How to complete the Qur'an in the first 8 days of Dhul Hijjah:

📖 1 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الفاتحة - سورة ال عمران

📖 2 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة النساء - سورة المائدة

📖 3 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الأنعام - سورة التوبة

📖 4 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة يونس - سورة الإسراء‎

📖 5 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الكهف - سورة النور

📖 6 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الفرقان - سورة فاطر

📖 7 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة يـس - سورة الحديد

📖 8 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة المجادلة - سورة الناس

9 Dhul Hijjah- Day of Arafat (spend it by making lots of supplication and takbir)

And 10th is Eid 💕

Some trials, along with the damage they caused, remain fresh in your mind for years. Sometimes, you relive small moments and experiences that remind you of those difficult tests you endured. Tests that broke every ounce of strength you had within you, except that small bit which Allāh سبحانه وتعالى allowed to persevere.

The memories and feelings come rushing back. The anxiety begins to heighten. The tears begin to well up. The wounds that had just began to heal start to bleed again. And just as the page began to get blurry and my racing thoughts caused me to lose any Khushū’ I may have had, my mind snapped back, and all the fear and anguish came to a halt as my worries clashed with the Āyāt:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,

ٱلَّذِى يَرَىٰكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ

Who sees you when you arise (alone at night for Tahajjud prayers).

وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ

And your movement among those who prostrate.

إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Such magnificent Words — are my eyes even worthy to behold them? Is my heart even eligible to preserve them?

The Qur’ān got me through it before, it will get me through it again.

and again.

and again.

Ibrahim 14:17

يَتَجَرَّعُهُۥ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُسِيغُهُۥ وَيَأْتِيهِ ٱلْمَوْتُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمَيِّتٍۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِۦ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٌ

English - Mohsin Khan/Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

He will sip it unwillingly, and he will find a great difficulty to swallow it down his throat[1]; and death will come to him from every side, yet he will not die and in front of him, will be a great torment.

Ponder

Having a hard time retaining your memorization or strengthening your revision? Always remember: a wandering eye leads to a sealed heart.

“Whoever protects his gaze, Allāh will illuminate his understanding, or his heart.”

— Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله [Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr]

I find that some days, memorization is as easy as breathing, despite the Āyāt not being similar to any others that I’ve already memorized, nor are they rhyming.

The very next day, I might be memorizing even easier Āyāt, but I find myself struggling immensely, as if my head would burst from attempting to retain them.

I’ve begun to notice that such difficult days are usually days where I didn’t protect my gaze as strictly as I should. When I allow my eyes to linger where Allāh didn’t permit, even if for mere moments longer than I should have before turning away, my heart is in turmoil when my eyes gaze upon His Words and my heart refuses to absorb them. That, in itself, is punishment enough in this world and gives me extreme sadness, and only Allāh knows the severity of the punishment of the Hereafter, والعياذ بالله. And this “coincidence” is further confirmed by the fact that I immediately engage in Istighfār upon facing this obstacle, and SubhānAllāh, when I pick up the Mushaf again, it’s easier then ever Alhamdulillāh.

The Qur’ān is not graced upon your heart due to your ability, efforts, or qualities and merits. It’s a Revelation, only gifted to the special ones Allāh سبحانه وتعالى selects. Don’t ever underestimate the ability of sins in preventing you from understanding, memorizing, or being guided by ‘Ilm.

شَكَوتُ إِلى وَكيعٍ سوءَ حِفظي

“I complained to Wakī’ about my poor memory.

فَأَرشَدَني إِلى تَركِ المَعاصي

He advised me to abandon sins,

وَأَخبَرَني بِأَنَّ العِلمَ نورٌ

and informed me that knowledge is a light,

وَنورُ اللَهِ لا يُهدى لِعاصي

and that the Light of Allāh is not granted to a sinner.”

Laylatul Qadr- the best of Nights

🔸It is a night which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has made superior to other nights, and He has told us that good deeds during this night are better than good deeds during one thousand months. This is a great virtue.

🔸He also singled it out by sending down the Qur’an during it, and describing it as a blessed night, on which is decreed what will happen during the coming year. This is an important distinction of this night.

🔸The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to strive hard during the last ten days of Ramadan in a manner in which he did not do during other times, seeking Laylat al-Qadr.

🔸It is the best of nights, because what has been reported concerning its virtues has not been reported concerning other nights. So it is the best of nights, because of what it includes of these great distinctions. This is by the mercy of Allah, may He be exalted, and His kindness to this ummah, as He singled it out for this great night.

Islamqa.info Fatwa no. 105456

One of the Mashaykh made an interesting point, he said Tadabbur Al-Quran (Contemplation of the Quran) comes after reading/listening to the correct Tafsir of the Al-Quran, Tadabbur is not that you read the Quran and then use your own untrained Aql/mind to interpret the words/verses of Allah ta'alaa without an Usool/Foundation of understanding the meanings of Quran as intending by Allah ta'alaa, i.e. understanding the Quran as the:

1. Qur'an explains the Quran

2. Sunnah explains the Quran

3. Sahabah explained the Quran

4. Tabieen explained the Quran

5. Tabi Tabieen explained the Quran

6. Reliable Sunni Mufassireen explained the Quran .e.g. Tabari, Ibn Tayimiyyah, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Qayyim, Ibn Rajab, Shanqeeti, Sa'adi etc

~Laylatul Qadr~

Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

**“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).

And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?

The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees,

(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn”

[al-Qadar 97:1-5]**

“We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]”

[al-Dukhaan 44:3]

Allaah has blessed Ramadaan with Laylat al-Qadr. Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Soorat al-Qadr was revealed, and there are many ahaadeeth which also speak of that.

The Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is Sunnah to pray qiyaam at night in Ramadaan. Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying qiyaam in Ramadaan is to pray Taraweeh, i.e., one achieves what is meant by qiyaam by praying Taraaweeh.
Islamqa Fatwa no. 13480

Ibn al-Jawzi (rahimahullah)

It is appropriate/befitting/correct for the the fasting person to be preoccupied/immersed/busied—all day long—with (either) dhikr or the recitation (of the Quran).

[Ibn al-Jawzi (rahimahullah), at-Tabsirah, 515]