Category: al-Qur’an

Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
What is meant by the review is that Jibreel reviewed the Qur’an with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) every year in Ramadan.
It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: He [the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] told me: Jibreel used to review the Qur’an every year with him once or twice, but this year he reviewed it with him twice. He said: “I think that my death has drawn near, so fear Allah and be patient, for what a good example I am for you.” Narrated by Muslim (2450).
According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari (3624), “Jibreel used to review the Qur’an with me once every year, but this year he has reviewed it with me twice, and I think that my death is approaching, and you [Faatimah] will be the first of my family to join me.” So I [Faatimah] wept, then he said: “Does it not please you that you will be the leader of the women of Paradise, or of the believing women.” So I smiled at that.
Among the Sahaabah, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood and Zayd ibn Thaabit witnessed this review.
Ibn Katheer said: What is meant by Jibreel’s reviewing the Qur’an with him every year is that he checked it to make sure that it was exactly as he had brought it down to him from Allah, may He be exalted, so that what was meant to remain would remain and what had been abrogated would not remain. This review was by way of verifying, ensuring and preserving, therefore the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reviewed it with Jibreel twice in the last year of his life, and Jibreel reviewed it with him. From this, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) understood that the time of his death was approaching.
‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) compiled the master copy of the Mushaf on the basis of this final review.
Ramadan was chosen out of all of the months for this review, because the beginning of the revelation occurred during that month. Hence it is recommended (mustahabb) to study the Qur’an and recite it repeatedly in Ramadan, and the leading scholars strove hard in reciting the Qur’an in that month.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer  1/51).
Secondly:
There is no cause for confusion in the fact that this annual review did not cover the entire Qur’an every single year, because the revelation of the Qur’an had not yet been completed. This is clear.
That is also applicable to what happened during the final review in Ramadan: the review was only of what had been revealed up to that point, and there is nothing to rule out that something could be revealed after Ramadan or after the final review of the Qur’an, that was not included in that review.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The hadith indicates that the word Qur’an may refer to some of it or most of it, because at the time of the first review in the first Ramadan after the Prophet’s mission began, only some of the Qur’an had been revealed. Then it went on like that every Ramadan after it, until the final Ramadan, in which all of the Qur’an had been revealed except that which was delayed and was revealed after that particular Ramadan.
From 10 AH and until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died in Rabee‘ al-Awwal 11 AH, one of the verses that were revealed during that time was the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{This day I have perfected for you your religion} [al-Maa’idah 5:3].
This verse was revealed on the day of ‘Arafah, when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in ‘Arafah, according to scholarly consensus.
It is as if what was revealed during those days, because it was so little compared to what had already been revealed, was overlooked as far as reviewing it was concerned.” (Fath al-Baari  9/44).
For more information on the issue of the final review of the Qur’an, please see: al-‘Ardah al-Akheerah: Dalaalaatuha wa Atharuha, by Dr. Naasir al-Quthaami, Chair in Qur’anic Sciences.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.The command to listen to the Quran attentively 
Allah, may He be exalted, has commanded the believers to listen to the Quran attentively , in a general command. He says (interpretation of the meaning): “So, when the Quran is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy.” [Al-A`raf 7:204] 
Shaykh As-Sa`di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“This command is general and includes everyone who hears the Book of Allah being recited. He is enjoined to listen to it and keep quiet. The difference between listening and keeping quiet is that keeping quiet is done outwardly by not speaking or being distracted with anything that would keep one from focusing on listening to it. 
As for listening to it, this means that one hears it with an attentive heart, pondering the meaning of what one is listening to. The one who adheres to these two commands when the Book of Allah is recited will attain a great deal of good, beneficial knowledge, ongoing and renewed faith, increased guidance and insight into his religion. Hence Allah connected the attainment of mercy to them, which indicates that the one who does not keep quiet and listen attentively when the Book is recited to him will be deprived of the share of mercy and has missed out on a great deal of good. 
The most emphatic command with regard to listening to the Quran attentively has to do with prayers in which Quran is recited out loud by the imam , in which one is enjoined to listen attentively, to such an extent that most of the scholars say that his focusing on keeping quiet and listening attentively takes priority over his reciting Al-Fatihah etc.” (Tafsir As-Sa`di, 314) 
The greater aim of keeping quiet and listening attentively is so that the listener may ponder and understand the meanings, and act upon them. 
Imam At-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“Allah says to those who believe in Him and in His Book, for whom the Quran is guidance and mercy: “So, when the Quran is recited”, to you, O believers; “listen to it”, i.e. lend your ears so that you might understand its verses and learn from its exhortation; “and be silent” and listen to it attentively, so that you might understand and ponder, and do not utter idle talk during it lest you do not understand; “that you may receive mercy” i.e., that you might receive the mercy of your Lord by heeding His exhortation and adhering to His limits and to what He enjoins upon you in the verses.” (Tafsir At-Tabari, 13/244) 
If a person manages to achieve that, i.e., keeping quiet, listening attentively, pondering what is recited to him and understanding its meanings, that will bring him goodness in this world and the Hereafter. 
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“By means of this listening, Allah guides His slaves and sets straight their affairs in this world and the Hereafter; with this the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent, and he enjoined it upon the Muhajirin and Ansar and those who followed them in truth. The early generations used to gather for this purpose. When the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gathered together, they would tell one of their number to recite whilst they listened. `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) would say to Abu Musa: Remind us of our Lord, and Abu Musa would recite the Quran whilst they listened.” (Majmu` Al-Fatawa, 11/626) 
Do you get reward for listening to Quran without understanding it?
As listening in the complete sense is that in which one understands and ponders, there is no doubt that the one who does that as much as he is able is to be commended for what he does, and he is excused for what he is incapable of. But what one is incapable of should not be an excuse for not doing what one is able to do of goodness. What is possible is not to be omitted because of what is difficult; in other words, whatever a person is able to do of obligatory or recommended actions is not waived because of what he is incapable of doing, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can” [At-Taghabun 64:16]  
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: 
Will a person be rewarded if he reads the Quran, even if he does not understand its meanings? 
He replied: 
“The Glorious Quran is blessed, as Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “(This is) a Book (the Quran) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember.” [Sad 38:29] 
So man is enjoined to read it, whether he understands its meanings or not. But the believer who is enjoined to act upon it should not read the Quran without understanding its meanings. If a person wants to learn medicine, for example, and studies the books of medicine, he cannot benefit from them unless he understands their meanings and they are explained to him; in fact he will be very keen to understand the meanings so that he can apply them. So why do you think anyone should read the Book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, which is a healing for what is in the hearts and exhortation to people, without pondering and without understanding its meanings? For this reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would not move on from ten verses until they had learned them and learned the knowledge they contained and how to act upon it. So they learned the Quran and knowledge and action all together. 
A person will be rewarded for reading the Quran whether he understands its meanings or not, but he should be very keen to understand its meanings and to learn these meanings from scholars who are trustworthy in their knowledge. If he has no access to a scholar who can teach him the meanings, he may refer to the trustworthy books of Tafsir, such as Tafsir Ibn Jarir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and others which pay attention to the Tafsir that is based on reports narrated from the Companions and the Successors (may Allah be pleased with them).” (Fatawa Nur `ala Ad-Darb) 
For more details, please see the following answers: 106961 , 50010 , 124657 , 78370 , 174743 , 10672 , and 147164 .
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.The “Sada” service allows you to choose a particular sound that only the one who is making the call can hear. Some people choose this sound to be Qur’an, the adhaan, a du‘aa’ or a beneficial nasheed, and some choose it to be a song or music, and so on.
In principle, there is nothing wrong with this service, so long as the sound that the caller chooses is something permissible.
It is not permissible for this sound to be music or indecent songs, because of the proof that songs and music are haraam. This has been discussed previously in the answer to question no. 5000 .
With regard to choosing the sound of a qaari’ reciting Qur’an, this may be a type of disrespect towards the Holy Qur’an, because Allah, may He be exalted, sent down the Qur’an to be read, reflected upon, recited as an act of worship and acted upon.
The words of Allah, may He be exalted, are too great for us to make them simply a means of passing the time or to alert us to something.
Similarly, with regard to the adhaan, it was prescribed to alert people to the best and most important act of worship in Islam, namely the prayer, so it is deserving of appropriate respect and veneration. Therefore it should not be used for this service.
With regard to du‘aa’, the matter is more lenient.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserving) was asked: What is your opinion on those who put the adhaan or recitation of the Holy Qur’an as ring tones on their mobile phones instead of music?
He replied: This is disrespectful towards the adhaan, dhikr and the Noble Qur’an; they should not be used as alarms, and the Qur’an should not be used as an alarm. 
It may be said: This is better than music. Do you have to use music? Ignore music, and put some other sound that will alert you, in which there is no music or Qur’an, and it will simply alert you.
End quote from Majallat ad-Da‘wah, issue no. 2097.
See also the answer to question no. 34494 .
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly: We congratulate you on what you are doing of good by constantly reciting Quran, and you should carry on with that, because the religious texts speak of the great virtue of doing that.
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah will have one good deed recorded for him, and the good deed brings a tenfold reward. I do not say that alif-lam-mim is a letter; rather alif is a letter, lam is a letter and mim is a letter.” At-Tirmidhi (2910); classed as sahih by al-Albani.
This reward is attained by everyone who reads or recites any surah of the Quran, whether he recites it as part of a khatm in the correct order, or in his prayer, or in any kind of recitation, without paying attention to any particular khatm.
But repeating what you have memorized from al-Baqarah to al-An‘am is not regarded as a real khatm of the Quran, even though you will attain reward for reciting Quran. So strive to recite what you recite well from memory, then complete the rest by reading from the Mushaf.
The practice of the early generations (the salaf) was to complete the entire Quran, then go back to the beginning and start again, and so on.
Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is disliked (makruh) to take too long in completing the Quran and to take more than forty days to complete it.
Ahmad said: What I mostly heard is that the Quran should be completed within forty days.
That is because taking longer than that will lead to forgetting the Quran and becoming negligent about it. Therefore what we have mentioned is more appropriate.
This applies if there is no excuse. If there is an excuse, then the matter is flexible.  End quote from al-Mughni (2/611).
Secondly: you should understand that the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He has told us the timeframe for completing the Quran, and one should not go beyond that.
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Read the Quran in a month.” I said: I can do more than that… Until he said: “Read it in seven days, and do not do more than that.” Narrated by al-Bukhari (4767).
He also forbade them to complete it in less than three days. It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who reads the Quran in less than three days will not understand it.” Narrated by Abu Dawud (1394); classed as sahih by al-Albani.
Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the longest timeframe for completing the Quran?
He replied: There is no set timeframe for that, and the best one can do in that regard is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As when he asked him about how to read the Quran. ‘Abdullah told him that he completed the Quran every day and fasted all the time, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him to fast and not fast, and to sleep and pray qiyam, and to complete the Quran every month. He said: “Your own self has a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your guest has a right over you, so give each of them his or her due.” ‘Abdullah asked for more, and in the end, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him to read it in a week, as he said: “Read it every week,” meaning every seven days.
So the best timeframe to complete the Quran is seven days, and if a person takes longer to do it, there is nothing wrong with that. So it may be completed in a month, or in twenty days, or more than that. The minimum time frame for completing it is three days, as it says in the hadith “The one who reads the Quran in less than three days will not understand it,” or however the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said it. End quote from the Shaykh’s website.
We have previously given a detailed answer regarding this matter; please see question no. 156299.
Thirdly:
Completing 8 juz’ in an hour and a half means that each juz’ is completed in 11 minutes, which is a very short time to recite an entire juz’ of the Quran. It is barely possible for a person to recite in a proper manner in this time, and to recite it as it should be recited, let alone understand what he is reciting and reflect on it.
The early generations disallowed reciting Quran quickly, if that will lead to mispronouncing the words or will not give any opportunity for reflection. It was narrated that Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Do not recite the Quran rapidly as you recite poetry, and do not utter its words carelessly in the manner of handling poor quality dates. Rather, pause to reflect on its wonders and let your heart be moved by it. The main focus of one of you should not be merely to reach the end of the surah. Al-Bayhaqi: Shu‘ab al-Iman (1883).
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There was a time in our lives when one of us would learn about faith before learning about the Quran, and a surah would be revealed to Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he would learn what it permitted and what it prohibited, and where one should pause to reflect and understand, as you learn the Quran. Then he said: I have seen some men, one of whom starts to recite Quran, and he recites it from al-Fatihah to the end without realising what it enjoins and what it prohibits, or where he should pause and reflect, and the way in which he recites it is (careless) like one who is handling poor quality dates. Narrated by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (1/35); he said: It is a sahih hadith according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and I am not aware of any problem with the hadith. And adh-Dhahabi agreed with him.
Reciting the Quran with speed is described by the scholars as qira’at al-hadr.
One of the conditions of qira’at al-hadr is that it should not lead to mispronunciation. Qira’at al-hadr means reciting one word after another in rapid succession, whilst paying attention to grammar and the correct pronunciation, and pronouncing the letters clearly. See: al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran (1/345).
Reciting a juz’ in ten minutes does not allow one to pronounce words correctly or pay attention to grammar; rather it is reciting at such speed that it is not possible to follow the meaning.
What was narrated from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), that he recited the entire Quran in a rak‘ah, is not a precedent to be followed by others; rather it is something unique to ‘Uthman. We are not like him, and what he was enabled to do is something that we cannot be enabled to do. If it is said that this is a karamah (miracle or extraordinary feat) with which he was honoured, that would not be far-fetched, but most of the Sahabah used to recite the Quran in seven days.
Al-Hafiz al-‘Iraqi said: The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to complete the Quran every seven days… Among those who completed it every seven days were: Tamim ad-Dari, ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Yazid, Ibrahim an-Nakha‘i, ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, Abu Mijlaz, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the wife of Ibn Mas‘ud. Masruq regarded that as something good. Among those who would complete it in eight days were Ubay and Abu Qilabah. Among those who would complete it in six days was al-Aswad ibn Yazid. Among those who would complete it in five days was ‘Ilqimah ibn Qays. Among those who would complete it in three days was Ibn Mas‘ud. And he said that the one who recites it in less than three days is reciting at speed. End quote from Tarh at-Tathrib fi Sharh at-Taqrib (3/102).
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
Al-Mufassal refers to the short soorahs of the Quran which have many breaks between them, in which the Basmalah (“Bismillah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem”) appears. They are called mufassal (divided) because a lot of breaks appear in them. 
There was a difference of scholarly opinion concerning the definition of al-Mufassal. Does it begin from Soorat Qaaf or from al-Hujuraat? There was also a difference of opinion as to which soorahs are regarded as long, medium and short. There are several opinions: 
In al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (33/48) it says: They differed concerning al-Mufassal. The Hanafis are of the view that the long soorahs of al-Mufassal start with al-Hujuraat and end with al-Burooj; the medium soorahs begin there and end with al-Bayyinah; and the short soorahs begin there and go to the end of the Quran. 
The Maalikis said that the long soorahs of al-Mufassal start with al-Hujuraat and end with al-Naazi‘aat; the medium soorahs begin with ‘Abasa and end with al-Duha; and the short soorahs begin with al-Duha, until the end of the Quran. 
The Shaafa‘is said: The long soorahs of al-Mufassal are soorahs such as al-Hujuraat, al-Qamar and al-Rahmaan; the medium soorahs are soorahs such as al-Shams and al-Layl; and the short soorahs are soorahs such as al-‘Asr and Qul Huwa Allah Ahad (al-Ikhlaas), 
The Hanbalis are of the view that al-Mufassal begins with Soorah Qaaf, because of the hadith of Aws ibn Hudhayfah who said: I asked the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah upon him) how they divided the Quran. They said, Three and five and seven and nine and eleven and thirteen, and Hizb al-Mufassal [This refers to the number of soorahs in each hizb or portion of Quran. Thus the first hizb contains the first three soorahs, the second contains the next five soorahs, and so on. Hizb al-Mufassal is the last portion of the Quran, from Soorat Qaf until the end]. Narrated by Abu Dawood (1396) and Ibn Maajah (1345); its isnaad was classed as hasan by Ibn Katheer in Fadaa’il al-Quran (83) and as da ‘eef (weak) by al-Albaani in Da‘eef Abi Dawood. They said: This implies that the beginning of al-Mufassal is the forty-ninth soorah from the beginning of al-Baqarah, not from al-Faatihah. The end of the long soorahs is al-Naba’, the medium soorahs go up to al-Duha and the short soorahs go from there to the end of the Quran. End quote. 
See: Fath al-Baari, 2/249; al-Itqaan fi ‘Uloom al-Quran by al-Suyooti, 1/180 
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
Al-Mufassal starts with Soorah Qaaf and goes to the end of the Quran, according to the sound opinion. It is called mufassal because there many breaks between the soorahs, where the Basmalah appears, according to the correct opinion. End quote from Fath al-Baari, 2/295. See also Fath al-Baari, 9/43. 
Secondly: 
With regard to who first called that al-Mufassal, this name was widespread and well known among the Sahaabah and was narrated in many various hadiths from the Sahaabah. 
A man came to Ibn Mas‘ood and said: I recited al-Mufassal last night in one rak‘ah. He said: This is like the hasty recitation of poetry. I know the pairs of soorahs that the Messenger of Allah (blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in each rak‘ah. And he mentioned twenty soorahs from al-Mufassal, two soorahs in each rak‘ah. 
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (775), Muslim (922). 
The hadiths in which the name al-Mufassal is mentioned are very many and various, in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere, which makes it likely that this name was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Mu‘aadh used to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go back and lead his people in prayer. [One night] he prayed ‘Isha’ and started to recite Soorat al-Baqarah, and one man left the congregation (and prayed by himself). It was as if Mu‘aadh criticized him. News of that reached the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he said: “[You are] one who puts people off praying in congregation, one who puts people off praying in congregation, one who puts people off praying in congregation roblems,” three times, and he told him to recite two of the medium-length soorahs of al-Mufassal. ‘Amr – the narrator of the hadith – said: I do not remember them. 
Narrated by al-Bukhari (701) and Muslim (465). 
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
The Noble Quran is a sign from Allah, the Exalted and Praised, and Allah has placed within it many signs of truth. Among the signs of its truthfulness and proofs that it is from Allah, the Exalted, are the unique phonetic properties not found in any other text. Indeed, the Quran contains phonetic styles that are unmatched elsewhere.
Dr. Muhammad Daraz says, “Let the proficient reciter read the Quran; recite it properly, descending upon the inclination of the Quran, and not imposing his own inclinations upon it. Then distance yourself from him to a remote place where you do not hear the ringing of its letters, but you hear its movements and stillness, its elongations and melodies, its connections and pauses, then lend your ear to this phonetic collection, made exclusive and released plainly into the air. You will find yourself facing a strange and wonderful melody; you will not find it in any other speech even if it were rendered exclusive and refined in this manner.
You will find a harmony and unity that captivates your hearing as music and poetry do, yet it is not the tunes of music, nor the patterns of rhythm of poetry, and you will find something else that you do not find in music or poetry. That is because you listen to a poem and find its rhythm unified line by line, and part by part, and you listen to a piece of music and find its moods similar and going in a close direction; so your hearing soon rejects it, and your nature tires of it, if it is repeated and recited to you with one signature.
Whereas with the Quran, you are always in a varied and renewed melody, moving between causes and pegs and pauses in different positions, each string of your heart’s chords taking an equal share, so that no matter how often it is repeated, it does not bring you boredom or weariness, but you constantly seek more of it,” End quote.
“An-Naba’ Al-Adhim” (p. 133 – 134).
He also mentioned the beauty of the articulation points of the letters, saying, “If you bring your ear a little closer, the jewels of its letters coming out from their correct articulation points will strike your hearing, surprising you with another pleasure in the arrangement of those letters and their lining up, and the ordering of their positions among themselves; this one taps and that one whistles, a third whispers and a fourth declares loudly, another lets the breath slide over it, and another holds the breath. And so on, you see the linguistic beauty manifest before you in a different yet harmonious collection, without rattling or babbling, without softness or harshness, without discord or repulsion.
Thus, you see speech that is neither the bland urban nor the rough Bedouin, but you see it having blended within it the robustness and grandeur of the desert with the delicacy and fluidity of the city, and the matter is measured in such a way that neither exceeds the other. It is as if it is the essence of the two languages, and their progeny, or as if it is the point of contact between the tribes, where their tastes meet, and upon it their hearts agree,” End quote.
“An-Naba’ Al-Adhim” (p. 135).
Secondly:
There is a correlation between the parts of the Noble Quran, which scholars refer to as the coherence between the verses and Surahs. This coherence may be between one Surah and another, between the beginning of a Surah and the one following it, between the verses of a single Surah, and between the beginning and end of a Surah.
“And there is not a Surah except that it has its own (landmarks) that distinguish it, whether they are short or long Surahs, and the shorter the Surahs, the greater this characteristic becomes. This is clear from the fact that Allah, the Exalted, did not make the short Surahs a single independent Surah except for a great wisdom, which is the independence of each one of them with what distinguishes it from others.”
See: “Misbah Ad-Durar fi Tanasub Ayat Al-Quran Al-Karim wa As-Suwar” (p. 93).
There is also a close proximity between the topics of the Surahs and their objectives, as each Surah of the Quran has a purpose and goal, that is, a significance to which the meanings of the Surah and its content return, and represents its spirit that flows through all its parts.
The objective may be the same as the topic of the Surah, or the objective may differ from the topic, in that a single Surah may have a number of topics, and these topics return to one objective.
Knowing the topics of the Surah and its objective is one of the most important aids to contemplating the Surah and realizing its miraculous nature, because you find that despite the different topics of the Surah, it leads to one goal in a harmony that compels the observer to deem it impossible for this speech to be of human origin.
The search for the topics of the Surah and its objective requires certain matters:
The most important of which are: understanding the meanings of the Surah, realizing the appropriateness between the verses, and realizing the appropriateness between the Surah and what precedes and follows it. All this makes the reader of the Quran more attentive to what he recites and more present in understanding it.
Among the important books in this field are:
1- Asma’ Suwar Al-Quran wa Fada’iliha, Dr. Munirah Al-Dosari, Dar Ibn Al-Jawzi, it is an important book in its field.
2- An-Naba’ Al-Adhim, Dr. Muhammad Daraz, Tafakkur Center.
3- Muhtawayah Suwar Al-Quran Al-Karim, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Taweel, Dar Al-Watan.
4- Dalail An-Nizam, by the teacher Abdul Hamid Al-Farahi.
5- Al-Burhan fi Tanasub Surah Al-Quran, by Imam Ibn Zubair Al-Gharnati, Dar Ibn Al-Jawzi.
6- At-Tanasub bayna As-Suwar fi Al-Muftatah wa Al-Khawatim, Dr. Fadil Al-Samarrai, Dar Ibn Kathir.
And among the Tafsirs that have taken care of highlighting these aspects are:
1- Nazm Al-Durar fi Tanasub Al-Ayat wa As-Suwar, by Imam Al-Biqa`i.
2- At-Tahrir wa At-Tanwir, by Imam Al-Tahir Ibn Ashur.
3- Masu`at At-Tafsir Al-Mawdu`i, University of Sharjah.
And see: “Ad-Dalil ila Al-Quran,” Amr Al-Sharqawi (p. 78).
Thirdly:
We have not been able to personally examine the details of the attempts mentioned in the question, nor have we seen anything of them.
However, we mention here some general methodological alerts, which we summarize as follows:
1- One should not force oneself to research the characteristics of letters and their connection to the word and then the position of this word in the sentence, because this may obscure the main purpose of the Quran, which is to be a book of guidance.
2- It must be known that this is merely one of the delicacies of the Quran, and its seasoning, and not from the solid knowledge, nor from the general objectives of the Noble Quran, nor the central meanings it brought; rather, it is closer to being, if correct, from the superficial layer as the scholar (Daraz) expresses.
3- Writing in such a field, and the possibility of contributing one’s own insights, requires special knowledge and tools; the most important of which are specialization in phonetic studies and related sciences, then proficiency in the sciences of Arabic morphology and rhetoric; and such is not attainable by everyone, so the matter should be put in its proper place, and one should not undertake what one has no knowledge of, nor should one pretend to be an expert in a field for which the tools of research and examination are not complete, even if one’s tools of research and examination were complete.
4- If something of this is established for a person, there is no harm in speaking of it, but as his own ijtihad, which should be presented to the solid knowledge, its essence, and its core; and one should not exaggerate in this so that it is said to be from the “miraculous nature,” lest the Word of Allah and its miraculous nature be exposed to speculation and debate, as has happened with those concerned with examining aspects of the “scientific miracles” of the Noble Quran; and indeed, both extremes in intending matters are reprehensible!!
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.The “five fortresses” method for memorizing the Qur’an is a method based on a plan for preparing the pages that one wants to memorize, a method for memorizing and a method for reviewing what one has previously memorized.
It is a method that includes reading from the Mushaf, listening to a skilled narrator, repeating what one wants to memorize, then reviewing what one has memorized without looking at the Mushaf.
Based on that, it does not seem that there is anything objectionable about this method. Rather it is a good method that connects the Muslim to the Qur’an on a daily basis, and gets him used to reciting the Qur’an and not forget it. It is well known that educational means and methods of reviewing and memorizing, and the like, are only means of acquiring knowledge and memorizing and reviewing the Holy Qur’an.
The ruling on these means is that they are permissible, so long as Islam has not forbidden them.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a method is not forbidden and it is effective, then there is nothing wrong with it. Means are not the same as objectives, and it is not essential that Islam should state for every means or method that it is permissible or otherwise, because means and methods are innumerable and unlimited, so everything that is a means of achieving good is good. End quote from Liqa’ al-Baab (15/30).
Moreover, when determining whether a particular method is better and choosing it over others, we should look at experience and what is best suited to each individual. What is suitable and beneficial to one person is not always suitable and beneficial for another; rather it may be suitable for someone else, or some other method may be more beneficial for him. So each person should look at what is most suitable for him and will help him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Strive to do that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless.”
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.The Quran is the Speech of Allah, spoken by Him with His letters and meanings, as He, the Exalted, said (translation of the meaning): {And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the Words of Allāh [i.e., the Quran]. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.} (At-Tawbah:6).
In the Quran, there are statements of various peoples that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has mentioned, including the believers like the prophets and the truthful, and the disbelievers, like Pharaoh and Qarun, and the hypocrites, as well as the angels, the jinn, the birds like the hoopoe, the ants, and others.
The purpose of mentioning these statements is to convey the meaning and not necessarily the exact wording. Sometimes the conveyed message is the exact wording, and sometimes it is the meaning, especially if it is impossible for it to be the exact wording, such as when the speaker is not speaking in Arabic. This has been explicitly stated by more than one of the scholars:
Zain Ad-Din Ar-Razi Al-Hanafi said in “Questions and Answers on the Oddities of the Verses of Revelation” (p. 144): “If it is asked: How did Allah, the Exalted, narrate here the speech of the sorcerers who believed and of Pharaoh (translation of the meaning): {They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of the worlds’} to the saying of Allah: {And cause us to die as Muslims}, then narrated this meaning in Surah Taha and Surah Ash-Shu`ara with additions and omissions in the words attributed to them, when this event only occurred once, so how did their expression differ in it?
We say: The answer to this is that they spoke in their language, not in Arabic, and Allah, the Exalted, narrated that from them in Arabic several times, for a wisdom that necessitated repetition and reiteration, which we will explain in Surah Ash-Shu`ara, Allah willing. So, at one time He narrated it matching their wording in the translation, taking care of the wording, and after that, He narrated it by meaning, following the custom of the Arabs in varying speech and differing in their styles; so as not to bore if it was merely repetitive.” End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in “At-Tis`iniyyah” (2/464): “Indeed, the letters and sounds that Moses heard were Hebrew, and those that Allah mentioned about him in the Quran were Arabic. If speech were merely letters and sounds, there would be no commonality at all between the speech that Moses heard and that which Allah mentioned that he heard. Thus, reporting that he heard these sounds, which he did not hear, would be a lie.
Likewise, all those whom Allah narrated in the Quran that they spoke from the previous nations who spoke languages other than Arabic, they spoke in their languages, and Allah narrated that in the language in which the Quran was revealed, which is Arabic. And the Speech of Allah is truth. If their speech was just letters and sounds, and the letters and sounds they said are not like these, then it would not be possible to narrate from them at all. Rather, their speech was letters and meanings, so Allah narrated that from them in another language, and the letters follow the meanings, and the meanings are the main intended purpose, as the speech of all creatures is translated.” End quote.
At-Tahir said: “The meaning of the statement here is: to convey their intention to those they want to reach among their kind, in the manner in which they understand each other,” At-Tahrir wat-Tanwir (29/220).
And he said: “This is narrated from the speech of the jinn,” At-Tahrir wat-Tanwir (29/222).
In summary, what this ignorant objector mentioned only demonstrates his ignorance, narrow-mindedness, and poor understanding.
If Allah’s narration of the speech of the jinn or humans, whether believers or disbelievers, in His Book, meant that those whom Allah narrated from them said “Quran,” then that would mean that all these humans, and the jinn, had brought forth a Quran from themselves, and then Allah transmitted this Quran in “His Quran”; then He challenged them to produce something like it.
This could not be from the weakest of people in intellect; rather, it is only imagined and found problematic by someone who is ignorant, who does not know the places of argument, and the aspects of speech.
And it is astonishing that anyone would believe such nonsense, be disturbed by it, and think there is a real problem!!
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.It is obligatory to read Quran with the letters with which Allah has revealed it, with sound Arabic pronunciation, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“And truly, this (the Quran) is a revelation from the Lord of the ‘Aalameen(mankind, jinn and all that exists),
193. Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought down
194. Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners,
195. In the plain Arabic language” [al-Shu’ara 26:192-195] 
“Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran in order that you may understand” [Yoosuf 12:2]
It is not permissible for anyone to deliberately change any letter of it when he is able to pronounce it correctly. This is a kind of mistake which is a sin. 
If a person finds it difficult to pronounce the letters correctly – such as people in whose language some of the Arabic letters, such as tha’, dhal and kha’ do not exist – they have to try to learn the correct pronunciation, but if they are unable to master it then they are excused, but their example should not be followed, and they should be called upon to strive their hardest to learn and correct their pronunciation. And none of them should lead the prayer, unless he is leading others like him who cannot pronounce well either. 
Ibn al-Jazari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Whoever is able to read the words of Allah with correct Arabic pronunciation but he deliberately pronounces it incorrectly like a non-Arab, out of arrogance, stubbornness and complacency, or because he is too proud to go to a scholar who could help him to correct his pronunciation, is undoubtedly falling short and sinning and being dishonest. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Religion is sincerity: to Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” 
But if a person’s tongue will not obey him or he cannot find someone to teach him the correct pronunciation, then Allah does not burden any soul beyond its scope. 
End quote from al-Nashr fi’l-Qiraa’aat al-‘Ashr, 1/299 
It should be noted that Allah has made it easy to memorize and recite Quran, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember; then is there any one who will remember (or receive admonition)?” [al-Qamar 54:17]
Hence we see many of our brothers in the countries referred to who are able to pronounce the letters perfectly, better than many of their Arab brothers. So you should strive to learn the correct pronunciation and recite Quran with proper Tajweed, and not despair or give up.
 And Allah is the Source of strength.

Praise be to Allah.Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The belief of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) concerning the Quran is like their belief in all the Names and Attributes of Allah, which is a belief that is based on what is indicated by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah (traditions) of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). 
We all know that Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, has described the Quran as being His Word and that it was sent down from Him. Allah, may He be Sxalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Quran), and then escort him to where he can be secure.” [At-Tawbah 9:6]
Undoubtedly what is meant by the Word of Allah here is the Noble Quran .
And He, may He be exalted, says:
“Verily, this Quran narrates to the Children of Israel most of that about which they differ.” [An-Naml 27:76]
So the Quran is the Word of Allah in both wording and meaning. Allah spoke it in a real sense and gave it to Jibril (peace be upon him) the trustworthy, then Jibril brought it down to the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so that he might be one of the warners, in a plain Arabic tongue. 
The Salaf believe that the Quran was revealed ; Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, revealed it to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) piecemeal, i.e., bit by bit, over twenty-three years, in accordance with the Wisdom of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted. 
Moreover, some of the revelation was revealed for a specific reason for which it was sent down, and some of it was revealed without a specific reason. Moreover, some of it was revealed to tell of something that happened to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions. Some of it was revealed concerning Shar`i (legal) rulings, according to what the scholars have said concerning this matter. 
Then the Salaf say that the Quran is from Allah in the first place and it will return (to Him) at the end of time. This is the view of the Salaf concerning the Noble Quran. 
It is clear to us that Allah has described the Noble Quran in superlative terms. He has described it as wise (Hakim), noble (Karim), great (`Adhim), and glorious (Majid). 
These qualities, in terms of which Allah has described His Book, may be attainable by one who adheres to this Book and acts upon it both inwardly and outwardly. Allah will give him some share of glory, greatness, wisdom, honour and authority that is not given to the one who does not adhere to the Book of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted. 
Hence I call all Muslims, rulers and ruled, scholars and ordinary folk, to adhere to the Book of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, both inwardly and outwardly, so that they may attain honour, happiness and glory, and prevail in the east and in the west.” (Fatawa Kibar `Ulama Al-Ummah)
And Allah knows best.