The Quran, Ramadan and Me

by Ruhaifa Adil

Ramadan is here and the Muslims around the world rejoice in being the opportunity to witness this bless month again.

Ramadan is indeed an opportunity; nay, a golden opportunity. It is the opportunity to gain rewards multiplied by seventy! it is the chance to get our sins forgiven and to save ourselves from the hell fire; it is the time to make hay while Shaytan is locked up and cannot mislead us; it is the month where we witness the miracle of the Night of Power- the night which is better than a thousand months; it is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heave; it is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased!

The Quran and Ramadan have a special relationship. It is on that fateful night of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sa), a night which has since been known as Laylatul Qadr or the Night of Destiny. The Quran is the ultimate guide to success. It is the blueprint of how we are to lead our lives in this world so that we can attain Jannah. `Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw), said: “The fast and the Qur’an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say: ‘O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say: ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.’ And their intercession will be accepted.” [Imam Ahmad]

This Ramadan, let it not be a month of feasting. Let us all vow to make this month about “The Quran, Ramadan and me”! Here is what we all can do to make this a Quran-centric Ramadan:

Step 1: Reciting the Quran

Each Juz of the Quran is 20 pages long. Divided amongst the five prayers, that comes to just 4 pages to be read after every Fardh Salah. This is an easy way to make sure that we recite the entire Quran this Ramadan. To make up for the loss of time during the menstrual cycle, reciting 5 pages every Salah will help keep Muslimahs on track with their goal. Another way to do this is to hire a tutor who can listen to your recitation for an hour daily to keep you organized and on track,

Step 2: Understanding the Quran

While there is immense reward for recitation, one of the rights of the Quran on us is for us to understand what it means as it is primarily a guide for us. Alhamdulillah, there are countless lectures and Tafseer (explanation of the Quran) by various scholars on YouTube, podcasts and audio files online. You can also sign up for daily WhatsApp recordings of lectures to help you understand the message of the Quran.

Step 3: Improving Tajweed

“And recite the Quran (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style.” (73:4)

Allah wants us to read the Quran with proper recitation, and this can be done by learning the rules of Tajweed. Changing the pronunciation of the words of Arabic can completely change the meaning and hence we should learn to recite the Quran correctly. There are many online tajweed tutors who can be employed to help learn the correct recitation from the comfort of your home and at times that are convenient to both.

Step 4: Teaching it to others

“The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”
[Sahih Bukhari]

Try to teach Quran to others this Ramadan, even if it is one page! This may be your own siblings, children, parents, servants or students you may find online.

Let us hope that this Ramadhan, we are able to create a closer connection the Quran!

Ruhaifa Adil is a mother of four, a practising Muslimah, an avid reader, and a passionate writer. She works primarily as a trainer for mothers and teachers, advocating a multi sensorial, learner-centred approach, which she has learnt through her work as a remedial specialist for children with dyslexia. She is also an author of English textbooks, based on the teachings of the Quran (currently under editing), and creative director of a Tafseer app for kids.