BISMILLAH-IR-RAHMAN-IR-RAHIM

Please take time to watch the short video before reading and when you’re done keep on reading. The video is just 30 seconds long.

Now that you’re done watching, keep on reading 😊

I came across this video and it was really touching. It made me reflect a lot in terms of the beauty of the Qur’an. The way Almighty Allah ﷻ has made it easy to learn. ‘And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?’ Qur’an 54:17 I know that people struggle, and I struggle as well with learning the Qur’an. It’s normal. But you know what, watching this video made me think: what excuse do I have not to learn the Qur’an?  An Hadith goes thus: “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.’ [At-Tirmidhi]. This Hadith urges us to learn the Qur’an, recite it and informs us of the great reward for reciting it.

Moreover, “[T]he best amongst you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” [Al-Bukhari]

Besides, there is the reward if you struggle to recite the Qur’an. To anyone struggling – don’t give up, for Allah ﷻ guarantees you a reward for your struggle.

Mother Aisha رضي الله عنهما reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have a double reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. This Hadith highlights that anyone who cannot recite the Qur’an fluently and is committed to read it with great effort will be given double reward; one for the difficulty encountered in reciting it, and another for reading it. So, I urge you to keep trying, keep learning, for Allah ﷻ will reward your effort.

I thought it would be nice to share this video and my reflections over it. Many of us always claim to have excuses and reasons why we do not have time, such as: “I am still in school”, “I am busy”, “preoccupied with X and Y”, an endless list goes on. But I tell You, that you have to find that time. The Qur’an is important. It’s a priority in our lives and we must take time out to learn it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The believer who recites the Qur’an is like a citron whose fragrance is sweet and whose taste is delicious. A believer who does not recite the Qur’an is like a date-fruit which has no fragrance but has a sweet taste. The hypocrite who recites the Qur’an is like a colocynth whose fragrance is so sweet, but its taste is bitter. The hypocrite who does not recite the Qur’an is like basil which has no fragrance and its taste is bitter.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

If a blind person can learn the Qur’an through a brail, what more YOU, that you are able to see. Ask yourself what excuse do I have to say to Allah ﷻ?

I say to myself before anyone else. What is your excuse? What is hindering you from learning the Qur’an?

I hope the video and this post inspires and reminds someone out there to take time, know the importance of the Qur’an. If you’ve abandoned the Qur’an, go back to it. It’s not too late. (Some of the Sahabas (companions) learnt the Qur’an when they were old.) If you intend to learn the Qur’an, start! Don’t wait till there is a time when you are less busy, because you never will. Take that step. Take that move and get closer to your creator. Learn the Qur’an. May Almighty Allah ﷻ make it easy for us to learn the Qur’an; make us people of the Qur’an; and raise our ranks through the Qur’an on the day of judgement.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Read the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim]. “The one who was devoted to the Qur’an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayah you recite.” [Dawud and Tirmidhi] The merit of committing the Qur’an to memory is mentioned in this Hadith. The word ‘ascend’ here means to rise in ranks in the Jannah. The more one remembers the Qur’an, the clearer and more distinct is his/her recitation of it, the higher would be the status that he/she will go on attaining through its blessings. Thus, this Hadith provides inducement for the remembrance of the Qur’an and tells us that its frequent recitation is a means to attain higher ranks in Jannah.

So, I urge us all to leave whatever excuses we have and set our priorities right. Find that time and be committed. I have heard the importance of learning the Qur’an after the Fajr salah. You can start with that. If you are going to pay someone to teach you, take it up and learn the Qur’an.

Here are some practical tips to apply to ease your Qur’an learning

• Make dua ﷻ to Allah and keep your intentions pure. Be sincere in your memorization.
• Have a teacher. This will put you on check. But remember most of the work will be done by you. Your teacher can only teach and aid your learning. You must find time to revise.
• Be consistent with your pace of learning. Ensure you learn something every day. Be as regular as possible.
• Have a routine and time you learn. Some people learn early in the morning, some in the afternoon and others at night. Have a place you learn and stick to a Mushaf.
• Repeat, repeat and repeat what you are learning.
• Listen a lot to your memorization. Pick one reciter you love and stick to that person.
• Try to recite what you are learning in the Salah.
• Have time to recite what you have learnt previously so that you do not forget. Revision is important.
• Remember consistency is the key!

May Almighty Allah ﷻ make this journey to knowing Him easy for all of us and accept our deeds. May He make us people who love Him and do things to draw closer to Him. Amen! AS SALAM ALAIKUM WARAMATULLAH WABARAKATU.

Is there any tip you have applied to aid your Qur’an learning or one you have learnt? Please share in the comment section to make others benefit from it. If you have found this post beneficial please do share with others. Till next time Fi Ammanillah!