Ways of Abandoning the Qur'an

Question:
The questioner, Abu 'Abdullah, asks: Does the Shaykh have a word for the students so that they can benefit from their vacation time by reading the Qur'an and other things, since the vacation is long?

Answer:
Yes. A Muslim, whether a student or not, does not abandon the Qur'an; rather, he increases its recitation according to his ability and does not abandon it. This is part of the abandonment of the Qur'an that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) complained about to his Lord: Abandoning the Qur'an means leaving off its recitation, leaving off its recitation. And abandoning the Qur'an means leaving off acting upon it. So abandonment can be in recitation and in action. The reward of recitation is that he does not read it and stops it, and the reward of acting upon it is that even if he reads more of it, he must act upon it, obey its commands, and refrain from its prohibitions. Likewise, abandoning the Qur'an is not making it the judge in what people differ over in matters of creed, worship, and transactions. So he must take the Qur'an as a just judge to rule by in disputes and disagreements. And if he leaves it and limits himself to reading it for ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation) or for tabarruk (seeking blessing from a thing or person) or the like, then this is part of the abandonment of the Qur'an that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) complained about to his Lord. Likewise, part of abandoning the Qur'an is leaving off its contemplation and understanding, because the purpose is not recitation with the letters only. He must contemplate the Qur'an. Then, abandoning the Qur'an is also leaving off acting upon it. So abandonment has types. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you,