It’s a new year. I really want to level up my relationship with the Quran this year, but honestly, I have no clue where to start.

This was literally me year after year after year.

I was reciting Quran regularly but it was really having no impact on my life, because I had no idea what I was reciting. I tried different ways — reading the meaning, listening to tafsir lectures, attending classes. And although all of these methods helped improve my understanding of what Allah was saying in the Quran, it still felt a bit distant from my own day-to-day life. It was around that time I randomly stumbled across this thing called Quran Journaling. I was an avid journaler myself even then, and so the idea of journaling about the Quran blew my mind.

But then when I started to delve into Quran journaling, it all started to feel a bit overwhelming. The picture perfect spreads of colourful stickers, stunning calligraphy, and intricate handwriting you instantly come across when you google ‘Quran Journaling’ made it feel like it was something way out of my league to start.

And so I was back at square 1 again, constantly searching how I could improve my connection to the Quran.

Until one day, I came across a verse that I found really beautiful and so I opened up my phones memo app just to jot it down. I added a line below the verse about what the meaning of the verse was.

I was about to close my app, but then decided to jot down another line about why I really liked the verse. Before I knew it, one line became two, which became three and soon a whole paragraph sat in front of me.

By the end of that paragraph, I realised I’d found my way of connecting to the Quran. My way of Quran journaling.

And I’ve continued that habit ever since.

I know how overwhelming it can be. You want to improve your relationship with Allah, you want to have a better connection to the Quran.

But the Quran…it’s so big! It’s 600 pages long in a language foreign to you. How is it possible to ever be able to connect to it?

If you are feeling like that, I pray these 5 steps help you begin your journey. They seem like small baby steps to take, but trust me, take them as often as you can and you will see your relationship blossom with the Quran like no other.

Here are the 5 steps!

Your tools -

Step 1: Grab a Quran translation or your Quran app.

Choose a translation thats easy to read and understand. My personal favourite is the translation by Abdal Haleem.

Step 2: Grab a notebook and pen, your memos app or a notion page.

You might wonder why you need to jot down things to be able to reflect on the Quran. Is there no way to simply sit and reflect in your mind? You can absolutely do this. But if you are currently struggling to reflect, then I highly recommend having a notebook. Writing is a powerful tool that actually enhances your depth of thinking, allowing you to reflect more.

Alhamdulillah, now we’ve got all our tools!

The method -

Step 3: Decide how many verses you want to read every day.

If you’re a beginner, I’d say around 2 to 3 is more than enough! Additionally, if you feel like a daily habit is not possible, then don’t fret. Make this a bi-weekly habit or even a weekly habit to begin with.

The most important bit is to simply start and maintain a small yet consistent habit. This is so much more powerful then opening up the Quran and reading pages on pages every other month!

Also keep in mind what the Prophet (pbuh) has told us — 

Step 4: Read the verses, once and maybe twice

If you’re unsure where to start, start from the first Surah — Surah Fatiha. Surah Fatiha is the Mother of the Quran — the Introduction. So starting from here helps you set the tone for what the rest of the Quran will be about.

Step 5: Write down what those three verses were about in your notebook

No deep reflective questions, no journal prompts. I think the first most powerful way of reflecting on your own is to simply write down what you are reading. Have a conversation with your notebook about the verses you read that day.

Note: Write what the verses are about. Not the actual verses themselves. This isn’t a copy paste activity. It is an ‘understanding’ activity.

We do this for the same reason we are told to make our own study notes, rather than using the textbook or your friends notes. When you make your own notes, your brain is actively engaging with the content. It forces it to actually understand what it’s read, which is the first step to being able to reflect.

There is no way you can reflect on a verse without actually understanding what it says!

Additional step — Step 6: For difficult verses

But many times, you may come across a verse that is difficult to understand. And that is completely normal. It may happen every time you try to read the Quran, and that is completely normal too!

The Quran was revealed in one of the most rich languages, Arabic.. It is nearly impossible to fully translate any language, since there are so many nuances and differences in the way different languages operate. On top of that, Arabic is a language with so much depth and richness to it.

Whenever you come across a verse that is difficult to understand, do not try to interpret it! We do not want to misunderstand what our Lord is trying to tell us. Instead, you can easily understand the meaning by reading/watching the tafsir.

(For translations and tafsir, I highly recommend the QuranHive app! It has all the resources in one place)

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And that is it!

This is a very brief guide but I wanted to show you how easy it is to really start.

You might be wondering — but you haven’t explained how to reflect? I know, and InshaAllah we’ll delve more into what to write into your notebook, how to read the verses, how to connect what you’re reading into your daily life and more in the future.

But let’s start with these baby steps because trust me, these first few steps are the hardest ones to take.

And remember, Allah opens up His Book to whom He wills and He will surely open it up for those who strive to stay connected to it. So start small and stay consistent.

That’s all for today sis 🫶

Until next time,
Thasneema 🌻