Is it sufficient to recite the Qur'an?

Today, many people who characterise themselves as Muslims, in fact, do not know what Allah wants them to do nor how they can be true Muslims. This is because they have not read the holy book that Allah has sent to them even once throughout their lives. However, Allah has sent the Qur’an to inform us why He has created mankind and what He wants us to do. Those who desire to know Allah, and to enter His Paradise earning His good pleasure, should have a thorough knowledge of the Qur’an.

However in societies of ignorance there is an erroneous opinion of the Qur’an. Some of these people merely read the Qur’an, yet do not reflect on the advice that Allah offers them and neither do they follow it. Reading the Qur’an is certainly a form of worship, but the Qur’an is read in order to know Allah and to learn and act upon what He wants. Again, some of these people think that the Qur’an is merely a book of prayers. While praying, they recite the verses they previously memorised, but do not understand their meaning. Allah has given examples in the Qur’an of the prayers of prophets; no doubt the believers should take them as a model. However, it would be a mistake to consider the Qur’an as merely a book of prayers.

The Qur’an was sent by Allah as a guidance for believers, and its clear verses deliver believers from darkness to light. Allah relates this feature of the Qur’an as follows:

… A Light has come to you from Allah and a Clear Book. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma’ida, 15-16)

… This is a Book We have sent down to you so that you can bring mankind from the darkness to the light, by the permission of their Lord, to the Path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy.  (Surah Ibrahim, 1)

An erroneous belief that these people hold about the Qur’an is that it was sent to past nations. Yet despite the passing time, developing technology, or living in the space age or in the computer age does not change anything at all. The greed, passions, opinions and ignorance of people who lived 1400 years ago are identical with those of the people of today or of the people of the future. On the other hand, the source of true knowledge that these behaviours should be replaced with is always the Qur’an. Those who, in order not to obey the Qur’an, assert that it is “the legends of previous people”, are warned of Hell as follows:

When Our Signs are recited to him, he says, “Just myths and legends of the previous peoples!” No indeed! Rather what they have earned has rusted up their hearts. No indeed! Rather that Day they will be veiled from their Lord. Then they will roast in the Blazing Fire.  (Surat al-Mutaffifin, 13-16)

Is it sufficient to recite the Qur'an?