Gratitude Journal - Khatam Qur'an

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 I cannot thank Allah enough, I just finished studying the Tafseer of the entire Qur'an for the third time. To be honest, Qur'an isn't something that I can ever "finish" reading. Even if it consumed my entire lifetime, I will still not be 'done' studying the Qur'an. 

'Finishing' the Qur'an was a pregnancy resolution. I wanted to read the entire Qur'an as some one-time task to check off on my to-do list before the baby was born. Now I am convinced that reading the Qur'an inshaAllah needs to become a daily spiritual discipline in my baby's and my life. 

Without studying the meaning, our understanding of Quran is like a collage of little pictures glued together on a poster board. We know bits and pieces of the Quran and a lot of Quran stories, but we don't know how everything fits together. We don't know a lot of the context behind the content of the Qur'an. 

Alhamdulillah Allah guided me to undertake a six month journey through the Qur'an. I opened the Qur'an to Surah Baqarah in Ramadan, under the tutelage of Ustadh Nouman and began to listen to his tafseer reflections everyday. Averaging a few verses a day, I walked with Ibrahim in the deserts of ancient Mesopotamia and sailed along with Nuh (a.s) as he waited for the promised land. I observed the brutality of Pharaoah and climbed the mount Tur with Musa (a.s). I witnessed Allah's displeasure and disapproval of oppression and injustice and rape and infanticide and the idolatry which led to it all. Verse after verse, I saw the suffering, sin always brings and Allah’s continual, tender call to His people: “Come to Me. Make Me your refuge. Give your hearts to Me and no other. Turn from your sin and suffering and come to Me.” I concluded that the Qur'an isn't a rule book; it was a love story between me and my Rabb (Master).

Even now, Allah who called Adam (a.s) and the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), is calling me to Himself through His Surahs. His love for me pulses through every point of time and pursues me right now—even through the modern day technology of this blog! Every time I open the Quran and read Allah's Words, I realize that:

1.  Allah's is closer to me than my heartbeat. 

2. Allah is in control and no one in all of history has ever thwarted His Plan. Allah's plan for His believing servants is always good and I can trust that Allah will bless me with goodness during and after every difficulty. Nothing can derail His blessings from me. Also that Allah keeps His promises, always. 

3. Allah's concern for me is steadfast and it presents itself as a constant theme in theme Qur'an. Allah is absolutely undeterred in His mission to save me from suffering caused by sins. His punishment comes from a place of deep grief and with the intent of rehabilitation, not revenge.  

4. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), along with all the other prophets and messengers, are the real heroes of this world's history. From the beginning of time Allah has sent us heroes who will guide us to our highest potential as human beings and back to Himself. 

I am so grateful to Allah alhamdulilah for giving me the opportunity to study the Tafseer again. Quran is the foundation of all learning, a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development,