Allah Almighty Says in the Quran (what means): “We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers.” [Quran 17:82] And also (what means): “O mankind! There has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.” [Quran 10:57]

It is narrated on the authority of An-Nu'maan Ibn Basheer may Allah be pleased with him who said : "I heard the Messenger of Allah  say : "That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly, every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole,all the body is whole  and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Diseases of the heart are a mixture of suspicions and lusts which can lead our souls into turmoil and despair. However, Allah Almighty has provided us with a special prescription that will cleanse and heal our diseased hearts: The Quran.

The Quran provides the healing for many types of ailments:

1.     It contains proofs and clear evidences which separate right from wrong.

2.     It adequately and clearly negates our doubts.

No book on this earth other than the Quran provides such comprehensive proofs and testimonies in relation to exalted matters of monotheism, confirmation of Allah’s attributes, the Day of Judgment, Prophethood and refutation of incongruous doctrines and degenerate opinions. 

Although the Quran offers a genuine cure for the evils of suspicions and doubts, its benefit depends to a large extent on comprehending its essence and purpose. Those who are blessed with such faculties would have the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, as clearly and easily as they can distinguish between day and night.

They would know for certain that all other knowledge and concepts prevailing among people are either traditions or false presumptions; however fanciful and appealing they may appear, these would be unable to offer a substitute for the Truth or genuine matters as encapsulated in the Quran and would provide no benefit.

The Hadeeth (narration) of Prophet Muhammad  compares the futility of such efforts to: “Inferior camel’s meat on top of a rough mountain, neither the hill is easy to climb nor the camel is healthy enough to get down the hill.” [Al-Bukhari]

In fact, the knowledge obtained by theologians could be found in the Quran with a much better elaboration and explanation, for the theologians are inclined to affectation, wordiness and perpetuating perplexity. They assume that their attitudes help in refuting suspicions and doubts, but contrary to their presumption, these suspicions and doubts are better served by their efforts. If healing and guidance, knowledge and certainty could not be obtained from the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad  it would be impossible to obtain them from the utterances of those perplexed skeptics.

The Quran draws its ability of healing the diseases of lusts by its wisdom and fair exhortation, through the renouncement of earthly pursuits and the pursuance of the Hereafter. It draws upon parables and narrations containing lessons to be pondered. If the heart assimilated these qualities, it would certainly be inclined towards good deeds and renounce the evil ones.

The Quran also eliminates spiritual diseases which corrupt our intentions and prompt us towards ill deeds; hence the heart heals and returns to its normal nature, where its facultative and self-acquired deeds excel. The body also returns to its normal functioning by rejecting whatever contradicts the right guidance, just like an infant who accepts nothing but milk. In this course of affairs, the heart feeds on faith and the Quran which provides it with reprimands, consolidation, support, gladness, joy and invigoration to establish its authority, as a body is nourished by what develops and strengthens it.

The heart and the body would not flourish without adhering to the Quran. Even if they attained some of the desired results from another source, the attainment would be very minor and would not serve the purpose and desired end result. 

It is very significant, for you, dear reader of the Quran, to observe the following:

·         Do not touch the Quran except when in the state of ritual purity     

     (Wudhoo), and only recite it when you are in that state.

• Brush your teeth with a wooden tooth stick (Siwaak), remove food particles from between them, and freshen your mouth before reciting.
• Sit up straight if (reading whilst) not in prayer, and do not lean back.
• Face the direction of prayer (Qiblah) when reciting.
• Rinse your mouth out with water if you cough up mucus or phlegm while reciting.
• Stop reciting when you yawn, for when reciting, you are addressing your Lord in intimate conversation, while yawning is from the Devil.
• At the beginning of your recitation, seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Devil by saying the Isti'aathah (i.e., "A'oothu Billaahi min Ash-Shaytaanirraajeem", which means: "I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed."), whether beginning to read from the beginning of a Soorah (Quranic chapter) or from some other part that one has reached.
• Once you have begun, do not to interrupt your recitation from moment to moment with human words, unless absolutely necessary.
• Seclude yourself when reciting it, so as not to be interrupted by someone, forcing you to mix the words of the Quran with a reply, for this nullifies the effectiveness of having taken refuge in Allah from the Devil at the beginning.
• Recite it slowly without haste, distinctly pronouncing each letter.
• Try to comprehend what is being said in every verse.
• Pause at verses that promise Allah's favour, long for Allah Most High and ask of His bounty. At verses that warn of His punishment, ask His protection from it.
• Ponder over the stories of past civilisations and individuals, taking heed and benefiting from their example.
• Learn the meanings of the Quran's unique lexical usages.
• Pay attention to each letter so as to clearly and fully pronounce every word, for each letter earns one ten good deeds.
• Whenever one finishes reciting, attest to the truthfulness of Allah, and that His messenger Muhammad  (may Allah exalt his mention) has delivered His message; do this by saying: "Our Lord! You have spoken the truth, Your Messengers have delivered their tidings, and bear witness to this. O Allah, make us of those who bear witness to the truth and who act with justice." After this, supplicate Allah with prayers.
• Try not to select certain verses from each chapter to recite, instead, aim to recite whole chapters at a time.
• If you put down the Quran, do not leave it open.
• Do not place other books on top of the Quran; it should always occupy a higher position than all other books, regardless of whether they are books of sacred knowledge or not.
• Place the Quran on your lap when reading, or on something in front of you, but not on the floor.
• Do not let a day go by without looking at least once at the pages of the Quran.
• Do not trivially and playfully quote the Quran at the occurrence of everyday events as by saying, for example, when someone comes (what means): "Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth in the days past" [Quran: 69:24] when food is brought out, and so forth.
• Do not recite the Quran to the tunes of songs.
• When writing the Quran, do so in clear, elegant handwriting.
• If someone else is reciting, do not recite in a way in that would disturb him.
• Do not recite it in marketplaces, places of clamour and frivolity, or where ill-mannered people gather.
• Do not use the Quran as a pillow, or lean upon it.
• Do not toss it when handing it to someone else.
• Do not miniaturize the Quran, mix into it what is not of it, or mingle worldly adornment with it by embellishing or writing it with gold.
• Do not write it on the ground or on walls, as is done in some new mosques.
• Do not to enter the lavatory with a paper or anything else on which the Quran is written, unless it is encased in leather, silver, or other materials, for then it is as if kept in the heart.
• If you write it (on paper) and immerse that paper in a glass of water to drink it (for cure or other purpose), then make a noble and worthy intention, for Allah only gives to one according to his intention.
   
• And if you finish reading the entire Quran, immediately begin reading it again, so it does not become something that has been abandoned.