One of the reasons Ramadan is so special for Muslims around the world is because it is the month in which God began to reveal the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of God be upon him).

God says in the Holy Book itself:

The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind, and as clear signs that show the right way and distinguish between right and wrong (Quran 2:185).

The recitation of the Quran is greatly emphasized in this month of Ramadan. Many Muslims try to recite it as much as possible as well as listen to it during the night prayers of Tarawih.

Umar and the Power of the Quran

There is something very special about the Quran. It has a uniqueness and beauty that has a great effect on and moves the heart. Many companions of the Prophet Muhammad accepted Islam after hearing the words of the Quran.

A man was on his way to execute Prophet Muhammad with a sword and full of anger.

On his way, he was told his sister and brother-in-law were Muslims. He diverted his path from the Prophet to his sister’s home. When he arrived at her home, she and her husband were learning verses from the Quran from a teacher.

The teacher hid with the parchments that had the verses written on them. When the man entered, he began to beat his sister and brother-in-law. His sister bled, and this snapped the man out of his rage.

Read: From Staunchest Enemy of Islam to a Powerful Supporter

He stopped. He began to converse with his sister about what she and her husband were doing before he arrived. And she explained to him they were reading the Quran. She asked him to perform ablution before he touched the parchments. He read the verses and was brought to tears.

Then he asked to be taken to Muhammad (peace be upon him) with a new intention. He went to him and accepted Islam.

This was one of the closest companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him)—Umar ibn al Khattab. What began as his endeavor to fatally hurt the man who was spreading the Quran ended up in an acceptance of Islam.

Just as the Quran brought Umar a change of heart, it is still a means for people to come into the religion today.

The Effect of the Quran

So what is it about the Quran that has such a profound effect on human beings, and even the rest of the creation?

There are many answers to this question.

For one, the Qur’an is the direct word of God. There was no person who wrote this or was inspired to write this. It was revealed to mankind directly from Allah.

The Quran is also meant to be recited, not read silently. There is a rhythm to the words, a pattern, and oftentimes a rhyme that you can hear whether or not you understand the Arabic language.

There are many videos on YouTube of people reacting to hearing the Quran for the first time. And even though the listener does not understand the meaning of the words, they still recognize the recitation as something beautiful and moving.

Read: Why Do People Convert to Islam After Reading the Quran?

The Qur’an has the ability to bring people to tears, as we learned with the story of the companion Umar. In the last nights of Ramadan, you can see worshipers shedding tears and hear them crying due to the weight of Quran’s words.

There are verses regarding God’s mercy on people no matter how much they sins, and there are verses about justice served for those who do wrong. There are verses about the meaning of life, the stories of creation, sights of nature and space, and depictions of Heaven and the Hellfire.

The Qur’an sends a message about life and the afterlife. It’s for those people who are willing to reflect on the signs presented in this world.

Source: https://www.whyislam.org.