Alhamdulillah, all praises are for Allah Who has indeed favoured us to be from among the best of nations and has given us the Holy Quraan, which is indeed the greatest Book ever sent to the face of the earth. It is a Book which is a source of guidance, healing and a mercy to those who have Imaan (faith) and in which there is absolutely no doubt. Allah Ta'ala Himself says in the Holy Quraan: "This is the Book in which there is absolutely no doubt, a guidance for those who fear Allah." (2: 2).

The Holy Quraan is indeed a miracle sent by Allah and it is a great miracle that it will remain unchanged until the Day of Judgement. The Holy Quraan is such a great Book that a person is rewarded by Allah Ta'ala for every letter that he reads from it. The Prophet (S.A) mentioned in a hadith: "Whosoever reads one letter of the Book of Allah is credited with one blessing and one blessing is equal to ten times its reward. (Tirmizi). In another hadith Rasulullah (S.A) said: "Whoever reads the Quraan and acts upon what is contained in it, his parents will be made to wear a crown on the Day of Judement, the brilliance of which will excel that of the sun if it was inside your houses (of the world). So what do you think about the person who himself acts upon it?"

My dear readers, the Prophet (S.A) has informed us in many traditions of the greatness and excellence of the Book of Allah over all other Books. This is because it is the words of Allah Himself and as such, its superiority over all other books is as the superiority of Allah over His entire creation. It is such a great Book that it will bear witness for its readers on the dreadful Day of Judgement and it is such an interceder whose intercession is not rejected. In a hadith recorded by Ibn Hiban, Jaabir (R.A) narrates that Rasulullah (S.A) said: "The Quraan is such an interceder whose intercession is accepted, and a disputant whose dispute is upheld. Whoever keeps it in front of him (i.e. follows it and act upon its commandments), it draws him to Paradise and whoever puts it behind his back (i.e. does not follow it or shows indifference to it), it hurls him into the Fire of Hell."

Some Surahs (chapters) and verses of the Holy Quraan carry greater rewards than others. In many traditions, the Prophet (S.A) has informed us about the superiority of some Surahs above others and therefore we should recite these Surahs more regularly as there are greater rewards in them. Abdullah Ibn Abbas (R.A) narrates that once Jibraeel (A.S) was sitting beside the Prophet (S.A) when they heard a rattling sound from the sky. He (Jibraeel) raised his head and said: "This is a door which has been opened in the sky today, which was never opened before except today, and an angel has descended from it. He (Jibraeel) said, this angel had never come down on earth except today. The angel offered salutation and said: "Take glad tidings! You have been given two lights, which were not given to any prophet before you. Surah Al-Fatihah and the last (two) verses of Surah Baqarah. You do not recite even a word from them, except that you are rewarded for it. (Muslim)

It is also narrated from Sahl Ibn Sa'ad (R.A) that the Messenger of Allah (S.A) said: "Everything has a high peak and Surah Al Baqarah is the high peak of the Quraan. Abu Umamah Al Bahili said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A) say: "Read Surah Al Baqarah, for reading it brings down on you the blessing of Allah and in ignoring it there is sorrow and men of falsehood cannot overcome it." (Muslim). Abu Hurairah (R.A) reports from the Holy Prophet (S.A) that there is a verse in this Surah (Al-Baqarah) which enjoys a superiority over all the other verses, it is the verse of the throne (Ayatul Kursi) i.e. verse 255." (Tirmizi)

Reciting of the Glorious Quraan is also a means of keeping away our greatest and most open enemy, shaitaan (satan). Rasulullah (S.A) said: "Indeed Allah inscribed a Book two thousand years before creating the heavens and the earth. He sent down two verses with which He ended Surah Baqarah. When these verses are being recited in a house for three nights shaitaan (satan) will not come near it (Tirmizi). In another tradition, Abu Hurairah (R.A) said that the Prophet (S.A) said: "Do not turn your houses into graves. Verily satan does not enter the house where Surah Al-Baqarah is recited." (Tirmizi, Muslim). In another tradition, Abdullah Ibn Masud (R.A) said: "Satan runs from the house where Surah Baqarah is heard." (Nasaaii)

My dear readers the Holy Quraan is indeed a great mercy and a means of cure for the believers. Allah Ta'ala Himself says: "And We have sent down in the Quraan that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the evil doers except in loss." (17: 82). From these few traditions which have been narrated, we can clearly see the virtues and rewards which benefit a person even in this worldly life in addition to the great rewards which are in store for him in the Hereafter. Let us all realize the value of this precious gift which Allah Ta'ala has bestowed upon us through His beloved Messenger Muhammad (S.A). Let us continue to read it, act upon its laws and also teach it to others so that we may be successful in this life and in the Hereafter. May Allah Ta'ala through His Infinite Mercy make His Glorious Book a means of benefit to us in this world and an interceder for us on the Day of Judgement Ameen.