah should make تدبر of Qur'an.
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