A study of the narrative and the traditions that have reached us on the authority of the Ahlul-Bait and a glance at their lives and works, reveals that the message of the Holy Qur'an and the safeguarding of its letter and spirit, was the prime concern of these luminaries.
Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq, the sixth Imam of the Prophet's infallible Household, quotes his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) as saying:
Whoever memorizes the Qur'an and practices its teachings, will be among the ranks of the honourable and the righteous-"(25)
Narrated the forth Imam Ali bin Husein (a.s.): the Messenger of Allah (a.s.w.) said:
Whoever is given the Qur'an by Allah, but thinks that someone else is given a better thing than he is, would be belitting the great and magnifying the little."(26)
The fifth Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) is quoted to have said: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said:
O readers of the Qur'an, fear Allah for having charged you with His Book, as I am responsible and you are responsible. I am responsible for communicating the Message, while you will be questioned about what you have been charged with the Book of Allah and my traditions."(27)
Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said:
A believer should not die before learning the Qur'an, or trying to learn it."(28)
He is also quoted to have said:
The Qur'an is Allah's covenant to His creatures. So, a Muslim is ought to look into his covenant and read so verses of it every day."(29)
Again he (a.s.) said:
Three will complain to Allah, the Exalted: A deserted mosque where local people do not pray in it; a learned man among the ignorant; and the Scripture (the Qur'an) which is covered with dust as nobody reads it."(30)
He (a.s.) also said:
The Qur'an is alive, it never dies. It goes on as the night and the day go on, and as the sun and the moon go on...
Thus, we recognize the value and the significance of the Qur'an as seen by the Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) who not only dedicated their lives to its practical rendering, but, also, encouraged the Muslims to follow its principles, memorize it, and build their lives on its foundations.
source : Al-Serat A Journal of Islamic Studies
