The advent of Islam was heralded by the recitation of the Qur'an. As the Kalam (speech) of Allah, it is our most Sacred source of religious and moral authority. Honouring the Qur'an by a proper adab (etiquette), being aware of our state of inner and outer purity whilst engaging with the Qur1an, and reading it with the consciousness of heart and mind it requires makes tilawa a great source of spiritual blessing.

It is no doubt the highest and most meritorious form of athkar (remembrance of Allah) a Muslim can undertake. Hence it is not surprising that the Urs of all Awliya, from whichever Tariqa, would invariably begin with a tilawa of the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is not read like an ordinary book but it is rather a qira'a or a recitation; the manner and mode of its recital creates a feeling of awe and ecstasy in its listeners. It feeds not only our intellectual appetite but also touches our ruh or soul From the humblest to the most majestic of occasions, whenever the Qur'an is recited it has the power to move people to tears; it pulls onto the strings of your inner being; it claws at your conscience, questions you, asks you to look deeply within yourself and around you, challenges your intellect and your understanding, until you can only concede that this is no ordinary speech; this speech is Divine in origin and it truly is a huda (guidance), a shifa (healing) and a rahma ( a source of compassion) for those who believe in it.

The Qur'an came to change human behaviour. That is its mission. That is its sole purpose. It will reveal its beauty to those who create an attachment in their hearts for it. We cannot reach its pearls of wisdom, unlock its mysteries and expect it to be of salvation for us one day if we do not develop a deep and lasting affinity for the Qur'an.

It is only if we toil each day, diligently, with passion, with care and dedication, seeking Allah's Help as we undertake a journey through the Qur’an that we will gain the immense joy and sense of discovery that awaits those who are the ardent students of the Sacred Word of Allah. 

These Urs ceremonies have therefore for no small reason established the tilawa of the Qur'an as an integral part of these occasions. The Awliya-Allah arc beacons of nur and guidance appointed by Allah for our benefit. If we honour their memory, we honour lives molded by the Qur'an.

It is most appropriate therefore that we continue in this tradition of starting the Urs celebrations with a tilawa of the Qur'an not only for the Barakah but also a sign that we are serious in our efforts to establish a society who's moral and ethical foundations indeed are those based on the principles of the Qur'an.