Abdullah ibn Amr (RadiyAllahu `anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu `alaihi wasallam) said: "On the Day of Judgment, it will be said to the Man devoted to the Qur'an, 'Go on reciting the Qur'an and continue ascending the stories of Paradise and recite in the slow manner as you had been reading in worldly life; your final place will be where you reach at the time of the last ayat of your recitation." (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud). As a Sunday School Qur'an teacher, when I first read this hadith to my students (age 8-10), subhanAllah there was beautiful wonderment on their faces. They began asking questions like, “how high can we climb?!” and “If we read Qur'an all the time, can we get to highest level where Prophet Muhammad (saw) is??”. As we've gotten older, we may have lost this wonderment somewhere behind us. We read Qur'an, yet we may be reading it out of habit, because it's Ramadan, or because our mom won't give us biryani until we do!
Pause. Think about what it is you are reading. The Qur'an, subhanAllah, is a miracle for our Ummah, the very words of Allah (swt), revealed to our beloved Prophet (saw). Imagine what he (saw) must have felt when receiving revelations. Imagine the state of his heart, the state of his mind and body, Sallallahu `alaihi wasallam. Imagine the first time, when he (saw) ran to Khadijah (ra) and asked her to cover and comfort him. Our Ummah is so blessed with such an unparalled holy scripture. A book regarding which Mu'az Juhani RadiyAllahu `anhu reported that Rasulullah Sallallahu `alaihi wasallam said, "Whoever reads the Qur'an and acts upon what is contained in it, his parents will be made to wear a crown on the Day of Judgment, the brightness of which will excel that of the sun, if the same were within your worldly houses. So, what do you think about the person who himself acts upon it?" (Ahmad, Abu Dawud).
The peace and tranquilly we feel when reciting Qur'an needs to description. We've all felt it, insha'Allah at some point or another. Beautify your soul and mind, beautify your life and the lives of those around you. Read in the Name of your Lord. We spend nights staying up to read various science textbooks to learn, when everything we truly need to learn is in the Qur'an. And once we learn, teach it, for the best amongst us is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it. The Messenger of Allah (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) has said: “Everything in existence prays for the forgiveness of the person who teaches the Qur’an - even the fish in the sea.”. In order to teach, we simply have to begin by reciting and reflecting.
Pause. Think about what it is you are reading. The Qur'an, subhanAllah, is a miracle for our Ummah, the very words of Allah (swt), revealed to our beloved Prophet (saw). Imagine what he (saw) must have felt when receiving revelations. Imagine the state of his heart, the state of his mind and body, Sallallahu `alaihi wasallam. Imagine the first time, when he (saw) ran to Khadijah (ra) and asked her to cover and comfort him. Our Ummah is so blessed with such an unparalled holy scripture. A book regarding which Mu'az Juhani RadiyAllahu `anhu reported that Rasulullah Sallallahu `alaihi wasallam said, "Whoever reads the Qur'an and acts upon what is contained in it, his parents will be made to wear a crown on the Day of Judgment, the brightness of which will excel that of the sun, if the same were within your worldly houses. So, what do you think about the person who himself acts upon it?" (Ahmad, Abu Dawud).
The peace and tranquilly we feel when reciting Qur'an needs to description. We've all felt it, insha'Allah at some point or another. Beautify your soul and mind, beautify your life and the lives of those around you. Read in the Name of your Lord. We spend nights staying up to read various science textbooks to learn, when everything we truly need to learn is in the Qur'an. And once we learn, teach it, for the best amongst us is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it. The Messenger of Allah (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) has said: “Everything in existence prays for the forgiveness of the person who teaches the Qur’an - even the fish in the sea.”. In order to teach, we simply have to begin by reciting and reflecting.
So keep calm and read Qur'an, so that you may remain calm on the Day of Judgment, when Insha'Allah the Qur'an will come forth as an intercessor for its reciter. Read Qur'an, and imagine taking one more step towards janatul firdous. Don't read for the sake of reading, but read out of devotion to Allah (swt) and out of love for His Prophet (saw). Read, and think, “How high can I climb?”.