Title of the Sermon: The Greatness of the Glorious Qur’an
Elements of the Sermon:
Allah’s Exaltation of the Qur’an.
The Aspects of the Qur’an’s Greatness.
How Do We Exalt the Qur’an?
All praise be to Allah, who sent down the great Qur’an without any deviation—a sound, clear explanation for every matter, a mercy and a guidance. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him, his family, and his companions.
Thereafter, fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with true piety and be ever mindful of Him in private and in secret, as He has enjoined:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.” [Ᾱlu ‘Imrān:102]
O servants of Allah,
While the devils were stealthily intercepting news from the heavens, suddenly the heavens were filled with powerful guards and shooting stars. They then exclaimed, “A mystery now stands between us and the news of the heavens! The shooting stars have been dispatched upon us!”
And they continued, “There is nothing between you and the news of the heavens except an occurrence that has taken place. So, strike at the east and the west of the earth, and see what it is that now separates you from the news of the heavens.”
Then they passed by the Prophet (r) as he was leading the Fajr prayer with his companions. When they heard the Qur’an, they listened intently and said, “By Allah, this is what now stands between you and the news of the heavens!”
They then returned to their people and declared.
إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا * يَهْدِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِهِ وَلَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِرَبِّنَا أَحَدًا
“We have heard a wondrous Qur’an that guides to rectitude; we have believed in it and shall not ascribe any partner to our Lord.” [al-Jinn: 1 - 2](Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Truly, it is the great Qur’an—so named by Allah Himself, with which He spoke. He said, expressing His gratitude to His Messenger (r):
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ سَبْعًا مِنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنَ الْعَظِيمَ
“And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven often-repeated [verses] and the great Qur’an.” [Al-Hijr: 87]
Allah has exalted its status and station, magnified its dignity and clarity. He said:
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ * وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ
“Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand, and indeed, it is, in the Mother of the Book, among Us, exalted and wise.” [Al-Zukhruf: 3–4]
And He also declared:
بَلْ هُوَ قُرْآنٌ مَجِيدٌ
“But it is a glorious Qur’an.” [Al-Burūj: 21]
It is a Book that water cannot wash away, safeguarded by the protection of the Lord of the earth and the heavens; the hands of the corrupters shall never prevail over it, nor shall the lies of false claimants affect it. Allah has taken upon Himself its preservation, as He said:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian.” [Al-Hijr: 9]
And He promised His Prophet (r) accordingly, saying to him: “I have revealed to you a Book that is not affected by water—you recite it whether you are asleep or awake.” (Narrated by Muslim)
It stands dominant over all books that preceded it, and it is the greatest of Allah’s books. It was revealed with the mightiest of His angels, upon the best of His messengers, in the most eloquent and clear language, for the best nation brought forth for mankind.
The true greatness of the Qur’an is known only to Allah, the Most Great. Can a person ever truly grasp the greatness of his Lord and Master? If this Qur’an were to descend upon the mountains, you would see them humbled and fractured; and when hearts hear it, they would fall in prostration in deep humility.
O servants of Allah,
Today we stand in awe of the majesty and greatness of the Qur’an so that in our souls its value may be exalted and our hearts be filled with its station and dignity.
Among its greatness is the multitude of its names and attributes. It is the Great Qur’an, the Glorious Qur’an, the Wise Qur’an, the Noble Qur’an, the Clear Qur’an, the Mighty Book, the Criterion, and the Wise Reminder. Allah described it as the best of speech and characterized it with truth, sincerity, conclusive proof, light, spirit, healing, blessing, and admonition—attributes which it carries in perfect completeness.
Another facet of its greatness is that Allah attributed its revelation to His beautiful names and exalted attributes, for it embodies the qualities of His perfection, majesty, and beauty. He said:
وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“And indeed, it is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds.”
[Al-Shu’ara: 192]
He also said:
تَنْزِيلَ الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ
“The revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful.”
[Yā Sīn:5]
And:
تَنْزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
“The revelation of the Book from Allah, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.”
[Ghāfir: 2]
And:
تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ
“A revelation from a Wise, Praiseworthy One.”
— [Fussilat: 42]
Thus, this glorious Qur’an was revealed through the Lordship, majesty, knowledge, authority, and mercy of Allah—so all praise is due to Him for what He has sent down.
Moreover, among its greatness is the tremendous virtue bestowed upon it. Allah has ordained an immense reward for its recitation, its listening, its learning, its teaching, and its memorization. Every letter of it earns the reciter ten good deeds. The Prophet (r) said: “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will receive one good deed; and one good deed is multiplied by ten. I do not say ‘Alif’ is a letter, but rather Alif, Lam, Meem are letters.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi)
And the one who preserves the Qur’an and acts upon it will be placed in the highest ranks of Paradise. The Prophet (r) said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: ‘Recite, and ascend, and recite as you used to recite in the world, for your station will be with the last verse you recite.’” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
The Prophet (r) also declared that the best of the Muslims are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it, saying: “The best of you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari)
Furthermore, the people of the Qur’an are the people of Allah and His chosen ones. The Prophet (r) said: “Indeed, Allah has preferred some of the people over others.”
When asked, “O Messenger of Allah, who are they?” he replied:
“They are the people of the Qur’an, the people of Allah and His chosen ones.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah)
Another aspect of the Qur’an’s greatness is its challenge. Allah made the Qur’an the eternal sign of the Prophet (r), challenging both mankind and the jinn to produce something like it—be it one chapter, ten chapters, or even a single chapter like it—and they will never succeed. He said:
قُلْ لَئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا
“Say, if mankind and the jinn gathered to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they helped one another.” [Al-Isrā: 88]
And He further challenges:
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُوا مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ * فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أُنْزِلَ بِعِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَأَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“Or do they say, ‘He has fabricated it?’ Say, ‘Then bring forth ten surahs like it, fabricated, and call upon whomever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.’ If they do not respond, then know that it has been revealed by the knowledge of Allah, and that there is no deity except Him. So, are you in submission?” [Hūd: 13–14]
He also said:
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
“Or do they say, ‘He has fabricated it?’ Say, ‘Then bring a chapter like it, and call upon whomever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.’” [Yūnus:38]
Furthermore, the greatness of the Qur’an is evident in its meanings and objectives. Allah made it a source of light and guidance so that one of its chief purposes is to manifest to creation the evidence of their Lord. In its verses, He explains His glorified names, attributes, and actions; it corrects erroneous beliefs, nullifies falsehood, establishes proofs of His Oneness, His Divinity, and of the Resurrection after death; and it describes the Hereafter and its terrors as if they were visible, with verses that speak to the intellect, the soul, and the innate disposition.
It communicates to mankind their origin, the history of their existence, their attributes, and the purpose for which they were created. It explains the nature of servitude in the clearest terms, directs the servants to the straight path by outlining its landmarks, and reveals the ways, allies, routes, and schemes of Satan, as well as the means of salvation from his temptations.
It recounts the stories of Allah’s prophets and their messages—from Adam to His Seal, Muhammad (r) and all his predecessors—informing them of their call to monotheism, their mission of conveying the message and enacting reform, their path, patience, and struggle; it relates the histories of those who came before in the most beautiful and truthful manner, full of lessons and reflections.
The Qur’an legislated the divine laws and established the rulings by which religion and this world are perfected. It details the acts of worship—from purification, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to pilgrimage and striving in Allah’s cause—and even addresses transactions such as sales, leasing, and pledging. In its longest verse, Allah explains the rulings concerning debts.
In its pages, Allah sets forth a comprehensive societal system that ensures the welfare of the family and society. It provides detailed rulings on marriage, divorce, maintenance, breastfeeding, inheritance, and wills; it instructs each spouse concerning his partner and child, advises society to work for the well-being and protection of the family institution, enjoins children to respect their parents, and safeguards the rights of the vulnerable—orphans, the sick, and women—by legislating measures to protect their rights and prevent harm.
It establishes the foundations of politics and economics, lays down the principles of war and peace, explains the basis of governance and justice among people, and enacts the limits and punishments without bias or excess.
It distinguishes between what is lawful and unlawful, clarifies the pure from the impure, and explains the underlying reasons and sound wisdom.
It teaches a person how to purify his soul from its impurities and cleanse his spirit from its ailments and defects; it informs him of his servitude to his Lord in both prosperity and adversity, and instructs him on how to deal justly and mercifully with others—thereby clarifying his rights and obligations toward all of creation, his parents, relatives, and even those who oppose him.
It disciplines the servants of Allah with the highest and most refined etiquette, teaching them the manners of the home, of gatherings, and of conversation. In it, you find verses about seeking permission and privacy, verses that refine actions and words, that educate the ears and eyes, and that regulate one’s steps and tone.
Moreover, the completeness of its meanings has come in the most perfect, clear, and beautiful words—the most elegant and sweetest style—in a clear Arabic language, free of any defect or error, to which falsehood, deception, or imperfection can never intrude.
May Allah bless me and you in the great Qur’an, and benefit us with its verses and wise reminders. I ask Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you—so seek His forgiveness, for indeed He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.
The Prophet (r) said: “Among the signs of Allah’s majesty is the honoring of the Muslim with grey hair, the one who carries the Qur’an without being haughty or aloof from it, and the honoring of the just ruler.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
Verily, one way to exalt Allah is by exalting the Qur’an and all that is connected with it; its facets of greatness are innumerable.
Exalting the Qur’an is achieved by believing in it, affirming its revelations, and accepting its perfection and completeness—acknowledging that it is free from any deficiency, discrepancy, or confusion; by believing in its comprehensive nature, universality, and sufficiency; by complete submission to its rulings and laws and resorting to it in all matters without the slightest hesitation or objection; by giving it precedence over every opinion; and by never distorting its meanings, denying its verses, contradicting parts of it against one another, or trying to subordinate it to any human theory.
To exalt the Qur’an is also to make it the very way of life—the path to salvation, the reference for all thought, and the foundation of our values.
Exalting the Qur’an further means engaging with it in the purest, most beautiful manner. The Muslim should perfect its recitation, master its rules of pronunciation, learn its interpretation and legal rulings, and ponder over its verses—speaking of it only with true knowledge and clarity. When one hears it, one listens intently; when it is mentioned, one does not overlook it.
Exalting the Qur’an also involves advising others about it, calling others to it, acting upon it, defending it, purifying one’s soul by it, and raising one’s children on its principles.
In this “month of the Qur’an” it is incumbent upon us to make these days and nights the starting point of our lives with the Qur’an—to listen to it and recite it as it deserves, to observe its rulings and act upon them—so that we may become among the people of the Qur’an, who will intercede for them on the Day of Judgment with the Sovereign of all dominion.
O Allah, make the Qur’an the spring of our hearts, the light of our bosoms, the remover of our sorrows, and the dispeller of our worries. O Allah, make us among those who truly exalt the Qur’an, who uphold its letters, reflect upon its meanings, preserve its boundaries, act upon it, and recite it in the manner prescribed.
O Allah, bless us in Ramadan and help us perfect our prayers, fasting, and recitation of the Qur’an; and accept from us, O Most Merciful.
O Allah, support Islam and exalt the Muslims; destroy the criminal Jews, and save Your oppressed servants.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands, reform our leaders and those in charge of our affairs, and let our allegiance be with those who fear You, are conscious of You, and follow Your pleasure.
Our Lord, grant us goodness in this world and goodness in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
May Allah make the Qur’an the spring of our hearts, the light of our bosoms, the remover of our sorrows, and the dispeller of our worries. May He make us among those who truly exalt the Qur’an, recite its letters with perfection, reflect upon its meanings, preserve its limits, act upon its teachings, and recite it in the proper manner.
O Allah, bless us in Ramadan; assist us in prayer, fasting, and the recitation of the Qur’an; and accept from us, O Most Merciful.
O Allah, support Islam and exalt the Muslims; destroy the criminal Jews and save Your oppressed servants.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands, reform our leaders and the governors of our affairs, and make our allegiance with those who fear You, are mindful of You, and follow Your pleasure.
Our Lord, grant us goodness in this world and goodness in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
