Importance of Teaching The Qur'an

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Importance of Teaching The Qur'an
Muhammad Nur ibn ‘Abd al-Hafizh Suwayd



At-Tabarani and Ibn an-Najjar narrated on the authority of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Raise your children to do three things: to love your Prophet, to love his household and to recite the Qur'an. Verily, those who commit the Qur'an to memory would be protected by Allah’s Shade along with His Messengers and beloved ones when there will be no shade but the Shade of Allah."
Ibn "Asakir mentioned on the' authority of Abu Zabyah that "Uthman ibn 'Affan paid 'Abdullah ibn Masud a visit when the latter was ill and on his deathbed. "Uthman asked him, "What do you suffer from?" 'Abdullah said, "My sins." again. Uthman asked, "What do you aspire for?" "The Mercy of my Lord," 'Abdullah answered. "Shall I bring you a doctor?" "Uthman suggested. ‘Abdullah said, "No, he is the cause of my illness." "Shall I give you a gift (i.e. money)?" 'Uthman asked. "I do not need it," answered 'Abdullah. "Uthman said, "It will help your daughters after you pass away." Upon this, 'Abdullah asked, "Do you fear poverty will affect them? I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, 'Whoever reads Surah al-Waqiah will never suffer from poverty.’"
The Companions used to tell the Prophet (peace be upon him) of their children's behavior regarding the Qur'an so that they would know how to benefit them. In this regard Ahmad transmitted on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that once a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said to him, "Messenger of Allah, my son reads the Qur'an during the daytime and sleeps at night." The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered him saying,
"What is wrong with that, as your son spends his day remembering Allah and then spends his night sleeping peacefully?"
The Companions were also keen on teaching the Qur'an to people and bringing up their children to love its recitation. It was mentioned in Ibn Kathir's interpretation of the Glorious Qur'an that Ibn 'Abbas said to a man, "Shall I tell you a hadith that would make you very happy?" The man said, "Yes." Ibn 'Abbas said, "Read Surat al-Mulk and teach it to your household, your sons, and your neighbors; it is the savior and the defender on the Day of Resurrection. There it will defend whomever used to recite it in this worldly life, and will ask Allah to save him from the agony of the grave. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
'I wish every person of my nation would memorize it."'
The Companions were also keen on strengthening the relation between their children and the Qur’an. They used to gather them whenever they completed reciting the Qur'an. At-Tabrani reported on the authority of Anas ibn Malik that the latter used to gather his household and his children when finishing reciting the Qur'an to make du 'a' for them."
It is worth mentioning that a child, when reciting the Qur'an, may prevent an affliction from being afflicted upon his family and upon his society. It was mentioned in some Prophetic sayings that Allah may terminate an affliction, which had been determined for a certain people, as soon as He hears a child reciting a verse of the Qur'an among them.