Some questions about reading the Quran

[Ummu Sufyaan]

:sl:

I have some questions about reading the Quran:

-First and foremost [most important]: how do you read the quran? no, i dont mean how to read and pronounce the letters and words, etc but how are you meant to read the Quran? for example do you read the ayat whilst taking into consideration what (ayah) comes before and after it? in other words, are the ayahs necessarily related to one another in meaning, relevance, context?

due to my limited understanding and knowledge of Arabic, i tend to take what i read at face value thus what im reading sometimes doesn't seem to make much sense, so to speak.

-Is there a recommended amount (eg ayahs, pages, juzzu etc) one should read per day? is there anything from the sunnah about this?

- have there been any narrations describing what the tune was of the Messenger, sallalahu aleyhi wa sallam when he used to recite?

[ayesha.ansari]

while reading the Quran choose neat place, be in ablution and read it from heart. understand the Quran and follow its sayings.

[Muhaba]

surahs are divided into sections. on the side of the page, you can see symbols that show where one section starts and where it ends. in the Yusuf Ali translation, the surahs are divided into parts, and at the start of each part it is written "part #." i would suggest that you read the translation along with each ayah or bunch of ayahs. depending on type of translation you are using. the Yusuf Ali translation also has a short commentary you can use to better understand the material.

[Ramadhan]

I am able to recite the Qur'an but I don't speak/understand arabic (I understand only most common words/terms used in the qur'an) so I would normally recite the qur'an, and then after every two pages, I would read the translations (in bahasa Indonesia and english).

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[TheRationalizer]

how are you meant to read the Quran? due to my limited understanding and knowledge of Arabic, i tend to take what i read at face value thus what im reading sometimes doesn't seem to make much sense, so to speak.

:wa:

Surely understanding the message and following it is more important than making the right sounds in the right order by simply phonetically sounding out the Arabic without any idea what you are saying isn't it?

[Ummu Sufyaan]

^what do you mean? its better to understand what the text is saying rather then reciting the words properly?

[M.I.A.]

it takes me ages to read it in arabic, i usually stop at a rukkoo and then read the translation.
although i have to admit it has been ages since i have read it last, every time i try and remember little bits that seem strange or profound to me and then try to ponder on there meanings.

[TheRationalizer]

^what do you mean? its better to understand what the text is saying rather then reciting the words properly?

I am not commenting from a Sunna point of view but yes. I would say it is far more important not to kill innocent people than it is to say "Do not kill innocent people" in Arabic - wouldn't you?

[Ummu Sufyaan]

^i dont know. its best not to speak without knowledge.

[Saad17]

Allah says that the Quran is a blessing, it is a blessing because it gives guidance, if you don't receive that guidance then you haven't received the blessing of Allah.

Nonetheless, Allah rewards people who recites His words but He rewards those even more who knows what they are reciting (i.e understand His words).

I suggest you listen to Mishary Rashid recitation, I learned to pronounce the Arabic word properly by copying him, his recitation also give me idea of which Arabic word means what.

Also a little verse from the Quran.

".......and recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones." 73:4

[TheRationalizer]

^i dont know. its best not to speak without knowledge.

I think the logic is pretty sound. If someone gives you a mandatory instruction then it's better to comply with the instruction than it is to simply repeat it.

[syed_z]

Asalaam O Alaikum Brother/Sisters...

Agreed with TheRationalizer

There is a saying of Hazrat Ali (karam Allahu Wajha) "Whenever i would like to speak to Allah (swt) i raise my hands and make Dua, and when i would want my Lord to speak with me i read the Quran." ... the saying goes something like this.

So if one wants to read Quran, they should recite it in Arabic and understand with translation and commentary, so one can ponder over the Verses as those are words of Al Mighty Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) is delivering His orders and commandments as well as good news to the one who is reciting and believes in those Words.

[M.I.A.]

I think the logic is pretty sound. If someone gives you a mandatory instruction then it's better to comply with the instruction than it is to simply repeat it.

my friend told me of a story about a boy and his relative,
he was told to go get water from a stream and given a coal bucket for the job.
he would go and put water in and walk back.. by the time he returned there was no water in the bucket so he went to the stream again and again but every time he got back the bucket was empty!
finally he realised there was a small hole in the bucket and he went to tell the relative.

the relative replied that it didnt matter but realised the bucket was no longer black from all the coal dust.

[TheRationalizer]

the relative replied that it didnt matter but realised the bucket was no longer black from all the coal dust.

But imagine how annoyed the relative would have been if instead of taking the bucket to fill with water the boy has just stood there repeating "Little boy, go to the river and fill this bucket with water" :-)

[syed_z]

my friend told me of a story about a boy and his relative,
he was told to go get water from a stream and given a coal bucket for the job.
he would go and put water in and walk back.. by the time he returned there was no water in the bucket so he went to the stream again and again but every time he got back the bucket was empty!
finally he realised there was a small hole in the bucket and he went to tell the relative.

the relative replied that it didnt matter but realised the bucket was no longer black from all the coal dust.

Good example, but does this example relate to the Quran as well ? i say no, and the reason are because there are many minor signs before the End of times, which were given by prophet Muhammad (saw) and the Companions (r.a) related them to us and one of them is this...

Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said, “There will rise in the final period a people, young of age but poor of intelligence. They will recite the Qur’an but it will not get past their throats. They will mention from the sayings of the best of creation (the Prophet (SAW) but will come out of religion as an arrow comes out of the game.”

[Ibn Majah 168] (Tirmizi Chapter 24 Hadith #2195)

People reciting the Quran and not understanding, will make them like those who recite but the meaning of those words do not go pass their throats, meaning do not connect with their Hearts, which is what Quran is supposed to do.

This prediction also came true during the life time of Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib (r.a), when he fought a group called Khawarij, who used to recite the Quran, yet they did not grasp the meaning and they went to such extent to declare the Caliph as a disbeliever , and it was one of them who Martyred Hazrat Ali (r.a). Whether they or people similar to them still exists today or not is another issue.

So just saying that those who simply recite and do not ponder over the meaning of the Verses, does not mean would become like Khawarjis, but what i mean to say is we should and no doubt always should ponder over the meanings and try applying them as much as we can.

[Saad17]

Agreed with Syed_z

Couldn't have explained it better myself.

[M.I.A.]

i dont know who is good or bad, i do not know if i am good or bad. that is the fear.

allah swt knows best and i hope he forgives me.

[TheRationalizer]

“There will rise in the final period a people, young of age but poor of intelligence.

I think probably every older generation will say this about young people :)

People reciting the Quran and not understanding, will make them like those who recite but the meaning of those words do not go pass their throats, meaning do not connect with their Hearts, which is what Quran is supposed to do.

I would definitely encourage everyone to reflect on what they believe and understand it deeply - you can't truly believe something when you don't really know what it is.

[TheRationalizer]

i dont know who is good or bad, i do not know if i am good or bad. that is the fear.

You know if you do good/bad things - how you are perceived in the minds of external entities is beyond your ability so just stick to the things that are good, that is the best you can do.

[M.I.A.]

enjoin good and forbid evil right?
the world is not as black and white as that. you dont know what happened five minutes before you stepped in the room and five minutes after you leave and that applies with everybody.
a bad act here is probably retrebution for a bad act somewhere else... do not take the time constriants literally. think of it like karma during your lifetime and then attribute it to an all knowing all powerful god.

you will probably have to factor in gods forgiveness just so no equation can ever be reached....and a trillion other things.

best of just leaving it up to god... you do whatever you gotta do there is no compulsion in religion. (said in the quran loosly paraphrased of course)

what you said is something else entirely. blind faith would let you walk any tightrope...if you were blind.

[syed_z]

i dont know who is good or bad, i do not know if i am good or bad. that is the fear.

allah swt knows best and i hope he forgives me.

Same here brother, May Allah forgive me to, i don't know whether i am good in the sight of God or not.

Oh Allah make us Dear in your sight!

[M.I.A.]

Same here brother, May Allah forgive me to, i don't know whether i am good in the sight of God or not.

Oh Allah make us Dear in your sight!

allah humma salliallah
and rabigalni mukki musalatti

amin.

i am a fool but thats what i ask for all day everyday.