In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Milestones on the path to steadfastness.
Connection to the Qur'an.
Among the means of steadfastness is:
Connection to the Qur'an,
through recitation and contemplation,
and through knowledge and action.
For the magnificent Qur'an
is one of the greatest sources of steadfastness,
especially during times of tribulation.
It is no wonder that Allah begins
the surah that speaks of tribulations,
which is Surah al-Kahf,
by speaking of the Qur'an.
He, the Exalted, says:
“Praise be to Allah Who hath revealed the Scripture unto His slave, and hath not placed therein any crookedness,” (18:1)
[He has sent down] upon His servant the Book,
“Praise be to Allah Who hath revealed the Scripture unto His slave, and hath not placed therein any crookedness,” (18:1)
making it upright, to warn of
a severe punishment
from Him and to give good tidings to
the believers,
and to give good tidings to the believers
who do
righteous deeds
that they will have a reward
good.
And if the youths
took refuge in their physical cave
to escape from tribulations,
then the cave of every believer
until the Day of Resurrection
is the Qur'an,
for whoever holds fast to it [is saved].
“How can ye disbelieve, when it is ye unto whom Allah's revelations are recited, and His messenger is in your midst? He who holdeth fast to Allah, he indeed is guided unto a right path.” (3:101)
The Exalted says:
And when We substitute a verse
in place of a verse—
and Allah
is most knowing of what He sends down—
they say,
"You are but
an inventor [of lies]."
But
most of them do not know.
Say,
"The Holy Spirit has brought it down
from your Lord
in truth to make firm
those who believe,
to make firm
those who believe,
and as guidance and good tidings
to the Muslims."
And He said,
"And those who disbelieve say,
'Why was
the Qur'an not sent down to him all at
once?'
Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby
your heart,
and We have spaced it distinctly."
Al-Sa'di said in his Tafsir:
This is among the
suggestions of the disbelievers,
which their own souls
suggest to them.
So they said,
“And those who disbelieve say: Why is the Qur'an not revealed unto him all at once? (It is revealed) thus that We may strengthen thy heart therewith; and We have arranged it in right order.” (25:32)
"All at once,"
meaning, just as the scriptures were sent down before it.
And what is the objection
to its being sent down in this manner?
Rather, its being sent down in
this manner is more complete
and better.
Likewise,
We sent it down in stages
to strengthen your heart thereby,
because every time
something of the Qur'an was revealed to him,
he increased in tranquility
and steadfastness,
especially when faced with
causes of anxiety.
For the revelation of the Qur'an at the occurrence
of the cause has
a great impact and provides much steadfastness,
more effectively than
if it had been revealed before that,
and then he remembered it
upon the arrival of its cause.
Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has revealed
the Qur'an to the people
so that they may contemplate its verses,
and He criticized those who do not contemplate it
and do not understand it.
The Exalted says:
"[This is] a Book which We have revealed
to you, blessed,
that they may contemplate its verses,
that they may contemplate its verses,
and that those
of understanding may be reminded."
And He said:
"Then do they not reflect upon
the Qur'an, or
are there locks
upon [their] hearts?"
And He said:
"Then do they not reflect upon
the Qur'an?
And if it had been
“Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much incongruity.” (4:82)
they would have found within it
much contradiction."
Milestones
on the path of
steadfastness.