by Sadaf Farooqi

Created on: February 12, 2009

It was during my teens that I picked up a translation of the Quran in my quest to find my true identity. I wanted to know why I was born, what Allah required of me in the form of duties and responsibilities, and how I ought to spend my life in order to win His Pleasure.

Since then, many years on, my heart brims with gratitude at how this Glorious Book has filled up my life with the most beautiful and vibrant colors in order to make it resonate with spiritual fulfillment. The Quran should be connected to in the following ways:

Recite it:

Reciting the Quran with correct tajweed fills the heart with solace, the soul with peace and the house with blessings. It makes you feel close to Allah, and alleviates any sorrow or grief, because of its immediate stress-relieving effects. Daily recitation of a few pages of the Quran, especially after Fajr prayer, is the best remedy for keeping oneself on the path of righteousness, tied to the rope of Allah.

`Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah upon him] said:

"The one who was devoted to the the Qur'an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: `Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayah you recite.'''

[Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi]

Read its translation and exegesis:

Reading is one of the most fulfilling pastimes, pursued by millions with zeal, and what better to read on a relaxing day than the Quran or its explanation? A good understanding of reality can be obtained if the Quran is understood by reading its translation and exegesis/ tafsir [explanation with context] written by an authentic scholar.

Memorize it:

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings of Allah upon him] said:

"He who does not memorize any part from the Qur'an, he is like the ruined house.''

[Tirmidhi]

Having Divine words ensconced in your heart enables you to hum them to yourself when feeling low; to stand in long, deep supererogatory prayers at night; and to feel especially close to Allah when, as you witness incidents in practical life, He replays relevant Quranic words in your mind, granting you insight into the reality of the life of this world.

Listen to it attentively:

Whether it's listening to a tape of Quran recitation, or to a scholarly lecture explaining it, whilst traveling in the car or perusing websites on the Internet, or attending a live class at an institute or a

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