In the Quraan Sharif Allah Ta'ala states,

أَفَمَن شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ 

Or the person whose heart has opened to Islam, because of which he is upon a light from his Rabb

 If Islam enters into a person, this shows that Allah Ta'ala has opened the heart of a person, and the Noor of Allah has entered him. In our understanding, Noor refers to a person whose complexion is light.  However, the explanation of this Noor has been made in the following manner,

التجافى عن دار الغرور

Disinclination from the house of deception

والانابة الى دار الخلود

And inclination towards the house of eternity

والاستعداد للموت قبل نزوله

And preparation for death before death descends (upon a person).

The world is a place of deception.

A person that is a recipient of this Noor will disincline from the world. If a rep of a certain company came to our business and sold us a certain item, but then delivered something that is contrary to that which was presented to us, we will never tolerate such a rep in our business again. In the Quraan Sharif, Allah Ta'ala states,

وَما الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

The life of this world is merely an enjoyment of deception.

In the Hadith Sharif, Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said,

الدنيا ملعون وملعون ما فيها الا ذكر الله وما والاه وعالما او متعلما

The Dunya (world) is cursed, and the contents of the world is cursed except the Zikr of Allah Ta'ala and that which assists in it, and a Alim or a student.

Dunya refers to all such things that make one negligent of the remembrance of Allah Ta'ala. A home in which recitation of Quraan doesn’t take place, nor does any Zikr take place, etc. is regarded as Dunya. So the first sign is that a person which disincline from the world.

Our Sheikh R.A says, “When a person is fired from the Dunya, he will not waste his time, or sleep throughout the day, he will now get employed for Aakhirat.” He will now go in the path of Allah Ta'ala, become punctual with his Tahajjud Salaah, etc. This is the second sign that Noor of Islam has entered his bosom.

Thirdly, he will prepare for death before death approaches. This does not mean that a person does not care about his family any longer, he has no interest in his children’s education, or he does not spend any time with his children. In spite of being involved in all these activities, he is concerned of his hereafter and prepares for death.

The harm of not remembering Allah.

The Quraan Sharif is such a Kitaab that it has shown us the solution to every problem. If a person is deprived of this Noor, what is the reason? The Quraan Sharif explains,

 فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ

Destruction be for those whose hearts have hardened against Allah’s remembrance. These people are clearly misled.

The Zikr of Allah Ta'ala and recitation of the Quraan Sharif has a great effect in softening the heart. If a person is neglectful of the Zikr of Allah Ta'ala, then the heart of a person will harden, and such people will be misguided.

Effect of Zikrullah

Maulana Ahmed Ali Lahori rwas invited to a certain place where the Qadianis were making a lot of effort. He recited Surah Yaseen and this had such an impact on their hearts that they all returned to Islam and the correct path. In those days, recitation of the Quraan Sharif would last for an hour, then Zikrullah would take place for half an hour, and finally the lecture would be delivered. The lecture would continue throughout the night and end at Fajr time.

Nowadays, a few verses of the Quraan Sharif are recited prior to the lecture as a mere formality. When Quraan Sharif is recited with feeling, then the effect of it can be felt. When a person recites Quraan Sharif, recitation should take place with three intentions,

  As an Ibadaah (act of worship). Allah c commands Rasulullah g to recite Quraan Sharif,

اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ

Recite the book which has been revealed to you and establish Salaah.

For Reward. A person that recites a single letter of the Quraan Sharif gets ten rewards. If he recites a single letter in the state of Wudhu, he will receive twenty five rewards. If he recites in Nafl Salaah whilst sitting, he will receive fifty reward and if he recites in Nafl Salaah whilst standing, he will receive hundred rewards.

For Hidayat (guidance) as the Quraan is guidance for mankind.

Also, a Hafiz-Ul-Quraan should recite the Quraan Sharif to remember his Quraan.

Status of the Quraan Sharif

Also, everything in the world is Makhlooq (created), but the Quraan is the Sifat (quality) of Allah Ta'ala. The easiest way of gaining the closeness of Allah Ta'ala is by means of the Quraan Sharif.

Categories of the Zaakireen

There are different categories of Zaakireen.

1.There are those Zaakireen that only make Zikrullah when it suites them. When others are involved in Zikrullah they will also join in the zikr. In the Quraan, Allah Ta'ala  refer to the Munafiqeen as such people that remember Allah Ta'ala very little.

 وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

And they remember Allah Ta'ala very little.

2. There are those that are the sincere believers. They remember Allah Ta'ala abundantly as mentioned in the Quraan,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا

وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

O you who have Imaan! Remember Allah in abundance (at all times…)

And glorify Him morning and evening.

How can a person become A Zaakir?

In the next verse Allah Ta'ala states,

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاء وَمَن يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

Allah c has revealed the most superb articulation, a book with subject matter of similar import which is often repeated. The bodies of those who fear their Rabb shiver with it, after which their hearts and bodies soften to Allah’s remembrance. This is Allah’s guidance, with which he guides whoever He wills. There can be no guide for the one whom Allah sends astray.

By means of the Quraan Sharif, a person’s heart will incline towards the Zikr of Allah. A person should also beg and make Dua to Allah Ta'ala to guide him as Allah Ta'ala guides whoever he wishes to.

May Allah Ta'ala give us the Taufeeq of making Amal! Ameen!