memorizing the QURAN

In what follows we list a few hints regarding memorizing the Qur’an, some of which were presented to us by the knowledgeable Sh. Osama Abdul-Azeem of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.

First, make sure to correct your tawbah (repentance to Allah), as sins do not leave any room for the Words of Allah. The Imam Al-Shafie has a famous verse of poetry in which he complained to his scholar about having difficulty in memorizing. His scholar advised him to abandon sins

Have your intention ready, and bear in mind the reward and virtues of this great deed as mentioned in the Hadiths above. Ask Allah sincerely to assist you in accomplishing this.

Dedicate a specific time each day (or every couple of days) for memorizing. This should be a time when you are not busy with other things.

Use the same copy of the Qur’an each time. This is because your mind takes a ‘snapshot’ of the pages.

Start with the surahs that are easiest to you. Many people recommend beginning with the last five juz’s (the 30th, then the 29th, and so on).

Other surahs to begin with are those that you enjoy reciting most of all, and those that you frequently listen to and thus probably already know part of by heart.

The younger you are, the easier it will be. As you grow older, you get busier and your capacity for memorizing decreases. However, it’s never too late in shaa Allah. If you haven’t memorized a lot during your childhood or teens, you can still catch up.

After completing a couple of ayahs, recite them in the next nafl (voluntary prayer) that you pray. Alternatively, practice them with a friend or your spouse.

Finally, it might be a good idea to work in groups, encouraging one another. If you are trying to get your children to memorize, you might want to create a sense of competition among them and then provide some reward to whoever memorizes best. May Allah guide us to all that pleases Him, Ameen.

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IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH QURAN

Are you one of those people who rarely touches the Qur'an? Or do you read 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 (peace and blessings be upon him) was described by his wife as a "walking Qur'an": in other words, he didn't just read and recite the Qur'an, he lived it.

2. Do your Wudu (ablution). Doing your Wudu is good physical and mental preparation to remind you you're not reading just another book. You are about to interact with God, so being clean should be a priority when communicating with Him.

3. Read only 5 minutes everyday. Too often, we think we should read Qur'an for at least one whole hour. If you aren't 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 (God willing), you will notice that those five minutes will become ten, then half an hour, then an hour, and maybe even more!

4. Make sure you understand what you've read. Five minutes of reading the Qur'an in Arabic is good, but you need to understand what you're reading. 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've read that day.

5. Remember, the Qur'an is 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 Qur'an,you are interacting with Allah. He is talking to you, so pay attention.

6. Don't just read, listen too. There are now many audio cassettes and CDs of the Qur'an, a number of them with translations as well. This is great to put on your 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 Dua (supplication). Ask Allah 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 Dua to Allah for help and guidance will be your best tool for doing this.