Page 51 - World Religions I - Islam

that the reciter was assured of his place in paradise.

The Chapter of the Cow
The Chapter of the Cow (Al-Baqarah, Surah 2), the longest in the Qur'an, and carries great spiritual weight. This surah is often
found in Muslim prayer booklets or printed by itself for ease of access.
• According to a Hadith tradition, "Satan runs away from the house in which the Surah of the Cow is read."20
• Hadith traditions report that verse 280 of Al-Baqarah was the final verse revealed to Muhammad prior to his
death.21
• The final two verses are the most powerful. Muhammad purportedly said, "If a person recites the last two verses
of Surat Al-Baqarah ['the Cow'] at night, that will be sufficient for him."22
o These verses summarize the central message of Islam (belief in God, His angels, His books, and His
apostles), as well as a prayer of mercy and forgiveness.

Recitation of the Qur'an
Public reading and recitation of the Qur'an is highly structured and carries a uniformity across the Muslim world.

• The act of the reading aloud, reciting, or chanting portions of the Qur'an in the manner that Gabriel revealed it to
Muhammad is known as tarteel (rules for recitation).
o The Qur'an is to be recited in slow, measured rhythmic tones.23 This melodic style of recitation is called
mujawwad, of which there are six primary styles.
• A person who has completely memorized the Qur'an is called a hafiz (plural huffaz; feminine hafizah).
o Hafiz literally means "guardian" or "retentive".
o Huffaz are highly respected within the Islamic community.
 "The Prophet said, 'The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it.'"24
These two Hadith indicate that huffaz are allowed to intercede on behalf of family members in
the day of Judgement, which stands in direct contrast to the Qur'an which claims that each
human is responsible for his own deeds and will be judged in isolation accordingly (99:6-8, 2:47-
48). Some scholars, however, interpret a portion of 2:255 which states, "Who is he that
intercedes with [Allah] save by His leave?" to justify the claim that God may allow huffaz to
intercede on behalf of their family members.
 "The Prophet (pbuh) said: He who learns the Qur'an and practices upon it, on the Day of
Judgment his parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is better than the light of the sun
in the dwellings of this world if it were among you. So what do you think of him who acts
according to this?"25
 "The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: 'Whoever reads the Qur'an and memorizes it, Allah will admit
him into Jannah and will accept his intercession on behalf of ten such persons of his family who
were doomed to the fire of Hell."26
• The reciter of the Qur'an is called a qari' (plural qurra). Reciters of the Qur'an can also be called muqri', murattil, or
mujawwid. A qari' does not necessarily have to become a hafiz (memorizer of the Qur'an) although this is
encouraged. During recitation of the Qur'an, there are fourteen place where, when Muhammad recited a certain
ayah (verse), he prostrated to God. These fourteen verses are marked in most copies of the Qur'an so that
Muslims may also prostrate themselves in the example of Muhammad.
• The rules for the proper recitation of the Qur'an are called tajweed.
o One must keep in mind the fasl (division) and wasl (joining) of words and sentences.
o One must recite humbly with the idea that the Qur'an is not the word of man, but of God.
o One must be vigilant of the purity of body, clothes, and place.
o One is encouraged to face the Qibla (the wall of the room facing Mecca).
o One should use pure, classical Arabic pronunciation without foreign or dialectic influence.

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