The Criterion

Be conscious of Allah and obey Him and adhere to the Book of your Lord. For in the Quran is your guidance and direction. And it is your happiness and reassurance. For the remembrance of Allah Almighty reassures the hearts. And the Quran is the highest and greatest of remembrances.

Ya-Sin (36) 69: It is not but a message and a clear Qur’ān

And from the purposes of its revelation is to clarify. Allah Almighty said:
An Nahl (16) 44: And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.

And clarification lifts ignorance and solidifies knowledge. And it uncovers the lies of the sinful liars and reveals the forgery of the falsifiers. And it is not possible to conceal, erase, alter, replace, or distort the facts in the Quran, like other books are distorted and changed. This is because it is safeguarded by the command of Allah Almighty until it is lifted from the earth. Allah Almighty said:
Al Hijr (15) 9: Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur’ān], and indeed, We will be its guardian.

And the Quran has many descriptions. And indeed if something has much benefit, it has many descriptions. And there is nothing more beneficial to mankind than the Quran. But most people:
Al Anbiya (21) 24: Do not know the truth, so they are turning away.

And from the descriptions of the Quran is that it is a criterion. And in some hadeeths, the Prophet ﷺ called it the great criterion. Allah Almighty said:
Al Furqan (25) 1: Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner

It was described a criterion because it was revealed in intervals and was not revealed all at once as was the Injeel and the Taurah. And in this regard Allah Almighty said:
Al Isra (17) 106: And [it is] a Qur’ān which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively.

So Allah Almighty explained that it is was revealed in a fashion so that the Prophet would recite to the people. And when they received it from him, they would recite it. From when it was revealed, it has been easy for the non-native Arabic language speakers and the unlettered to recite. Just as its memorization has been made easy for the young and the old, men and women. And it is not possible to count the number of people who have memorized it due to their great number and vast distribution throughout the earth. And this is from the means of its preservation to guide people through it. Allah Almighty said:
Al Qamar (54) 17: And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

And Allah explained that its being revealed in intervals is so that people recite it with deliberation. So that its words and meanings are anchored in the hearts more than if it was revealed all at once. And for this reason, those teaching the Quran divide it for their students, for it is difficult to memorize it all at once.

And from the benefits of revealing the Quran in intervals is to strengthen the heart of the Prophet ﷺ with the narratives of those before, and giving him patience through the news of the patient and comforting him with the verses of manifest victory. Allah Almighty said:
Al Furqan (25) 32: And those who disbelieve say, “Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?” Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.

And from its benefits is responding to the dubious arguments of the polytheists and nipping them in the bud. And exposing those making such arguments. And this is found much in the Quran. Allah Almighty said:
Al Furqan (25) 33: And they do not come to you with an example [i.e., argument] except that We bring you the truth and the best explanation.

And the meaning is that they do not come with a dubious argument or strange question except that We will bring you the true definitive answer that is superior.

And from the benefits of revealing the Quran in intervals is progressively introducing commands and prohibitions so that it is not burdensome for people. And this is from the mercy of Allah Almighty upon His servants and to endear iman (faith) to them.

And the Quran is called the Criterion because it distinguishes between truth and falsehood. And from this meaning is Allah’s words:
Al Baqarah (2) 185: The month of Ramaḍān [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’ān, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.

And Al Miqdad bin Aswad, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent in the harshest state in which any Prophet was ever sent – in a gap (in the line of prophethood) and the time of Ignorance. They did not believe that religion was better than worshipping idols. He brought the Criterion by which it is possible to distinguish between the truth and falsehood. [Sahih Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (Albani) 64]

So it is the Criterion in which falsehood cannot stand before it. And the people of falsehood cannot defeat its followers. Rather, it is victorious in every case. And whoever inclines towards it, inclines to the mighty, And whoever uses its proofs is able to debate every obstinate tyrant.

And the people of the Quran are the people of strength even if they are the weakest of people. And are the most grounded in the proofs even if they are the most passive. And they are the people of truth even if all the people deviate from it. And the truth must prevail over falsehood. Allah Almighty said:
Al Anbiya (21) 18: Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it departs.

And the Quran is the Criterion with the meaning of victory. Because Allah Almighty gave victory, through the Quran, to the people of iman (faith) over the polytheists. Of what the Quran contains of brilliant verses, clear examples and proofs that refute dubious arguments and expose their foolish minds and clarify the invalidity of their beliefs. And it is from this meaning, that the campaign of Badr was called the criterion. Allah Almighty said:
Al Anfal (8) 41: And in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of criterion.

It was called the criterion because this was the ummah’s first campaign that distinguished between truth and falsehood and because of the verses that were revealed to His messenger ﷺ to make the believers steadfast, and the Angels assisted them, and the rest that made them vigorous, and the rain that purified them.

And the Prophet ﷺ is a criterion between the people because he distinguished between the believer and the disbeliever. And because of this the Angels said of him:
And Mohammad ﷺ has distinguished between the people [Bukhari 7281]

And its meaning is that he distinguished between the believer and the disbeliever. So whoever believes is a believer and whoever disbelieves is a disbeliever.

And the Prophet ﷺ said to Omar bin Al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him:
Indeed the shaytan disbands from you oh Omar [Sahih Al Jami’ 1654]

So he was called Al Farooq.

And the Qur’an eliminates doubts that afflict man concerning the Creator and concerning creation and concerning the beginning and the returning and in every matter that the shaytan may influence man. And it gives people light to distinguish between truth and falsehood and between sunnah and innovation and between the precise and unspecific. This is if someone is genuine with the Quran and gives it its right from reciting, understanding the meanings, reflecting upon it, and adhering to it and submitting to it and performing deeds in accordance to it. And from this meaning is Allah’s words:
Al Anfal (8) 29: O you who have believed, if you fear Allāh, He will grant you a criterion

This promised criterion is conditional on achieving taqwa (consciousness of Allah) and the Quran is the biggest caller to the consciousness of Allah. And there are more than 240 verses calling to taqwa (consciousness of Allah). Will not the reciter of the Quran be conscious of Allah and obtain the criterion? Allah Almighty said:
Al Isra (17) 9-10: (9) Indeed, this Qur’ān guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward (10) And that those who do not believe in the Hereafter – We have prepared for them a painful punishment.

Oh Muslims: Rejoicing in the Great Qur’an and teaching it is one of the highest levels of iman (faith). And everyone is in need of the Book of Allah. For our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the most perfect of people in intellect, and his intellect alone did not guide him to the right path. His guidance was through the Quran. Allah Almighty said:
Saba (34) 50: Say, If I should err, I would only err against myself. But if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me.

Many people nowadays complain of worries and anxieties. And they complain of discomfort and family issues and afflictions from possession, sorcery and envy. And from the control of the devils. For among the blessings of the Quran is that it is a protection from the control of the devils in the homes in which it is recited. And Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say:
The home, in which the Book of Allah is recited, expands for its inhabitants, and its goodness multiplies, and angels attend it, and the devils exit it. And the home in which the Book of Allah is not recited constricts upon its inhabitants, and its goodness is little and the angels leave it and the devils are present. [Ibn Aby Shaybah]

And the happiest people are those closest to the Book of Allah. And it is the honor and joy of the Muslims. And the pride and prosperity of generations. And it is security and blessing for society. And in it is contentment, dignity and pleasing the Lord of the worlds.

So it is a right upon us to give the Book of Allah Almighty our attention and care. And free our time for it. And fill our homes with its recitation. And fill our hearts with its lessons. And to relax our chests with its verses. And to illuminate our minds with its proofs. And teach it to our families. For there is nothing that illuminates the paths of their lives like the Quran. And there is no guarantee for their future except through the Quran. For it is their dignity, glory, affluence and strength. And the Prophet ﷺ said:
Indeed, Allah elevates some people with this Book (Quran) and abases others through it. [Muslim 817a]

We ask Allah Almighty to make us among those who give His Book its proper due and recite and reflect upon its verses throughout the day and night. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.

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