People take years and years of their lives trying to understand the Quran. Many scholars have lived and died while still trying to know the secret behind some verses (ayah). The Quran may have some things that are difficult to understand, but the majority of it is very simple.
Do you want to know how to improve your understanding of the Quran? Read on.
9 tips to improve your understanding of the Quran
Make Dua (Supplications)
Before reading the Quran, ask Allah SWT to guide you. Your goal is to connect with Allah genuinely, for the love of Allah, through studying, understanding, and applying His wonderful words. Making a Dua to Allah for assistance and guidance will be your most significant tool for doing this.
Allah SWT has promised to grant our requests whenever we draw close to Him and offer a Dua to Him.
“When My servants ask you (O Prophet) about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond (with obedience) to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided (to the Right Way)”
(Surah Al Baqarah)
Read One Page Per Day
When you read to fully understand for the first time, you must be careful with the amount you read. Reading too many words and pages may not be the best start to understanding everything. Instead, focus on one page per day, read it thoroughly, search for the meanings, and take your time to absorb it.
As you get better, you’ll find yourself able to read several pages a day while fully understanding them. Trust the process and listen to what your mind says. Remember, the goal is to understand not to read.
“Do not rush your tongue trying to memorize [a revelation of] the Quran.”
(Surah Al Qiyamah)
Pick A Good Translated Version
If you can’t understand Arabic, or your level of proficiency is not good enough yet, pick a translated version of the Quran in your mother language. The Quran is translated into 114 languages, so, you’ll definitely find yours.
You’ll find several translations if you pick English translations, however, Sahih International is your best option out there. Modern, conversational English is an easy way to understand Quran meanings. Other fancy alternatives may not be that easy to understand.
Study The Basics of The Quran
Before you start your journey to understand the Quran and its meanings, spend some time understanding its basics. For example, search why it was sent down to humanity, by who, in which time, for which people, and what is its end goal.
Reading Seerah will make this much easier on you. Islam originated in Quran, for sure, but Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) life really puts Islam into action. You’ll see how he used to behave and what decisions he used to make, as his ultimate reference was the Quran itself.
Look Out For Bias
When you google the explanation of some verses, you may find some biased interpretations influenced by the western lens of Islam. Don’t fall into this trap and never take Quran interpretations from anyone other than verified Muslim scholars or Shaykhs.
“Those with deviant hearts follow the elusive verses seeking [to spread] doubt through their [false] interpretations—but none grasps their [full] meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, “We believe in this [Quran]—it is all from our Lord.” But none will be mindful [of this] except people of reason”
(Surah Ali ‘Imran)
Consider The Context
- To fully understand the Quran, we have to understand under what circumstances verses were revealed. Certain verses might sound weird if we don’t know what is going on in the context of the real-time revelation.
Dig Into The Verses’ Meanings
Every given verse (ayah) has ultimate wisdom sent down from Allah SWT, and knowing what to look for in specific sorts of verses goes a long way toward understanding.
The verses that reveal prophets’ lives, for example, illustrate how they struggled, yet their righteous reactions to their hardships serve as an example for us.
The warning verses are also an example for us. Allah SWT warns us against our ill actions to stop doing them or else we face His punishment.
“Whoever chooses to be guided, it is only for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own loss. No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another. And We would never punish [a people] until We have sent a messenger [to warn them].”
(Surah Al-Isra)
Listen To Quran Recitation
Some people learn more effectively by listening than by reading. There are currently several audio cassettes and CDs of the Quran, many of which include translations. This is ideal for listening to on your device or in your car’s CD player or radio while you commute to and from work.
Use this in addition to, not in instead of, your regular Quran reading. You’ll gain lots of good deeds from Allah SWT by listening carefully to Quran recitations.
“And when the Quran is recited, listen to it attentively and keep silent, so that you receive mercy.”
(Surah Al A’raf)
Learn Arabic
Arabic is the original language of the Quran. While translations really offer valuable interpretations that can help you grasp the meanings, nothing compares to reading the Quran in its original form in which it was sent down.
Arabic is a very accurate language in terms of vocabulary. The Quran, being a linguistic miracle, was sent down in Arabic to mean every word in its precise meaning and context to prevent any misinterpretations.
“We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran, in order that ye may learn wisdom.”
(Surah Yusuf)
If you don’t know where to start in Arabic learning, check out Studio Arabiya’s Quranic Arabic course and start from scratch with a professional Arabic tutor who knows how to develop your Arabic language in order to understand the Quran.
