QURAN HOW TO STUDY IT

SOME MODERN TECHNIQUES Prof. M .Shamim (rtd Professor of Mech Engg BIT Sindri)

1) People in general read Quran for sheer earning sawab ,in a very traditional manner. They read it occasionally from this place and that place just turning the pages of the Quran .In their minds they are not serious to search any instruction or injunction from it , but they have been persuaded by their parents and ulemas that just reading and reciting or just uttering the AYATS they will earn sawab.No doubt there are ahadees for fazail of the Quran in this regard but the big question is WHETHER THE QURAN HAS BEEN REVEALED AND GIVEN TO THEM ONLY FOR THIS TYPE OF SAWAB OR FOR HIDAYAAT ( INSTRUCTION) TO PASS THEIR LIFE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WILL OF ALLAH? 2) This earning of sawab is not the main demand of the Quran ----- the main aim of the Quran is seeking hidaayat with it and iqamat-e-deen(establishment of Deen) with its help----sawab is the byproduct not main product of it ---Allah has sent the Qur'n as a book of guidance to mankind. Man's purpose is to worship Allah, i.e. to seek His favour by living the way of life Allah has invited him to adopt. He can do so within the framework of the guidance that Allah has revealed concerning this, but he can do so only if he properly understands its meanings and the ways of its implementation. 3) Example with a log of wood we can manufacture furniture this is its Main Aim but as byproduct some may take the wood cuttings and with it only ,be happy ! 4) Before we go to study the Quran, we must generate in ourselves two things.. NEED and DESIRE, we must understand that we need the Hidaayat to pass our life ,at every steps we need instructions The other thing we must have in ourselves is the intense desire to know what is there in the Quran that Allah claims it to be of ultimate highness . With these opening lines I give you some practical suggestion in short : Keep your own Quran of handy size & with translation and one Quran Note Book . Always sit with a pen and this Note Book and a high lighter. 1st step --- first know the peculiarity of the writing of the Quran ----- it is NOT a book in the common sense , people have the notion of a book-----To know all these You MUST READ Deebacha and MUQADDIMA of Tafheemul Quran ( Here give the Summary of these.) nd 2 step----Must read the biography of Prophet Muhammad(s). The Quran is interlinked with the life of the Prophet. One cannot understand a passage of the Book unless it is known that that passage was revealed in such and such circumstances. 3rd step---- Learn translation & tafsir of those surahs you recite in your Namaz ( salaat); memorize the translation word by word. -------- Know what topics are discussed in the Quran ------broadly they are : Tauheed,risalat,aakhirat,shirk Ahkaam

Important instances in the history of Bani Israil ,stories of the Prophets,ups and downs in different nations. Signs in the Nature to affirm Tauheed and Aakhirat Descriptions of some facts compatible to modern Science Descriptions of the events as the Movement brought about by the Prophet were advancing stage by stage. All these are described not in separate chapters but are inter mingled--iii) Choose imp. Passages suggested by Ulemas such as; ----- ( as described in separate sheet). iv) Then acc. To your choice go to history of nations, economics in Quran or Science as described in the Quran --various topic Astronomy , creation universe , embryology , reproduction of man etc.( hint the ayaats here). v) Set in your mind the pictures of Qiyamah & ahteshab(intro spection) in Akhirah Azab for that last para juz 30 read these tafsirs from tafheem----vi) Now you can read imp. Surah e.g. ------Hujraat , taghabun , luqman , munafiquoon , jumah, taqashur,taubah, anfal etc.

While reading ----Mark the Ayaats in your Quran which impress your, you may highlight some words etc. Write down in the side margins the references of similar descriptions elsewhere in the Quran ---------If the margin is the less than what you want to write paste a

separate piece of paper ( if your nothings have to be more there in size then , use your Note Book .This note book ---------- may be used for other Islamic informations as well.) vii) Using internet for studying the Quran---It is a very useful and very easy to access the Quranic Information these days .some people are against using this with a fear that Christians & Jews hold this .This fear is to be dispelled --- Explain how it is useful Reading , listening Recitations Spread the teachings of Islam See these sites; for search any ayat , any topic , hadees , fiqah , question- answer etc.

Islamcity .com , Islam religion.com , Prophet Muhammad for all .com , Al-islam for you.com , Tafheem.com , English tafheem.com , Tanzil.info , Irf.net

8> i) First go through the translation & tafseer of those surahs you already remember and which you recite in daily Namaz . ii) Important passages of the Quran e.g. ( give a list) S- Baqrah 1st and last ruku , S- Baqrah V. 164, S Baqrah V. 153 157, S- Baqrah V. 207 210, S- Baqrah V. 214 -216 S-Baqrah V.255(ayatul kurshi) , S-Al-e-Imraan last ruku, S- Nisa V.59 -70, S- maaida V. 52 56, S- Anaam V.60 to the End S- Ambiya V.30 33, S- Ruum V. 17 -27, S- Fatah V.28 till End, S- Hadeed V.seven Ayaats of the beginning S- Ahzab V.40, S- shura V.10 -13, S- Hashar last ruku ( if some of these Ayaats touch your heart memorize them with translation ) Next go to some important surah s I give you a list of short surahs but very important ones . Study the Quran making as a routine and fixed some time for it , even for fifteen minutes and half an hour but routine must be observed. iii) Some Important surahs : Anaam S.29. Ankboot, Taghabun S.62. Juma, S.49. Hujraat, S.31. Luqman , S.36. Yaasin, S.08. Anfaal, S.09. Taubah, S.05. Maida, S.06.

S.30.Rum, S.75. Qiyamah, S.61. Saff, S.02. Baqrah, S.03. Aale Imran, S.57. Hdeed, S.64. S.66. Mulk

iv) Select important TOPICS of your interest e.g. ------ purdah (hijab) , Interest, prohibitions of wine / gambling etc. Criminal punishments, talaq, Topics of science ------- e.g --- astronomy, embryology, water cycle etc . v) Select important words eg. Taqdeer, fitnah, alaqah etc 9) To go into detail and have insight must know Quranic Arabic ----- this is easier than general Arabic. Give example :- a) To show that it female bee ( su. Nahal). b) Indicates Satan led both Adam & Eve to commit disobedience & not Eve as Christians say. c) In su. Qiyamal & Najam indicates for male or female child---d) There are about eight words for creation etc. e) Where Allah gives stress / emphasis is better known if Arabic verbs & words are better understood f) For Extraterrestrial life; difference between meanings of maa and mun-----give examples g) An interesting example of using 3-point-notation before and after a word----- at the beginning su. Baqrah and other places -----

For learning Arabic

i) ii) iii) See Aao arabi sikhen by Maulana Ayub Islahi Aao Quran samjhen.com, peace tv. Programmed by this name. by Dr Abul Aziz Abdurrahim Www. Arabic in English.com, shareislam.com, Arabic. Tripod.com , QuranEnglish.com

ix) a) keep habit of memorizing some ayaats passages of importance and interest e.g.---( list??) Remember that mind and memorizing is more a spiritual process than physical and Quran is also spiritual So it is a good remedy and tonic for brain Keeping the ayaats in your memory will help you at the time of trial and test and despair----