Assalam-o-alikum!
What is the true concept of Barakah(blessings)?What does the Barakah really means? Many times I heard from people saying if you recite this and this then Barkat will come in your house. Is not the Barkah related with the deeds of the person and his thinking, priorities, preferences which are tested by the Almighty while doing transactions? If a person just recites some selected surahs daily without pondering on his character or without understanding, will then barakah come in his home or not?
Shujath Imran
Hyderabad, India
Wa alaikum us salam wa Rahmatullah
Sorry for delay! Today the internet was down. The word Barakah means blessing of Allah. It is used in different meanings in different contexts:
1. God’s invisible support e.g. اللہ تعالی نے اس کام میں برکت دی
2. Excess of something e.g. اللہ تعالی تمہارے مال میں برکت دے
3. Benefit e.g. یہ کام بڑا بابرکت ہے
Regarding the virtues of reciting different Surahs, the real barakah (i.e. benefit) comes when a person recites with understanding the meaning of the Quran. If a doctor writes a prescription of food and medicine for a patient and the later reads it without understanding it, how can he get benefit of it? We do not find such concept in the companions of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
Especially in South Asian Muslims, I think that the mystic concept of “recitation without understanding” came from Hindus. You might have observed that they also call their Pundits to recite Gita or some other religious texts to bless their homes. When masses of Hindus converted to Islam, they were not properly trained by established scholars but mainly by Sufis who already believed in similar mystic concepts. So these misleading concepts continued in Muslims as well with the exception that the Quran replaced Gita and other Hindu scriptures.
Wassalam
Muhammad Mubashir Nazir
Don’t hesitate to share your questions and comments. They will be highly appreciated. I’ll reply as soon as possible if I know the answer. Send at mubashirnazir100@gmail.com.