1. Have at least 3 niat (reasons) on why you want to read the Quran.
Just like everything else we do, it is important to firstly make the reasons to read the Quran clear to ourselves. Many of us read the Quran mainly to gain pahala. However, just that niat is not strong enough for us to continue to make reading it a habit. Have other reasons like:
- a) To gain more knowledge - what is it that you can learn from the ayat that you just read?
- b) To have direct access to Allah - to be able to communicate straight to Him.
- c) To continuously heal and cleanse your heart from all the diseases of the heart - jealousy, syirik, khurafat,
Remember that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was described by his wife as a "walking Quran": in other words, he didn't just read and recite the Quran, he lived it.
2. Immitate the recitations from the Qari.
Listen to recitations from Qari and IMMITATE THEM. Just follow the way they read. Listen to Qari like Syeikh Saad Al-Ghamidi, Misyary Rashid and the popular Fatih Seferagic. (What? You have not heard of Fatih Seferagic? The Bosnian teenager that recites beautiful BEAUTIFUL Quran? Watch the video below)
Using Digital Quran that comes with a reading pen helps too. You point on an ayat, you listen to the Qari reading the ayat, and then you immitate. The known ones in Malaysia are the ones from My Qalam & Syaqira Technologies.
3. Read the Quran late at night or at dusk.
Try reading the Quran before you start your day or before you end your day. When you are calm and at peace. Not when you're at the peak of business during the day. The impact of reading while in a rush is not as strong and long lasting as reading it at peace. Take your time, and try to connect to Allah during those times.
4. Read the tafseer. Then, learn the Arabic Language
Do not feel at lost if you don't know Arabic and you don't understand the Quran. You can start with the tafseer but after that, move on to learning the Arabic Language. It is a whole different experience to finally understand all those duas and prayers that we've been reciting. It is interesting to be able to read the Quran like a storybook, not like a foreigner.
5. Read EVERYDAY.
Spend ONLY 5 minutes a day if it is so hard to find time but make it a habit to read EVERY SINGLE DAY. Feel the difference and feel lost when you don't read it for a day. Even with half a page everyday, you can already qatam by 3 years. And by the time you have qatam, REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT. The experience is, masyaAllah, BEAUTIFUL.
It is only a matter of making reading the Quran a habit. Because once you become dependent on it, you will feel the magic of it and you will never leave it by your side, EVER! Lets all make dua and supplication :)
