Huzooraa was asked regarding:
… 4. Counting various supplications and surahs of the Holy Quran while reciting them…
Huzooraa, in a letter dated 25 December 2019, gave the following answers:..
“4. It is evident from the ahadith that the Holy Prophetsa would give certain instructions in light of the questioner’s psyche. Therefore, he would sometimes give different answers when asked the same question. He guided people according to their personal shortcomings. Therefore, the counting of some kinds of zikr and supplications is also one such instruction that is mentioned in ahadith. One point of wisdom behind it is that one should offer those supplications and recite that zikr at least to that extent and in that number.
“Moreover, it should be remembered that just as the Promised Messiahas has clearly explained, there is no benefit in reciting supplications and zikr like a parrot. Rather, to gain the love of Allah the Exalted, it is necessary to adapt one’s life according to the Islamic teachings stated in those supplications and zikr, and to act according to them and to perform other good deeds as well.
“A person who recites Surah al-Fatihah frequently, but does not try to dye himself with the hue of the divine attributes mentioned in that Surah, and does not wear the mantle of the Quranic injunction of صِبۡغَةَ اللّٰهِ ۚ وَ مَنۡ اَحۡسَنُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ صِبۡغَةً [(We will adopt) the religion of Allah; and who is better than Allah in (teaching) religion] and the mantle of the saying of the Holy Prophetsa that تَخَلَّقُوْا بِاَخْلَاقِ اللّٰه [Mirror the attributes of Allah], cannot benefit from just verbally repeating the various kinds of zikr.
“This is also the means of acquiring spiritual knowledge because in this way one can absorb the bounties of Allah the Exalted and His love.”
