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Tag: Learning Quran

  • Engaging with the Qur’an — A Guide (Part Two)

    Engaging with the Qur’an — A Guide (Part Two)

    In a previous article, I shared my experience in engaging with the Qur’an and described three pillars. The first pillar is studying the Qur’an, and it has five parts. The previous article addressed the first two parts: recitation of the Qur’an; and reading a translation of the Qur’an. The three remaining parts — studying Qur’anic exegesis; learning Arabic, the language of Qur’an; and memorization — are covered in this article. Also, this article covers the second and third pillars: reflecting on the Qur’an; and attending a Qur’an study circle.

    Pillar one, part three
    Studying Qur’anic exegesis (tafseer)

    Reading tafseer, or Quranic exegesis, is a crucial component in the study of Qur’an. If you have not yet completed reading the Qur’an in translation from cover to cover, I highly recommend making that a prerequisite to tafseer studies. Delving into tafseer texts is a journey that requires time and patience. Tafseer books are often divided into volumes, and the scholar’s style and background will play a significant role, more so than in translations.

    Choosing which tafseer to study is not the focus of this article. It is a personal decision that requires time and effort and can be a valuable exercise in itself. The same principles for selecting a Qur’an translation, discussed in the previous article, can be applied to choosing a tafseer. In addition to reading a particular tafseer, listening to an audio tafseer series can be beneficial. However, audio series should not replace reading tafseer texts unless you engage with the lectures actively by taking notes and going through the series multiple times. As a good starting point, Tafsir Ibn Kathir can be used.

    Ideally, just as with learning Qur’anic recitation, one should study tafseer under the guidance of a qualified scholar. This could involve studying the tafseer of the entire Qur’an with a teacher in person or, at a minimum, covering several surahs with them to understand how tafseer is approached. I suggest starting with the tafseer of smaller surahs, such as Surah al-Fatiha and those from the 30th Juz, along with the surahs you have memorized. Once you are comfortable with these, you can proceed to studying the tafseer of the Qur’an in its entirety.

    A word of caution: It is important to be wary of the delusion of fully understanding the Qur’an while studying tafseer. This is the beginning of one’s journey, not the end. True learning comes with humility and continued study.

    Pillar one, part four
    Learning the Language of the Qur’an

    For most people, learning Arabic will be an ongoing journey. The particular end-goal should be defined individually, but starting the journey is essential. As you read the Qur’an’s translation and learns recitation, the desire to understand the Arabic language will likely increase. Learning Arabic should begin alongside reading the Qur’an translation. It is recommended to read the translation verse by verse or passage by passage, and also focus on understanding it word by word. Using a text with a word-by-word translation or another resource for this purpose will help build your Qur’anic vocabulary. Quran.com is a good online resource for word-by-word translation

    A useful approach is to learn each word in the surahs you have already memorized. For example, familiarize yourself with the words in Surah al-Fatiha and the last 10 surahs of the Qur’an, and then expand your vocabulary from there. As you build your vocabulary, you will notice the repetition of words throughout the Qur’an, which can provide insights into the meaning of verses and heighten your interest. Additionally, you will observe the formation of words and understand how similar sounding words have different meanings. An Arabic dictionary can be a valuable tool in this process. Online resources such as the dictionary on corpus.Quran.com can be particularly helpful.

    Eventually, formal education in the Arabic language will be necessary. Some options may be available in your local area. In addition, there are many programs and workshops available online, each with a different methodology. Assess various options to find one that suits your needs, whether it focuses on spoken Arabic or understanding Qur’anic sentence structures. It is crucial to commit to a chosen program to gain proficiency in the language of the Qur’an.

    Pillar one, part five
    Memorization of the Qur’an

    Memorizing the Qur’an is a significant tradition that has been upheld since it was first revealed. While memorizing the entire Qur’an is a worthy goal in itself, this discussion focuses on incorporating memorization into your study routine. Memorizing portions of the Qur’an can greatly aid in reflecting on its teachings.

    Set realistic goals for memorization, whether it be over a month, a year, or another timeframe. Begin with verses or passages that resonate with you during recitation or when reading the translation. Even memorizing a single ayah or part of an ayah can be valuable if it deepens your reverence and understanding. If memorization feels overwhelming, seek advice from those who have memorized the Qur’an or are in the process. Establishing a buddy system so that each of you can recite memorized sections to the other can be very beneficial. This collaborative approach can enhance your memorization process and provide support along the way.

    Pillar two: Reflection

    Pillar two in the framework of engaging with the Qur’an is to reflect on the verses you are studying, reading, reciting, and memorizing. As one reads the Qur’an, they start to have questions and, hopefully, insights. Thinking about those questions and/or pondering the insights is all part of reflection. Thinking about what the ayah means and how it pertains to us in our personal lives — that is reflection. Examining yourself on the basis of what you read — that is reflection. Giving careful consideration to the ideas — that is reflection.

    As we read the Qur’an, in Arabic or a translation, some words or phrases will catch our attention and as we try to understand them, the more they get fixed in our minds and we become fascinated as we strive to understand the breadth of the meaning. For example, a phrase that appears in the Qur’an a number of times is in the following verse:

    “…Then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows it, there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve” (2:38).

    I reflect on this verse in Baqarah and imagine the high spiritual state of those who transcend fear and grief. In this verse, Allah is telling us that those who follow His guidance will have no fear and will not grieve. I wonder if there are other verses that describe further those with no fear or grief. I look into it and find a number of other verses. For example, 2:277 describes these individuals as those who believe, do good deeds, establish worship, and pay zakat. Verse 10:62 describes them as friends of Allah. And verse 46:13 as those who say, “Our Lord is Allah” and then they remain steadfast. These verses (and there may be others) put forth a profound portrayal of such an individual: those who say “Our Lord is Allah”; they, thus believe and they follow Allah’s guidance — they do good deeds, establish worship, and pay zakat; they demonstrate through their belief and actions that they are friends of Allah; and they remain steadfast.

    With a fuller grasp of such an individual, we can examine ourselves and our lives to see if we conform to those descriptions. We might decide that we could be more conscious and deliberate in doing good deeds on a daily basis, even if small. We might think about how much better the world would be if more individuals met that standard of excellence in submission to Allah. We might also think about the reality that reflection, itself, must involve not just the intellect but the heart as well, and then remember verse 47:24: “Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? Or are there locks upon their hearts?” All of this — the intellectual probing of points, the musings, the questions, and the insights — all of this, the entire process, is reflection!

     

    Pillar three: Attending a Qur’anic study circle

    The third and last pillar of the framework for engaging with the Qur’an is to establish and/or attend a study circle. A weekly gathering where the participants discuss the ayahs or surah they have studied is a rich and beneficial experience. This is an opportunity to share your understanding and hear what others have learned and reflected on in their own study. This invigorating discussion is a very critical aspect of understanding and internalizing the Qur’an. Ideas, insights, and questions are discussed and, insha’Allah, each individual walks away from a session with greater understanding and appreciation of the Qur’an. A few key elements of the format and etiquette of the study circle are important:

    Come to the study circle prepared.

    The best use of the time spent in the study circle is by doing the “homework” before attending the session. If you are, for the first time, engaging with the ayaat being covered during the session, then you won’t get the most benefit from the discussion. At a minimum, come to the session having read the translation of the verse that is going to be covered. Ideally you should have read the verse, read the tafseer, and reflected on the meaning before the session.

    The study circle is not the place for a lecture.

    In studying the Qur’an, there is a place for listening to tafseer on audio or sitting in Qur’an tafseer class which I have touched upon in the Studying the Qur’anic Exegesis/Tafseer section above; but that is not the aim of the study circle.  The objective is to involve all the participants in a back-and-forth discussion. There is a sharing of ideas and mutual gaining of knowledge. The session hopefully motivates and inspires each member to dig deeply into the guidance and wisdom of the Qur’an.

    The study circle must not be a place for intellectual grandstanding or gymnastics.

    During the study circle there will be dialogue, questions, and collective reflecting and pondering of points. The only aim is to better understand the divine guidance. No member should approach the experience with a self-centered motive such as wanting to appear in the eyes of the other members as knowledgeable or wise. Each member is a student of the Qur’an, and the approach must be humble and sincere.

    ——————–

    The above framework, with its three pillars, should not make study of the Qur’an seem like a daunting task. The purpose is to provide a framework and a method so that there is structure and clarity in one’s efforts to take the different aspects of engaging with the Qur’an and bring them together in a coherent way, for maximum benefit. As the saying goes “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Our journey to engage with the Qur’an starts with one ayah. The investment of reading and studying and reflecting on at least one ayah a day brings a reward that cannot be overestimated. “Read in the name your Lord…Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous” (96:1,3). Bismillah!

     

  • Revival of Quranic Arabic

    Revival of Quranic Arabic

    The importance of the Arabic language to Islam and Islamic culture cannot be overstated. Indeed, its importance is universally accepted in the Muslim world. The religion of 1.8 billion people is based upon an Arabic Quran, the revelation which was transmitted by Allah’s most noble messenger, Muḥammad (peace be upon him). Its recitation rings out from all inhabited regions of the globe. One of the most significant aspects relative to the miracle of the Quran is its powerful and inimitable language. The late Mufassir Mawdudi, in “Message of the Prophet’s Seerah,” states the following: “The Quran’s linguistic style makes it unique and impossible to be imitated. This is called the I‛jaaz al-Quran. From this I‛jaaz, the Quran issues a challenge to all of mankind to imitate the Quran as the rational proof of its divine source. This is because Islam does not accept blind faith and the challenge results in the definite conclusion that the Quran is from Allah.”
    Understanding Quranic Arabic allows one to begin appreciating some of its numerous intricacies. Even the term “ayah,” meaning verse or sign, is itself a unique sign (evidence, demonstration, attestation) from Allah. Intrinsically, the Quran’s linguistics, grammar, rhetoric, prose, logic, and literary characteristics clearly differentiate it from human use of language. Altogether, the Quran was the most elevated presentation of Arabic that the Arabs at the time of the Revelation had ever encountered. This was evidenced by the testimony of a bitter enemy of Islam, Walid ibn Mughirah, who was one of the most eminent personalities and poets of the Quraysh: “I swear by God, there is none amongst you who knows poetry as well as I do, nor can any compete with me in composition or rhetoric – not even in the poetry of the Jinn! And yet, I swear by God, there is no similarity to what he [Muhammad] is saying [the Quran], and I swear by God, that indeed, his speech is very sweet, and is adorned with beauty and charm. Its higher part is fruitful, and its lower part is abundant, and it cannot be overshadowed! It shatters what is under it!”

    Lack of Literacy in the Arabic Language

    The Quran is the most highly regarded book, the only one that is memorized by millions. The preservation of the Quran in the heart, or Hifz, in and of itself, is a miracle of the Quran. However, it is tagged with a rather unfortunate paradox. The majority of the Muslim Ummah does not understand Arabic, the language of the Quran. Arabs constitute approximately 15 percent of Muslims worldwide, and that will probably decrease in the future, according to a 2017 estimate by Pew Research. This is not a new phenomenon, but the decrease in native Arab speakers has grown over the past few centuries as Islam has spread into every land. Thousands of Huffaz continue to be produced yearly from non-Arab Muslim lands. Much of the Ummah acquire the ability to read and memorize portions of the sacred Quranic Arabic script yet are completely oblivious to its meaning. This shortcoming is disheartening, demonstrating a complacency about the deen and absence of intellectual and spiritual depth. And there is little urgency or organized effort among Muslims to address this lack of Arabic literacy. It is important to note that rote memorization contradicts how the generation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) learned the Quran. Ibn Taymiyyah and others have mentioned that when the Sahabah learned just ten ayaat from the Prophet (peace be upon him), they did not hasten to learn more until they had digested the message and implemented the knowledge contained in the verses.

    Beyond the requirement for proper recitation of the Quran, the purpose of learning verses is not simple rote recitation, transmission, or memorization. Its purpose is guidance: “This is the Book about which there is no doubt, guidance for those conscious of Allah” (Quran 2:2). Allah also says: “Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with its true recital. They are the ones who believe in it. And whoever disbelieves in it — it is they who are the losers” (Quran 2:121). Here, the word “tilawah,” translated as “recitation,” has a deeper meaning than simply qiraa’ah (recite; read), and implies, reciting, conforming to and acting according to what is recited. The true tilawah of the Quran is following and practicing the guidance that has been recited. And this can only be accomplished when the language of the Quran is understood, even if it is at a basic level.

    History of the Decline

    The history of the decline of proper use and understanding of the Arabic language among the Ummah did not occur overnight. After the first few centuries in the Islamic world, Fusha Arabic (classical or literary Arabic) ceased to be the standard in spoken language, even though Arabic was still the dominant language. After the Mongol invasion, Arabic lost its eminence and its decline continued under Ottoman rule. Later, with the rise of Turkish nationalism, the concept of reading and memorizing the Quran, without understanding the meaning, became commonplace and was an encouraged practice. The hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) says: “Whoever recites a letter from Allah’s Book, then he receives a reward from it, and the reward of ten the like of it…” This was practiced in a ritualistic fashion solely for blessings. One of the causes of the decline of the Ottoman Empire was the stark disconnect between the recitation of the Quran, and its application, understanding, and contemplation.
    It is from this time period, along with the rise of European colonialism, that the learning of Fusha Arabic was systemically halted in the Muslim world, especially in lands where Arabic was not the mother tongue. It is important to note that colonialism and nationalism were not the only forces contributing to this decline. Islamic culture and influence stagnated in the 17th and 18th centuries. This was a universal phenomenon in practically all Muslim lands until the precipitous collapse of Islamic power in the 19th century. The colonial powers played a direct role, alongside nationalists like Ataturk, to bar the spread of Arabic and force Latin script upon non-Arab Muslims. This occurred with the Turkish, Malay, Hausa, and Swahili languages which had previously transitioned to Arabic letters. Arabic was essentially replaced with the language of the colonial powers which, in many places, has become the dominant language. Even in the Arab lands, the decline of the Arabic language had become significant up until its recent revival from individuals such as Muḥammad Abduh and his contemporaries . To this day, we see the lasting influence of the colonial powers in the Western language hegemony in the Muslim world. To complicate this matter, the Arabic Fusha language has moreover dispersed into regional dialects which have further distanced the Arabs from the Quranic language. We, as an Ummah, still have not been able to reverse the destructive effects of the colonial powers in diminishing Arabic in the non-Arab Muslim world.

    In the 19th century, the response by some scholars to Muslims’ lack of literacy in Arabic was to translate the Quran into other languages. And from this, the translation of the Quran into practically every language has continued until the present day. Unfortunately, for non-Arab Muslim countries, this has remained the accepted response to tackling the centuries old problem of Muslims memorizing, reading, and/or reciting the Quran without understanding the meaning. Despite the revival of Arabic in the past century or so, from the period of stagnation and taqlid (here, this term refers to “blind following of a religious school” and the stagnation in relevant jurisprudence and scholarship which result), the Muslim world still has not been able to break the colonial shackles. Our identities, nationalities, and languages remain not much different than those carved out for us by the previous colonial powers. We are still reciting the Quran ritualistically without taking heed of its guidance and wisdom. It is important for the Ummah to increase awareness of this problem if it is to be remedied.

    Fusha Arabic Can Never Disappear

    Is Fusha Arabic gone? No, alḥamdulillah, never can or will it disappear. The vastness of Islamic knowledge, science, and literature has been inscribed in Fusha Arabic. And the Quran itself is the highest presentation of Fusha Arabic. It is the basis of what we know as “Modern Standard Arabic” or MSA. Despite how secular MSA may appear, it is rooted in Classical or Fusha Arabic. Unfortunately, Fusha Arabic is not at all prevalent in the Arabic world, even among the most literate or religious. In Arab countries over the past few centuries there has been a widening disconnect between Fusha and the conversational Arabic that is used in society. Fusha Arabic has been confined for the most part to a purely religious or classical Arabic literature role. It is also used in khutbahs, official speeches, and formal news, but scarcely in any other societal context. Perhaps even more alarming than this is the contemporary decrease in the use and value of Arabic in Arab countries themselves. In one poll of young Arabs from the Gulf, one third report use of English more than Arabic on a daily basis. Affinity for the language of the Quran for American Muslims is not much different than rest of the Ummah. Our demographics are also not dissimilar to the worldwide Muslim population — one-third of American Muslims are Arab, one-third South Asian, and one-fifth Black Americans. Furthermore, we live in a society where Arabic is scarcely spoken, except in the privacy of some homes.
    If we are to uphold and continue the legacy of Islam here and elsewhere, we need to uphold and spread Fusha Arabic. Any distancing from the language will push us further from the Quran’s guidance and its divine benefits. Furthermore, the Ummah is at critical crossroads, and is continuously challenged by trials and tribulations of every kind. The masses need a direct connection to the lofty words of Allah Almighty so that they be protected from misguidance, ignorance, discord, insincerity, materialism, and despair. There are many challenges to moving the Ummah towards Arabic literacy nationally and internationally. The first step is in realizing the full nature of this calamitous problem. Only in that way we will find the proper perspective in formulating solutions. One positive note is that the average non-Arab Muslim has the ability to read the Quran at some level, whether basic or higher. This actually makes a realistic solution more feasible. One prospective solution is that all Islamic Institutions make teaching Quranic Arabic a mandatory part of their curriculum, especially those that teach and supervise Quranic Hifz. Another recommendation is that Islamic schools in both Arab and non-Arab lands transition their Arabic curriculums from conversational to Fusha or Quranic Arabic. Altogether, we need to make learning Quranic Arabic a principal goal in our lives, and to do so to the best of our abilities.