I was living in a suburb that really there was no Muslims
in that suburb at all and one particular family came
and moved to our suburb
and they were of a Lebanese background,
and I was always interested in different cultures.
So I befriended the family and,
one time I was at their house,
and I happened to see,
a copy of the translation of the Quran on their bookshelf,
and I basically just asked them,
"Would you mind if I read that?"
And this is actually a copy of that,
actual translation that I read all those years ago.
And that's where my journey all began.
So kind of like to find Islam.
Actually the Quran was what led me to Islam, Alhamdulillah.
(train approaching)
- I start work 5:45 in the morning,
by myself usually I have cassette, I put Quran,
for Sheikh Mohamed Siddiq El-Minshawi.
The boss usually comes six o'clock.
I remember the boss that day,
he came 5:45 and he entered the control room.
You see I have no chance to turn the radio off.
And when I walked to turn it (off), he said,
"No, no, stop, stop. Don't touch it."
He go there and he start listen,
I don't believe what he said.
He said, he's not Muslim.
He no understand Arabic.
He said, "When I hear this voice,
I was fully stressful and I don't know
how I come peaceful, calm down,
and this has given me a peace of mind."
Even I didn't understand what he talking about.
Just from listening,
and this story is 100% true what happened to me.
- And then one time I was in a car with a Muslim family,
and we were going somewhere and I remember hearing
this beautiful sound in the car.
(Quran recitation background)
And I was just asking them, "What's that sound?"
And they told me, "That's the Quran."
And I had only read it, in English up until then,
and to think that that was the sound of the Quran
when it's recited in Arabic.
Like it was just amazing,
to think that it had this beautiful, amazing sound,
that you listen to.
Which is so different than,
like with the Bible,
you just don’t,
it’s incomparable.
Right.
And I have to say to be honest I have to say this that,
I actually had a singing background before becoming Muslim.
So, anyone out there who has come from that kind
of musical kind of background,
or, a singing background or something like that
you’ll understand what I'm talking about.
You have a different sort of sensitivity
to the beauty of sound.
So that's why I was particularly struck by the sound
and I remember after that, I'd always play,
in particular Sheikh Abdul-Basit Abdus-Samad,
here in my bedroom,
like I just wanted to listen to the words.
Like even though I did not understand a thing,
but I just wanted to hear the sound of the Quran.
It had an amazing impact on myself.
- Whether you understand the Quran Kareem or not,
whether you're Muslim or not Muslim,
it still has a profound impact on people.
This is because it has come from the Lord of the Worlds.
Allah (SWT)
And He knows His creation,
the human being,
a important aspect of the human being is these emotions
that he has, this heart that he has.
The Quran Al Kareem is a remedy for this heart,
for the ailments of this heart.
It gives you comfort, it gives you tranquility,
in the Quran Allah (SWT)
says regarding the Quran,
that We reveal that which is a remedy
and a healing and a mercy to the believers.
- If anyone, reads Quran
by his brain and heart,
he gonna be emotional.
Because, the God said,
If this Quran come on a mountain,
the mountain won't stand there.
(laughs) It's gonna be finished.
So we are a human being
and God give us the help,
give us the power, that we read Quran.
Sometimes, we have some feeling this come this,
this benefit from the God to show you are on the right path.
- It doesn't always come but sometimes when it does come,
it's just, an undescribable feeling.
And, I've realized that it actually comes to you more often,
when you have a better understanding of its meaning.
So your understanding of the Arabic of the Quran
and your understanding of the meanings,
once you’ve delved a little bit into Tafseer,
you appreciate it so much more
and that feeling comes to you 'cause you're like,
"Wow, I've read this ayah 100 times but,
I've never thought of it that way and it's wow.
It's like “woosh” Mind blown.
- I don't understand it all,
but when it gets to a word that I really understand
and it sinks in my heart,
it takes me a long time to get to the next word
or next ayah, I just feel like I'm in Jannah.
I really do because, understanding the words that,
you've learned and you understand
it's just a different taste, a different feeling.
- I remember Surat Al-Duha,
That Allah SWT sent that Surah at a particular time
in the Prophet SAW’s life,
when he was experiencing great difficulty.
Of course, his people rejected Him,
He had lost his wife Khadijah AS,
He had lost His uncle, Abu Talib.
We read Surat Al-Duha without thinking about what it means,
but if we understand the context of its revelation,
and how that can,
resonate with us during difficult times
for the Muslim community or for us on a personal level,
we need not despair of the mercy
or the Rahma of Allah SWT.
He's always with us.