Quran and Husn al Khitām:
Our religion is unique in its Holy Book. We have a collection of pages that not only inform us about our Lord, His prophets, the Day of Judgment, etc. but also provide us a source of spiritual light and worship. The reading and reciting of the Quran provide a cure for what ails us – whether what ails us be spiritual or physical. It is our guiding light to good beginnings, good middles and good endings. Allah (swt) says in Surah al Isrā’,
{Say: “O my Lord! Let my entry be by the gate of truth and honor, and likewise my exit by the gate of truth and honor; and grant me from Thy presence an authority to aid (me). * And say: ‘Truth has (now) arrived, and falsehood perished: for falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish.’ * We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.}
Anyone who has tried to memorize the Quran knows that it acts much like an up-bringer – allowing quick memorization of the verses that our lives reflect – and slow, ponderous difficulty over those verses that we have yet to put into our life practice.
The Quran paves the way to husn al khitām; the memorizing of it, the reading of it, and the understanding of it are all essential elements.
The Prophet (saw) said 1 “Read the Quran, for it comes on the Day of Judgment as an advocate for those who know it. Read the zahrāwān, Surah al Baqarah and Surah ‘āl `Imrān, for they come on the Day of Judgment like two clouds, or as if they were two flocks of birds, defending their friends. Read Surah al Baqarah, for receiving it is a blessing, and forsaking it is sorrow, and neither dabblers in magic nor receivers of magic can undertake it.
He also said, 2 “Who is proficient in Quran is with the scribe, noble, devoted angels. And the one who reads the Quran and stammers in it, finding difficulty therein, receives a doubled reward.”
Long days of memorizing, coupled with long nights of standing and reciting the Quran, are two keys of husn al khitām.
In these blessed months it is imperative that we reacquaint ourselves with the Quran. Bring it back into our lives; then make it a daily habit. The Quran is the word of God. We must always remember that and take it very seriously. Distance from the Quran means distance from Him. If reading the Arabic is difficult; find a tutor that will help you learn it right the first time. If reading the Quran is difficult, (irrelevant of language) then return to your tauba and deepen it, or correct it.
Your own photograph
We must pay back our debts, cultivate excellent behavior, and drench ourselves in the Quran in order to work towards our husn al khitām.
If someone takes a picture of you five minutes after your death, what expression do you hope you will have frozen on your face? Indeed an expression of joy, love and anticipation.
May Allah grant us all, and the people that we love, husn al khitām. Ameen.
1 reported in Muslim, 2 reported in Muslim
