1. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims
  2. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

373 Questions

Can I recite the Quran or Duas with my mouth closed?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

If you want to recite Quran as Tilawah تلاوة our Tarteel ترتيل as Allah says in Quran : ورتِّل القران ترتيلا you must recite with your tongue and lips. Even if you want to recite Quran as Qira'ah قراءة as Allah says فاقرؤا ما تيسر من القران٬which is less degree than Tilawah, you need to use your tongue and lips. If you just look at the Quranic text with out using your tongue and lips, it will not be called reciting (Neither Tilawah nor Qira'ah) but just looking at the Quranic text, which is also good but it is lower than both degrees of reciting.

Du'a can be recited in any way as far as your heart is supplicating to Allah (SWT) and not just looking at the text.

Wassalam.
Can I recite the Quran or Duas with my mouth closed?
Zaid Alsalami

Bismihi ta'ala

Yes, you are allowed to recite with your mouth closed. 

And Allah knows best. 
I would like to know more about Huroof Moqatta'a which are at the start of many Suras in the Quran. Are there any books written on this subject?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at are combinations of letters or single letter of the Arabic language in the beginning of 29 surahs in Qur'an. 27 of them are Makki surahs and only 2 are Madani - al-Baqara and Aal Imran.
 
Each letter is recited separately. Examples are Alif Laam Mim, Haa Mim and Alif Laam Ra.
 
No doubt there are meanings for every letter in Qur'an but the ulama have discussed these letters and have different opinions.
 
Some of the ulama say that it is a challenge to the Arabs - the fact that these letters are from their own language. It is a challenge to them to prove that they can never bring something like Qur'an.  When they failed, they were challenged to bring ten chapters like its chapters, and when failed, they were challenged to bring just one chapter like its chapters. They failed as well. That is very clear evidence that the Qur'an is not from a human source.
 
No doubt the meaning of these letters in Qur'an and the meaning of the whole Qur'an is fully with the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and with his Holy Projeny Ahlul Bayt (AS).
 
We have many narrations in this regard in the book of al-Shaykh al-Saduq known by Ma'ani al-Akhbar - the meanings of the narrations.
 
Many narrations about the meanings of some of the Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at like Alif Laam Ra is that it is the greatest name of Allah (SWT), Ta Haa is one of the names of the Prophet (SAWA).
 
In surah Maryam the first verse - Kaf Ha Ya 'Ain Sad - according a narration it refers to Karbala, the victimisation of Ahlul Bayt (as), the criminal Yazid, the thirst of Imam Hussain (as) and the patience of Imam Hussain (as).
 
These narrations are many but we can come to the conclusion that the detailed meanings of these letters are with the Prophet (pbuh) and Ahlul Bayt (as).
 
The ulama have also seen a link between these letters and the surah itself so if any surah starts with Alif Laam Mim, there is a link between these letters and the contents of the surah.
 
Many books were written on the subject of Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at:
 
·        Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at fil-Qur'an by Abd al-Jabbar Sharara
·        Awa'il al-Suwar fil-Qur'an al-Karim by Ali Nasuh Tahir
·        Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at fee awail al-Suwar al-Qur'aniya by Muhammad Ahmed Abu Firakh
·        Asrar al-Huruf, wa yalih al Horoof al-Muqatta'ah fil-Qur'an al-Karim by Kazim Muhammad Ali Shukr
·        Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at fee awail al-Suwar by Adil bin Ali bin Ahmed al-Shiddi
·        Al-Nadhr ila al-Ma'ani Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at by Hamid bin Abullah bin Ali
·        al-Muqatta'at fee Fawatih al-Suwar by Asmaa Tariq Ismail Rayyan
 
Briefly we say that the real meanings of these letters are best known by the Prophet (pbuh) and his Holy Projeny (as).
Wassalam.
I sometimes get religious doubts such as how do I know that the higher power is Allah? How do I know that the Quran is really the book of Allah? I wish these doubts would go away but I don't know what to do. How should I deal with them?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Real Islam of the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS) provides authentic answer to any question and full explanation to every doubt.
You should never feel disturbed from any question or any doubt, but face it frankly and seek the answer from authentic scholars.

You mentioned a question: How to know that the higher power is Allah?

Answer: Allah is Creator of every creature in the universe and the sophisticated  system in the creation and creatures proves that The Creator is One. Had another Gid existed, he should have declared his existence to the creature. Imam Ali (As) said : Had your Lord had a partner, the claimed partner should have sent messengers to people. All the messengers from Allah are the most noble and most truthful persons and all of them brought the message of Tawheed as the biggest fact in the existence.

You also mentioned a question: How to know that Quran is really from Allah?

Answer: The miracles in Quran prove with no doubt that Quran can never be from human source. Quran challenged the enemies who claimed that it is not from Allah, to brig any book like Quran using the help of every human and Jinn ( Say: If all human beings and all the Jinn join all their efforts to bring like this Quran,they will never bring like it, even if all of them joined their efforts)(Sura 17, Verse 88). When they failed, Quran challenged them to bring ten chapters similar to Quranic chapters which are 114 chapters. (They claim that Quran was created by you, Say: Bring you ten created chapters like Quran and call who so ever you can to help you other than Allah if you are truthful) (Sura Hood, verse 13).  When they failed to do that again, Quran challenged them to bring just one chapter like Quranic chapters (If you are doubt about what We revealed on Our servant, then bring one chapter like it and call all you supporters besides Allah if you are truthful.) They again failed. This itself is an evidence that Quran is above the abilities of humans and Jinns and it is from Allah.

Scientific miracles in Quran also prove that it is from Allah. You can search in the internet (scientific miracles in Quran).

These questions can be from Satan to disturb you but you should worry but get the answer from authentic scholars.

Wassalam.