By @southafricanmuslimah
The swift passing of the beautiful days and nights of Ramadaan leave the hearts of many of us deeply saddened. We fear that we will not be able to maintain the amount and sincerity of Ibadah (worship) we displayed during Ramadaan, and that the distractions of life will again overwhelm us. One way that we can, however, avoid this, is by maintaining the relationship with the Qur’an we developed during Ramadaan, and by continuing to build on it, in whatever small capacity we can. Today, I want to share some of the tips that have helped me maintain my connection with the Qur’an through both good and bad times, in the hope that it will prove beneficial to you too, Bi idh nillah (with the permission of Allah).
1. Correct and renew your intention
The Qur’an is a love letter from our Allah, Who loves us most of all. From the outset, we need to change our mindset- we are not spending time with the Qur’an because we “have” to, but rather because we “get” to. Alhumdulillah. The greatest and most important intention we can make is to recite the Qur’an for the pleasure of Allah. Here is a list of other intentions, from the teachings of Maulana Abdul Hamid (DB). Write them on a post-it and stick it on the front page of your Qur’an as a reminder to make them consistently.
a. To fulfill a command of Allah and emulate the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
b. To gain Allah’s Guidance, Mercy, Closeness and Forgiveness.
c. To acquire peace of mind and contentment of the heart.
d. To act upon its teachings.
e. To increase in the knowledge and recognition of Allah.
f. For strengthening of Imaan (faith).
g. For the Thawaab (reward) that the recitation of every letter brings.
h. For curing physical and spiritual sicknesses.
i. For protection in the grave, intercession on the Day of Judgement and means of salvation from the fire of Jahannum (Hell).
j. To attain the highest stage of Jannah through the Qur’an.
2. Set goals
Anas ibn Malik narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily Allah has His own people among mankind...They are the people of the Qur’an, Allah’s own people and those who are closest to Him.” (Ibn Majah) Our ultimate goal is to be a person of the Qur’an, through memorizing it, reciting it, understanding it, contemplating on it, teaching it and implementing its teachings in every facet of our lives. Set a daily goal of spending a certain amount of time with the Qur’an. I have found it useful to have two readings of the Qur’an going at the same time- in the first, I simply read the Qur’an in Arabic, concentrating on reciting with Tajweed (correct pronunciation). For the second, I read a smaller number of Ayahs (verses) every day alongside its translation, and a brief Tafseer (commentary by respected scholars) and make notes on one or more of them that capture my attention. Also set a monthly goal, and a goal to next Ramadaan, of how much Qur’an you would like to recite and reflect upon. Remember that according to Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), it is the right of the Qur’an that we complete it twice every year at a minimum, once in Ramadaan and once in the remaining months of the year. Some scholars have recommended that we read a Juz/Para (section) of Qur’an every day, so let us set the goal of getting to this slowly. They disliked that even a day passed by without one looking into the Mus’haf (physical copy of the Qur’an).
3. Set a daily time for the Qur’an
Reserve a specific block of time every day when you are free from other obligations and commitments to read and reflect upon the Qur’an. If that time passes, make sure you do not go to sleep without doing it. If this too is not possible, add the time you missed to the next day’s recitation. Remember that it does not have to be a large block of time, spending just 15 minutes with the Qur’an sincerely and consistently can be life-changing. If you are unable to recite the Qur’an due to menses or illness, continue to read a translation of the Qur’an and listen to it being read by your favorite reciter. Mine has to be Sheikh Maher al Muaiqly and Abu Bakr Shatri.
4. Set aside a special space for your Qur’an time
Keep the Qur’an in a high, clean place that you pass by regularly, to remind you of it consistently. Have everything you require for your Qur’an time on hand, in close proximity. If possible, enhance the space with a comfortable chair, pretty things and pleasant smells, so that you are drawn towards it.
5. Make an effort to understand the Qur’an
One thing every one should invest in is a good physical copy of the Qur’an in Arabic, alongside its English translation. I have written an article reviewing different English translations of the Qur’an here, which can assist you in choosing yours: https://www.ummabbadacademy.com/post/a-review-of-different-english-translations-of-the-meaning-of-the-qur-an. Study the Tafseer of the Qur’an in a way that best suits your lifestyle and temperament, whether it is by reading, watching videos by credible scholars, or attending classes in-person or online.
6. Implement what you learn from the Qur’an
Every page of the Qur’an contains an invitation or command to surrender and submit, act and change. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is narrated to have said: “He is not a true believer in the Qur’an who treats as halal (permissible) what it has made haram (prohibited). Read the Qur’an so that it enables you to desist (from what it prohibits). If it does not enable you to desist you have not really read it.”(Tabarani). Let us also ensure that what we have learnt from the Qur’an is reflected in our manners. When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked about the character of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), she said: ‘His character was the Qur’an.’
7. Make Du’a (supplicate to Allah)
Continuously ask Allah to help you connect with, and further your connection with His Noble Book. Anything that you seek from Allah is easy, but anything you seek without His assistance can be extremely difficult. Here are some Dua’s you can make with regard to the Qur’an:
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) made the following Du’a:
“…I am invoking You by all the names that You call Yourself, that You have taught to anyone in Your creation, that You have mentioned in Your Book, or that You have kept unknown. Let the Qur’an be the springtime of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my sadness and the pacifier of my worries.” (Musnad Ahmad)
Our pious predecessors have also taught us the following Du’a, particularly when completing a recitation of the Qur’an:
“Oh Allah, have mercy on us through the Qur’an, and make it our leader as well as a source of light, guidance and mercy. Oh Allah, revive our memory of whatever we have forgotten of it, and teach us whatever we do not know of it. Enable us to recite it during all hours of the night and day and make it our supporting argument, Oh Lord of all the worlds!”
May Allah make us, and all our progeny until Qiyamah, people of the Qur’an.
Written for the Ithaal uth Thawaab (perpetual reward) of our Beloved Nabi (peace and blessings upon him), darling Umar Jogee, and all Marhoomeen (those