In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful. Praise be to the Almighty Allah, the Lord of all the worlds and may His peace and blessings continually be upon his Prophet, Muhammed (SAW), his family, companions and the generality of all Muslims. The first word spoken to the unlettered Prophet (SAW) by Angel Jibreel was Iqraa, meaning read and this has made Islam a religion of knowledge right from its very inception.
Islam and its prioritization of knowledge
This pristine religion ensures that we seek knowledge as the Prophet (SAW) also stated in a hadith that “seeking knowledge is compulsory”. This propelled the earlier companions to seek knowledge through different sources, traveling as far as China( they believed China was the farthest place from the middle east as at that time). The early Muslims are the major contributors to a lot of fields such as mathematics, astrology, and science, to name just a few.
In fact, the very first university, the University of al-Qarawiyyin was founded by a Muslim woman who goes by the name of Fatima al-Fihri in Fes, Morocco. This university which was founded in 859 is still operating today. In addition, the common counting system called the Arabic numerals were introduced to the west by enlightened Arabians around the 15th century. This just goes on to show how interwoven knowledge is with Islam and how the early Muslims always tried to seek and spread knowledge as they were directed to.
Al- Quran as a source of knowledge
The Quran is the biggest miracle of Allah (SWT) as it is His word, passed down to us through the Archangel Jibreel to enlighten and guide us always. This makes the Quran the greatest source of information and knowledge for the entire Muslim ummah as it is a direct message from our Lord. Even though we are told to seek knowledge, we should always start our search from the Quran itself. The self-preserving Quran has taught the world a lot of things, from how conception occurs to how mountains maintain their forms.
Actually, most of the knowledge of the early Muslims were based on directions from the Quran which they then further worked on and extrapolated. This book was sent down over 1400 years ago but has still remained relevant and insightful over time. Therefore, the Quran is very special and all Muslims should attempt to gain all the benefits from it.
Benefits of the Quran to the Muslim ummah
The Quran provides various benefits to its readers and is essentially a guide to the entirety of Muslims. These benefits include
• Ensuring we pray properly: the solat is one of the pillars of Islam and it literally translates to prayer. A Muslim should pray 5 times a day and during each Rakat (single unit of Islamic prayer), he has to recite some portions of the Quran. Without the Quran, it would be impossible to fulfill this daily religious obligation. The Quran's verses and chapters are to be incorporated into our prayer to make them proper and acceptable.
• Source of information on Islamic laws: the Quran provides information on all topics that can guide the life of the Muslim, and most especially on Islamic law. With Islamic laws on our fingertips, we can be sure of pleasing our Lord by knowing and doing the right things always.
Why you should learn the Quran
With the important benefits of the Quran outlined, there is every reason for the Muslim to learn how to read the Quran.
The Quran was specifically sent to the Muslims as a book of admonition and should be learned for a variety of reasons as stated below
• To get the full benefits of the Quran. We already stated earlier the two major benefits of the Quran and to be able to use the Quran properly in prayer and apply its rules and laws to life, we need to learn to read the Quran itself.
• Learning the Quran fulfills an Islamic obligation- “Read in the name of your Lord” as commanded by Allah ( SWT) in Quran 96:1.
• Learning the Quran elevates one’s status in this lifetime and in the hereafter. The more verses you know and memorize, the higher your abode in paradise. This hadith was narrated by Abdullah ibn ‘Amir ibn ‘Al-Aas (RAA) that the prophet (SAW) said “It would be said to the companion of the Quran that: Read and elevate ( through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunya (on earth). For verily, your position in paradise will be at the last verse you recite.
• The Quran intercedes and acts as proof for us on the day of judgment. The Prophet (SAW) said “ The Quran is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it before him, it would lead him to Paradise and whoever puts it behind him, it would steer him to the Hellfire.”
• Overall, reading and learning the Quran would guarantee you are among the best people. ‘Uthmaan (RAA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said, “ the best of you are those who learn the Quran and teaches it”.
Limitations to learning the Quran
A lot of people are willing to learn the Quran but have some challenges and limitations. Even though different problems are observed in different groups, they are essentially the same and can be classified broadly into 4
• Time constraint
This is usually the most glaring limitation to learning the Quran. Most people simply do not have the time to add an extra Arabic or Quranic class to their already tight schedules. In addition, if they are planning to learn with their family, it may not be possible to find time during the day where everyone would come together for lessons.
• Language barriers
Islam as a religion has grown tremendously- from the deserts of the middle east to essentially every country in the world. This poses a little challenge as the Quran was revealed and is preserved in Arabic. Even though there are a lot of translations and transliterations of the text, it is usually impossible for the original message to be translated properly into other languages. It is also possible for some meanings to be lost in the process of translation. Therefore, most people like to stick as much as possible to the Arabic text.
As already stated, Islam has spread far and wide all over the world. This had led to more non-Arab Muslims than their Arab counterparts. In fact, only about 15% of all Muslims today are Arabs. This is a large disparity and would ensure that more Muslims are not native Arabic speakers. Therefore, learning the Quran or even Arabic may have some difficulties.
• Financial insufficiency
Usually, there are some remunerations attached to learning the Quran. This is expected before or during the Quran lessons. For most people that may want to learn the Quran with their family, the cost may be too high. A typical family would have people of different age groups that would be at different Quran levels and have different requirements. This disparity would lead to different classes with different teachers and varying fees for each member. This could prove to be a problem for those who are not very financially stable.
• Unavailability of required capable tutors
For most people staying outside the Arab nations, it might be a little difficult to get an experienced and capable tutor to learn the Quran from. Apart from the tutor having a degree in the Arabic language, he also needs to have his aqeedah (creed) sound. As a teacher, he may need to facilitate teaching and understanding by giving some examples of the Prophet(SAW) or the sahabahs (early companions). Therefore he must have good knowledge of the hadiths and wise sayings. Essentially, this tutor has to be well-groomed in all things Arabic and Islamic so that he can pass the right information at all times.
In addition, some males or females may prefer or be more comfortable with tutors of their own gender. Unfortunately, that might not be available so they either have to manage an uncomfortable situation or not learn altogether.
So, these are the major constraints affecting the proper learning of the Quran as ordained by the Almighty. It is possible for you to be facing one or even all the problems at once. Nonetheless, the solution to all these problems is simple- learning the Quran online.
Learning the Quran online
Getting the most out of the Quran can be achieved at https://www.tarteelequran.com/ .With our flexible lessons, tutors who speak various languages, free initial trials with affordable and personalized lessons, we essentially turn around the limitations of learning the Quran. During the free trial mentioned, our crop of expert teachers would help to gauge your abilities and determine the best class for you, so can gain optimally. Incorporating technology properly with our many years of devotion to teaching, ensures we are the best always.
In addition, we provide our service all over the world, to reach as many people as possible. With classes available in the United States, United kingdom, Canada and Australia, we ensure that the reverts and those who are in foreign lands are not left out on learning the Quran.
How to make the most out of learning the Quran online
Even though learning the Quran online solves the issues facing most people, it is not enough if you do not bring effort from your own end. The goal is to learn how to read the Quran, understand the language and what you are reading and eventually, become a Hafiz (a person who has fully memorized the Quran). These are some tips that can help you to participate and get the best out of your lessons
• Start in the name of Allah
For us to perform any particular task and hope that it is successful, we need to seek the almighty Allah's blessing by beginning this task with his name. It could be as simple as saying bismillah (in the name of Allah).
We also need to begin with the right intentions; learning the Quran and eventually teaching it only to please Allah(SWT). We should purify our intentions as many times as possible and seek help from Allah to maintain the right intention at all times.
• Select a particular time
Let this time be strictly for Quran learning or memorization as the case may be. Ensure it is a quiet and private time where you would get minimum distraction. The best time would be very early in the morning or late at night. At this time, you can have your one-on-one time with your tutor or go through your downloaded or written lessons. Essentially, this time should be focused strictly on learning and grasping the concept of each lesson.
• Revise throughout the day
While you have a particular time to grasp the concepts, you should spend the rest of the day revising what you have learned earlier. Be it during your lunch break or even while driving, you can listen to the audio recitation of verses you are learning to read or wish to memorize. In addition, reading these verses during your solat would also help with memorization.
• Learn the meaning
It is usually easier to properly learn when you understand what you are learning. The same thing goes for Quran learning. Having an understanding of each verse you plan to read or memorize would build a stronger basis and make it easier to learn.
Conclusion
In conclusion, learning the Quran is fulfilling one of the obligations of Islam. After carefully describing the problems that most people face with performing this obligation, we have postulated that an online Quran class can solve them all. In this regard, we continue to pray that the Almighty Allah in his infinite mercy make things easy for us and accepts all our deeds as acts of Ibadat (worship). Ameen.
For More Information visit https://www.learnquran.online/