What Is Meant by Ibn Mas’ud’s Statement That One Must “Activate the Quran”?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

What is meant by Ibn Mas‘ud’s statement that one must “activate the Quran”?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Merciful,

This statement, reported from Ibn Mas‘ud, comes in various wordings, including:

“Whoever wants the good of the first people and the last, let them activate the Quran, for in it is the good of the first people and the last.” [Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir]

“Whoever seeks knowledge, let them activate the Quran, for it is the best of the first people and the last.” “[Ibid]

“Whoever seeks knowledge, let them activate the Quran; for in it is the knowledge of the first people and the last.” [Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Kitab al-Zuhd]

“Whoever loves knowledge, let them activate the Quran, for in it is the knowledge of the first people and the last.” [Muahsibi, Fahm al-Quran]

Bayhaqi narrates: “Whoever seeks knowledge should turn to the Quran, for in it is the news of the first people and the last.” Then he said: Shu‘bah narrated from Abu Ishaq, saying: “Let them activate the Quran, for in it is the knowledge of the first people and the last.” [Shu‘ab al-Iman]

Another wording says: “If you seek knowledge, then stir up the Quran, for in it is the knowledge of the first and the last.” [Marwazi, Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl wa Qiyam Ramadan; Abu ‘Ubayd Qasim ibn Salam, Fada’il al-Quran]

“Activating” the Quran involves reading it, researching it, consulting scholars for its interpretation, and reflecting on its meanings. The same root word carries the meaning of inciting something such as evil.

In the corpus of the scripture, the word appears with the following meanings:

Allah says: “They cultivated the land…” [Quran, 30:9] meaning they plowed it for agriculture.

And Allah says, referring to Moses: “He replied, ‘Allah says, “It should have been used neither to till the soil nor water the fields…’” [Quran, 2:71] meaning it turns the soil for farming.

Thus, “activating” the Quran means the reader stirs up its words and verses to extract benefits and secrets; it is a term for a way of learning the scripture and reciting it as it deserves to be recited. [Azhari, Tahdhib al-Lughah; Fitni, Majma‘ Bihar al-Anwar]

Shamir said, “To activate the Quran refers to its recitation and pondering over scholars’ interpretations and meanings. It’s said, ‘He stirred the dust,’ meaning he caused it to rise with his feet.” [Harawi, al-Gharibayn fil-Quran wal-Hadith; Tafsir al-Qurtubi]

All of this is to emphasize the command to understand the Quran, just as we are commanded to recite it. In line with this, Allah says, “˹This is˺ a blessed Book which We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ so that they may contemplate its verses, and people of reason may be mindful.” [Quran, 38:29] He, the Exalted, also said, “We have certainly set forth every ˹kind of˺ lesson for people in this Quran, so perhaps they will be mindful. ˹It is˺ a Quran ˹revealed˺ in Arabic without any crookedness, so perhaps they will be conscious ˹of Allah˺.” [Quran, 39:27-28] He, the Exalted, also says, “Do they not then reflect on the Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts?”[Quran, 47:24]

Zarkashi and others reported from Ibn Sab‘ his saying: “What ibn Mas‘ud said cannot be achieved by merely interpreting its apparent meaning. And some scholars have said, for every verse there are sixty thousand understandings, and what remains of its understanding is more. Others have said the Quran contains seventy-seven thousand sciences; for every word, there is a science, then that is quadrupled, as for every word, there is an apparent and an inner meaning, a limit, and a point of rising. In summary, all sciences are included in the actions of Allah and His attributes, and the Quran explains His essence, His attributes, and His actions.” [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Suyuti, Al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Ghazali mentioned in the chapter on the etiquettes of reciting the Quran, defining contemplation of the Quran: “It is to clearly understand from every verse what is appropriate for it, as the Quran encompasses the mention of Allah’s attributes (Exalted be He), the mention of His actions, the mention of the states of the prophets (Allah bless them and grant them peace), the mention of the states of those who denied them and how they were destroyed, the mention of His commands and prohibitions, and the mention of Paradise and Hell.” [Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din]

Ibn Mas‘ud said, “Do not chant the Quran like poetry, nor prattle it like casual prose. Stop at its marvels and stir the hearts with it.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba]

‘Amr ibn Murrah said, “Whenever I encounter a verse in Allah’s Book that I don’t know, it saddens me, for I heard Allah saying: “These are the parables We set forth for humanity, but none will understand them except the people of knowledge.” [Quran, 29:43] [Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Al-‘Ajab fi Bayan al-Asbab; Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur fi Tafsir bil-Ma’thur]

Ibn al-Jawzi said, “Since the noble Quran is the most honorable of sciences, understanding its meanings is the pinnacle of comprehension, for the nobility of knowledge is due to the nobility of its subject.” [Zad al-Masir]

Al-Ajda‘ said, “We ask nothing of the Companions of Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) except that its answer is in the Quran, but our knowledge falls short of it.” [Biqa‘i, Masa‘id al-Nadhar]

This narration from Ibn Mas‘ud shows the state of the righteous predecessors’ relationship with Allah’s Book. They had extensive knowledge of it. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “If I wanted, I could fill a camel’s load with commentary on Al-Fatihah.” [al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Activating the Quran does not happen by merely interpreting its apparent meaning. Some Companions had understandings beyond the text’s apparent meaning, which many of the others did not understand.

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “Umar used to include me with the elders of Badr. Some said, ‘Why do you include this youth among us when we have sons like him?’ Umar said, ‘He is of whom you know.’ One day he called them and me, and he only called me that day to show them something from me. He asked, ‘What do you say about the verses, ‘When Allah’s ˹ultimate˺ help comes and the victory ˹over Mecca is achieved˺, and you ˹O Prophet˺ see the people embracing Allah’s Way in crowds…’ Some said, ‘We are ordered to praise Allah and seek His forgiveness when we are victorious and conquests occur.’ Some said, ‘We do not know,’ or did not say anything. Umar asked me, ‘Do you say the same?’ I said, ‘No.’ He asked, ‘What then?’ I said, ‘It is the sign of the Prophet’s passing (Allah bless him and grant him peace), which Allah informed him of. “When Allah’s ˹ultimate˺ help comes and the victory ˹over Mecca is achieved˺,” which is the conquest of Mecca, and [which is to say] “this is the sign of your death,” “then glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness, for certainly He is ever Accepting of Repentance.”’ ‘Umar said, ‘I do not know anything about it except what you know.’” [Bukhari]

Some Companions did not understand more from the Surah than its apparent meaning, but Ibn Abbas and Umar (Allah be pleased with them) understood another meaning beyond the apparent: the inner meaning indicated by the Surah.

The previous narration from Ibn ‘Abbas shows that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to hold sessions to activate the Quran and discuss its meanings, presenting their understandings of its verses.

The Quran is a source that all creation visits, and each gets from it as much as Allah has allotted to them. They differ greatly in uncovering its secrets, as narrated by Masruq from Al-Ajda‘, “We ask nothing of the Companions of Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) except that its knowledge is in the Quran, but our knowledge falls short of it.”

One should read the Quran in the quiet of the night, as the Ash‘ari tribe did. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to them, “I recognize the voices of the Ash‘ari comrades reciting the Quran at night. I recognize their homes by their voices, though I have not seen their homes in daylight.” [Bukhari]

The night vigil and reciting the Book at dawn – a time of tender-heartedness – is a different story and a special state, as Allah says: “Indeed, worship in the night is more impactful and suitable for recitation.” [Quran, 73:6]

We should listen to the Quran from someone who has a beautiful voice and recites it well, such as Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari when the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) passed by him while he was reciting and listened to his recitation. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “This man has been given one of Dawud’s instruments.” [Ahmad]

Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) would say to Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari, “Remind us of our Lord,” and Abu Musa would recite melodiously while sitting in the assembly. [Sahih Ibn Hibban]

Listening to such a sweet voice brings about great emotions, moods, reflection, and understanding of the Quran that no speech can encompass or book can contain; it is called, by some, the yearning of the reciters.

Notice: Muslims today suffer from many forms of abandoning the Quran. They have abandoned it by leaving its recitation, then by neglecting to ponder and contemplate its meanings and objectives, becoming preoccupied with establishing its letters over establishing its boundaries and goals, then by focusing on deriving legal rulings from it and neglecting its verses about the self and the horizons. Allah says: “We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?” [Quran, 41:53]

Then they go further to twist its meanings to please tyrants, enemies of Islam and their allies, distorting its meanings under the guise of working by what’s in it… What a loss for Muslims in neglecting this great Book!

I advise my dear brother to refer to the books of Sheikh Ibrahim al-Sakran, especially The Path to the Quran and The Delicacies of the Quran, for these books contain subtleties indicating revolutionizing the Quran not found elsewhere.

Finally: Leaving the Quran without activating it is a grave loss… So, dear brother, devote yourself to your Lord’s Book in the darkness and quiet of the night, and read it to activate its secrets, so you may be among those about whom Allah says: “Yet they are not all alike: there are some among the People of the Book who are upright, who recite Allah’s revelations throughout the night, prostrating ˹in prayer˺.” [Quran, 3:113]

May Allah’s blessings be upon our master and prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and grant them peace.