The podcast delves into the transformative power of Tadabbur, asserting that engaging with the Quran fosters a closer relationship with Allah. Ustadh Kishky posits that true knowledge of Allah transcends mere acknowledgment of His existence; it is an understanding that manifests in daily actions and aspirations. The discussion reveals that familiarity with the Quran illuminates the believer's path, alleviating worries and fostering a sense of companionship with Allah. He articulates that this companionship is essential, as it nurtures a yearning for divine presence and love. Furthermore, he references historical figures who have emphasized the centrality of the Quran in spiritual education, reinforcing that neglecting it in favor of other studies diminishes one's spiritual literacy and relationship with the divine.

Takeaways:

1. The distinction between Tadabbur and Tafsir lies in their intended audience and purpose.
2. Tadabbur is a command from Allah for all believers to deeply reflect upon the Quran.
3. Neglecting the Quran in favor of Hadith diminishes one's understanding of Allah and faith.
4. Engaging with the Quran enhances one's connection to Allah, fostering spiritual companionship.
5. Reflection on the Quran cultivates a yearning for Jannah while instilling a healthy fear of hell.
6. The Quran's teachings serve to purify the heart and encourage virtuous deeds in believers.

Welcome to the Tadabbur series. You may be wondering: what is the difference between Tadabbur and Tafsir of the Qur'an?

Tafsir of the Qur'an is a specialized field of knowledge, specifically for the ulama (scholars). It involves knowing the rules governing the ayat, the abrogated and the abrogating verses (which we call Al-Nasikh and Al-Mansukh), the Mujmal and Al-Mufassal, and other rulings of the Qur'an, such as Asbab al-Nuzul (the Reasons of Revelation), and the rest of that nature.

So, that is why many of the predecessors in Islam did not engage in doing Tafsir of the Qur'an in the way many of us would think of today. But Tadabbur is different. Tadabbur is something that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala commanded us to do in the Qur'an. He says, "The Qur'an was revealed لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ" so that you can make Tadabbur—so that you can reflect deeply upon it.

Therefore, Tadabbur is for everybody. Everybody can reflect deeply upon the Qur'an. Will it help you to understand the Arabic words and the meaning? Yes, it will help you. But much more than that, it is an activity that you should engage in. The Qur'an is so important that you should not give any other thing preference over it. Even if it is the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Qur'an is the message of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala to you.

Shu'ba Ibn al-Hajjaj, one of the early Salaf, used to reprimand the people who left the Qur'an and focused only on Hadith. He said in Arabic: يا قوم إنكم كلكم تقدمتم في الحديث تأخرتم في القرآن "O people, all of you have excelled in Hadith, but you have left the Qur'an." This is a caution for people who busy themselves with Hadith, with Fiqh, and with things other than the Qur'an. How bad, then, would it be that in the present world we live in today, people get busy with worldly things over the Qur'an al-Karim?

What is the advantage of Tadabbur, of deep reflection upon the Qur'an?

The first thing is that it gets you closer to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. If you don't know Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala from the Qur'an or through the Qur'an, you are regarded as illiterate, for lack of a better word. Muqatil Ibn Sulayman, one of the earliest mufassirun, used to say: من قرأ القرآن فلم يعلم تأويله فهو فيه أمي "Whoever reads the Qur'an and does not know the meaning of the Qur'an is illiterate."

Simply said, there is nothing sweeter than knowing Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. If Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has commanded us to worship Him, how can you say you worship someone that you really don't know? People are different, and they are divided into categories. When we talk about learning or knowing Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, there are people generally who just say, "Okay, I know Allah, I know Him as the Lord and the Creator of the world," and they stop at that.

But is that real knowledge? The real knowledge of Allah is to know Him in a way that guides your everyday actions. It is knowing Him in such a way that your mind is connected to Him. You yearn to meet Him. You want to be in His presence. You want to have companionship with Him. This is the kind of ma'rifa (knowledge) that Tadabbur of the Book of Allah, the Qur'an, and understanding it will do for you.

And that is why Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Abbas said (and I'll quote in Arabic to translate): معرفة الله جلا نورها في كل ظلمة وكشف سرورها كل غمة. The meaning is: "The knowledge of Allah—its light obliterates all darkness, and its joy removes all worries." When we have the ma'rifa of Allah by contemplating the Qur'an, there is something that happens. It removes all worries, just as he said.

Remember in Surah At-Tawbah, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says: لا تحزن إن الله معنا referring to Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet. What does that mean? It means: "Do not grieve, do not worry, because Allah is with us." This implies that if Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is with you—if you are in companionship with Allah—then you cannot grieve. And how can you be in companionship with Allah except through the Qur'an? Because when you are reading or listening to the Qur'an, it is like Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is talking to you, or you are talking to Allah.

The second advantage and benefit of reflecting upon the Qur'an (Tadabbur) is that it gets you closer to the love of Jannah and the fear of Hell. In many different places of the Qur'an, it describes to you what Jannah looks like, and how it will be free of worries and problems. It also describes to you the punishment—and the severity of that punishment—for the people who are going to go to Hellfire (may Allah protect us). You know, it gives you the khawf (the fear of Allah) and the raja (hope), and the yearning to be in Jannah.

And that is why Sayyidatuna Ummul Mu'minina Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) described what the Qur'an does for you. She said: إنما نزل أول ما نزل منه سورة من المفصل فيها ذكر الجنة والنار. She says, "The first part among the mufassal of the Qur'an that was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Mecca contained the description of Paradise and the Fire." حتى إذا ثاب الناس إلى الإسلام نزل الحلال والحرام "Until, when people had entered into Islam through this description—the beauty of Jannah and the fear of Hell—it was only later that He started revealing the verses of lawful and unlawful, the halal and haram."

She then said, ولو نزل أول شيء "If the verses of halal and haram were the first ones that were revealed," like saying لا تشربوا الخمر "Don't drink alcohol," لقالوا لا ندع الخمر أبداً "The Sahaba would have said, 'No, we will never leave alcohol.'" ولو نزل التزنوا لقالوا لا ندع الزنا لا ندع الزنا أبداً "And if the first thing that was revealed was 'Don't commit fornication,' people would have said, 'We will never stop it.'"

That was Sayyidatuna Aisha telling us about how the Qur'an encourages us, makes us yearn for Jannah, and instills in us the fear of Hellfire. What will this do? It will help a believer—a firm believer. It will soften his heart, it will purify his spirit, it will make him face the Akhirah and not rely so much on this fleeting world, and it will keep him from becoming hard-hearted. And when he does this, the love of Allah will enter his heart, and darkness will leave, and it will encourage him so much to do what? To engage in beautiful, good deeds.