The Quran is a Reminder

The Quran is a Reminder.For whom? For us. Why? Because we always forget. We forget about the deceitfulness of this world, we forget about the Hereafter that is surely coming. But isn't it strange? When Allah says that the Quran is a "tazkirah", a reminder, we think that just reading it is enough. When we complete a recitation(khatam), we celebrate, hold feasts, take pictures together. But have we ever thought about it? We should actually feel sad, because much of what we read, we don't understand. We don't practice it.

We've got it all backwards. The Quran should make us cry, but instead, we turn it into an event. We take pride in how many times we've completed it, but we don't think about how much we've actually implemented. We feel satisfied just by reading, but we don't feel guilty when we ignore Allah's prohibitions.

We need to fix this wrong mindset. We think that once we've completed the Quran, our responsibility is over. But in reality, that's when our responsibility begins. The Quran is not meant to be rushed through for completion, but to be translated into our daily lives. If we just read without understanding and without trying to change, what's the point?

Have you ever seen people who go to the mosque regularly but still hurt others? People who pray every day but can't stop gossiping? Hurting their neighbors, harboring envy and suspicion, cheating others in business dealings? Why does this happen? Isn't all of this prohibited in the Quran? Then why do people still do it? Because they don't understand what they're reading.

That's why Allah sent down the Quran as a reminder, not just for us to accumulate rewards from its recitation. If we read without understanding and applying it, the reminder won't reach our hearts. It's just like when someone gives us advice, we listen but don't act on it. What's the benefit then?

But Allah has already mentioned in the next verse:

"And they will not receive admonition unless Allah wills. He is the One deserving of fear and the One who grants forgiveness." 

Al-Muddathir: 55-56