“How can I connect with the Quran when I don’t understand what I read??”, frustrated I screamed angrily at my mom while I was a teenager.

Like most Indian kids I had learnt to recite the Quran albeit without proper Tajweed by age 7.

Thanks to our wonderful Quran teacher, my brother and I had even managed to memorize all the small Surahs from Juz Amma.

But as I grew older my connection with the Quran grew weaker. I would find it difficult to even recite a page on Fridays and the only time I actually recited it regularly was during Ramadan.

So, my mom finally got me an English translation of the Quran to help me in my quest for knowledge.

As I tried to understand the Arabic to English translation I realized that it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

Firstly, the translation wasn’t straight forward and secondly there were detailed explanations for each word which made it even more difficult to interpret.

After the initial excitement died I felt the Quran was too complicated and difficult to understand and I simply gave up.

It was not until recently that I decided to start all over again. This time I decided to start with the Surahs I recited daily in my prayers.

Yes, Surah Fatiha- the surah that we recite like 17 times a day is what I started with, I enrolled for an online course to understand the meaning of Surah Fatiha and since that day I have done my best to understand the meaning of what I recite daily.

I realized that the more effort I put to understand each word and each verse the more connected I was with the Quran.

Since past few years my goal has been to understand the Quran and reflect on the meanings, purpose and lessons rather than just recite it.

Though there is great reward for the mere recitation of the Qur’an, the main purpose of revealing it, however, is for people to contemplate and reflect upon its verses.

“[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded. (38:29)

Hence instead of aiming to breeze thru a chapter or section let’s renew our intention and focus on improving the recitation of the Qur’an while reflecting on its verses and implementing its teachings in our lives.

May Allah SWT guide us and make it easy for us to never stop learning and seeking knowledge.

This blog post is part of a collaboration called: “Connecting with the Quran.”

Head over to Instagram to see what other Muslimah Bloggers are writing about.

1. @jeddahmom Reading Quran amidst managing kids

2. @umm.afraz The 5 R’s of Tadabbur al-Qur’an

4. @the_odd_muslimah How Quran changed me and my life

5. @radiance_of_delight Kids Craft from Quran

6. @ilmaeducation Quran journaling about ayah on the Quran

7. @homemakers_guide – QURAN, MY COMPANION.

8. @sunnah_hearts – Building a connection with the Qur’an as a family

9. @themommyrant – How the Quran changed me.

10. @allthings.amazing – Ease of access to the Quran due to technology

11. @1newleaf1 – Encouraging children to memorize Quran as a family.

12. @raisingyoungscholars How to make Qur’an reading a daily habit

13. @_iamkhadeejah_ Qur’an is my calm.

14. @irambintsafia – The Overlooked Miracle