Uloom al-Qur'an at Raleigh Masjid

Since there have been no announcements after jumu'ah khutbas for the last few weeks, you might not have heard about this exciting new seminar at the Raleigh Masjid. While I have been enjoying the relative peace and quiet after salah to make tasbeeh before I find my hands occupied with waves and shakes and hugs, it does seem that this class might be slipping under the radar!

So I'm going to try to give the advertising for this class a little boost, and for many good reasons. I absolutely love the study of the Qur'an--it is the reason I became a Muslim, and for me the strongest proof for the shahadah, that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is the Messenger of Allah. And what an excellent time this is, to touch the study of the Qur'an--right before Ramadan. Improving our understanding of the sciences of the Qur'an before immersion in it is bound to enhance the experience overall, right?

The info-article on the IAR website (http://islam1.org/) lists a number of questions to be answered in the seminar inshaaAllaah, which I have summarized into a topical format below.

1) The meaning and means of the revelation
2) The means of transmission, collection, and compilation
3) Occasions of revelation
4) Abrogation and specification
5) Al-Ahruf As-Sab`ah

Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian. (15:9)

I haven't actually taken a class on this subject before (and I will definitely attend this one inshaaAllaah), but when I started asking a lot of questions on the subject to the shaykh at my masjid, he directed me to a book called Ulum al-Qur'an, by Ahmad von Denffer, which I purchased once I could get a hold of it. It's really an excellent little book--I'd recommend it for anyone who has doubts or confusion about the compilation of the Qur'an. It's also conveniently available to read online. The other book for this class (I don't think purchasing the books are necessary, by the way) is called An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'an, by Yasir Qadhi, and is available for purchase online.

If you're in the area, please spread the word about the class. If you're planning to come, please register. The class will be at the Raleigh Masjid (IAR) on August 7th and 8th (Friday and Saturday) inshaAllaah. Go ahead and register, make du'a for the class and the teacher, and the exact time for the class will be announced later.