Allah the Most High says:

“Indeed in this there is a remembrance for those who have a living heart, listen attentively and are awake to taking heed.” [Qaaf: 37]

Therefore, if you desire to benefit from the Qur’an, gather your heart when reciting it, focus your attention to it and focus as if you are the one being directly addressed by it. For indeed it is an address from Allah via the path of the Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

This is because gaining complete benefit from the Qur’an is dependent upon the object providing the benefit, the place by which it is to be received, the conditions related to attaining the benefit and the non existence of anything that may hinder the benefit from occurring. Hence the verse contains an explanation of all of these points, with the shortest and clearest of words, and those that best prove the point.

Thus the saying of Allah: {Indeed in this there is a remembrance} has an inference to what has preceded the verse from the beginning of Surah Qaaf up to this verse and this is what is causing the benefit.

Whilst the saying of Allah {who have a living heart} then this refers to the place that receives the benefit and this is the heart that has life and comprehends what Allah has sent, as Allah the Most High says:

“Indeed this is only a clear reminder and a Qur’an so as to warn those who have a living heart.” [Yaseen: 69-70]

And His saying {listen attentively} i.e. who turns his attention to it and listens mindfully to what is being said. This is the condition that is placed so that one can be benefited by it. And His saying {are awake to taking heed.} i.e. that the heart is attentive to it.

Ibn Qutaibah said: “Listen to the book of Allah whilst your heart and mind is attentive, not neglectful nor distant.”

This is an inference to the matter that prevents one from attaining benefit. That is when the heart is distant and unmindful such that it does not understand what is being said, nor comprehend it.

Therefore if the cause of the benefit – the Qur’an, is found and the place of receiving it – and that is the heart has life – and the condition is fulfilled – and that is listening attentively – and the barriers that would prevent benefit from being attained are avoided – and that is the heart being pre-occupied with something else and it being unmindful of what is said – then one attains the benefit, of being benefited by the Qur’an. [Refer to al-Fawaa’id by Ibn-ul-Qayyim]

Shaykh Muhammad Jameel Zeeno

How To Understand the Qur’aan
© 1998 Call to Islam Da`wah Centre

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.

(Surat Al-Kahf)

Wake up for Fajr Salah …

A man woke up early to pray the Fajr Prayer in the mosque. He got dressed, made his ablution and was on his way to the mosque. On his way to the mosque, the man fell and his clothes got dirty.

He got up, brushed himself off, and headed home. At home, he changed his clothes, made his ablution, and was again on his way to the mosque.

On his way to the mosque, He fell again and at the Same Spot!. He again got up, brushed himself off and headed home. At home, he once again changed his clothes, made his ablution and was on his way to the mosque yet another time.

This time, he met a man holding a lamp. He (first person) asked the man of his identity and the man replied ‘I saw you fall twice on your way to the mosque, so I brought a lamp so I can light your way’. The first man thanked him profusely and both start walk on their way to the mosque.

When they reached mosque, the first man asked him to come in and pray Fajr with him. The second man refused, the first man asked him a couple more times and again the answer was the same. The first man asked him, you looks like a very nice person, helped me as well, why you did not wish to come in and pray. Then second person replied.

I am Shaytaan(devil/ evil)

The man shocked at his reply. Shaytaan went on to explain, “I saw you on your way to the mosque and it was I who made you fall. When you went home, cleaned yourself and went back on your way, Allah forgave all of your sins. I made you fall second time and even that did not urge you to stay home but rather you went back on your way to the mosque and because of that, Allah forgave all the sins of the people of your household.

I was AFRAID, if I made you fall one more time, then Allah will forgive the sins of the people of your village, so I made sure that you reached here safely.”

(Do not put off a good that you intended to do as you never know how much reward your might receive from the hardships you encounter while trying to achieve that good).

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاو ;َاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Haiyul-Qaiyum La ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm, lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-‘ard Man dhal-ladhi yashfa’u ‘indahu illa bi-idhnihi Ya’lamu ma baina aidihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi shai’im-min ‘ilmihi illa bima sha’a Wasi’a kursiyuhus-samawati wal ard, wa la ya’uduhu hifdhuhuma Wa Huwal ‘Aliyul-Adheem

“Allah! There is no god but He – the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him Nor Sleep. His are all things In the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede In His presence except As he permitteth? He knoweth What (appeareth to His creatures As) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall they compass Aught of his knowledge Except as He willeth. His throne doth extend Over the heavens And on earth, and He feeleth No fatigue in guarding And preserving them, For He is the Most High. The Supreme (in glory).”

[Surah al-Baqarah 2: 255]

Hadiths of the benefits of Ayatul Kursi.

Ubayy bin Ka’b (radiAllahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Abu Mundhir! Do you know whichAyah in Allah’s Book is the greatest? I said: ‘Allah and His messenger know best.’
He (peace be upon him) again said: ‘Do you know which Ayah in Allah’s Book, according to you, is the greatest?’ I (Abu Mundhir) replied: ‘It is ‘Allah la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum’.[2:255].
Thereupon he (peace be upon him) patted me in the chest and said, ‘ Rejoice by your knowledge, O Abu Mundhir! (i.e, may this knowledge be a source of respect, honour and benefit to you)’.”
[Muslim]

Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The one who recites it after each of the obligatory prayers, then death will be the only thing preventing him from entering Paradise.”
[Ibn Sunni, Ibn Hibban]

When you lie down in your bed, recite ayat al-Kursi, Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists… [al-Baraqah 2:255] until the end of the ayah, then you will have a protector from Allah and no shaytan (devil) will come near you until morning comes
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated; In Surah al-Baqaraah there is an ayah which is the best of all the ayahs of the Qur’an. It is never recited in a house but the Shaytan leaves: Ayat al-Kursi.

Do you know the Ayatul Kursi?” Anas (radiAllahu anhu) replied “I know”. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “It is equal to a quarter of the Qur’an

Listen to Ayatul Kursi read in a beautiful Recitation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSmslURAK1Q&feature=related

“Verily this Qur’an guides to the Way that is the Straightmost. To those who believe in it, and do righteous works, it gives the good news that a great reward awaits them.”[17:9]