1982-January-8

World Muslim News

Muhammad Speaks

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

QUESTION: what is the best way to study the Holy Quran? -- Memphis, Tenn.

The most important part of preparing to study the Quran is to first have the right attitude of mind. We can't always have peace of mind; perhaps we are troubled with personal problems or something else might be making it difficult for us to have peace of mind. Often I find myself turning to the Quran for peace of mind.

By the right attitude of mind. I don't mean necessarily peace of mind. I mean a state of mind where Allah is stronger in the mind than any thing else.

I suggest that before reading the Quran that we make a short prayer, what we call duah. It would be even better if we made two rakahs — two sections of prayer - - before reading the Quran. Begin with ablution, then do two rakahs of prayer and then read Quran.

It is required that we clean our hands and that we respect the Holy Book with the utmost respect. That means not soiling the book with dirty hands, treating it very well. As the Honorable Elijah Muhammad used to say, don't read Quran while holding it below the waist.

We won't find Muslims doing that all the time but I consider it good advice. I know I like to hold the Quran near my chest level.

Secondly, we should have something in mind that we are looking for when we read the Quran. For example, last week I sat down to read the Quran and I said to myself exactly what I wanted from this reading of the Quran. I understood that what I wanted was something on proper conduct for Muslims; I wanted to read something about Muslim conduct, so I began to search through the Quran for some chapters that would speak to me -chapters that would give me some information or some idea what Muslim virtues are.

I read often for pleasure; when I say pleasure I mean for spiritual strength, for moral strength and for peace of mind, I believe most of us read the Quran for peace of mind.

I just happened to come to the chapter Luqman, the on Luqman's advice to his son — that's where I decided I would stop and that's where I read.

I read that section and I felt so revived by it or so uplifted I decided to read the whole chapter of Luqman.

That pretty much says what my approach is to the reading of the Quran and how I normally get into the Quran. It's usually with something on my mind and all the time I don't begin reading where I intended to begin the reading. I'll pass some other verse or some other chapter or some other section of the Quran and I'll see something there that will capture my attention and it will be just what I was looking for.