A question I’ve been getting asked a lot recently— how can I reflect and connect to the Quran more?

I’d love to break it down for you step by step but honestly, I really believe that the best way to start is to simply open up the Quran with a specific question in mind -

What does Allah want to teach me today?

How does He want me to grow today?

And then read His Word and its translation with that lens.

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But if you’re someone who’s just beginning their journey of connecting deeply with the Quran, then here are a few more things I think will really help you as you begin!

1. Dua

This was going to be my final step but really it is the first!

Speak to your Lord, whisper to Him, The One Who Answers all (Al Mujeeb), to open up the Quran to you. To allow you to connect and grow from His Book. To become of the people of the Quran.

2. Start small — with reading the translation

If you’re someone who doesn’t read the Quran much, then your first step is to start with building a habit of just reading a few verses a day with its translation (I recommend Abdal Haleem’s translation if you are looking for one!)

If you’re someone who reads the Quran in Arabic but never the translation, then your first step is to pick up a translation and begin reading a few verses a day.

It’s difficult to immediately connect and reflect on the Quran when you haven’t read it and understood it much before.

Instead, your first step is to build that habit with the Quran. It’s like with any heavy non-fiction book — you need some time to get used to the way the author writes.

Just like that, building the habit with the Quran allows you to get used to the way Allah speaks, the rhythm of the Quran.

3. Have a question in mind

As you build this habit with the Quran and its translation, one of the best ways to open the doors of really connecting with the Quran is to read it with a question in mind.

The Quran has been sent to us as a guide (Quran 2:2), an instruction manual on how to live our lives. And so when we open the Quran with these questions in mind, we open ourselves to being guided, bi ithnillah (By Allahs Permission)

I highly recommend this step If you’re someone who’s been reading the translation for a while but still find it difficult to reflect too.

It’s opening the Quran with two questions in mind -

• What does Allah want to teach me today?

• How does He want me to grow today?

4. Highlight it

If you’re just starting your reflection journey, don’t try to pause on every verse you’re reading trying to extract profound reflections.

Trust me, (been there, done that!) you’ll tire yourself pretty quickly!

Instead, simply read a few verses a day (using step 2 and 3). And when you come across a verse that makes you pause for a second, highlight that verse/s.

After you finish reading your verses of the day, come back to it and sit with that verse.

Ask yourself — what made you pause?

Did you learn a lesson? Did something about it remind you of something in your life?

5. Trust me, it gets easier with time

When you start this journey, it can feel tough. You read the translation but you’re just not being able to reflect.

There will be days where you read your portion of verses and nothing sticks out to you, you’re not able to reflect on anything. You are unable to feel any sort of connection. I feel you, completely!

But trust me, stick with it.

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over these past few years is that — connecting to the Quran is like a muscle. Initially it feels like you are not improving at all, you’ll feel stuck. But trust me, the muscle is growing.

And over the days, as you continue to put the reps in, you’ll soon see the results.

PS. I really hope to help you out more with your journey of truly connecting to the Quran. So if you have any questions about how to start your own journey, please do contact me!

Until next time,
Thasneema 🌻