How to Approach the Quran:

The Quran is not like other books. Quran is Light.  Quran is Wisdom. Quran is Good News. Quran is Absolute Knowledge. Quran is Remembrance. Quran is your book brought to you by One who cares about you. The Author of this Book is not after your money. He is not after fame. And He has no axe to grind. He just wants you to be happy. He just wants you to be truthful. He wants you to be successful. 

And He just wants you to be the best you can be.

He says He made you and that He is your Lord. So before you make up your mind about Him, listen to what He has to say about Himself. He says He made everything in the Heavens and the Earth. This is the Author of the Quran and He is telling you He made you, single handedly, without help from anyone. He didn’t even ask for your permission. So you must agree with me that this Author is different. His claims and His wishes are different from other authors that we know. 

He says He is the One and only God you have got. He is the sole Designer of your Eyes. The Sole Designer of your Ears. Everything you have got is His. I want to guide you, says this Author. You need Me. Stop making excuses for yourself. This Message's function is to guide YOU, O Seeker of Truth, and bring you back to where you belong: Paradise and Eternal joy. 

Man is weak, he is hasty and forgetful. The Maker of Insan (the frail human that’s you and me) knows this, so, out of mercy for your frailty, He repeats Himself so you won't forget. After all, the whole point of this revelation is about saving you from your self and your forgetfulness.

While you read, remember, this is not a book that came down at one go, but a message that  gradually descended over a period of 23 years to a society that was evolving from idol-worship and ignorance to true  faith and Enlightenment. How this method of gradation works can be appreciated by looking at the way God dealt with the eradication of  intoxicants and gambling: (Chapter #2, Verse #219), (Chapter #5, Verse #90), (Chapter #5, Verse #91).

Therefore, some understanding of the day’s events is inevitable if one is to get the full picture. So be patient, and while you keep a general perspective, never lose sight of the context of certain verses, i.e. verses relating to jihad, method of gradation leading to final prohibitions, and verses that relate to events taking place on the ground at any given point at the time of revelation. 

Keep in mind, Quran is its own best explainer, a question mark in one verse can be explained by another verse, so be patient until you come to that verse, and ask the Author to help you to grow in knowledge. After all the One you are trying to communicate with is the Author. So ask Him to guide you. There is no barrier between you and Him except the one you create, so step out of your confinement and listen, listen and again listen.

Everything that’s contained in this book is addressed to you, and the stories of previous generations that you will be reading are for your own benefit. The good news is for you to welcome and enjoy, and look forward to; The warnings and admonitions, and the failures are for you to avoid.

 And because He loves you so much, He has entrusted this gift to a most trustworthy Messenger' Muhammad Al Amin. And because He loves you and cares about you, He has protected this Message for you in its original language. 

How to Approach the Quran:

1.     Make sure you are physically clean. I suggest you take a full bath with the intention that you are coming to a Holy Scripture.

2.     Be pure in thought. Remove any thoughts you may have about the day’s Muslims, the day’s politics, these have absolutely nothing to do with this Book. In other words, be objective. 

3.     Sit in a quiet place, and be decently dressed, perhaps a scarf on your head if you are a woman, out of respect. If you don’t have one lying around, don’t bother. This is not a read for a lazy afternoon, the time you spend with this Book is quality time with your Lord. 

4.      Every time you open the book, before you start reading, say: 

'I seek refuge with Allah (the Creator Lord of the Universe) from Satan the Accursed.'

That way God will protect you from all evil whisperings and interruptions. A mistake people who are not familiar with Quran make is that they don’t know how to protect themselves from Satan’s influence and many times fall victim to his negative powers. To avoid that, seek protection from God. Then read:

'In the Name of God the  Beneficient the Meriful.' 

5.      As you read, ponder and reflect on the words. This is a message for the living. Stay alive by being alert. Remember God is speaking to YOU. The important person who is being talked to is YOU. There is none between you and the One Who made you. Be happy. Show gratitude. Use your brain. Exercise common sense, and don’t let anyone else’s misinterpretations come between you and your Maker. 

6.       Make a point to read only as much is easy for you at a time. And at the end of every reading, don't underestimate the power of Prayer. Pray for Guidance. It doesn't cost you anything. And you can do it in your heart in your own tongue directly to the One who made you.

7.      Handle this Book with care. Find a decent place for it. The way you handle this Book, this Honorable guest in your home, must be different from the manner you handle your novels and magazines. This is not a lazy read. This Author is far more intelligent than any other author you have come across so you can't afford to be lazy or shallow. Think. Apply your intelligence. And be prepared for a stimulating discourse. 

 Finally,  bear in mind that the Quran was revealed in Arabic and that whatever translations you may be reading are only a rendering of the meaning. But the good news is Arabic is a living language, and listening to the Quran in the original language is a click away. I hope that you will take my suggestions seriously and pray for your guidance. Thank you!