Search This Blog

Friday, June 19, 2009

Jumáh Journal-Qurán and its teaching

Frequently quoted hadeeth-e-nabawi:
"Khairukum man taállam-al-Qurána wa Államahu"
The best among you are those who learn Qurán and then teach (others).
In the Muslim world specifically the non-Arabic speaking one the method is to make a child recognize the letters and words and their "a'raab" or harakaat, so that he/she can recite Qurán (visual learning) and also some parts are memorized.
if you learn Arabic then you may also reach its meanings even though help from original sources is still required to understand the meanings.
Most cities in the West now have some Qurán teaching going on in masjid or private home or Islamic center depending on the Muslim population in that area. For basic recitation these are fundamentals essential for learning. Each family has its own plan for this teaching. I was taught by my mother and I remember that once I had learnt the basics I would sit and recite by my own effort with my mother listening and correcting until I finished.
Islamic centers and masajid in US have some programs going for this purpose and some Islamic centers have Hifz programs that is they have teacher guides for those children who wish to memorize the Qurán. Admittedly the number of such children or parents who want their children to memorize are not large but certainly there are respectable functional programs running in US where the children are doing that.
The numbers for memorization students may not be enough to generate funds from fees to establish a class and its teacher but additional Quránic sciences can be added for expanding the field of study along with memorization. There is need for Qurán scholars here more than for just Hafizes who are required for leading Taraweeh prayers which is a very popular thing with the Muslims mashallah, although the prophet SAWS tried to make it optional only. I must admit myself that I do enjoy this Taraweeh prayers more than I enjoy other regular Farzd prayers.
It is not generally recognised in the non-arabic speaking Muslim world that proper pronunciation (Tajweed) is very important for recitation of Qurán-el-Majeed. The fact is it is critically important not just for appreciating its beauty and rhythm etc. but also for is meanings and the fact that this is the word of the Creator. We try to learn languages like English and speak in the way the local people do or like the English do or learn to speak french in the way the french speak but we seem less inclined to learn Quránic language in the proper way it should be pronounced. Some Arabic speaking Muslims cannot do that in the proper way either unless thay are initiated in the art of of Tajweed (which includes Qirát, BTW.)
Should we have a Hafiz teach us the proper Tajweed (because each hafiz is first given instruction in that art before starting Hifz. The answer is Yes we should have such availability in each masjid, Islamic center of the city.