Reading habits: Completing the Quran during Ramadan
Every year, the holy month of Ramadan inspires Muslims to rekindle their devotion to the Quran as it is the month in which it was revealed—as a guidance for people and evidence to their faith. For a large number of practicing Muslims, completing the Quran during Ramadan is an annual goal. It provides mental tranquility, and is often associated with calmness of mind. However, it is easier said than done for most of us. Be it due to the language barriers, being a slow reader, or struggling to balance it out with work, finishing the Quran in the month of Ramadan can seem challenging. However, with intention and faith, it becomes easier. Here are some tips to help the process.
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The first step towards achieving a goal is sketching out a plan. Begin with tailoring a schedule that increases the potential to complete your goal. Reading a juz (chapter) in one day is deemed as the most effective method to recite the Quran during Ramadan. While it might be a wonderful way to ensure that you read a portion every day, feel free to adjust the readings according to your schedules. Maintaining a balance between ibadah and work can be challenging, and a proper time table would motivate you to finish small portions everyday.
Dividing the readings into smaller portions
You do not need to allocate long hours for reading the Quran and can follow a speed that is most comfortable for you. A juz is approximately 20 pages long, so try reading four to five pages after each prayer to finish one chapter in a day. Divide it into five sections and read a segment after each salah, taking into account that the font size of the particular Quran you are reading may cause the number of pages to increase or decrease. Alternatively, you could also read two pages after every two rakat of the Taraweeh prayers, finishing 20 pages each day.
Making it a part of your lifestyle
During Ramadan, our body and mind seem to function differently. Incorporating the Quran reading into our lifestyle as a hobby will make it easier to remain motivated. While it is not compulsory to finish the Quran, it certainly leads to greater rewards. In order to make this a part of the Ramadan lifestyle, maintain a tracker to check your daily progress. Just like Taraweeh, this, too, will develop into a habit.
Finding a reading companion
Having a reading partner can facilitate the reading of the complete Quran. It could be a family member, or a group of people you meet at the mosque, a partner—it surely helps in boosting accountability and is a good source of encouragement. This could also go a long way in terms of ensuring proper pronunciations and understanding the meaning of the holy text. While the reading is supposed to be a personal process, sharing the goal with someone improves your recitation and attains your reading goals. Even if you do not sit for the reading sessions together, you could always stay updated on your reading partener's progress and set daily goals.
Reading translations and listening to recitations
If you have already finished reading the Quran in Arabic, or are unfamiliar with this language, you may opt to read the English and Bangla translations of the text. While reading the Quran in another language other than its original may take away some of the nuances, it adds value as you can comprehend the teachings, understand the verses' meanings, and discover all there is to know about the Quranic stories. Additionally, you can listen to Quranic recitations, something which is usually done in mosques after Taraweeh prayers. It is important to remember that these are not alternatives to reading the Arabic text, but they can surely help in developing the habit.
Maisha Islam Monamee is a student of IBA, DU, and a freelance journalist who likes reading, scribbling, and blogging. Follow @monameereads on Instagram.
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