Divine Methodology for Monthly Recitation of the Qur'an
CHAPTER FOUR
Divinely-Ordained Method of
Reciting the Qur’an during the
Month of Ramadan
“Recite it over the period of a month”. Sunan Ibn Majah
Since Allah Most High has already divided the Qur’an into Suwar, it follows that we cannot sub-divide a Surah into parts during daily recitation. Such a division would amount to chopping the Qur’an into bits and pieces, and this has been denounced by the Qur’an itself.
Here is a suggested division of the Qur’an into 30 parts for daily recitation in order to complete the recitation of the whole Qur’an—from cover to cover—during a period of one lunar month. Our gentle readers should note that we have respected the division of the Qur’an which Allah Most High has done in the form of Suwar, and no Surah has ever been broken by us into parts in our daily recitation. We are of the view that there can be no other way to recite the first fifteen Ajza of the Qur’an, other than the way we have explained it. We invite those who differ with us to provide their own list of the first fifteen Ajza of the Qur’an:
The Ajza for the first six days of the month:
v 1st Juz, i.e., Juz to be recited on the first day of the month: alBaqarah—286 verses;
v 2nd Juz; Ale Imran—200 verses; (2nd day of the month)
v 3rd Juz: al-Nisa’—177 verses; (3rd day)
v 4th Juz: al-Maidah—120 verses; (4th day)
v 5th Juz: al-An’am—166 verses; (5th day)
v 6th Juz: al-A’raf—206 verses; (6th day)
These, above, are all long Surahs, and so we have no option other than to recite only one Surah on each of the first six days of the month. But on the 7th day we are confronted by three things which invite us to think.
The first is that Surah al-Anfal is unusually short—with only 75 verses—while all the previous Surahs were long. The second is that the Surah which follows al-Anfal is a long Surah—as long as the Surahs of the first 6 days.
Why, then, is al-Anfal so short?
Thirdly, and most compelling of all, Surah al-Taubah, which is located by Divine decree immediately after al-Anfal, is the only Surah of the Qur'an which does not commence with Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem.
What can these three important signs in the Qur'an signify?
Our view is that Allah Most High has ordained al-Anfal to be a short Surah, and has ordained Surah al-Taubah to commence without Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem for one specific reason. He wants us to combine these two Surahs as our Juz for recitation on the 7th day of the lunar month; and Allah Knows best!
This departure on the 7th day from the system of recitation of single Surahs for the first 6 days of the month, indicates the Divine plan to now combine Surahs for daily recitation. More importantly, it also alerts the believer to a very important stage in the passage of time during a lunar month, i.e., that the first week of the lunar month is now being completed.
When we have traversed the first 6 days of the week and we have arrived at the 7th day, we must now recall that the first six days were truly momentous days in the history of time, and Allah Most High wants us to pause on the 7th day in order that the event might be registered once again in our consciousness.
It was for this reason that He ordained that the Sabbath Day, or the 7th day, be restricted for believers as a day of rest and prayer in order that the heart and mind might reflect on the history of time. The recitation of the Qur’an in order to Khatam or complete the Qur’an in one lunar month is, in fact, a Divinely-ordained means through which we may journey through pages of the history of time, and be eventually embraced by the system of time with which the moon is connected. Allah Most High has reminded us of this no less than 6 times in the Qur’an:
Qur'an, al-‘Araf, 7:54
VERILY, your Lord-God is Allah, who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is established (on the 7th day) on the throne of His almightiness. He covers the day with the night in swift pursuit, with the sun and the moon and the stars subservient to His command: oh, verily, His is all creation and all command. Hallowed is Allah, the Lord-God of all the worlds!
Qur'an, Yunus, 10:3
VERILY, your Lord-God is Allah, Who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is established on the throne of His almightiness, governing all that exists. There is none that could intercede with Him unless He grants leave there for. Thus is Allah, your Lord-God: worship, therefore, Him [alone]: will you not, then, keep this in mind?
Qur'an, al-Furqan, 25:59
He who has created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and is established on the throne of His almightiness: the Most Gracious! Ask, then, about Him, [the] One who is [truly] aware.
Qur'an, al-Sajdah, 32:4
IT IS Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and is established on the throne of His almightiness. You have none to protect you from Allah, and none to intercede for you [on Judgment Day]: will you not, then, bethink yourselves?
Qur'an, Qaf, 50:38
We have indeed created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and [that] no weariness could ever touch Us.
Qur'an, al-Hadid, 57:4
He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is established on the throne of His almightiness. He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them. And He is with you wherever you may be; and Allah sees all that you do.
When the 6th day has come to an end, we also remind ourselves that the first 6 days in creation, which constitute the first chapter in the history of time, were divided into two periods—the first lasted 4 days and then there was a second period which lasted for 2 more days to make a total of 6 days:
Qur'an, Fussilat, 41:10
For He [it is who, after creating the earth,] placed firm mountains on it, [towering] above its surface, and bestowed [so many] blessings on it, and equitably apportioned its means of subsistence to all who would seek it in four (cosmic) days.
Qur'an, Fussilat, 41:11
And He [it is who] applied His design to the skies, which were [yet but] smoke; and He [it is who] said to them and to the earth, “Come [into being], both of you, willingly or unwillingly!”—to which both responded, “We do come in obedience.”
Qur'an, Fussilat, 41:12
And He [it is who] decreed that they become seven heavens in two (cosmic) days, and imparted unto each heaven its function. And We adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and made them secure: such is the ordaining of the Almighty, the All Knowing.
Of course, our 7th day of recitation of the Qur'an would hardly ever fall on Youm al-Sabt, or the Sabbath Day, but we are nevertheless reminded of the importance of the 7th day of the week.
v 7th Juz: al-Anfal, 75 & al-Taubah, 129 - i.e., a total of 204 verses;
v 8th Juz: Yunus, 109; & Hud, 123 - i.e., a total of 232 verses;
v 9th Juz: Yusuf, 111; & al-Ra’d, 43 - i.e., a total of 154 verses;
v 10th Juz: Ibrahim, 52; & al-Hijr, 99 - i.e., a total of 151 verses;
v 11th Juz: al-Nahl - 128 verses.
This writer prefers to restrict the recitation of the Juz for the 11th day to Surah al-Nahl, not just because it is a long Surah, but also because it allows us to combine the recitation of Surah al-Isra with Surah al-Kahf on the 12th day of the month. We have provided adequate evidence elsewhere that these two Surahs of the Qur'an are Divinely-linked with each other.
The 11th day also marks the completion of the first 1/3 of the Qur'an, and this a matter of great importance, especially in Ramadan, when the month is divided into 3 parts with significant implication for each part.
12th Juz: al-Isra, 111; & al-Kahf, 110 - i.e., a total of 221 verses;
13th Juz: Maryam, 98; & Ta Ha, 135 - i.e., a total of 233 verses;
14th Juz: al-Anbiya’, 112; & al-Hajj, 78 - i.e., a total of 190 verses;
15th Juz: al-Mu’minun, 118; & al-Nur, 64 - i.e., a total of 182 verses.
When the 14th day of the month has ended and the 15th night commences, the time of the full moon has arrived. Since this is the time of most Nur or light, Allah most High gives us Surah al-Nur to be recited on the 15th day. Whenever he recites this Surah while reciting the whole Qur'an once a lunar month, the believer is thus alerted to the arrival of that stage in the passage of time during the lunar month, when half the month has ended, and half now remains.
v 16th Juz: al-Furqan, 77; & al-Shu’ara, 227 - i.e., a total of 304 verses;
v 17th Juz: al-Naml, 93; al-Qasas, 88; & al-Ankabut, 69 - i.e., a total of 250 verses;
v 18th Juz: al-Rum, 60; Luqman, 34; al-Sajdah, 30; & al-Ahzab, 73 -i.e., a total of 197 verses;
v 19th Juz: Saba’, 54; al-Fatir, 45; Ya Sin, 83; & al-Safat, 182 - i.e., a total of 364 verses;
v 20th Juz: Sad, 88; al-Zumar, 75; & Ghafir, 85 - i.e., a total of 248 verses;
v 21st Juz: Fussilat, 54; al-Shura, 53; & al-Zukhruf, 89; al-Dukhan, 59 - i.e., a total of 255 verses.
When the 21st day of the month commences, this would be a matter of very great importance indeed in blessed Ramadan since it would mark the commencement of the last 1/3 of the Qur'an, and it would be in the odd nights of this last part of the month that Lailatul Qadr would occur. It would be on that blessed night that the angels and the Ruh (i.e., the Ruh alQuddus or Holy Spirit, who is Gabriel) would descend from above in order to perform every errand assigned to them by Allah Most High. When we recite Surah Fussilat on the 21st day of Ramadan we are given more information of what the angels can do for us on that special night:
Qur'an, Fussilat, 41 :30-32
But, behold, as for those who declare, “Our Lord-God is Allah,” and then steadfastly pursue the right way—upon them do angels descend, (and this occurs on Lailatul Qadr) [saying:] “Fear not and grieve not, but receive the glad tiding of that paradise which has been promised to you! We are close unto you in the life of this world and [will be so] in the life to come; and in that [life to come] you shall have all that your souls may desire, and in it you shall have all that you ever prayed for, as a ready welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, a Dispenser of Grace!”
When we also recite Surah al-Dukhan on the 21st day of the month of Ramadan we are reminded that Allah Most High sent down the Qur'an on a blessed night of Qadr in Ramadan, and the blessed Prophet indicated that we should look for that night in the odd nights of the last 1/3 of the month of Ramadan:
Qur'an, al-Dukhan, 44:3-5
Behold, from on high have We bestowed it on a blessed night: for, verily, We have always been warning [man]. On that [night] was made clear, in wisdom, the distinction between all things [good and evil] at a behest from Ourselves: for, verily, We have always been sending [Our messages of guidance].
22nd Juz: al-Jathiyah, 37; al-Ahqaf, 35; Muhammad, 38; & al-Fath,29; al-Hujurat, 18 - i.e., a total of 157 verses;
23rd Juz: Qaf, 45; al-Dhariyat 60; al-Tur, 49; al-Najm, 62; & al-Qamar, 55, - i.e., a total of 271 verses.
When the 22nd day of the month has ended, and the 23rd day has commenced, the implication would be that only one week can now remain for the month to be completed. The believer must be observant to momentous change that takes place in the sky during this last week of the lunar month as the month comes to an end, i.e., that the moon eventually disappears from the sky during the last days of this week, and the stars then take over the night-sky. Star-light then replaces moon-light in the night sky.
Allah Most High gives us Surah al-Najm, i.e., the Surah of the star, followed by Surah al-Qamar, i.e., the Surah of the moon, on the 23rd day of the month, so that, as we recite these two Surahs on that day of the month, they would not only alert us that starlight would now replace moonlight in the sky, but also that the last week of the month has now commenced.
We may also recognize the Divine Wisdom in bringing darkness to the sky in preparation for receiving the slender light of the new moon.
v 24th Juz: al-Rahman - 78; al-Waqi‘ah - 96; al-Hadid - 29; & al-Mujadilah - 22;
v 25th Juz: al-Hashr - 24 ; Mumtahinah- 13; al-Saff - 14; al-Jumu’ah - 11; al-Munafiqun - 11; al-Taghabun - 18; al- Talaq 12; & al-Tahrim - 12; al-Mulk - 30; al-Qalam - 52
v 26th Juz: ; al-Haqqah - 52; & al-M‘arij - 44; Nuh - 28; al-Jinn - 28; al-Muzzammil - 20; al-Muddaththir - 56;
v 27th Juz: al-Qiyamah - 40; al-Insan - 31; & al-Mursalat - 50; alNaba’- 40; al-Nazi‘at - 46;
v 28th Juz: ‘Abasa- 42; al-Takwir - 29; al-Infitar - 19; al-Mutaffifin -36; al-Inshiqaq - 25; al-Buruj - 22; al-Tariq - 17; al-A‘la - 19; & alGhashiyah- 26;
v 29th Juz: al-Fajr - 30; al-Balad - 20; al-Shams - 15; al-Layl - 21; alDuha- 11; al-Sharh - 8; al-Tin - 8; & al-‘Alaq -19; al-Qadr - 5.
In view of the fact that Surah al-Qadr is the Surah which informs us that Lailatul Qadr is by far the greatest night of all nights of the year, because it was on this night that the Qur’an was revealed, and this Surah makes mention of both al-Fajr and of al-Lail, we have arranged our Juz of recitation to combine the recitation of Surah al-Qadr on the 29th day of the month with both Surah al-Fajr as well as Surah al-Lail. As a consequence of this momentous coming together of all three of these Suwar in the Juz that is recited on the 29th day of the month, we have reason to believe that Lailatul Qadr is located on the 29th night of blessed Ramadan. Our advice therefore, is that the greatest attention of all should be paid to staying awake all night in worship on the 29th night of the blessed month of Ramadan. We should make Duah on this night in particular, for all that we have been asking for all through the year.
We must warn our readers that our Islamic eschatological understanding of this subject is that Dajjal is responsible for the almost universal neglect of the 29th night of Ramadan—even though it is one of the odd nights in the last third of the blessed month.
When the 29th day of the month ends, we also have a duty to look in the evening sky (i.e., the sky above us in the location on earth where we are)to see whether the new moon is visible. If we see the new moon, we would then have to complete the recitation of the few remaining Suwar of the Qur'an in order to complete the recitation of the whole Qur'an cover-to-cover. This would take a very brief period of time. If, on the other hand, the new moon is not seen, we would then have just a few short Suwar to recite on the 30th day of the month in order to complete the recitation of the whole Qur'an.
v 30th Juz: al-Bayyinah - 8; al-Zalzalah - 8; al-‘Adiyat - 11; al-Qariah -11; al-Takathur - 8; al-‘Asr - 3; al-Humazah - 9; al-Fil - 5; Quraysh -4; al-Ma‘un - 7; al-Kauthar - 3; al-Kafirun - 6; al-Nasr - 3; al-Masad- 5; al-Ikhlas - 4; al-Falaq - 5; & al-Nas - 6.
We advise that those who recite the Qur'an to Khatam or complete it in one lunar month, should restrain themselves from completing the recitation of the Qur’an before the month ends (such as on the 25th day etc.). They must make sure that they have a 29th day, or 29th Juz to recite on the 29th day, as well as a 30th Juz to recite in the event that the month continues to a 30thday.
How should a woman recite the Qur'an?
Our view is that men ought to Khatam the Qur'an at least once a lunar month, but that women should recite only what is possible for them. When a woman cannot Khatam the Qur'an within the time-span of a lunar month because her recitation is interrupted by her monthly menstrual cycle, she should Khatam the Qur'an whenever she is free to resume recitation. She should then recommence the recitation of the Qur'an from the beginning with the next new moon. During the interval between her Khatam of the Qur'an and the birth of the next new moon, she can recite from the Qur'an as she chooses.
The Qur'an does not prevent a woman from reciting it while in her menses; but this writer does not have the competence to determine whether any other prohibition exists.
to be continued . . . .
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