Become a Person of Qur’an
How much Qur’an should i read?
It is said that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took twelve years to complete Surah al-Baqarah, because he would sit with a single verse until he understood it before moving to the next. He recognized the importance of understanding each verse and applying it to his life, rather than simply memorizing it.
How does one become a person of the Qur'an?
Keep a daily portion (wird) of the Qur'an. Be consistent — begin and end your day with the Qur’an. The last thing you do before sleep, and the first thing you do upon waking, shouldn't be scrolling social media or messaging others. Read whatever amount is sustainable for you as a daily habit.
Incorporate the Qur'an into your commute. Many of us commute to work or elsewhere. Instead of listening to other things, make it a habit to listen to the Qur'an regularly while driving or walking.
Seek to understand the Qur'an. Choose a verse from your daily reading and look into its tafsir, the reason for its revelation, or the meaning of a particular word. Try to learn something new about the Qur'an every day.
Reflect on the Qur'an. Allah says in Surah Sad, “This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, so that they may contemplate its verses, and people of reason may be mindful.” While reading, ask yourself why a verse was revealed, how it applies to your life, and what it means for your future. If you are reading the story of a Prophet, ask: what can I learn from this? The purpose of this project is to encourage this kind of reflection and to help us all become better people.
Pay attention to the commands and prohibitions as you read. Ask yourself whether you are observing what Allah has commanded, such as:
And ask whether you are avoiding what Allah has prohibited, such as:
Write down these commands and prohibitions and reflect on them. We all make mistakes, but we should remain aware of what is prohibited and strive to avoid it. Make a list of what Allah has commanded and forbidden, keep the surrounding verses in mind, and do your best to stay on the right path.
Reflect on those the Qur'an describes as successful — the muttaqeen. Who are they?
These verses describe those who will succeed. Ask yourself whether you are among them, and strive to live up to what the verses call for.
Had we been given a book that guaranteed one million dollars a month, people would race to read and obey it to the letter.
The Qur'an's instructions are clear and, out of Allah's mercy, easy to follow: five daily prayers instead of five hundred, though no amount of prayer could ever fully thank Him; 2.5% in zakat, though giving all of it still would not be enough to repay Him. These acts require effort and patience, but they are not impossible — waking for Fajr takes real effort, and we can ask Allah for help, but it can be done.
Allah has given us these commands, and if we uphold them, He — in His immense mercy — will grant us infinite happiness for eternity in exchange for a mere fifty or sixty years of obedience, if we are even given that long. Allah says in the Qur’an,
لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ
"They will have whatever they desire therein, and with Us is even more."
Reading the Qur'an guides us toward that path of eternal happiness. Whatever is asked of us in this life is, compared to the infinite nature of Paradise, nothing at all — even a hundred years is nothing against eternity. This is why it is essential to read the Qur'an, engage with it, and act on these six practices.
