A Beginner’s Guide to Reading and Reciting the Quran Fast with Tajweed
Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
“Verily, the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” – Sahih Al-Bukhari
This single hadith is more than enough to realize the importance of reading or reciting the Quran.
But how to learn to recite Quran? Especially for beginners?
Even if you learn to read, how will you recite Quran beautifully in a melodic tone?
Well, here is a beginner’s guide to reading the Quran for you.
Best Ways to Learn to Recite Quran for Beginners Fast
There are different ways to learn to read the Quran, and not all the methods work for everyone. But you should follow some easy steps described below.
Step 1: Understand The Importance, So You Never Quit
I know you want to learn to recite the Quran.
But do you know the importance?
Do you know what you will get when learning or trying to learn the Quran?
Maybe you want to learn it out of curiosity. Or perhaps you are doing it because others are doing so.
It will be tough to stay motivated to learn reading and reciting without knowing the importance. After a certain period, you may lose interest when things get more complicated.
Here are a few hadiths that may help you understand the importance of reading the Quran.
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will receive one good deed as ten good deeds like it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is one letter, but rather Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter. – Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2910
- (It is a) guide and mercy for those who do good. – Surah Luqman, 31:3
- O humanity! There has come to you conclusive evidence from your Lord. And we have sent down to you a brilliant light. – Surah An-Nisa, 174
- Surely, those who recite the Book of Allah establish prayer and donate from what we have provided for them— secretly and openly —(can) hope for an exchange that will never fail so that He will reward them in full and increase them out of His grace. He is truly All-Forgiving, Most Appreciative. – Surah Fatir, 35:29-30
Besides, we need to recite the Quran during our Salah. It will be impossible to perform Salah properly without knowing to read or recite it.
Hence, the Quran is a guide for us, a faith and a light that will eradicate darkness from the truth.
How can we be successful in our lives without reading or reciting the Quran?
Right?
Once you are motivated, it is high time to take the next step.
Step 2: Ask Allah for Success
We cannot succeed in anything without the help of the almighty ALLAH. That is why the companion of prophet Muhammad (SM) always performed salah before doing anything to ask for help from Allah.
So if you want to complete the learning, it is recommended to follow the Sunnah and perform 2 Rakat Salah to ask for help from the almighty. I believe this will take you one step ahead for success.
Step 3: Clear Your Mind
You must clear your mind before learning anything. It can be an academic thing or a non-academic thing. It scatters your concentration when you have so many things in your mind.
Make sure to clear your mind and prepare for this holy task of learning, reading, or reciting the Quran.
Step 4: Prepare The Learning Environment
If you are doing it online or planning to self-learn, it is important to ensure the learning environment. The learning environment includes your positive mindset, surroundings, connectivity, and others.
Make sure you are fully ready with proper Wuduh, have a proper internet connection, and have no distractions around you. Self-phones, pictures, and any distractions can divert your focus while learning. It can hinder your learning.
At the same time, make sure you are not lying down on the bed. Sometimes, Shaytan can persuade you to sleep. Sit properly with full attention while learning to make it effective.
Step 5: Take a Course or Help from a Teacher or Mentor
Yeah, I know it seems kind of businessy. But trust me, it will be tough to learn by yourself without taking a course.
Even Allah assigned Jibril a.s to teach Prophet Muhammad (SM) the Quran.
فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَـٰهُ فَٱتَّبِعْ قُرْءَانَهُۥ
So once we have recited a revelation (through Jibril a.s.), follow its recitation (closely). – Surah Al-Qiyamah, 75:18
وكانَ جِبْرِيلُ يَلْقَاهُ في كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِن رَمَضَانَ، فيُدَارِسُهُ القُرْآنَ
Jibril used to meet him (the Prophet s.a.w) every night in Ramadan and read the Quran with him. – Sahih Al-Bukhari; 3554
These Ayat and Hadith teach us the importance of a mentor or instructor to learn the Quran.
So you must take a course.
Though there are numerous ways for self-learning, no one can deny the importance of a mentor. All the Islamic scholars took lessons from their mentors including Abu Hanifa, Ibn Hambol, Malik, Shafee (May Allah peace upon them).
Now, there are two ways you can take a course or get help from a teacher – online and offline. Both have some good and bad.
Online
Online courses are more popular nowadays. There are even free courses available. Here are the pros and cons of learning to recite the Quran online.
Pros of Online Learning
- Saves a lot of time
- Suitable for both men and women since females require no physical communication
- Can be done sitting at home
- Recording opportunity so you can catch up easily if you miss the class
- Lots of course options are available
- Convenience & Ease of Access.
- Cost-Effective
- Flexible and customizable
- Free trial benefits
Cons of Online Learning
- Lack of concentration
- Unable to communicate to the teacher properly
- Network lagging issue
- Lack of competition in reading like physical classes
Offline
Offline is best for learning; everyone will agree on that. But like any other thing in the world, it has some pros and cons.
Pros of Offline Learning
- Get enough focus or concentration
- Able to communicate with the teacher properly
- No network or lagging issue
- Proper body language
- Direct supervision of a mentor
- Face-to-face teaching and learning
Cons of Offline Learning
- Finding female instructors is tough
- Time-consuming
- No recording option
- Need to travel
Everyone likes to do courses online nowadays. But I still prefer offline courses since you can directly communicate with your mentor and learn many things.
If You Do Not Want to Take a Course, Use Learn Quran App or YouTube Video
Some people ask “can I learn Quran by myself?”
Yes, you can learn Quran by yourself. You will find lots of Quran learning apps and free courses. These are available on Youtube, Udemy, and other platforms. Some are paid, and some are free. For example, Quran learning courses on Udemy.
You will find lots of courses here. Pick one that you find most suitable for you to learn to read Quran free.
But how to learn Quran online? Simple, find a good course.
How to Find a Good Course?
This is the biggest challenge, actually.
But the biggest challenge does not mean it will be tough. Simply follow the steps below.
- Check the quality and qualification of the mentor
- See review or feedback from a previous student
- Check how helpful the mentor is
- Learning with Tazweed is mandatory
- Consider getting a course or mentor in your language
- Know the class hour and find one with the most convenient one
If you can do all those parts, it will be easier to find the right courses.
Step 6: Learn with Tajweed
If you want to know how to read Quran correctly, learn with Tajweed. The meaning of the Quran gets changed when mispronounced. Without Quran Tajweed, it is impossible to keep the meaning accurate. So when learning, make sure you are learning the Quran with Tajweed.
Take Each Rule One at a Time
There are different rules of Tajweed. Try not to memorize and understand all at once. Instead, take each rule one at a time. Once you master that rule, go to the next rule. It will help you do better in reading and reciting.
Step 7: Follow The Right Steps
Learning anything is easier if the right process is known.
But How should a beginner start reading the Quran? Follow the right steps when learning to recite the Quran. Here are the steps to follow.
- Arabic Alphabets
- Harakat (Short Vowels)
- Joining the letters together
- Sukoon & Saakinah letters
- Tanween
- Madd Letters
- Shaddah
Try to be good at every step to understand the next step better.
Step 8: Practice More and More
Once you learn how to recite, it is time to practice. Remember that practice makes a man perfect. It is mandatory to practice more and more to be fluent in reading and reciting.
You should recite the Quran daily.
There is a hadith regarding this.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Read the Quran once in every month.” I said, “I have the strength to do more.” The Prophet said, “Then read it in twenty nights.” I said, “I have the strength to do more.” The Prophet said, “Then read it in seven nights, and do not do more than that.” – Sahih Al-Bukhari 4693, Sahih Al-Muslim 1971
That means our prophet emphasized reading the Quran daily. It will be tough to recite at first, but you will get better slowly.
And remember the first Hadith we mentioned? You will be rewarded for trying. So read the Quran daily for practice.
Step 9: Do Not Be Afraid to Make Mistakes
Some people do not practice since they are afraid of making mistakes.
This is one of the biggest mistakes in learning. You should not be afraid of making mistakes. Without mistakes, no one can achieve proficiency in reading the Quran.
Everyone in the world makes mistakes. If you do not make mistakes, you cannot know where to improve and where to rectify them.
That is why I always suggest taking an offline course or a mentor. You can practice in front of the mentor so that he/she can easily identify your mistakes and rectify them properly
Besides, it is tough to identify your own mistakes. A mentor is an expert on this, and it will be a piece of cake for him/her to identify mistakes.
I strongly suggest practicing the entire Quran in front of the mentor. This is a common practice for many institutions. By the time you read the entire Quran, all your mistakes will be rectified easily.
Step 10: Start from The Last Chapter
Lots of people start reading the Quran from the beginning. This is not a bad thing at all. But the best practice is to read from the last chapter. You will find some small yet powerful Surah to read. That will be fun for you.
Step 11: Teach Others to Be Better
The best way to learn something is to teach something.
Besides, Narrated Uthman: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Quran and teach it.” – Sahih al-Bukhari 5027
So there is no denying that teaching will help you learn better. Also, you can earn some more rewards from Allah (SWT).
When teaching, we know our faults. We know where to improve more. As a student, you can never know the things you can know as a teacher.
Step 12: Listen to The Recitation of Some Famous Reciter
Start listening to the recitation of some famous reciter when you are good at reading and moderate at reciting.
Youtube is the best source for this. Here are the names of some:
- Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Sudais
- Al-Afasy, Sheikh Mishary bin Rashid
- Al-Ajmi, Sheikh Ahmad Ali
- Saad Al Ghamidi
- Saud Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad Al-Shuraim
You will find some other reciters. Listen to anyone you like.
After that, copy or imitate their tone of recitations. Do it with and without their recitation. It will help you become a good reciter.
Step 13: Record and Listen to Your Recitation
Finally, practice the recitation and record it with your smartphone if possible. You will have a clear idea of how you sound when reciting.
One thing to remember, the voice will sound somehow bad to you. It is common and scientifically proven. So no worry, even if it sounds bad. If the tone is alright, you are ready to go.
Also, learning to read Quran for adults is the same. Follow the process above.
Time to Wrap Up
Allah Almighty said about Quran: “This is the Book (the Quran), of which there is no doubt, guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon [the pious].” – Quran, 2:2
Without reading and reciting, it will be impossible for us to get guidance. Every Muslim should recite Quran daily.
And to do that, knowing how to recite the Quran is mandatory. Try to learn to recite Quran from a mentor directly to get the best result. Also, keep practicing since there are no alternatives to practice.
This guide covered everything on how to learn to recite Quran for beginners quickly. I hope you found it helpful and easy to follow.
Best of luck. May Allah make your journey easier.
