How to read and study The Quran? - new article

Raaajah

FAR

Quran 53 and John 1612 and Isaiah 42 through to Isaiah 54.

I think brother you need to go through Quran once more and then again and again, as I do or any one does who is in find of truth.

Is Surah 5 the last Surah that was revealed? and this particular verse the last verse which was revealed? if YES (which is FAR from the truth) then only I can accept what you are trying to suggest.
Have you taken the meaning of "Youm" as "Today" meaning that particular day?

Brother I don't want to comment on "Men's commentary" so we restrict it to Quran at this moment.

Raj-ah

FAR

FAR
FAR

to take one's study with prejudice is not a good way, dear, that is what most Muslims, wether Quranists, Shia, Sunni or any other cultists do when they read Quran,
Quran=word of God
Quran=100%
nope nope

I didn't say discarding, I said disregarding. Big difference.

Raaajah

FAr

I didn't say discarding, I said disregarding. Big difference

Oh Sure, but what is your point?

This was answer to which question of mine? sorry i did not get it

FAR

FAr
Oh Sure, but what is your point?

This was answer to which question of mine? sorry i did not get it

Stop drinking coffee. Refer to

FAR
To discard some one's research on the basis of his religous believing is not justifiable in any court.
You are Wrong again! my brother, to name few
Dr. Gary Miller was an Ex-Christian missionary who understood Islam well, he was a mathematician and theologian too. He converted to Islam after reading the Quran and finding out that the Quran did not hold any mistakes or contradictions.

Gary Miller?s has produced numerous articles on Islam and the Quran which are published online.

and

David Benjamin Keldani who wrote "Muhammad in the Bible".

Raaajah

FAR

Stop drinking coffee.

Well I don't driiiiiink coffee no body does

FAR

As for disregarding his research... he was a missionary. Missionaries don't have a good reputation when it comes to islamic studies. So from that, I give him a negative mark.

Alright; we make slight change, read it now
To disregard some one's research on the basis of his religous believing is not justifiable in any court.
You are Wrong again! my brother, to name few
Dr. Gary Miller was an Ex-Christian missionary who understood Islam well, he was a mathematician and theologian too. He converted to Islam after reading the Quran and finding out that the Quran did not hold any mistakes or contradictions.

Gary Miller?s has produced numerous articles on Islam and the Quran which are published online.

and

David Benjamin Keldani who wrote "Muhammad in the Bible".

Anyways
Discard means "To reject" and disregard means "To Ignore"
So either you reject or ignore some one's reserach on the the mere basis of religous believes is called what?

I think its time for your coffee now!

Raj-ah

unknownuser

Peace Wakas

Thanks for the article. My philisophy when it comes to studying the Quran the last 1-2 years, or approaching the Quran if you will, have been similar to yours. But i have to admit that i have not had a method to follow. I have just read different translations and books with explanations of the Quran, and made my own explanations of different verses in the Quran. So i have had a philosophy, but not a method. A method seems more comprehensive, and seems to be based more on practicality than a philosophy.

I have always wanted to to do a more serious study of the Quran. A study with clear and spesific principles. But i have been busy with other things in my life, and I have therefore not started a more serious study (scholarly study as i like to call it) of the Quran yet. So until now I have not done a serious study by using professional root and word cross-reference. And i have not used grammar. I learned knew things from your article. Now it is time for change. From today, i will change my approach completely. Below i have written some additional suggestions. Unfortunately most of them are my personal experiences, so you should verify them with the Quran. Some of what i said might have crossover to existing principles you have written.

Things you can add to your article

That technology has enabled us to do a professional study of the Quran without being able to speak the arabic language. A common misconception among muslims and non-muslims is that you have to be able to speak the arabic language if you want to study the Quran, or if you want to understand it.
Obeying the laws of the Quran, leads to development.
The importance of having a conviction of life after death when studying the Quran. Detachment of the worldly gains and ambitions. Not to seek prestige on earth.
Learning about different truths, discarding fantasy and falsehood, being in contact with Reality. Exploring what is natural.

Wakas

Peace David, all,

Reading AQ without a specific study method is fine, however if you want to study something specific and in detail, then a systematic method is the preference, as this simply stacks the odds in your favour in finding the answer. And since the mind is what we filter information through, it is crucial to have this as good as one can, hence inclusion of critical thinking links. Note, I do NOT mean knowledge, I mean thought process. The beauty of improving one's mind in this field is it will benefit one's choices in life, regardless of subject. Imagine doing a course that would result in say 10% improvement in one's critical thinking, thus decision making, thus 10% better life. Truly an amazing thought!

You may be interested in the following concept/abstract question I asked http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=14245.0

Since I have a huge preference for practicality, I wanted the article to not only provide general guidance but also a "how to", i.e. a simple step by step to follow.

The other points you mention are pretty much encompassed in the AQ references I list at the bottom, except perhaps number 3.

unknownuser

Peace Wakas

I agree, a systematic method will increase our chances of the finding the spesific answers we are looking for.
I think a systematic method is vital when it comes to verification. Without a systematic method, we will
just be looking at the building of a concept (the big picture). But with a systematic method, we will see
the building blocks a concept (the details) which i think will help us when it comes to verification.

I have read about crtical thinking skills in the past, directly in different articles, and indirectly in different books.
I think learning about critical thinking skills is important and can absolutely improve our mind. At the same time we should keep in mind that some of the best ways to improve our critical thinking skills is to have knowledge on many subjects. When somebody gets knowledge on many subjects, their critical thinking skills automatically improves. If a person see the whole picture, it will be easier to associate different concepts, and compare them with eachother, which will then enable him to detect logical holes with great accuracy. When it comes to knowledge
"It is better to know a little about many subjects, than to know much about one subject".

I read your ideas on the game Blind man's bluff. The ideas contained some important lessons. Yes, we should have tools, tactics and methods when we want to find something Whether it be truth, or self-knowledge. We should not walk through the path of life unprepared.

You are right. I did not notice that your article contained those points the first time. Because those points were formulated different than how i formulated them. I read your article one more time and saw that the other points was in it. When it comes to point number 3 in my last post, you may wish add it to your article. Point number 3 on my last post, is backed up by the Quran. The Quran tells us the importance of believing in life after death when
reading/studying it

Quran 1745
And when you read the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter an invisible barrier.

Wakas

peace David,

Thanks for the AQ reference, I have added it.

Joe_Betik

salam wakas,

excellent work! and thanks for sharing.

perhaps you may want to consider rewording this part

734-5 - in order to receive a weighty or profound word or saying, we need to arrange the likenesses in The Quran, e.g. cross-reference concepts/words/topics.

in my understanding 731-8 explains the following;
a. we should wake up during or spend some hours of the night to 'rattili alqur-ana tarteela' which is generally translated as 'recite the Qur'an with measured recitation', but in comprehension is 'to ponder/peruse over the things to ponder comprehensively'. btw, 'alqur-an' in my comprehension is 'the things to ponder'. (read 734)
b. 'a weighty word' here could mean 'a pregnant speech' or a speech full of meanings, hidden or otherwise. in my personal experience, when we ponder over certain things with reference to God, for example if i ask, "God, please tell me what it is?" while pondering, there are times when an answer is heard within. i don't claim that God has spoken, but it could be jibreel or even my self. but there are times when the comprehension is attained sometime later, because it is all up to God what, how, when & where to make us understand. (read 736)
c. there are times when the information or clarifications gathered during the pondering is unclear, even after a few nights of pondering, but we have to keep on seeking for God's guidance. the minimum is for ten nights (we read about the ten nights in another surat & the chosen ones could, insha-Allah, experience the 'laylalatu lqadr&#039, and during the ten days, one should keep on remembering or be occupied with them. (read 737)
d. and of course one must bear in mind the 'status' (others preferred to translate 'isma' as 'name&#039 of God, and be fully devoted to Him. (73

but what is 'almuzzammil'? is it a reference to the one wrapped in garments or the one who wrapped himself in heavy clothing (in fear)? or rather, it refers to 'the one burdened with news/information/ideas'?

since most of us are most likely not wrapped up in garments (in fear of something) then this surat should not be for anyone of us. however, since most of us are burdened with news/information/ideas, then this surat is very much for us. a burdening news/information/idea is one that could be difficult to grasp, or one that is in opposition to another that one has held or supposed, or one that is in contradiction with the majority (remember the prophets, e.g., ibrahim, moosa, nooh, etc.).

like the content of this post, i know it is burdensome to most. but the correct way to know whether it is correct or otherwise is by spending the nights to ponder over it. and this is indeed how God has taught us to do when we are burdened by some news/information/ideas.

have a try, please. but 7320 has explained it all though.

peace
mohammed noh

Wakas

peace Joe,

Thanks for the feedback.

In 734-5 the word RTL is

Ra-Ta-Lam = to set in order, make even, well arranged/set together, make distinct, correct/right state of arrangement (primary usage is in relation to nice teeth), read/recite in a leisurely manner, read correctly, chant.

Since the connotation from 2532 in which the question is asked "why has it not been sent down all at once?" it is unlikely to refer to recitation, but a well ordered arrangement, hence nice teeth.

The article has been updated to add (part in bold), as I do this naturally without realising, hence neglected to mention it first time

Is my understanding practical?
It should be considered if the resulting understanding is actually possible to enforce or implement practically in the real world. What often helps is to 'internalise' the message, i.e. immerse oneself into the verse, become each object and/or person, understand how each component relates and works.

It has now also been added to the free-minds articles section.