The Qur’an transforms lives in ways both miraculous and profound. For those who receive it as a book of guidance and spiritual healing, its impact is nothing short of life-changing. The Qur’an reforms the character and molds the soul into a state beloved by Allah. One who doubts how the Qur’an transforms lives only needs to look at the powerful transformation of the Prophet Muhammad’s Companions (peace be upon him)
The Powerful Impact of the Qur’an on Early Muslims
Before Islam, the Companions of the Prophet lived in a society marked by ignorance and moral decline. Yet, after embracing the Qur’an, their lives dramatically changed. These once poor, barefooted desert dwellers became the torchbearers of civilization, with their aspirations elevated and hearts devoted solely to Allah.
{Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition.} (Ar-Ra`d 13:11)
This divine promise was fulfilled as a new, empowered nation rose from the Arabian Peninsula, defeating the world’s mightiest empires and taking leadership of the known world. The Qur’an’s influence sparked a spiritual and societal revolution.
Why the Qur’an is So Effective in Changing Lives
The secret behind the Qur’an’s ability to transform lies in how the Companions interacted with it. They didn’t just read the verses—they deeply understood, internalized, and applied them. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was their role model in this engagement.
He lived the Qur’an, embodying its teachings so profoundly that his wife Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) described him as the “Qur’an walking on the earth.”
The Prophet would recite the Qur’an with clarity and contemplation. He once spent the entire night repeating a single verse:
{If You should chastise them, then surely they are Your servants; and if You should forgive them, then surely You are the Mighty, the Wise.} (Al-Ma’idah 5:118)
Such was the emotional and spiritual impact of the Qur’an on him that he once said:
“Surat Hud and its sisters have turned my hair gray.”
The fearsome scenes of the Day of Judgment and accounts of past nations in Surat Hud deeply affected his soul and even his appearance.
How the Companions Experienced the Qur’an
The Prophet’s Companions mirrored his devotion. One famous story is that of ‘Abbad ibn Bishr, who demonstrated the power of the Qur’an in prayer. While guarding the Muslim camp at night during a journey, he chose to spend his watch in prayer. A polytheist attacker shot him with arrows multiple times, but ‘Abbad didn’t interrupt his recitation until the third arrow hit him.
He later explained to ‘Ammar ibn Yasir:
“I was reciting a surah that I didn’t want to interrupt. By Allah, had I not feared that the task assigned to me by the Prophet would be jeopardized, I would not have stopped the recitation until I had finished it or until he had finished me off.”
(Source: Abu Dawud; authenticated by Al-Albani)
This story powerfully illustrates that Qur’anic recitation was far more than lip service. It was a deeply spiritual, immersive experience.
The Real Value of the Qur’an: Meaning Over Quantity
The true value of the Qur’an lies in its meaning and transformative power. Its purpose is to revive hearts, enlighten minds, and produce sincere worshippers of Allah. But this transformation cannot occur through mechanical or thoughtless reading, even if one reads the whole Qur’an repeatedly.
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) criticized those who claimed to read the Qur’an two or three times a night, saying:
“They read, but in fact, they did not read.”
She recounted how the Prophet would spend the entire night reading Surahs Al-Baqarah, Aal ‘Imran, and An-Nisa’, deeply engaging with each verse—praying for mercy upon reading glad tidings and seeking refuge upon reading verses of warning.
Reflection and Contemplation: The Essence of Qur’anic Engagement
Even early scholars emphasized quality over quantity in Qur’an reading. Abu Jamra told Ibn Abbas he could finish the Qur’an in three days. Ibn Abbas replied:
“As for me, I would prefer to spend a whole night reading Surat Al-Baqarah with due reflection and careful recitation.”
In Akhlaq Hamalat Al-Qur’an, Al-Aagri highlights that reflective recitation is superior to reading large portions without contemplation. This principle is grounded in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and statements of great scholars.
The scholar Mujahid was asked who is better: one who recited only Surat Al-Baqarah or another who recited both Al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imran, given both spent equal time in prayer. Mujahid favored the one who recited Al-Baqarah, citing:
{And it is a Qur’an which We have revealed in portions so that you may read it to the people by slow degrees} (Al-Israa’ 17:106)
(Al-Aagri, pp. 82-83)
Conclusion: Embrace the Qur’an as a Living Guide
The Qur’an is not merely a book to be read—it is a guide to be lived. Its divine verses carry the power to change lives, as seen in the generation of the Prophet and his Companions. To benefit from its light, one must engage it with sincerity, reflection, and the intention to implement its teachings.
When approached this way, the Qur’an becomes not only a source of knowledge but a transformative force that revives hearts and shapes destinies.
By Dr. Magdi Al-Hilali*
