The past month, I have heard mixed viewpoints regarding reading the Quran in english. Many scholars have agreed that the Quran is in Arabic and no translation in any language will come close to it. The best prize would be to learn Arabic. Most of us are past our learning sell by date, so although the reward reading it in English or the language of your mother tongue may not be the same, the benefit one can gain from reading it in English is better then not understanding it at all.

Read it preferably in the language you understand, so you can try and understand what Allah wants from you as his ambassador on earth. As one sister rightly pointed out, when we are going to be questioned on the day of Qiyamah, what will our answer be? “We didn’t understand Arabic, so that is why we couldn’t be your Khalifah(Ambassador).”

My advice is that before you embark on this journey to understand the Quran, seek advise from a learned scholar in your area on how to approach understanding it. There are many tafseers you can read that will make you understand the Quran better. If you have any questions, have a dialogue with your local scholar so that you are clear what Allah wants from you. We must understand that the Quran is the Word of Allah. I think the fear that some scholars rightly have is that many misinterpret the Quran and this can be dangerous for the faith. Also learn to read the Quran in Arabic, it is more rewarding. Perfect your tajweed. Do you know a person struggling to read the quran gets more reward.

The Messenger (PBUH) will complain to Allah on the Day of Judgment that his people neglected the Qur’an (Surah al-Furqan 25:30).

Neglect of the Qur’an is of different levels, as Ibn al-Qayyim writes:

* not reciting or listening to it;

* not studying and understanding it;

* not conveying its message;

* not judging by it in personal and communal matters, at all levels of society;

* not believing in it.

Tags: amr khaled, Arabic, Mufti Menk, Quran, ramadan