✦ اتبعوا (Ittabiʿū) — Following: A Return to the Foundations of Qur’anic Practice
Returning to the essence of following the Qur’an through letters, Names of Allah, and Imam Jafar al-Sadiq’s timeless guidance on spiritual practice.
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq’s Teachings on Listening, Reading, and Learning the Qur’an
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) taught us the profound spiritual rewards tied to how we engage with the Qur’an:
“One who listens to a letter from the Book of the Almighty Allah without reading it, Allah will write a good for him, remove a fault, and elevate him a level. One who reads it silently, Allah will grant him a good for each letter, as well as removing a fault and elevating him one level. One who learns a letter from the Book of Allah, Allah will grant him ten goods, remove ten faults, and elevate him ten levels.”
He clarified: “I do not say this for every word, but for every letter.”
He emphasized that:
“The proper amount to be read from the words of the Holy Qur’an is fifty verses daily. The Qur’an is the advice of Allah to His creatures, so Muslims should look at the advice of Allah and read fifty verses each day.”
However, the Imam warned against mere rote reading without understanding:
“Merely reading Qur’an is not fruitful; reading should be accompanied with comprehension.”
Following the Qur’an Starts with Letters and Names
For those who do not yet know the Qur’an in Arabic — and as Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) explicitly stated, Arabic is the Word of Allah — learning the Names of Allah, the letters, and writing them regularly is itself following (اتبعوا) the path.
This foundational practice is the real beginning of following the Qur’an, especially for non-Arabs or those new to the language.
It is a sacred system — a daily discipline — that connects the heart, mind, and body to the Divine Word.
Remember: Shaitan’s greatest weapon is to make us procrastinate, focusing only on the summit — the unreachable peak — rather than honoring the sacred steps we are already taking.
Every letter you learn and recite is a true victory on your journey toward Allah.
The Importance of the Qur’an in the Home and Its Proper Recitation
Imam al-Sadiq (as) cherished the presence of the Qur’an in every household, stating:
“I like to see Holy Qur’an in every house as Allah drives away Satan with it.”
He lamented when the Qur’an is neglected:
“There are three who complain to Allah: A destroyed mosque where no one prays; a scholar surrounded by ignorant people; and a lonely Qur’an with dust on it as no one reads from it.”
The Proper Pace and Correctness of Reading
The Imam discouraged hasty reading without reflection:
When asked if one could read the Qur’an in a single night, he replied,
“This does not interest me.”
Reading the Qur’an should ideally be completed in about a month, with pauses to reflect and supplicate when verses mention paradise or hell.
Regarding pronunciation, he urged:
“Try your best to read the Qur’an correctly in Arabic pronunciation as Arabs do. Not just words, but every letter.”
He also taught about the spiritual benefits of reading during prayer:
“One who reads a letter of the Book of Allah while sitting in prayer, Allah will write fifty good deeds, remove fifty faults, and elevate him fifty levels. One who reads while standing will receive one hundred. And whoever reads the entire Qur’an, Allah will fulfill his request, sooner or later.”
Returning to Foundations
Imam al-Sadiq’s teachings reveal that Quranic practice is not about speed or quantity alone, but about attentive listening, proper recitation, learning the letters, and reflecting on the meanings.
This echoes the call in the Qur’an to اتبعوا (follow) — a deep, whole-being following that begins with engagement at the letter and sound level, through the Names of Allah, and leads to spiritual transformation.
Reflective Question
As we strive to follow (اتبعوا), we must ask:
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Are we following with our entire being — heart, soul, and intellect?
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Are we engaged with the vibrational reality of the letters and Names?
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Might the revival of these foundational practices lead us toward true spiritual awakening?
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