It
is recommended for every believing man and woman to recite the Book of
Allah, the Noble Qur’an, often, with due contemplation and
understanding. This may be done by using a copy of the Qur’an or from
one’s memory. Allah - the Most High – Says (what means): “[This is] a
blessed Book (the Qur’an) which We have revealed to you, (O Muhammad,
sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), that they might reflect upon its verses
and that those of understanding would be reminded.” [Qur’an 38:29]Are
you one of those people who rarely touch the Qur’an? Or do you read it
daily, but don’t find it is having the impact on you that it should?
Whatever the case may be, these are some simple tips that can help you
connect with the Qur’an.
1. Before you touch it, check your heart
The
key to really benefiting from the Qur’an is to check your heart first,
before you even touch Allah’s Book. Ask yourself, honestly, why you are
reading it. Is it to just get some information and to let it drift away
from you later? Remember that the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi
wa sallam, was described by his noble wife, ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah ‘anha,
as a “walking Qur’an”: in other words, he didn’t just read and recite
the Qur’an, he lived it.
2. Before you touch it, do your Wudhoo’ (ablution)
Doing
your Wudhoo’ is good physical and mental preparation to remind you that
you are not reading just another book. You are about to interact with
Allah, the Most Exalted, so being clean should be a priority when
communicating with Him.
3. Start with reading only five minutes everyday
Too
often, we think that we should read the Noble Qur’an for at least one
whole hour. If you are not in the habit of reading regularly, this is
too much. Start off with just five minutes daily. If you took care of
step one, Insha Allah (Allah willing), you will notice that those five
minutes will become 10, then half an hour, then an hour, and maybe even
more!
4. Make sure that you understand what you have read
Five
minutes of reading the Qur’an in Arabic is good, but you need to
understand what you are reading. If you are not Arabic, or you don’t
understand the Arabic language, then make sure you have a good
translation of the Qur’an in the language you understand best. Always
try to read the translation of what you have read that day.
Regarding
those who neglect the Glorious Qur’an by not reading or not
understanding it, Allah Almighty Says (what means): “And the Messenger
has said, “O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’an as [a
thing] abandoned.” [Qur’an: 25: 30]
Allah Almighty informs us about
His Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,
that he said: “My Lord my people have abandoned - acting or listening -
to the Qur’an” and that is because the idol-worshippers did not pay
attention nor listen to the Qur’an, as Allah Says (what means): “And
those who disbelieve say, “Do not listen to this Qur’an and speak
noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome.”
[Qur’an 41:26]
5. Remember that the Noble Qur’an is far more interactive than a CD
In
an age of “interactive” CD-ROMs and computer programs, a number of
people think books are passive and boring. But the Qur’an is not like
that. Remember that when you read the Glorious Qur’an, you are
interacting with Almighty Allah. He Almighty is talking to you, so pay
attention.
6. Do not just read, you have to listen too
There
are now digital audio, CDs and audio cassettes of the Qur’an, a number
of them with translations as well. This is great to put on your mobile,
Walkman or your car’s CD or stereo as you drive to and from work. Use
this in addition to your daily Qur’an reading, not as a replacement for
it.
7. Make Du’aa’ (supplication).
Ask Allah, the Most
Exalted, to guide you when you read the Qur’an. Your aim is to
sincerely, for the love of Allah, interact with Him by reading,
understanding and applying His blessed words. Making Du’aa’ to
Allah for help and guidance will be your best tool for doing this.
When
you are making du’aa’, you have a direct connection with Allah
Almighty. So when you are saying your du’aa’, you shouldn’t be
distracted, but instead you should be fully concentrated. The Prophet,
sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Make Du’aa’ and be assured of it
being answered, and know that Allah, the Exalted, does not answer a
Du’aa’ from a careless heart which is not concentrating.” [At-Tirmithi]
Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/
