DISCOVERY OF THE QURAN

DISCOVERY OF THE QURAN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES (This is a translation from the Urdu transcript of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s talk on August 4, 2013) This is the second of a two-part series. A S I mentioned in my last lecture, every person should have a pocket-sized Quran with translation. Everyone should keep it in their pocket and read it whenever they get a chance. People ask questions about the Quran. The style of the Quran is unique. It is not a story-like narrative. Each verse seems independent, each paragraph seems independent. This is very beneficial for us. If the Quran were a continuous story, from beginning to end, we would need to read it all at once to understand the theme. But the Quran is not such a book. The Quran is a collection of wisdom. It contains highly intellectual, wise, insightful sayings spread throughout. That is why it is referred to as Basayir (sayings of wisdom) in the Quran: This Book is an enlightenment from your Lord and a guide and mercy to true believers. (7: 203) This is extremely helpful for us. If it were a continuous story from beginning to end, we would have to read it all at once to understand the message. Now, you can open the Quran to any page and find a complete message in one or two verses. So, it has become possible for you to discover something new in the Quran every day. And remember, if you only read the translation in order to complete it, you have benefitted less from the Quran. Benefitting more from the Quran means continuously discovering new things in it every day. A learned intellectual read the Quran and said that in today’s age, the Quran should be re-revealed. I would say that this is an incorrect statement. The correct statement is that the Quran should be rediscovered today. This is not just for today but for all time. The person who discovers something new in the Quran every day will understand its greatness. It does not mean the entire Quran must be rediscovered every day, but each day discovering a new aspect of any verse. This way, your connection with the Quran will remain creative. Then the Quran will remain a living book for you.