How to read the Quran ?

[wesleyjfreeman]

I want to learn more about Islam, so the logical step is to read the Quaran, are there any particular ways in which to best read this book? Should i just open it and read it cover to cover and see what i make of it? Should i apply any other aproach? Would it be advised to seek clarification from the outset?And if so, in the form of back up texts or in person?

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

Re: How to read the Quaran ?

Hi Wesley and welcome to Load-Islam,

First of all, let me commend you on your desire to learn more about Islam, which is especially important in a time when we need to increase understanding and tolerance amongst eachother in our diverse world. We need people like you who are willing to look beyond the media portrayals and study the religion from its original sources.

The following links are very helpful in learning about Islam:
http://www.beconvinced.com -introductory
http://www.path-to-peace.com
http://www.load-islam.com
http://islamtoday.com/discover_islam.cfm?cat_id=6&sub_cat_id=41
http://islamonline.net/english/introducingislam/index.shtml

I have also compiled an excellent list of resources for those who wish to study Islam here:
http://www.islamicboard.com/education-issues/13373-studying-islam-list-resources.html

As for reading the Qur'an, the following is an excellent translation of the meanings in english:

Al-Qur'an : Guidance for Mankind English translation of the meaning by Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik. Links (English Only Paperback, Arabic and English Hardback, Travel Size Paperback).

It also has an introduction which will help familiarize the reader with the Qur'an and Islam in general.

From there it's just about reading the book and if you have any difficulty understanding any passages, please feel free to ask. We would be delighted to help you out on our forum.

If you like you can also get a helpful guide entitled Words that Moved the World: How to Study the Quran by Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad. Links (1, 2, 3, 4)

I hope this helps.

p.s : thread MOVED :-\

 

[M H Kahn]

Re: How to read the Quaran ?

Hi Wesleyjfreeman !

You have been very well-advised by Ansar Al-'Adl who has suggested some links and an edition of the Quran with explanatory notes that will be of easier understanding to you.

I would like to add a little that the Quran is not an ordinary book that centres round a specific subject-matter narrated sequentially by the writer. The Quran, on the other hand, is a divine book that contains lectures of God for compliance of the mankind and brought to the prohet Muhammed (pbuh) by the angel, Gabriel. You will find in these lectures rulings on faith, directions on conduct, various cautions, prohibitions, fear, glad tidings, censure, creation of the cosmos, history and so on.

On many occassions, the same thing has been stated again and again in different word structure so that the reader may remain mindful all along to what has been said. Sometimes, you will find a quite different topic coming into another. You will meet with frequent change of address and subject-matter. So, before you start reading the Quran, you must be mentally prepared that you will find nothing in it that might be consistent with an ordinary book. You will, on the contrary, be reading a divine book of lectures given for the mankind by the Creator, Who alone is All-powerful over all things in the universe.

So, you shall have to read the Quran in a free mind with reverence and love for God and be persevering in understanding His words. When any discussion appears hazy, read it repeatedly with reference to the context and the annotations, added by the translator, until it becomes clear to you.Take a notebook and a pen when you read the Quran and note down topics of interest like whom you to worship, what is righteousness, how to call God, how and when to supplicate, how the cosmos has been created, what all the prophets had in common and so on.




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