Seventh Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1444 A.H.

Seventh Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1444 A.H.

How can we comprehend the greatness of the Holy Quran? And how should our relationship be with it?

I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah, confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

O Allah, guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are All-Hearing, All-Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {'Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind and as clear proofs of guidance and criterion'}. One of the merits that distinguishes the month of Ramadan from other months is that it is the month in which Allah sent down His holy book (the Great Quran), and this indicates the greatness and virtue of this month as the month that witnessed the first revelation of the Holy Quran and also shows the close connection between the Holy Quran and the obligation of fasting in terms of its goal to promote Taqwa and the essential role this connection plays in attaining Taqwa.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says about the Holy Quran, {'a guidance for the muttaqin '}. In addition to raising people on willpower, determination, patience, endurance, and commitment, there is a source of guidance that the muttaqin keep close to, move and act according to, and follow in their positions, actions, and journey in life: It is the Holy Quran. Thus, they attain Taqwa in everything it entails:

protection from the punishment of Allah, the Most High,
protection from the consequences of evil deeds and their negative effects in real life, and so on.

The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Night of Qadr takes place, which is specifically the night when the Quran was first revealed, as Allah, the Most High, said, {'Indeed, We sent this down on the night of Qadr . And what will make you realize what the night of Qadr is? The night of Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is till the rising of dawn'}. It is a night of great importance, linked to divine planning for the detailed affairs of the servants of Allah in the coming year. Therefore, this makes it clear to us the kind of relationship the Holy Quran has with our lives and the management of our affairs and how it is part of the plan of Allah (Glory be to Him) for the affairs of His servants, as He (the Most High) said, {'Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn . On that night is made distinct every precise matter, as a Command from Us. Indeed, We were to send '}. The Holy Quran was first revealed on the Night of Qadr as mercy from Allah (Glory be to Him) towards His servants, guidance for them, salvation, and a clear sign pointing them towards the path to their salvation, success, prosperity, and happiness in this life and the Hereafter. It is indeed a blessing from Allah, the Almighty.

How can we comprehend the greatness of the Holy Quran? And how should we relate to it?

The Holy Quran is a great book. The first thing that draws our attention to its greatness and signifies its importance Is that it is the book of Allah (Glory be to Him): It is from His knowledge, wisdom, and mercy. It is not a book written by a person from here or there, nor even one of the prophets, nor even one of the angels, but it is indeed from Allah (Glory be to Him). He (Glory be to Him) draws our attention to this in the Holy Quran in order to highlight its importance and magnificence: He says to His Prophet (PBUH&F), {'Indeed, it is We Who have revealed the Quran to you in stages'}.. It is from Allah (Glory be to Him), Who revealed it to His servant, Messenger, and Seal of the Prophets: Muhammad (PBUH&F). Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the high heavens'}.. Therefore, if we want to grasp, even to some extent, the greatness of the Quran and its important and grand status, we must remember that it is from Allah (Glory be to Him), the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the King and Lord of mankind, the Owner of all that in the earth and the heavens, the Creator of this vast universe with all its stars, planets, and worlds. It is from Allah (Glory be to Him), the Mighty and Majestic, the Lord and God, Who created all of this world and created all of us and to Whom is our destiny. The Quran is His book, His words, His verses, and His guidance to His servants. Whenever we remember the greatness of Allah (Glory be to Him) and the manifestations of His greatness in this vast and broad world, we realize the greatness and importance of the Holy Quran.

The Holy Quran is also linked to Allah's management of affairs. In addition to being His guidance, light, knowledge, wisdom, and mercy to His servants, the Holy Quran serves as a connection between us and Allah (Glory be to Him).

Our relationship with the Holy Quran and the way we follow in dealing with it are what determines how Allah deals with us in terms of what He writes for or against us. Therefore, it is connected to Allah's management of His servants' affairs and His dominance. Indeed, it is connected to His dominance and how He arranges the affairs of His servants. This is emphasized in the Holy Quran, as Allah (Glory be to Him) says to clarify this truth:

{'Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer. And whoever turns away from My Reminder will certainly have a miserable life, and We will raise him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He will say, "My Lord, why have you raised me blind, although I used to see?" Allah will respond, "It is so, just as Our revelations came to you and you neglected them, so Today you are neglected"'}.

Allah (Glory be to Him) said to His Prophet (PBUH&F), {'And We have certainly granted you a Reminder from Us. Whoever turns away from it will surely bear the burden on the Day of Resurrection, suffering its consequences forever. What an evil burden they will carry on the Resurrection Day!'}.

Your destiny in this life and the Hereafter, your salvation and success, and your loss and punishment are all affected by your attitude towards this book (the Holy Quran) and your relationship with it, for it is connected to Allah's management and the requital in both directions. The greatness of the Holy Quran also lies in the guidance and light it contains for the servants of Allah (Glory be to Him), as He called it, {'as clear proofs of guidance and criterion'}: It directs us, guides us, enlightens us, and points out to us the path of goodness, truth, and wisdom—the path that leads to our success, salvation, wellbeing, and true benefit and good, as well as the wellbeing of our lives. It guides us to all of that. We look at it with full confidence and certainty because it is a book of guidance and truth. There is no error or misguidance in what it guides or commands us to, since all that in it is based on truth: {'It cannot be proven false from any angle. a revelation from the All-Wise, Praiseworthy'}. Its guidance is a true guidance because it is from Allah (Glory be to Him), as He said, {'Say, , "It has been revealed by He Who knows secret within the heavens and the earth. Indeed, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful"'}.

Allah (Glory be to Him) knows everything, as He is {'the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed'}. His knowledge encompasses everything, and nothing can be hidden from Him. Therefore, when He guides people in the Holy Quran, He guides with knowledge and knows everything, as He said, {'And He has knowledge of everything'}. He knows everything in this world, everything that is hidden from us, and the unseen and the seen, and He encompasses everything with His knowledge. He guides with knowledge, and He also guides as the One Who plans the affairs of the heavens and the earth and the affairs of all His servants. He is the One Who established the laws of this life and the kind of consequences and effects of behaviours, actions, and attitudes, in this life. He is the One Who arranges the affairs of life in general.

Therefore, Allah (Glory be to Him) guides with knowledge and guides as the One Who manages the affairs of this world. He intervenes in the affairs of this world, and He is the Living, the Ever Watchful. The Holy Quran is His book, and He is the Owner, the Planner, and the Dominant over this world. That is why the Holy Quran contains numerous promises and warnings that are connected to our reality, our life circumstances, and our relationship with the book of Allah (Glory be to Him).

The Holy Quran: the supreme everlasting miracle!

One of the greatest merits of the Holy Quran is that it is the eternal and greatest miracle of our Prophet (PBUH&F) that testifies to the authenticity of his prophethood and his message as a messenger sent by Allah to all people. It is the greatest miracle, and Allah has made it an eternal miracle: Unlike some miracles that their mention and effect were limited to their time of occurrence, the Holy Quran is enduring in itself, enduring over generations and until the Day of Resurrection. It is the eternal miracle, the greatest evidence of the prophethood of the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of Messengers (PBUH&F).

The Holy Quran is of great importance in Its miraculous nature, which also related to the aspect of guiding people. Its miraculous nature is in itself a guidance for people to the path of truth, and that is why Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Say, "If all the humans and jinns join together to produce anything like this Quran, they will not come up with anything like it, even if they assist one another"'}. In addition, its miraculousness is related to the perfection of this book, its wide guidance, and its precision, as well as its light, guidance, and vast knowledge that are beyond our imagination. This is expressed in the Holy Quran, as Allah (the Most High) said, {'Say, "If the ocean were to be ink for writing the Words of my Lord, the ocean would have been consumed before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, even though we were to bring another ocean like it in addition"'}.

It is also the content of the Divine Message, and it contains the essence of the divine books, which is why it is dominant over all divine books that preceded it. Indeed, it confirms and dominates the books of Allah that preceded it, and it has remained preserved and protected in its text for all generations. This is also another aspect of its miraculous nature, as Allah (Glory be to Him) has said, {'It is certainly We who have sent down the Dhikr , and We will certainly preserve it'}: Allah has preserved its text, protecting it from distortion and allowing it to pass down from one generation to another, and He has preserved it in existence to remain present among human society and Muslims, generation after generation. This is a great blessing and a wonderful miracle, and it has to do with its great miraclousness, because there is a fierce war against the Holy Quran since the beginning of its revelation that even involves pushing people to disbelieve in it and warning them even against hearing it: {'The disbelievers said, "Do not listen to this Quran but drown it out so that you may prevail"'}. There is a very fierce war waged against what it guides to, what it indicates, and what it calls for—a very fierce war. However, it continues to exist, causing great frustration for those who oppose it. That is because the people of falsehood, the people of misguidance, and all the groups of disbelief see it as their greatest problem. They have been unable to nullify it or eliminate its impact in reality. Rather, its impact in generations, its light, and its blessings all continue to exist among generations! They are weak in fighting it, although they fight it with all intensity and they are extremely annoyed by it.

The Holy Quran is of great importance and significance. Allah (Glory be to Him) clarifies its importance, sanctity, and lofty status even among the angels. {'It is in scripts that are honoured, exalted, and purified, by the hands of those angel-scribes who are honoured and righteous'}. It enjoys great sanctity and status even among the angels, who are most knowledgeable of its sanctity and significance and who hold it in the highest esteem and appreciation.

Therefore, it is the concern of the believer as he reads the Quran to learn more and more about the greatness, importance, sanctity, and loftiness the Quran's and to learn that it is the holiest of sanctities on this earth. This establishes a close connection and a strong relationship between the believer and the Holy Quran.

The Quran is the book of guidance, light, and immunity from misguidance.

The Holy Quran, in addition to its significance and greatness with all those considerations, is the book of guidance and light that we seek for guidance. It is what saves us from misguidance: There is no salvation for us from misguidance and loss except through the Holy Quran, for without it and its guidance and light, humans will be filled with misguidance, as misguidance exists on a wide scale and there are many entities that promote and spread misguidance, targeting everything, including religious concepts, awareness, people's perspectives towards this life, and attitudes.

Many are those who promote misguidance and seek to spread it and persuade others to follow it so that they could dominate people and bring them under their control after dominating them intellectually and culturally and in their visions and concepts.

The Holy Quran is a book of guidance, which guides us to what is right and consistent with truth, our good, success, wellbeing, triumph, salvation, and happiness. It also protects us from misguidance. Being a book of guidance is of the most important roles of the Holy Quran: {'guidance for people'}. People need to follow its guidance. Otherwise—if they do not follow its guidance—the alternative is misguidance with all its bad effects in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.

In Jahannam, the key and most prominent factor that got people to Jahannam is misguidance. As they are in the Fire, they denounce misguidance and those who misguided them: They say, {'Our Lord, show us the two, out of the Jinns and the humans, who led us astray and we will put both of them under our feet, so that they become among the lowest'}.

The Holy Quran is the light: Allah (Gory be to Him) has said, {'There has come to you light and disclosing book'}. He also told His Prophet (PBUH&F) about it, saying, {'This is a book We have sent down to you, that you may take the people out of (all sorts of) darkness into the light with the will of their Lord to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy'}.

Anything that replaces or contradicts the Holy Quran is nothing but darkness and dark thoughts that obscure a person from knowing rightness, truth, and the path to salvation and success (the Straight Path) that leads to the great ends and goals through which a person succeeds, wins, and gets to salvation in this world and in the Hereafter. Indeed, the alternative to it is darkness and the people of darkness, misguidance, and falsehood. Such people seek to keep others away from the guidance and light of the Holy Quran and to influence them with concepts, visions, convictions, beliefs, perceptions, attitudes, and other things that contrast with the Holy Quran. They also try to lead them in this life away from the Holy Quran so that their relationship with it remains limited to reading and recitation without seeking to follow its guidance, adhere to it and its teachings, and follow its light.

Taqwa cannot be attained except by adhering to the Quran, following its guidance, acting according to it, and sticking to it in the march of life: Allah (Glory be to Him) says about the Holy Quran, {'a guidance for the muttaqin '}. They are guided by it, so their beliefs, thoughts, convictions, attitudes, positions, and perceptions are all based on the Holy Quran, which is their reference in all of that. This is the reality of the muttaqin, as their connection to the Quran, their relationship with it, and their adherence to it reach this level: the level of following its guidance, illuminating their path with its light, returning to it, and educating themselves with its knowledge. They are Quranic in their convictions, concepts, and beliefs, and their connection to the Holy Quran is a strong bond.

The Holy Quran and its significant spiritual impact

The educational impact of the Holy Quran is a great blessing that has no equal at all. One needs to purify himself: A person is exposed to many effects that affect his soul, purification, morals, spiritual growth, and humanity, so he is in urgent need of what helps him purify his soul, to achieve spiritual and moral elevation, and to cleanse his soul. Therefore, Allah (Glory be to Him) has made the Holy Quran, as He has said, healing. Indeed, it is healing: {'We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers'}. It has a great impact that purifies the soul and heals the heart of all negative issues that affect one's humanity, morals, spiritual growth, soul, conscience, and feelings. Indeed, it can make you get rid of all negative effects that badly affect your morals, psyche, and soul. This is of the most important things we need and of the most important things we benefit from the Holy Quran. The healing in the Quran is that it heals you from doubt, all kinds of sickness, and negative influences that the Holy Quran names sickness, as they drag a person away from his spiritual and moral health and safety. Indeed, they affect one's psyche negatively, but the Holy Quran is sent down {'as a healing and mercy for the believers'}.

The Holy Quran greatly influences our relationship with Allah (Glory be to Him) and is incomparable in that. Nothing can improve our relationship of faith with Allah as the Holy Quran: Allah says about it, {'Had We sent this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect'}, and He also says, {'Allah has sent down the best statement, a book, its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it . Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah'}.

It has a great spiritual and emotional impact that makes one feel humble and close to Allah and helps him enjoy spiritual growth: The soul rises above the negative influences and attitudes, and one feels the value of the faith-based relationship with Allah and finds comfort and tranquility with Him, the Almighty. Allah says in the Holy Quran, {'Those who believe, and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace'}. The Holy Quran is the first and greatest thing when it comes to remembering Allah, since it leaves this impression of reassurance in one's heart and feelings. Therefore, he moves about and performs his responsibility in this life while being self-reassured, truly reassured of what he sticks to. He moves steadily with confidence, psychologically reassured in his feelings and conscience. He does not experience a state of constant confusion, hesitation, anxiety, or stress; rather, he feels satisfied with his position as well as attitudes, reassured of what he sticks to, and confident about and content with what he presents and does and what path he takes—he is comfortable about that. And Allah makes him enjoy the feeling of being close to Him and sticking to the right position, as well as having intimacy even with the Holy Quran itself, the reminder itself.

This emotional state of being humble before Allah with regard to the relationship with the Holy Quran that the believer reach when his relationship with the Quran gets stronger—a state that reaches the extent that the skin shivers due to fear of Allah as well as being affected by Allah's verses in the Holy Quran, as Allah says, {'The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it . Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah'}—is a very impressive state. If he marches in his life having this humble-to-Allah and reassured spirit that lives the state of finding comfort with Allah, he will move in his life with full strength, confidence, and steadiness. He will move even in the face of the most difficult circumstances, the hardest times, and the greatest challenges while finding comfort with Allah (Glory be to Him). This is of paramount importance.

This is how our relationship with the Holy Quran should be.

The Holy Quran is a book of guidance, the content of the Divine Message, the foundation of salvation, "abalahs, and triumph, and what is essential for attaining Taqwa, so how should our relationship become with it? It should be a faith-based relationship that reflects our faith in it as a book from Allah (Glory be to Him), our faith in what it means for us and the results of that, and our faith in its greatness, its significance, its sanctity, and what Allah has said about it. Then comes the practical level. At the practical level, we should give great attention to reciting the Holy Quran. First, attention should be given to reading and learning the Holy Quran. If one is not proficient at reading the Holy Quran, he should seek to be proficient at reading it, even if he is old. Learning the Quran is not limited only to children and boys, but it is for all. That is, one should learn the Quran even if he is old or has reached or exceeded the stage of youth. Seeking to be proficient at reading the Holy Quran should be part of one's priorities; then he should be interested in reciting it.

Usually, one of the most important acts of worship in the month of Ramadan is taking care of reciting the Holy Quran. Ramadan is the springtime of the Quran, which is the springtime for hearts. We should seize the opportunity because usually one becomes more affected by the Holy Quran in this month. This is noticeable: One can notice that the Quran has more effect on him in Ramadan than in other months as it is a great opportunity for reciting the Quran, listening to it, and meditating on its verses, as well as paying attention to its knowledge, reminding others and oneself of it—this is a very important matter. In addition, reciting the Holy Quran (either reading or listening to its recitation) should be made a priority in one's life. It should become part of his daily interests. One should make sure not to let a day pass without reading or listening to the Quran attentively and devotedly. This is a very important matter and essential for one to be guided with the Quran, feel the effect of the Quran, purify his soul, maintain a faith-based spirit, draw closer to Allah, and remember Allah (Glory be to Him).

This is why Allah has made reciting the Quran of the most important parts and an obligatory part in Salat: reciting Surah Al-Fatihah along with other surahs. Indeed, Allah has made reciting the Quran an obligatory part, without which Salat is not accepted. It is made obligatory so that one may not completely neglect or turn away from the Holy Quran; that part remains obligatory in Salat. However, whether in Salat or outside Salat, one should pay attention to the Holy Quran. Therefore, Allah said, {'So recite as much of the Quran as is easy for you'}; {'So when the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent that you may receive mercy'}. He also said, {'Verily, those who recite the book of Allah and perform Salat and spend out of what We have provided for them secretly and openly, hope for a trade that will never fail'}.

The recitation of the Holy Quran Isn't only important for us to follow its guidance, to preserve faith-based spirituality, to purify ourselves, or to heal ourselves from our ill feelings and negative influences, but it is also a great deed that draws you closer to Allah. He (Glory be to Him) gives a great reward for the recitation of the Quran, and that is why Allah says that they {'hope for a trade that will never fail'}. He here clarifies the merit and importance of reciting the Holy Quran and the consequent great reward for that. Therefore, it is of the greatest deeds that draw one closer to Allah (Glory be to Him), and the reward for its recitation is great and big. Clarifying this, Imam Ali (PBUH), the Commander of the Believers, said, 'Nothing like the Quran can draw one close to Allah': It is a very great deed that leads you to be closer to Allah by reciting the Quran, following its guidance, and sticking to it. If one neglects the recitation of the Holy Quran and doesn't seek to have a strong connection to the Holy Quran through reciting and listening to it, there is no way he won't be negatively affected. Indeed, he will be negatively affected in his psyche and in his feelings and conscience, even at the level of his convictions, thoughts, and so on.

The necessity of reflection and directing oneself towards obedience and good deeds

In addition to reciting the Quran, one should be keen to meditate on the Holy Quran, not be from those who read the Holy Quran while they are headless and completely mind wandering, don't pay attention to what they read and recite, and don't know what they recite. One must try and seek to focus while reciting the Holy Quran and seek the help of Allah to achieve that. If one is accustomed to reading the Holy Quran while he is in a mind-wandering state, it will become a habit: When he reads the Holy Quran, his mind will be busy with other things and preoccupied with other interests, thoughts, and preoccupations. And this is a serious state for the person, as it makes him unable to benefit from the Quran, for the benefit of the Quran is great even from the apparent meaning of the verses, not just from its deep meaning. A person benefit when reciting the Holy Quran with focus. This helps him understand and know a lot of things and benefit from the blessed verses: Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {' a blessed book which We have revealed to you so that they may contemplate its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded'}.

Then, we have to get ourselves to follow the Quran. In fact, our responsibility towards the Holy Quran is to follow it at the level of what we do and the level of the positions and attitudes we take in our life—we should adhere to the Quran. Allah (Glory be to Him) said about it, {'This is a blessed book We have revealed. So follow it and attain Taqwa so you may be shown mercy'}. That is, to attain Allah's mercy (Glory be to Him) and save ourselves from His torment, we must follow the Holy Quran. In the reckoning and judgment ground, Allah will call us to account and reward us based on our relationship with His book: {'Were not My verses recited to you and you used to deny them?'}. Therefore, it will be a proof that Allah uses against us on the Day of Resurrection—His verses, His guidance, His book. So we must be keen to follow the Holy Quran, to strive for that, and to practically commit to it.

It is a great and blessed book: It is blessed in its light, guidance, and marvelous, vast knowledge and sciences. It is blessed in its spiritual effects in life, and its blessings are seen in the results of following it and what a person can get when following it and adhering to it—Allah's care, help, support, assistance, and great, vast blessings.

We should also realize the consequences of turning away from the Holy Quran. It is really a very serious matter in this life and the Hereafter: In this life, it leads to misery, hardship, and great suffering at the practical and psychological levels; as for the consequences in the Hereafter, it leads to the Fire, the Fire of Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah).

That is why Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Indeed, we have given you from Us a Reminder. Whoever turns away from it will bear a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection, suffering its consequences forever. And evil indeed will it be that load for them on the Day of Resurrection'}. If you are raised and gathered on the Day of Resurrection while you were among those who turned away from the Holy Quran—you did not turn to it, seek its guidance, or follow it; and you had other alternatives that you turned to, occupied yourself with, and were deceived by, even though they were in the opposite direction of the Holy Quran and made you deviate from it—it is a very serious state: Your burden will be so heavy and bad that it will bring you down to the bottom of Jahannam. There is no salvation or triumph in store for you. This is a very serious state.

The serious consequences of turning away from the Holy Quran

The burden of turning away from the Quran leads to very serious consequences upon the person:

At the general level, when his orientation is completely far from the Quran—that is, his life's journey is not based on guidance from the Quran, adhering to it, following it, educating oneself with the knowledge of the Quran, and moving based on it. In general, he completely ignores the matter of seeking guidance from the Quran, and this is a very serious state for a person, a state of loss and a destructive direction that leads him to the fire of Jahannam. There is no alternative path to the path of the Holy Quran, the path that can lead you to Jannah and to the pleasure of Allah, the Almighty.
At the detailed and practical level, when it comes to positions and actions one sticks to, turning away from the Quran and paying no attention to it in any of these positions and actions, this reflects a very serious state. When one—even though being reminded of the verses of Allah regarding a specific issue, position, or action—does not respond, remember, accept to change course, or reconsider his position based on what the Quran has guided to and rather persists in acting according to his own inclinations, desires, and whims, this is a very dangerous state.

That is why Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth?'}. This is a very serious state for a person. In any matter, issue, or problem, in what you face in your march of life (whether those things related to your desires, lusts, or desires; things related to your irritation, rage, or anger; or things related to fears),

nothing should divert you from responding to Allah (Glory be to Him) and following His verses. Do not let psychological factors in moments of anger and emotional outbursts influence you and make you reject the verses of Allah that guide you in a specific issue, situation, or any particular matter. Do not let your desires and temptations sway you away from what Allah has commanded in His blessed verses. Similarly, do not let fears distract you from seeking guidance from the verses of Allah (Glory be to Him) and obeying His command.

One's destiny depends on his adherence to the Quran and his attentiveness to the verses of Allah and His guidance. In that lies goodness and success. When a person responds to Allah's commands and follows His guidance, he walks on the path of salvation, success, and triumph. On the Day of Resurrection, he will receive his book in his right hand and be among the winners and the successful.

The enemies of the Quran and their reality, and how should our position be towards them?

This has also to do with our position as an Islamic Ummah against the enemies of the Quran—particularly in these stages as we witness an offensive and continuous war that targets us as an Islamic Ummah in this great and sacred book. We see (even these days in Denmark, in European countries, and repeatedly in the Western world) cases of burning copies of the holy book in assemblages held by people who gather to videotape and document the burning of these copies.

Those crimes pose a danger for them and reflect the current reality that exist in the West (the Western world) and Europe: their manifest error; their deviation from the Divine Message; their denial of Allah (Glory be to Him) and His messengers and prophets; their rejection of divine laws and instructions; and their orientation towards atheism, apostasy, and corruption to the lowest level. They call for homosexuality, which is a crime of immorality!

Their societies suffer from spread of crimes, mischiefs, and forbidden acts; they affiliate with Shaytan and turn away from Allah's message and His messengers and prophets, under the leadership of the Jewish Zionist lobby, which adopts this state of deviation from Allah's way, message, messengers, and prophets. It pushes them to offend Allah, His prophets, messengers, and books and to launch war against His instructions, as well as seeking to drive them away from the innate human morals that distinguish mankind from the rest of animals. It aims to totally devoid them of humanity.

By doing so, it deceives and destroys them, and this automatically causes them a lot of problems and crises in their lives. When one contemplates their reality, he clearly sees that they are heading towards decline, degradation, and abyss. Their societies are immersed in escalating social problems and crises: Families are disintegrating, communities are falling apart, individuals grow up in an environment where they don't feel they are in a human habitat, in a nurturing human incubator. They live in a different, fragmented state, without care, tenderness, affection, or good upbringing.

As a result, this has negative effects on them. The statistics on crime prevalence among them are staggering, horrifying, and astonishing. Crimes are being recorded in large numbers in their communities every minute, various types of crimes!

The more they obscure the Divine Message in its principles, ethics, and teachings and deviate from innate human values, the more they become savage and degraded and lose their humanity. As a result, the rates and types of crimes increase in their reality. Additionally, this causes them the wrath and anger of Allah, along with divine punishments that come in various forms, which are vast and diverse. They continue to be afflicted by the consequences of their actions. The present reality bears witness to this, and their future will reveal it even more. Divine warning is a genuine threat that will inevitably be fulfilled, and there is no doubt in that.

As Muslims, we must take a position against their war on Islam and the Quran. Their hostility towards the Quran is a clear hostility towards Islam, which is our religion, and our religion should be more precious to us than anything else and the most important thing to us. We are nothing without our religion. Without the divine religion that Allah has honoured us with, without the Holy Quran, the content of the Divine Message that Allah has dignified us with and said about, {'And certainly this is a word of honour for you and your people, and you will be questioned'}. Without it, we are lost in this world and the Hereafter.

Our faith affiliation obliges us to be get angry when our religion is fought against, to be provoked when our sanctities are targeted, and to take a responsible position. The Islamic Ummah is capable of taking a position. Indeed, it is capable of taking positions that are not impossible, burdensome, harmful, or detrimental to it. However, at the same time, such positions could have a significant impact on those who oppose us. These positions include awareness-based mobilization, declaring our position, and boycotting goods.

Money is their idol and deity, so let us boycott their products.

When it comes to the West in general, including European countries, their true idol that they worship is money—money is their idol! They are a materialistic nation, immersed in materialism: The most important thing to them is material wealth, money. Their entire focus in life is directed towards money, and all their interests revolve around money. If the Islamic Ummah were to unite solely in this position by boycotting the goods of those countries that allow the desecration of the Quran and provide legal protection for it—if the Islamic Ummah (which is currently the largest market in the world since it is a consumer rather than a producer and since other nations greatly depend on it for consuming their goods) had taken action, it would have humbled those nations and forced them to stop and desist from such actions. This is where responsibility lies in taking the possible position.

The Ummah will be held accountable and questioned when it neglects what it is capable of doing within the framework of its responsibilities and duties and fails to take action. If the Muslims were unified at this level (a serious boycott and a firm and resolute decision in that regard), they would force those individuals to bend the knee. That is because they, as we mentioned before, worship money, their greatest idol, which they worship instead of Allah, turn to, and prioritize above everything else.

Of course, if the Islamic Ummah as a whole does not move in this direction, this does not mean that everyone can shirk responsibility and let the position of the majority determine what kind of position that should be taken. The right highly impactful position is that one in which all Muslims (comprising over fifty countries and more than a billion individuals) come together to boycott such goods, as Muslims are the largest market for such goods. This is the effective and influential position that undoubtedly would compel those people to completely prohibit the desecration of the Holy Quran and to respect this Ummah, look at it with respect, and avoid being inconsiderate towards its sanctities, inviolability, and religion, for this act reflects disrespect towards the Ummah, humiliates it, and shows disregard for it in its most sacred aspects, which are supposed to be the most important to it. Even so, it is the personal responsibility of each individual, and all those who possess awareness and a sense of responsibility, to take a position, even if no collective position is taken due to negligence, indifference, a shortcoming, lack of awareness, lack of faith, and lack of a sense of responsibility.

Muslims must take a position:

through words, expressing their anger, frustration;
by turning towards the Quran, giving it more attention, so that they see that the result is the Ummah's increasing devotion to the Quran, sanctifying it, and establishing a strong connection with the Holy Quran;
and then, at the level of boycotting goods, as there should be a firm and strong position in this regard.

The call should be inclusive and comprehensive for everyone. In practical execution, everyone should take a position and avoid falling into a state of negligence, carelessness, and irresponsibility. Everyone should express his faith, his Taqwa, his sense of responsibility, his commitment, and respect for his sanctities, since this matter, as we mentioned, involves mockery and disregard for this Ummah (May Allah help us).

During the month of Ramadan, one should, as we mentioned, pay more attention to the Holy Quran. Its educational impact, profound effect, tremendous blessings in the reality of individuals, their lives, and the reality of the society that embraces it and seeks guidance through it, are great. And it serves as a significant connection with Allah, the Almighty.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to guide us all with the Holy Quran and accept our fasting, nights of worship, and good deeds.

O Allah, have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are All-Hearing!

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings