This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful of Allah 2:2
A Book We have sent down to you so that you may bring forth mankind from the darkness into the light 14:1
If We had sent down this Qur’ān upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and splitting from fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought. 59:21
The Quran is the Speech of Allah SWT, which all of us as Muslims hold dearly and base our lives upon. Sometimes, we see the Quran as only a book with an elegant font and a beautiful cover on the outside. We take it out on marriage and burial ceremonies, and during the month of Ramadan, which is the month in which the first verse of the Quran was revealed. It read, ‘Read in the name of your Lord’ (Surah Iqra Verse 1). The Quran is something that we read during our prayers, and is a source of relaxation and healing for our hearts when we feel anguish.
The Quran is so much more than a book. It is not an accessory to have ready for special occasions only. The Quran should make up a significant part of our daily lives.
How to develop your connection with the Quran
1. Acquaint yourself with the Quran – Learn what the Quran is, why we need to recite it, and what it means. The journey to acquaintance yourself with the Quran does not last just one day, but it takes a lifetime.
The Quran is the direct Speech of Allah SWT that was revealed through the Angel Jibreel onto the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Prophet Muhammad PBUH then recited it directly after the angel Jibreel narrated it to him, and then scribes would immediately record everything the Prophet said.
Thankfully, this revelation was recorded and compiled perfectly and today many people memorise and recite the Quran. In fact, the Quran is the most memorised book in the entire world!
The Quran will be your companion in the grave when no one else is there. The Quran will come in the shape of a man and will be a sign that Allah loves you so much that He has made His Revelation to take a familiar form (Hadith narrated by Ahmad). The more often you read the Quran in this world, the more comfortable your rest will be in the grave.
2. Keep the Quran close – Keep a copy in your bedroom. Read Surah al-Mulk before you sleep. If you experience insomnia, read the Quran or listen to it with earphones in your ear. My favourite chapter to listen to when I have insomnia is Surah Yusuf. The most important chapter to listen to before falling asleep is Surah al-Mulk. There is even a Hadith narrated by the Prophet’s companion Abdallah ibn Mas’ud that says that reading Surat al-Mulk every night will become your protection from the torment of the grave, even if you have sinned.
When I was younger and did not own a phone, I had a mini MP3 player. Memories of falling asleep with the earphones in my ear are nostalgic. Although I don’t use earphones anymore, I still sometimes wake up and hear the Quran playing on low. You might choose to play the Quran directly from your phone or to read the small surahs that you recite during your prayer.
3. Learn what the words mean – A way to understand the Quran better and to pay attention to it is to learn the tafseer, also known as translation of the Quran. The Quran contains many wonderful stories in it that allow us to ponder. Whether this is one of the first times you’ve held the Quran, or you read Quran daily, get yourself a version of the Quran that is translated into English as well as retaining the Arabic script.
My favourite stories of the Quran include the stories of Prophet Musa AS (see Surah al-Qasas). Surah al-Kahf is good to read every Friday morning, as it gives your face an invisible light that Allah SWT can see (al-Sunan al-Kubra). Not only this, but it contains the story of the youth in the cave, the story of the man with two gardens, the story of Musa AS and his companion, and finally the story of Dhul-Qarnayn. These stories contain powerful messages in them. For example, the story of the man with two gardens teaches us that even if you have wealth that nobody else possesses the likeness of, this wealth is ultimately not ours and will return to Allah SWT. Therefore, we should not allow evil pride to enter our hearts, nor should we ever think we are superior to others.
4. Learn how to read the Arabic letters. Try a Qaeda Noorania course which is one that teaches you the pronunciation of the Quranic letters. Read slowly. Know that you are getting double hasanat for your efforts compared to the one who does not struggle. This is a great mercy from Allah SWT that he does not ignore us when we struggle, no matter how small or large the struggle is.
5. Save a Quran playlist with suitable chapters that you are learning to read or memorise. Let this playlist grow over time. Try to remember the impacts of chapters you read. If you like any particular chapter or recording of the Quran, make a note of this.
6. Listen to beautiful recitations of the Quran – Listen to your favourite surahs as read by your favourite reciter. Allow it to calm you down.
There are many reciters to choose from. I find Sheikh Mishary Rashid’s voice familiar and easy to follow, although I find it slow-paced. I prefer the pace of Maher al-Muaqely’s voice. A friend of mine said they like to listen to the nasal voice of Muhammad al Kurdi. My Tajweed teacher tells me to listen to concise reciters like Khalifa at-Tunaji. Some of my relatives like the voice of Abd al-Basit.
There are even multiple dialects of recitation, so if you notice that these reciters don’t sound familiar, it might be that you are used to a different dialect.
7. Attempt to beautify your voice and yourself – This makes you closely connected with the Quran. It is said that the angels become observant when they notice a person reciting the Quran. When you sit to read the Quran, make sure to be in a presentable state, as your audience includes the angels.
The Prophet said, “Allah has angels who roam the roads looking for those who mention Allah. When they find some people who mention Allah, they call each other, saying, ‘Come to the object of your pursuit.’ “He [Prophet] added, ‘Then the angels encircle them with their wings up to the sky of the world…'” [Al-Bukhari]
8. Join a Quran recitation/memorisation group – This way, you will meet fellow Muslims who are also seeking to strengthen their bonds with the words of Allah SWT. It is a way to make friends with people who you will see even in Jannah, inshallah.
Both learning Tajweed and memorising the Quran is a shared obligation among Muslims, known as Fard kifayah.. Not many people know Tajweed, nor have many memorised the Quran, so it is necessary that we revive the obligation of the Quran so that we can teach our future generations.
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions and conclusions presented in these pieces are strictly those of the authors. MYA does not necessarily endorse the personal views of the authors.
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