The importance of the Quran to Muslims cannot be overstated. Learning
the Quran by heart, not only in your native language but in Arabic, is
an important part of being a Muslim. Memorizing the Quran in English is
not enough. The Quran in Arabic is considered the only true version of
the Quran. It can be difficult for English speakers to get used to
memorizing the Quran in another language, much less one as dissimilar
from English as Arabic. Yet there are steps you can take to help
memorize the suras of the Quran more easily and quickly.
Learn Arabic
- Download
and print out charts of the Arabic alphabet. Printing them out and
keeping them for reference will help you to study them any time, not
only when you are in front of your computer.
- Practice writing
Arabic with the correct strokes. Keep a notebook and practice writing
the letters of the Arabic alphabet until you have memorized how to do it
and can recognize individual letters in words easily.
- Pronounce
the alphabet correctly. Most charts will have the proper pronunciation
on them, but you can also listen to the pronunciation of the Arabic
alphabet online. The Shariah Program has charts, explanations and audio
files about the Arabic alphabet.
- Read in Arabic. Practice with
the reading lessons in the Shariah Program or begin reading the Arabic
in your Quran. Keep practicing until you are proficient in reading, even
if you do not understand all the words.
Memorize the Quran
- Learn
a little at a time. There is no way you can memorize an entire sura
(chapter) at once. Take it slow and steady. Learn individual verses in
English first. Then try to learn that same verse in Arabic. The Online Quran Academy in Canada Project has the entire Quran online with English and Arabic side-by-side.
- Write out the verse you have learned in English in Arabic. Sound it out yourself. Repeat it several times.
- Write
the verse out on an index card. Write the English on one side and the
Arabic on the other. Carry it around with you and practice at various
times during the day.
- Listen to the Quran in Arabic. There are several sites which have audio files of the suras in the website of Online Quran Academy in Canada
for free. Quran Online has a media page where you can not only hear
individual chapters in Arabic but also see the writing as you hear it,
so you can read along. Quran 101 has audio files of the several of the
suras available for downloading in Real Audio.
- Choose a favorite
reciter for regular listening. IslamWay has a page dedicated to
different reciters of the Quran. Choose a favorite and listen regularly,
while following along in your own Quran.
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