Do I just start reading the Quran?

[transition?]

When I did go to Sunday school, our Quran classes were just reading the Quran in Arabic and having no clue what it meant. So it's come to my attention, that I've never read and understood the Quran thoroughly enough. :cry: I did have a private teacher at one point, he taught us the actual meaning, but he left to study in the middle East. So now, how do I start? I'm pretty much isolated from the Muslim community. My old Muslim friends are lost.. in their own world of "Muslim" dinner parties and dressing up. =/ My new friend, well she's a little more educated than me, and we've decided to help each other and eventually to the point where we can wear hijab. But,
I mean if I just start reading the Quran (well the translation of it, I don't know Arabic) will I just understand it? just like that? I was reading about reverts, they mentioned that they studied the Quran and that's when they knew they found the truth. But how does one understand the Quran from translation?

[glo]

I think you will have to use a reputable translation of the Qu'ran and start with that.

What else can you do?
If you don't speak Arabic, then I imagine it will take you quite some time before you have learnt Arabic to such a degree that you can read and understand the Qu'ran in its original language ...

Even if you have somebody explaining the Arabic text for you (as your private teacher did), you will have to rely on that person's ability to translate the text for you and convey it's meaning as close to the original as possible.

[crayon]

Salam!
The translation can never give EXACTLY the same meaning of the original arabic, but it is pretty accurate in most cases.
If I were you, I would start reading a translation of the quran along with the tafsir (explanation) of whatever aya/surah you're at. So for example start with the very first surahs, al fatiha, then al baqarah, and read one page at a time. First read the whole page, then read the tafsir for each aya. If you have any questions about anything, you can ask here, and we'll try to answer to the best of our ability inshAllah.
Hope that helps!:)

[Holly3278]

That's what I started doing. I started reading a good English translation of the Quran. I pick out something that I am interested in in the Quran and just start reading it. :)

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[UmmSqueakster]

I think every person is different, so what I do may not be right for you.

I've had a difficult relationship with the Qur'an. On one hand, I hear it and it tugs at my heart strings. On the other, I read the english, and I get into my skim/zone out mode. I'll just keep skimming, until I've found that I've gone through 20 pages and have no idea what I've read.

So, I started a quran journal 2 months ago. I set out my favorite quran translations (Muhammad Asad, Yusuf Ali, Thomas Cleary, Saheeh International and Shakir). I pull up some english tafsir on the net.

Then I started from the beginning. I read some ayat, a page, maybe 2, depending on where it seems to have a natural break, or stop when I find something that strikes me. I read through each of my translations. I read the tafsir on the verses. And then I write about what runs through my mind related to these verses. I may compare how a word like tawheed is translated differently, or about how I relate to an attribute of God like His Mercy or His Wrath. I may write down questions that pop into my mind, so that I can ask someone with knowledge about it later on. It's really a free writing exercise to get me to think about the texts.

the quranic journal - why and how

[Muslim Woman]

:sl:

... So now, how do I start?

you may start reading the translation of some short chapters.


Normally I first read the 1/2 lines translation firrst , then I read the Quran so that I can understand the meaning .

Remember , most Muslims are non- Arabs. So , we have to read the translation to understand the Quran. Of course , it's wonderful if we can learn Arabic but lazy persons like me can't do that :(

[Maymunah]

When I did go to Sunday school, our Quran classes were just reading the Quran in Arabic and having no clue what it meant. So it's come to my attention, that I've never read and understood the Quran thoroughly enough. :cry: I did have a private teacher at one point, he taught us the actual meaning, but he left to study in the middle East. So now, how do I start? I'm pretty much isolated from the Muslim community. My old Muslim friends are lost.. in their own world of "Muslim" dinner parties and dressing up. =/ My new friend, well she's a little more educated than me, and we've decided to help each other and eventually to the point where we can wear hijab. But,
I mean if I just start reading the Quran (well the translation of it, I don't know Arabic) will I just understand it? just like that? I was reading about reverts, they mentioned that they studied the Quran and that's when they knew they found the truth. But how does one understand the Quran from translation?

Sis I recommend you get "tasfiir ibn katheer",u cn buy it online from darussalam n inshallah it will help u understand the quran.

[SixTen]

I think, one of the best things to do, is listen to recitation videos with the translation with it - such as:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmm2l...eature=related

[------]

Salam!
The translation can never give EXACTLY the same meaning of the original arabic, but it is pretty accurate in most cases.
If I were you, I would start reading a translation of the quran along with the tafsir (explanation) of whatever aya/surah you're at. So for example start with the very first surahs, al fatiha, then al baqarah, and read one page at a time. First read the whole page, then read the tafsir for each aya. If you have any questions about anything, you can ask here, and we'll try to answer to the best of our ability inshAllah.
Hope that helps!:)

:salamext:

^ Pretty much what I would advise.

[transition?]

I think every person is different, so what I do may not be right for you.

I've had a difficult relationship with the Qur'an. On one hand, I hear it and it tugs at my heart strings. On the other, I read the english, and I get into my skim/zone out mode. I'll just keep skimming, until I've found that I've gone through 20 pages and have no idea what I've read.

So, I started a quran journal 2 months ago. I set out my favorite quran translations (Muhammad Asad, Yusuf Ali, Thomas Cleary, Saheeh International and Shakir). I pull up some english tafsir on the net.

Then I started from the beginning. I read some ayat, a page, maybe 2, depending on where it seems to have a natural break, or stop when I find something that strikes me. I read through each of my translations. I read the tafsir on the verses. And then I write about what runs through my mind related to these verses. I may compare how a word like tawheed is translated differently, or about how I relate to an attribute of God like His Mercy or His Wrath. I may write down questions that pop into my mind, so that I can ask someone with knowledge about it later on. It's really a free writing exercise to get me to think about the texts.

the quranic journal - why and how

i definitely like the journal idea :D
thank you :-[

[transition?]

Thanks a bunch for your ideas everyone :statisfie

[Ali.]

Insha'Allah, buy a translated Qur'an at a shop or online, and all will unfold. :)

I hope that you succeed in understanding the Qur'an in your own language and questioning the many mysteries of the Qur'an...

How could man write such a thing? It is impossible.

[transition?]

*BUMP*

I've been going through some links. I feel nervous trusting any link for the English translation of the Quran. My mom has Maariful Quran but I'm not sure I like reading that specific one. I'm going to try and look for the "Tafsir Ibn Kathir" Until then, are there any links I can use that might be reputable?

I've been recently listening to this on my computer : http://kalamullah.com/noble-quran.html

[YusufNoor]

*BUMP*

I've been going through some links. I feel nervous trusting any link for the English translation of the Quran. My mom has Maariful Quran but I'm not sure I like reading that specific one. I'm going to try and look for the "Tafsir Ibn Kathir" Until then, are there any links I can use that might be reputable?

I've been recently listening to this on my computer : http://kalamullah.com/noble-quran.html

:sl:

i listen to that as well. as for Ibn Kathir, you mean this:

http://tafsir.com/Default.asp

you can compare translations on this site:

http://quran.islamicnetwork.com/

here's some Tafseer by Mufti Menk given during his post Taraweeh lectures:

http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html

btw, the Maariful Qur'an [while maybe a wee bit Hanafi] is awesome

:w:

[A_Way_Of_Life]

As-salam al-akum :)

When I was younger I used to speak a lot of Arabic but unfortunately I forgot a lot of it although I can still understand a lot of it and can still speak some Arabic, I still have a lot to learn.

I read the translation of the Quran, Mostly the Yusuf Ali Translation.

When I try to memorize the Quran I use the transliteration and I try to listen to a reciter but it is still a bit hard, but Inshallah I intend to learn the whole Quran

The Translation can never be accurate as the original Arabic Quran but it is the only way for me to to read the Quran for now.

[transition?]

As-salam al-akum :)

When I was younger I used to speak a lot of Arabic but unfortunately I forgot a lot of it although I can still understand a lot of it and can still speak some Arabic, I still have a lot to learn.

I read the translation of the Quran, Mostly the Yusuf Ali Translation.

When I try to memorize the Quran I use the transliteration and I try to listen to a reciter but it is still a bit hard, but Inshallah I intend to learn the whole Quran

The Translation can never be accurate as the original Arabic Quran but it is the only way for me to to read the Quran for now.

:sl:

Time happens.Many people forget languages they once knew. In fact, I've forgotten most of my first language. :exhausted
InshaAllah you do learn the entire Quran! There are alot of Rewards for do so! And hopefully technology works to your benefit.

I used to take Arabic classes a few years ago. And they were amazing we used the Madinah books, http://www.islamicboard.com/927434-post407.html , and they are so helpful.
One day, I'd like to learn Arabic InshaAllah.

:w:

[transition?]

:sl:

i listen to that as well. as for Ibn Kathir, you mean this:

http://tafsir.com/Default.asp

you can compare translations on this site:

http://quran.islamicnetwork.com/

here's some Tafseer by Mufti Menk given during his post Taraweeh lectures:

http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html

btw, the Maariful Qur'an [while maybe a wee bit Hanafi] is awesome

:w:

:sl:

JazakAllah Khair brother!

I'm cool with Hanafi. :thumbs_up I guess it was just the wording that confused me in Maariful Quran. :exhausted

:w:

[A_Way_Of_Life]

:sl:

Time happens.Many people forget languages they once knew. In fact, I've forgotten most of my first language. :exhausted
InshaAllah you do learn the entire Quran! There are alot of Rewards for do so! And hopefully technology works to your benefit.

I used to take Arabic classes a few years ago. And they were amazing we used the Madinah books, http://www.islamicboard.com/927434-post407.html , and they are so helpful.
One day, I'd like to learn Arabic InshaAllah.

:w:

As-salam al-akum

InshaAllah, you will learn the Quran, too. :)

I want to take Arabic classes, too, that might also help alot. :statisfie

[H@fiz Aziz]

even if you read the meaning from a translation its not gonna make sense because from that one sentence are many and many reasons and tales behind it one quote would misguide you. If you want to understand the Quran I suggest you go to a local aalim or mufti and understand the meaning while reading/memorizing the Quran.