Zafar Bangash
Muslims worldwide will welcome another blessed month of Ramadan in 18 days’ time. The mechanics of fasting are well-known to every Muslim. We fast from before the break of dawn to after sunset but it is not merely an exercise in going hungry for a set number of hours.
The purpose of Ramadan is more noble, foremost of which is our surrender to the Will of Allah to earn His pleasure and forgiveness.
Let us recall some of the momentous events that occurred in the month of Ramadan. The first and foremost is that Allah (swt) sent down the noble Qur’an from the Lawhun Mahfuz (the Well-guarded Tablet) into its earthly form and then the first few ayats were revealed to the noble Messenger (ﷺ) in the Cave of Hira on Jabal al-Nour (Mount of Light) in Makkah. There were also major battles that occurred in the month of Ramadan.
In the Qur’an, Allah reminds us: “It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was [first] made accessible from on high as a guidance for people and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false…” (2:185). That night of revelation is referred to as Laylat al-Qadr (the night of power).
The revelation of the noble Qur’an reflects Allah’s loving care for His creation. He chose this month to start the process of His final guidance to humanity so that we may order ourselves according to His commands. By doing so, we protect ourselves from His corrective justice.
This requires understanding Allah’s commands as ordained in the noble Qur’an and as exemplified by the Messenger (ﷺ). Muslims listen to the melodious recitation of the Qur’an during taraweeh prayers (the late night communal prayers). The entire Qur’an is recited at least once in this month.
While this may be spiritually entertaining, it is not enough even if the recitation moves us to tears. Our readers are familiar with our constant emphasis on understanding the noble Qur’an. The month of Ramadan offers a special opportunity to do so.
The reminder from Allah (swt) is precise and clear: it is a Book of guidance for all humanity (2:185) but it comes with a qualifier. Only those who have taqwa will get guidance (2:02). So, guidance is conditional on having taqwa. It has to be cultivated. There are many ways to acquire taqwa, including fasting in the month of Ramadan (2:183) as well as looking after the needy and poor (2:177).
The Qur’an’s guidance is available to everyone: Muslim as well as non-Muslim. Allah has given every individual the choice to accept or reject His guidance (18:29). There is no coercion involved (2:256).
Choices, however, carry consequences. Further, it is self-evident proof of that guidance, as well as the standard by which to discern the true from the false. In order to be guided and to discern truth from falsehood, we must understand the message of the Qur’an.
Let us reiterate some self-evident truths. The Qur’an is our guide from the womb to the tomb. Guidance, however, is conditional upon understanding and the escalating self-assurance that comes from implementing that guidance.
We in the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought (ICIT) through the pages of Crescent International have repeatedly emphasized the importance of understanding the noble Qur’an. We have not only preached, we have made a sincere effort, despite our limited resources, to provide an understanding of the noble Qur’an through a contemporary English translation of the noble Qur’an, titled, The Ascendant Qur’an.
For the more engaged readers, there is the tafsir of the same title of which 14 volumes have been printed so far. Both the translation and the tafsir are by Imam Muhammad al-Asi. There is also a small but dedicated team of editors involved in assisting with this work.
We mention these facts in order to remind our readers that important work is being done to make the message of the noble Qur’an accessible to English speaking people. Since English is the universal language of the world today, we have no choice but to communicate in it.
This brings us to two other points. First, to urge Muslims wherever they may reside in the world that during this Ramadan, engage the noble Qur’an with meanings. Understanding the message of the Qur’an is only possible if we read its meanings in a language we are familiar with it.
The poetic beauty of the message of the Qur’an can only be truly appreciated in the original language in which it was revealed—Arabic. We are also congizant of the fact that unfortunately, the vast majority of Muslims in the world do not fully comprehend the Arabic language. In fact, even Arabic speaking Muslims are not familiar with Qur’anic Arabic, hence the need for an English translation which is contemporary and avoids the archaic style of Biblical English.
The second point we want to mention is that we need our readers’ financial support. We operate with very limited resources. This has prevented us from completing this vital project on time. Normally, such projects are sponsored by a government or some well-established organization, such as an endowment.
Given the current state of the Ummah, this is not feasible. Besides, the message being communicated through The Ascendant Qur’an is such that no government would sponsor it. They are part of the problem, not the solution.
In order to support the tafsir project, a Waqf has been established. Contributions can be made to TAQ Waqf Inc. The account under the same name has been set up.
Any contributions made toward this effort would be your Sadaqa-e Jariya. Allah has told us that giving in the month of Ramadan is multiplied many times over.
We urge our readers and supporters to please consider donating to this worthy cause so that it can be brought to fruition.
For information on how to make contributions, please contact us at: zafar.crescent@gmail.com
The English only version of the translation of The Ascendant Qur’an was launched in South Africa last month. All available copies were sol...
