Living with the Qur’an

• The Journey of Life

• Basic prerequisites
• Participation of the inner self
• Rules of reading
• Quranic Knowledge – 7Ts
• How to study the Qur’an
• Your family and the Qur’an
• The Qur’an Journal
 Basic Prerequisites

• Faith: The Word of God

• Purity of Intention and Purpose
• Bringing Gratitude and Praise
• Acceptance and Trust
• Obedience and Change
• Hazards and Obstacles
• Trust and Dependence
Participation of the Inner Self

• The Quran and the Heart

• Dynamics of inner participation
• Conversation in Allah's Presence
• Trusting and Expecting Allah's Rewards

• Acts of Heart and Body

• Reading with Tartil
• Self Purifcation
Reading with Comprehension
 Rules of Reading
• How Often to Read?
• How Much to Read?
• When to Read?
• Reading Correctly
• Reading Beautifully
• Listening Attentively
• Completing the Reading (Khatm)
• Memorizing
 Quranic Knowledge - 7 T’s
• Tajwid
• Tartil
• Tahfiz
• Tarjumah
• Ta’allum al-lugha
• Tafsir
• Tadabbur
How to Study the Qur’an
• The Big Issue
• Personal Study
• Categories of Understanding
• Levels of Understanding
• Basic Requirements
• Aids for Study
• Technique for Study
• Methodological Guidelines
• Qur’anic Educational Resources
 The Big Issue

• Do we have understand the Qur’an

‘on our own’?
• Can we not just listen to the
‘learned’?
• Can we not be misguided?
• ‘Whoever interprets the Qur’an by his
own opinion shall take his place in
Hell? (Tirmidhi).
 Categories of Understanding I

• Tadhakkur
– Entails receiving admonition, deriving
advice, remembering, taking to heart
– Requires no sophisticated tools and
available to every sincere inquirer
 Categories of Understanding II

• Tadabbur
– Entails understanding full meaning of
every word, exploring fuller meanings,
metaphors and parables, lexical
intricacies, historical background,
comparative study of different tafsir
 Levels of Understanding

• Level I: Comprehend simple, literal

meaning
• Level 2: Understanding how the learned
have understood it
• Level 3: Tadhakkur and Tadabbur
• Level 4: Discover meanings by obeying its
messages, fulfilling its duties and mission
 Basic Requirements

• Arabic
• Reading the whole Qur’an
• Reading Tafsir Works
• Study of selected portions
• Reading again and again
• Inquiring Mind
 Aids for Study

• Personal copy of the Qur’an

• Qur’an with a translation and reliable short
commentary
• Acquire multiple translations.
• Advanced study – Get a detailed tafsir
• Get a good Arabic dictionary
• Get a concordance
 How to Study
Stage 1: Defining problems

• Step 1: Renewal of your niyyah

• Step 2:Read, comprehending meaning x3
• Step 3:Write down major themes
• Step 4:Write down the central theme
• Step 5:Sub-divide into shorter portions which
convey one single message
• Step 6:Underling key words and phrases
• Step 7: Ask questions about the passage
 How to Study :
Stage 2: Finding Solutions

• Step 1:Find meaning of important words

• Step 2:Find meaning of phrases & statements
• Step 3:Ponder on unity and cohesion of the ayat
• Step 4: seek meaning of each phrase within
context of passage, surah and entire Qur’an
• Step 5:Determine messages and teachings
• Step 6:Ask: What does it say to me & for our
time?
• Step 7: How should I, the Ummah and humanity
respond?
 How to Study:

Stage 3: Seeking solutions with a teacher

• Go through Stage 2 with the help of a

teacher and revise, correct and modify
accordingly.
 How to Study :

Stage 4: Preserving your understanding by

documentation, your word and your deed

• Write down and preserve in your heart and

mind the understanding that you have
arrived at.
 Methodological Guidelines

• Study meaning of key words

• Understand its textual context
• Understand the historical background
• Seek to clarify its original meaning
• Translating to your situation
• Beware of far-fetched & irrelevant meanings
• Use current human knowledge to aid
understanding
• Know your limitations
• Remember the Prophet’s life-a mirror of the
Qur’an
 Learning Resources

• Study meaning of key words

• Understand its textual context
• Understand the historical background
• Seek to clarify its original meaning
• Translating to your situation
• Beware of far-fetched & irrelevant meanings
• Use current human knowledge to aid
understanding
• Know your limitations
• Remember the Prophet’s life-a mirror of the
Qur’an
 Translations of the Qur’an

• The Message of the Qur’an by Muhammad Asad

•The Koran Interpreted by Arthur J Arberry
•The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an by
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
•The Holy Qur’an – Text, translation and
Commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
 Arabic Grammar and Tafsir in Arabic

• Al-Farid fi’Irab al-Qur’an al-Majid by Husayn ibn

Abi Abi al-‘Izz al-Hamadani
• Mujam Qawa’id al-Lughah al-Arabiyyah fi-Jadawil
wa Lawhat by Antoine Dahdah
• Safwat al-Bayan li Ma’ani al-Qur’an by Husayn M
Makhluf
• Safwat al-Tafsir (3 vols) by Muhammad Ali as-
Sabuni
 Tafsir in English
• Tafsir Ibn Kathir (entire Qur’an in 10 Volumes)
• In the Shade of the Qur’an by Sayyid Qutb (Vol. 1, 2 ,3 & 30 available)
• Towards Under standing the Qur’an by Abul Ala Mawdudi (7 volumes available)
• The Glorious Qur’an: Text, Translation and Commentary by Abdul Majid Daryabadi
• A Thematic Study of the Qur’an by Muhammad Al-Ghazali
• The Qur’an and its Interpreters Volume 1 & 2 (covers Surah Faihah and Baqarah) by
Mahmoud M. Ayoub
• Tabari’s Commentary of the Qur’an (covers Surah Fatiha and Surah Baqara verses
1-87) by Al Tabari
• Keys to the Qur’an (5 Volumes) by Shaykh F. Haeri
• Qur’an and Its Exegesis: Selected Texts with Classical and Modern Muslim
Interpreters by H. Gatje
• The Qur’an: Translation and Study (Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, 30 available) by Jamal bint Rafai
• The Opening to the Qur’an: Commentary & Vocabulary Reference of al-Fatiha by
Ahmad Zaki Hammad
 Arabic Grammar in English

• Access to Qur’anic Arabic by Abdul Wahid Hamid

• Towards Understanding Qur’anic Arabic: A manual for
teaching Arabic through the Qur’an by M. I. H. I. Surty
• First Steps in Arabic Grammar by Yasien Mohammed &
Muhammed Haroon
• The Arabic Course for English-Speaking Students (originally
taught at Madinah University) by V. Abdul Rahim
• Modern Literary Arabic by David Cowan
• Grammar of the Arabic Language (2 vols.) by Wright
• Linguaphone Arabic Course
• Learn the language of the Qur’an by Abdullah Abbas Nadwi
• An Easy way to the Understanding of the Qur’an by
Hasaruddin Ahmed
 Tajwid (Qur’anic Recitation)

• Tajwid al-Qur’an by Ashraf Abdul-Fattah

• A Course in ‘Ilm al-Tajwid: The Science of
Reciting the Qur’an by Muhammad I.H.I. Surty
• Qur’an at-Tajwid, CDs, CDs, colour coded,
repetition facility, (Mac & PC), Syria

Learning to read the Qur’an

• Easy Steps in Qur’an Reading Series by
AbdulWahid Hamid
 Finding Quranic References

• Al Mujam al-Mufahras li alfaz al-Qur’an al-Karim

by Muhammad Fuad Abd al-Baqi
• Concordance of the Qur’an by Hanna Kassis
 Thematic Study of the Qur’an

• Major Themes in the Qur’an by Fazlur Rahamn

• Understanding the Quran: Themes and Styles by Muhammad Abdel
Haleem
• Qur’an and Woman by Amina Adul Wadud
• Coherence in the Qur’an by Mustansir Mir
• Concepts of the Qur’an – A Topical Reading by Fathi Osman
• Themes of the Qur’an by Ahmad Sakr
• Key to al Baqarah: the longest Surah in the Qur’an by Khurram
Murad
• The Qur’an: Basic Teachings by T.B. Irving, Khurshid Ahmad and
Manazir Ahsan
• Guide to the Contents of the Qur’an by Faruq Sherif
 The Qur’an and Science

• Geological Concept of Mountains in the Qur’an by

Z. R. El Naggar
• The Bible, Qur’an and Science by Maurice
Baucaille
• The Developing Human, Clinically Oriented
Embryology, With Islamic Additions by Keith L
Moore
• Haroon Yahya Series of books – Published by Ta
Ha, London
 General

• Way to the Qur’an by Khurram Murad

• The Mind Al-Qur’an Builds by Syed Abdul Latif
• Qur’an in the Classroom by Adeleke Dirisu Ajijola
• Ulum al-Qur’an by Ahmad von Denffer
• The Qur’anic Phenomenon by Malek Bennabi
• Freedom and Responsibility in the Qur’anic Perspective by
Hasan Al-‘Anani
• Four Basic Qur’anic Terms by Abdul Ala Mawdudi
• Qur’anic Foundations and Structure of Muslim Society (2
Volumes) by Fazlur Rahman Ansari
• The Jewels of the Qur’an by M. Quasem
• A Study of the Qur’an and Its Teachings by Khalid
Mahmood Shaikh
 Summary
• Study the Qur’an regularly
• Always renew your niyyah
• Develop a method and pattern of
study
• Document your study
• Increase your general reading
• The best way to understand is by
practising what Allah requires of us
Your family and the Quran
Select a portion of Quran to read daily

• Establish small, attainable, daily goals.

• E.g. Let everyone aim to read two pages
of the Quran daily. The will ensure
everyone finishes Quran at least once per
year.
 Read Quran together every day

• An ideal time is before bed, when

everyone is in a calmer mood and food,
chores, and homework are out of the way.
• Sit together and recite part of the Quran. It
does not have to be the daily target, but
just a small portion so everyone is keeping
track with each other.
 Quran family meeting every week

• Make this a party.

• After Iftar or on the weekend, following a
delicious meal in a Muslim restaurant or at
home, have everyone share how much of
the Quran they have covered.
 Come up with a Quran reading chart

• Get younger kids to decorate theirs with

stickers, etc. Then hang it up on the fridge
or family bulletin board where everyone
can see.
• Have one person in charge of keeping
track of everyone's progress and noting it
on the chart.
• This visual reminder can encourage and
make everyone more determined to reach
their goals.
 Listen to the Quran in the car

• If your family drives together to school and

work, use this as an opportunity to listen
to the Quran on CD together.
• Rotate the schedule so that on day one,
the verses that mom is reciting are
listened to, on day two one of the kids'
selections are heard, etc.
 Everyone to start a Quranic Journal

• This will encourage everyone to not just

read the Quran, but to also attempt to
understand at least some of what they are
reading.
• Encourage family members to share
entries if they feel comfortable during the
Quran family meetings.
Quran reading corner for family members

• Have each family member choose the place they

feel most comfortable to read the Quran daily. It
could be the place they normally do their
homework, or it could be somewhere not
associated with academics.
• Make sure the place is comfortable and pleasant,
with enough heat and light. You can also hang up
some verses of the Quran drawn in beautiful
calligraphy or post the Quran reading chart in the
vicinity.
 Offer incentives

• These need to be in accordance with the

ages and interests of everyone involved.
– For kids, this can be a toy or candy.
– For teens, permission to use the family car or
a slight increase in their weekly allowance may
be helpful.
– For mom and dad, a night out alone together.

The purpose is to make the process enjoyable

and to help family members look forward to a
short-term reward for their Quran reading.
 Help each other memorise too

• Encourage everyone to memorise Quran.

• Family members can break up into groups
of two and test each other's memorisation.
• The family meeting time can be used to
cover some memorisation.
The Quranic Journal
Why to keep it and how to do it
Remember the Quran addresses YOU

• "If the Quran is eternally valid, and if it is

addressing you today, then you must take every
message as something which is totally and
urgently relevant to your life and concerns,
whether it be a value or norm, a statement or
piece of knowledge, a character or dialogue, a
promise or a warning, a command or a
prohibition.”
Khurram Murad
 What is the Quranic journal?

• Recording of thoughts and ideas

during inspired periods when the
Ayaat reflect life experiences.
 Why keep a Quranic journal?

• Creates reverence for the Qur’an

• It can help the words of Allah sink in
• The Quranic journal is about you
 Tips on keeping a Quranic journal

• Ask yourself: why am I doing this?

– Is it for the sake of Allah?
– Is it to make the Quran a living reality for
me?
– Is it to learn how to use the Quran as a tool
for guidance in my everyday life?

• If your intention is sincerely all three, you

will benefit and learn from the experience
and grow as a Muslim.
Remember, this is not a Tafsir

• Your Quranic journal is simply a record of

your thoughts.
• Read a translation of the Quran with a
good, reliable tafsir.
• The tafsir helps because it gives you
much needed background and context to
properly understand what the verses of
the Quran mean.
 Pray for Guidance

• Develop your understanding and practice

of the Quran but remember that it is Allah
Who guides.
• Regularly ask for His Guidance, Mercy
and Forgiveness.
Get a specific notebook for this

• A notebook or e-book is simple and neat.

Pages get lost in binders.
• Invest in a notebook with a nice design
and a smooth writing pen.
Assign specific times to read Quran

• Learning needs to happen on a regular

basis.
• Establishing a schedule is probably the
best way for you to really connect with the
Quran.
• Just set aside a few minutes at a time
when you know you won't be easily
distracted.
Endeavour for the correct meaning

• This is where a reputable tafsir will help.

 Ask the big question ....

• How does this connect to me and my

experiences?
• E.g. Ayaat talking about motherhood may
give you lots to think about and ponder if
you are pregnant or are about to be a
father.
• E.g. Ayaat about parents may help remind
you about your special bond and
responsibilities to your own if you have
been estranged from or are having a
difficult time with your mother or father.
 Note down your feeling, thoughts

• Honestly look within and ask the relevant

questions and record your feelings.
• You can simply start off the process with,
"this verse reminds me of when..." or "this
verse makes me think of....".
 Avoid using names

• Try to avoid using the specific names of

people in your journal.
• The point of the journal is to help you
understand the Quran and grow as a
Muslim.
• If you use names, you risk hurting feelings
if your journal is found and read, by
accident or not.
Check with scholars & build your knowledge

• Let your Quranic journal writing experience be a

starting point to a deeper understanding of the
Quran.
• Attend lectures of reliable scholars who often tie
the meanings of the Quran to everyday life for
Muslims, especially in a contemporary context.
 Look back regularly

• Regularly, read old entries and reflect on

your progress as a Muslim in
implementing the message of the Quran.
• Be conscious of these observations.
Remember the Quranic journal is there to
help you develop your character as a
Muslim.
                

   
We have sent down to you a Book in which is a admonition for you.

Will you not then understand? Q21:10