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 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 that 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 at least 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 10, 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 the 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.
(From Some Sources)
