How the Qur'an Was Meant
to Be Experienced
Sheikh Mustafa Shaybani begins with a story from a desert village in Mauritania — and ends with the one decision that can change your whole relationship with the Book of Allah.
The Moral of the Story
In 2001, in a small desert village in Mauritania, the Sheikh sat behind a great scholar at Fajr who recited Surah Al-Hadid then Al-Mujadilah. He was so overwhelmed he kept whispering "ski" — his people's word for "wow." A man complained he was breaking the prayer. The scholar smiled: "Allah gave you a gift." Years later in Bolton he could not even eat while the Qur'an played in the background — "how can I take food and listen to the Qur'an? The Qur'an is so powerful." His whole talk is one wish: to transfer that feeling to every Muslim — because most of us, he says, feel nothing when we hear it. The cure is three keys.
Learn Arabic
No translation can carry the sense of the Qur'an. It is not the language of a race — it is the language of revelation. Learn it, and your salah moves to a different world.
Recite as Guidance
Not only for reward, evil-eye, or counting letters. Read to be guided — and you will stop, reflect, and discover the treasure the rewards were only pointing you toward.
Reflect on the Names
The longest surah is named "The Cow." Even the titles are designed to make you reflect — every surah is unique, with its own style, words and secret.
"When you learn Arabic, when you pray you'll be in a different world. Literally in a different world. You'll fly with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala."
"And now is the time of languages. My daughters learn Chinese, Korean — language is easy for this generation. What about Arabic? It is not a language of race. It is the language of the Holy Qur'an."
The Qur'an stunned even the Arabs
The people of Arabia mastered Arabic — and the Qur'an still amazed them, even by its terms. Three words were new to them in this meaning: tilawah, ayah, and surah. And every single surah contains a word or expression found nowhere else in the Qur'an — proof that this is the Book of Allah. See the six unique words ↓
"Do you know that every single surah in the Qur'an has a word, or an expression, mentioned only in that surah? Can you imagine?"
One opinion: from sur — a fence / wall. Every surah is a walled garden; inside it, treasures and flowers. You knock on its gate with Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim and enter. A second meaning: high status — in old poetry a poet tells a king, "Allah gave you surah," meaning high rank. Dividing the Qur'an into 114 surahs is itself purposeful — each one unique.
Read this in the transcript →Not qira'ah (mere reading). Tilawah means to follow what you read — to walk behind it and act on it. Even this term was new to the Arabs. It tells you the Qur'an was never meant to be only read; it was meant to be followed.
Read this in the transcript →To call every single statement an ayah — a sign — was new to them. Not a "line" or a "verse" of poetry, but a sign pointing beyond itself. Read as a sign, every statement asks to be reflected upon.
Read this in the transcript →The word you memorised your whole life and never noticed. We would normally say na'buduka ("we worship You"). But Allah says iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in — bringing the object forward to mean "You alone we worship, You alone we ask for help." It appears twice, and sits in the exact middle of the surah — between the praise of Allah and the du'a. That placement is the secret of Al-Fatiha.
Read this in the transcript →In one of the shortest surahs, look how many words appear nowhere else in the Qur'an as they do here: As-Samad (the Self-Sufficient Eternal), kufuwan (a comparable equal), the expression lam yalid wa lam yulad ("He neither begets nor is born"), and Ahad as a name of Allah (the word ahad appears elsewhere, but never as His name). So much uniqueness in four short ayat — "because this is the Book of Allah, tabaraka wa ta'ala."
Read this in the transcript →Read as guidance and the names start to speak. Of all the Companions, only one is named in the Qur'an — Zaid (in Surah Al-Ahzab); and "Zaid" in Arabic is the everyman name, like "so-and-so." Of all the great deniers — Umayya, Walid, Utbah — only one is named: Abu Lahab, for a purpose. Meanwhile Fir'aun, Haman, Qarun, 'Ad and Thamud recur as examples: every nation has its own Fir'aun and Qarun. That is why the names are there.
Read this in the transcript →"Some read only to protect from the evil eye. Some only when too attached to dunya — feel the calm, then put it back on the shelf. Some only to count rewards. To make any of these the ultimate purpose is a big problem."
🏔️ The Treasure on the Mountain
"Will you take guidance from something whose meaning you don't know? That is the first difference. Guidance makes you stop. Guidance changes everything."
"If a non-Muslim asks: the longest chapter in your Book is called… The Cow? And it's the second surah? Yes — and that is another uniqueness of the Qur'an."
Surat Al-Baqarah — "The Cow"
- It holds the main themes of the whole Qur'an — tawhid, salah, hajj, zakah, sawm — yet it is not named after any of them.
- A newspaper writer agonises over a direct headline so readers know what's coming. The Qur'an does the opposite: a title that makes you say "I will read the whole surah to find out why it's called The Cow."
- Its first passage recounts the mistakes of Bani Isra'il — before you carry this final message, learn from those before you.
- Then comes the turning of the qibla — a sign of leadership passing to this ummah — and only then the commands.
🌙 The Importance of Prayer — and the Night
Learning Arabic is not academic; its payoff is in salah. "When you pray you'll be in a different world — you'll fly with Allah." And the Qur'an recited at night, in Qiyam al-Layl after Isha, in the darkness, is something else entirely.
"You want openings and meanings in the Qur'an? Recite it in salah after Isha, where there is darkness."
✅ The One Decision — Make It This Year
"We are in a new year. Set your goals. Come back to the Qur'an."
📝 Full Video Transcript — Hyperlinked by Section
I said can you please switch off the Quran. So they look at me. This a real Sheikh? You wouldn't want to listen to Quran. I said I can't. How can I take the food and listen to the Quran the same Quran is so powerful. I welcome all of you. I just want to start with this story which happened 2001 in a small village in my country Mauritania. This small village village in the desert where there is one of the most prominent scholar I've never seen like this scholar in my life. Sheikh Muhammad Salim Rahimahullah. So I went to that village to improve my knowledge in Quran and Arabic in details. So when I come in the first time it was Salat al-Fajr and the Imam was the scholar himself. And he read Surah al-Hadid in the first rak'ah and al-Mujadilah in the second rak'ah. I'm a person with so emotional. I when I listen to any poetry or any nasheed or before I become practice any song I engage totally with the meaning. So when I came to Quran I really Quran amazed me in a way that that day when that Sheikh recite the Quran every time I'm just I feel I'm flying. And in Mauritania when you are very amazed with something we see a word like ski. It means wow in our language. So every time that Sheikh recite I say ski. So the one next to me he just made this to me. Then I realized I'm in salah. So then he continue. Then he come I'm flying. Ski. Then again he made this. Till he finished salah he grabbed me and he went to the Sheikh he said this guy is ignorant. He doesn't know anything about the rules of salah. So the Sheikh said what's the what's what's the problem? He said you always say ski ski ski. So the Sheikh maybe this is the first situation come to his Why do why do you say ski always? He said just when I listen to Quran I can't hold myself. I'm just always so I say ski out of conscious. So the another guy said is his salah is valid? So Sheikh said be quiet be quiet be quiet. He said that's amazing Allah give you a gift. However don't say ski anymore. So I I come today just ask Allah this morning after Fajr I wish I can transform the feeling I had when I listen to Quran to every single Muslim. And I met many scholars and they have the same feeling. However also I met many people they have nothing when they listen to Quran.
And this is bother me. Because Quran is an is unbelievable. One day just few years ago in Bolton someone invited me iftar in Ramadan. Very nice iftar and then when they sit the table there's a Quran in the background. So I said food and Quran how this can Quran. So they look at me. This a real Sheikh? He doesn't want to you wouldn't want to listen to Quran. I said I can't. How can I take the food and and listen to the Quran the same Quran is so powerful. It's impossible. So I wish in this few minutes to transform this feeling to some of you because you really we need to come back to Quran. When as Dr. Suhaib said to follow Quran Dr. Suhaib talk about and the in very deep meaning. We need that deep meaning. Because majority of us are non-Arab so we have to do something.
The first advice and the best advice I will give you to you is just learn Arabic. Yes. That's the best advice. All these translations and all these book you can't feel that sense of the Quran till you learn Arabic. And now is the time of languages. Many people they try to learn many languages nowadays. So every time I my daughters they love languages one day my one of my daughters what do you learn? Chinese. Then another Korean. The second one language is very easy for the generation nowadays. What about Arabic? It's not a language of race. It's a language of the Holy Quran. So when you learn that Arabic is not about just is about when you pray you'll be in the different world. Literally in different world. You'll fly with the Allah wa ta'ala. So learn Arabic.
I want to start here with what Dr. Suhaib mentioned that Quran Quran is unique even for those in Arabia who speak Arabic and master Arabic and Arabic is their own language they impressed when the Quran came to them. Even by some terms. As Dr. Suhaib mentioned tilawah that's unique term. It's not qira'ah it's tilawah even this for them is a new. That's because it's not just reading is to follow what you read. Ayah that's unique for them. To mention every single statement as an ayah even the term surah that's unique for them. Do you know what does surah mean in Anyone can tell me what does surah mean in Arabic? Go on. Huh? Big what? Picture. That's surah [snorts] that's with sad. We are talk with seen yes. It's from the word sur that's one opinion it's from the fence because this is the same root it means every single surah is a fence inside that fence a lot of flowers treasures come and knock the door of that fence with al-Rahman al-Rahim and enter. But surah also mean high status. In the poetry surah every king don't know the meaning. He said to the king Allah gave you surah. What does that mean? Gave you high status. Even the term are unique. Even to divide this Quran to surahs 114 means there's purpose behind that. Every surah is unique. Has its own style words impress expressions. Do you know that every single surah in Quran has a word or more or expression or more only mentioned in that surah. Can you imagine?
Surat al-Fatiha has one word Allah never mentioned this word with this meaning except in Surat al-Fatiha. And you all memorize Surat al-Fatiha. Can you tell me what's that word only in Surat al-Fatiha with this meaning? It's the word iyyaka. This pronoun you never found it with this meaning except in Surat al-Fatiha. And Allah mentioned it twice. That means this is the secret of Surat al-Fatiha. And it is in the middle exactly in the surah. Praising Allah first and the dua is the second part and in the middle iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Iyyaka it means it's you. When I talk to you I say na'buduka talk to my Lord na'buduka it means I worship you. But he didn't say na'buduka he say iyyaka na'budu to feed it means it's only you we worship. So iyyaka it means only you we worship. Only you we seek help. Surah we all memorize and one word only mentioned there.
Qul Qul hu Allahu Ahad Allahu Samad. Very short surah. Tell me some words Allah mentioned only in Quran in this surah. As-Samad is there any As-Samad in the Quran? Look at the uniqueness. Is there any other words? Kufuwan? Is there any other word? With this short surah. Lam yalid wa lam yulad this expression only here. Is there any other word? Ahad. Ahad is only here. There's many Ahad in Quran but not as a name of Allah. That's different meaning. But ahad as the name of Allah only in Surat al-Samad. Look how many uniqueness in very short surah. Because this is the book of Allah tabaraka wa ta'ala.
Second point, what's the key of the Quran after learn Arabic? Is to recite Quran, to read Quran as a guidance. You may say that's obvious. Every Muslim read Quran or recite as a guidance. No, it's not obvious. Some Muslims read Quran only for one purpose, some of them, to protect them from evil eye. Oh, my children used to get high grades. What's going on? Evil eye. Bring someone to recite Quran. Only that purpose they will recite Not Not Not as a guidance. Some people recite Quran just when they feel that they are too too attached to dunya. That's good. So, they recite Quran, they feel that tranquility, put that Quran in that shelf. As-salamu alaykum. Next month. Some people recite Quran just to gain rewards. You may impress, but that's good. Yes, but to make that the ultimate purpose it's a big problem. Some people read, that's why in Ramadan they read a lot. Khatma after khatma, two khatma, five khatma, six khatma. Because they said alif lam mim, every single letter or word is equal 10 good deeds. So, in Quran, if you interpret as a letters more than 300,000 letters, times 10 more than 3 million. So, every khatma 3 million. Long time ago ago in Ramadan in one country, a one sheikh he want to remind people. So, he make this calculation. Look, Quran if you made one khatma is 3 million, two khatma 6 million, three khatma 9 million. Bismillah, we become millionaires. It's not like this. Then why mentioned that? When someone go and found a treasure, amazing, but it is in the top of the mountain. So, he came back to his village and said, "Oh, I saw amazing treasure. Come with me. You will never regret." They said, "No, it's too far. We don't want to." Then he will encourage them. "If you come to that treasure, I will give you this. If you come to that treasure, I will give you this." Then they start to go slowly to treasure. When they found treasure, will they concern about what that man give them? Or they will amazed by by the treasure? That's just an example. Told us read, recite because when we recite, we'll discover treasures. We'll never think about this calculation anymore. That's why and the righteous people after him, sometimes they spend one night just repeating one ayah. Why they don't do khatma? Then you'll get a lot of rewards. Because they forget about the rewards now. They are in something more important, which are with that treasure. So, to recite Quran, some people recite Quran just in Ramadan because they are Muslims. So, the key here after learning Arabic, learn Quran as a guidance. You may ask what's the difference? I will tell you. If you recite Quran as a guidance, will you take guidance from something you don't know the meaning? How can you take guidance then? That's the first difference. If you read just for reward, you recite recite recite, you don't know any But when you want guidance, you'll stop in every single statement. And Quran encourage you to reflect. Because in the beginning of you'll find the first example. What does that mean? So, you have to reflect because you want So, guidance can That's can change everything.
When you come across any story, you'll ask yourself that story there is a guidance. It means it's not just a story. Then you'll start ask everything. Why Allah mentioned these names? There is Haman, Qarun, Firaun, Harut, Marut, Ad, Thamud, many names in Quran. But there is no Abu Bakr or Omar or Uthman or Ali or Talha or Bilal in Only one Sahabi in Quran mentioned. What's that Sahabi? Zaid. In which surah? Ahzab. And even Zaid in Arabic, if you see Zaid in Arabic can indicate any man. If you don't know the name of that man, say Zaid, bring me this. And also in Quran there is no Abu Jahl. No Umayya ibn Khalaf. No Walid ibn Mughira. No Utbah ibn Rabi'ah. No all these people who deny the message. Only one. Who is? Abu Lahab. For a purpose. that ancient nations a lot of names? Qarun, Firaun, Haman. Because those names it's just examples. Allah will repeat the same examples in every single nation. Every single nation has a Firaun and Haman and Qarun. And that status of magician that story will be repeated. But need reflection. That's only if you read it as a If you read as a guidance, you'll come across a lot of battles in Quran. Badr, Uhud, Ahzab, Banu Nadir. All these battles, go and read it in the books of sirah and come and read it in Quran and you'll see a difference. Ghazwat Badr in kutub al-sirah is different than Ghazwat Badr in Surat al-Anfal. Because Quran is unique. So, the key here is read Quran as a guidance. Then you'll have a long journey with Quran. Long journey with Quran.
Third. Third point here, Quran divided to surahs. And when you look at the names of the surahs, you'll be surprised. The longest surah in our book called the cow. If non-Muslim ask you, "The longest surah in your book called the cow?" And it's the second surah. Is that very important that he called the surah the cow? And you'll more also surprised when you read Surat al-Baqarah. And you'll find that there is the main themes in Quran is in Surat al-Baqarah. He can't call it the Surat al-Tawhid. Surat al-Salah. Surat al-Hajj. Surat al-Zakah. Surat al-Sawm. All these themes in Quran Surat al-Baqarah. That's another uniqueness of Quran. When a writer want to write in very famous newspaper, he will think carefully at that night in his first essay or report, what's the title? If you write down a very direct title, then the people go, "Oh, he will talk about this." The people will expect what under that title. But Quran is unique. Quran want you to reflect. Even when you listen to title, what's that? I will read the whole surah to find out why he titled it as Surat al-Baqarah. Encourage you to reflection even in the names of the surahs. Surat al-Baqarah is named as al-Baqarah because this is the longest surah, the first surah after Fatiha. When you read Surat al-Baqarah, oh, the story of the cow of the people before us. Yes, what does that mean? It means the first passage of Surat al-Baqarah is just the mistakes of the people of the book before us. In another word, before you hold this last message, learn from mistakes from people before you. All their mistakes can memorize in that short story. If you learn this, then now you can take the leadership. That's why the first passage of Surat al-Baqarah is about Banu Isra'il. After that immediately, turning qibla. Turning qibla indicate turning leadership from those who made that mistake to us. Then the second passage of Surat al-Baqarah is commands. Reflection in everything in Quran.
And the amazing thing that you read Quran and memorize it and recite it every single night and every time you still have something unique and new. That only can be in Quran. In the when it was Corona COVID-19 everyone is there's no masjid opening that time in Ramadan. me and one of my students in Bolton we pray Qiyam al-Layl Tarawih in my home at my home. Every time when we completed two rak'ahs, straight away there's always a notebook close to me and I write write write in very fast way. Write write write for 10 minutes. So my student or brother said, "What's going on here? Are you okay, Sheikh? Is there anything you forget about today or something you want to go to the tomorrow you want to do it?" I said, "No." But in Qiyam al-Layl especially there's some meaning come to your mind never come only in Qiyam al-Layl. Allah said in the night the night here is stronger what on. When you recite Quran in Qiyam al-Layl is completely different. You want futuhat and meaning in Quran recite it in salah after Isha where there is darkness. That's Allah Ta'ala said in the night here Or in the another what on what on what on it means when you make foot footstep. You there's there's a mark here because of your feet. That mark on the on the earth is just like when you recite Quran at night make mark but on your heart. So the meaning come to your mind. So this Quran is encourage you. There's many things to say but I wish brothers and sisters from this conference to take a decision. And we are now in a new year. So set a plan. Set your goals in this new year. I want to under understand Quran. I want to feel it and want to follow it to engage with it to pay attention to That's will be the best decision in your life. And set plan. I want to learn Arabic. Otherwise I want to go to this method of quranic.com but do something.