بسم الله
الرحمن الرحيم
Teaching Qur’aan between Sunnah and Bid’ah[1]
By Dr. Madhaawi al Ghayth
The Qur’aan is the uncreated Speech of
Allaah. Allaah Spoke and the Speech was
heard by Jibreel. It is part of our Aqeedah to believe in the Attributes of Allaah
without likening them to creation or denying them. Allaah’s attribute of Speech
we believe in without questioning how. We know Allaah Speaks but we do not know
the reality of it.
When the Qur’aan was revealed Allaah’s
Speech was preserved. When the time comes it will be raised back up and taken
away from the earth near the end of time.
There are different levels of respecting
normal speech. Human laws are preserved
in books, passports, legal documents, certificates etc are all respected and
are not to be written on or tampered with. The Qur’aan is the Speech of Allaah.
Allaah preserves it.
Aayah:
{إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا
جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ} [القيامة : 17]
“Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in
your heart] and [to make possible] its recitation.” [Surah al Qiyaamah 75:17]
It
is to be respected and it is not allowed to be changed or altered.
In some countries they only have one copy
of the mushaf in the whole village. Each family gathers once a week to read it
when it is their turn to borrow the mushaf. Other places only have one mushaf
in the masjid. People queue in the masjid after salaah to read from it.
Today, there are numerous copies of the
mushaf but people do not give it the respect and reverence it deserves.[2]
Another example of the reverence given to
the Qur’aan is the fact that the Shaafi’ee madhhab said that it was forbidden, haraam,
to turn the pages of the mushaf by wetting the fingers with saliva (licking
your finger to help you grip the page and turn it). Saliva on the mushaf was
complete disrespect. The Maalikee madhhab said that if this was intentional
then it was apostasy, riddah, for debasing the Qur’aan. However, if it
was unintentional then it was disrespect and they were to be flogged between
five and ten times as a punishment. They continued that if a child does this in
a class they are to be removed from the other children so as not to corrupt the
others. Look at the reverence and respect they showed the Qur’aan, Allaah’s
Speech. If the adults respect it then the children will respect it.
1st Model
of Teaching and Conveying the Qur’aan
Jibreel (peace be upon him) conveyed the
Qur’aan, Allaah’s Speech, to the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله
عليه وسلم).
This way is the best way and there is not
a better way than this.
Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
conveyed the Qur’aan orally to the Companions. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
also ordered the Companions who could write to write the Qur’aan down.
So we have two ways that are permissible
in conveying the Qur’aan with origins back to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم):
1.
Speech
2.
Writing
Speech includes any method such as your voice, a recording, a microphone,
a loudspeaker, headphones etc.
Writing includes your hand to write the ayaat on paper, a blackboard,
white board, projector screen, computer screen or a poster.
Modern technology can be used within
these two limits as there is evidence that the origins of conveying the Qur’aan
fell into the two categories of speech and writing. Namely, listening and
repeating (talaqqee) and writing.
X Rejected Methods
for Teaching the Qur’aan X
1.
Pictures of the Unseen: Using
pictures to depict the matters of the unseen. Such as gardens for paradise and fire
for hell, the angels, the Bridge, the Cave, Pharoah’s body, etc. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم )
did not do it so we do not do it. It is bad manners with Allaah and lying as we
do not know what the unseen looks like. Shaykh Fawzaan said that Pharoah’s body
was only preserved for the people of that time for them to have certainty that
he was dead and as a sign. As for the claims of people today that they know
exactly which Mummy he was then they are false. There are about seven ‘mummies’
claiming to be the one that was mentioned in the Qur’aan. It is from the
knowledge of the unseen and there is no benefit in showing pictures of mummies
to help explain the Qur’aan or help with memorization as it is a false way of tafseer
and also an untrue claim. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not point out places where the stories in the Qur’aan took
place or say that this is where the cave was etc.
2.
Pictures of what is around us and seen: Using pictures of things that are around us
such as the sun, the moon, trees, camels, etc. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did
not do it, neither did the Salaf in teaching Qur’aan. The Qur’aan is Allaah’s
Speech and not a picture story book or a science text book. Children are
intelligent, they do not need pictures to describe everything. Every child has
seen the sky, a tree etc. If you want to teach them the meaning of words and
vocabulary, do it separately from the Qur’aan lesson. Educational technology is
good but it stops at the limits regarding Allaah and the Qur’aan. Why do people
accuse today’s children of being ignorant and that they cannot understand anything
without pictures? The Sahaba, the Salaf and the scholars of the past all
learned without pictures and drawing everything. If a person sees a camel and
then remembers the ayaat in the Qur’aan mentioning the camel, then this
is permissible. However, to teach Qur’aan and teach someone the aayah
mentioning a camel by showing them a picture of a camel as a prompt or as tafseer
then this is not allowed.
3.
Pointing to yourself when prompting one of Allaah’s Attributes. For example, they will falsely point to their
ears when they want to remind someone that Allaah is as Samee’, the
All-Hearing. Use repetition for memorization not pointing. The aim of these people
is to help people memorize the aayah better. However, memorization is
not obligatory upon us and if we die without memorizing there is no sin on us.
However, if we die and there is a defect in our tawheed, there is a problem. Only
suratul Faatihah is obligatory for us to memorize. Abu Bakr had not memorized
the whole Qur’aan. 70 Companions were known to have memorized the Qur’aan at
one point but not the rest of the community. So do not use the excuse that you
need to use pictures or pointing to help memorize the Qur’aan. What is
obligatory upon us is to understand and practise the whole Qur’aan and not just
memorize it.
4.
Pointing to yourself or in a direction: people do this when trying to prompt the
words ‘before, after, sky, earth, blind, deaf’ etc.
5.
Cartoons of Qur’aan Stories and Stories of the Prophets. Do not draw them they are from the unseen.
The videos and cartoons of the stories are from the Raafidah, Shee’ah Huda
channel.
6.
Mind Maps of each Surah: mind maps are a
pictorial brainstorm of a topic. Each surah could have more than one mind map
depending on the whims and desires of the one drawing them. Links between aayat
are colour coded etc. Do not apply every new science to our Book, the Speech of
Allaah. Shaykh ‘Abdur Rahmaan as Suhaym said that these mind maps are from
sorcery (kahaanah). Even the founder, Tony Buzan himself said that he
would not use mind maps for the holy books, the Gospel or Torah out of respect.
So what about the Muslims making mind maps of the Qur’aan??
7.
Writing and Making Notes on the Mushaf: Do not
write, mark, underline or circle anything on the mushaf. There is consensus of
the Salaf not to write anything on the mushaf. Ibn Mas’ood said not to write on
the mushaf in case your speech is mixed with that of Allaah’s Words and
conveyed wrongly to others. Some teachers write the date in the margin and a
comment on how well the student read or memorized a portion! The mushaf has
become just a record book. Where is the respect?? Some students make detailed
notes on tajweed rules, the similar ayaat, highlight and underline specific
words or letters. They write some explanation of aayat or words in the margin
or stick post-it notes everywhere. Where is the respect?? If a child wrote or
drew in your passport you would punish them because you fear the authorities
would think you have falsified something. That respect for legal documents is
there but what about respect for Allaah’s Noble Speech? If you need to make
notes, use a separate note book. Some students quote a fatwa allowing ‘your
personal learning mushaf’ however, this fatwa has not been found neither does
it conform to what the Salaf did.
8.
Assigning an Intent (maqsad) to each Surah: Giving each surah a purpose, aim, intent.
Where is the proof for this new type of tafseer? The Salaf and the Sahaabah
never did this so who are you to invent this? Shaykh Tayyaar refuted this.
9.
Tafseer by Opinion is haram. You can
simplify the language that is present in the tafseer so that students
understand but do not make things up and give your opinion.[3]
Do not link aayat to occurrences happening now or political matters. Do not say
for example that ‘rain’ is mentioned in the Qur’aan and this means lots of
sins. In regards to fiqh matters mentioned in the Qur’aan then it is allowed to
give present day examples or scenarios. An example would be the fiqh topic of
Menses. However, examples should not be given to other matters of the unseen or
matters of Aqeedah.
10.
Miracles of the Qur’aan: do not
link science with the knowledge of the Qur’aan as it will attack it. People
have only been given a limited amount of knowledge. When something new comes
they explain the Qur’aan by it. People present matters of the unseen as facts.
For example, the medical discovery of the stages of pregnancy are linked to
what is mentioned in the Qur’aan but there are still many things unknown to us
and from the unseen.
11.
NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming): Dr. Yahya al Ghoothaani went to the West and
brought back this method and applied it to memorizing the Qur’aan. Allaah guide
him and protect the Muslims from this evil.[4]
It uses psychology to memorize vast amounts of Qur’aan in a short time span but
there is no emphasis on memorization to understand or practise the laws in the
Qur’aan.
In conclusion, educational methods of
teaching and conveying the Qur’aan are inherited from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and
the Salaf, they are not invented and innovated. If you want to
find out how to teach the Qur’aan look at the Salaf. There are many books by
the Shaa’fi’ explaining how the Qur’aan was taught by the Salaf. Ask the
Scholars and follow the Sunnah. Remember that we are not ordered to memorize
the whole Qur’aan but we are ordered to understand and practise it in our
lives.
[1] Lecture delivered 3rd February 2014 at the Qur’aan
Teacher Training Institute, Riyadh. Summarized and translated by Umm ‘Abdir Rahmaan
Tara bint Hashim bin Naasir adDeen.
[2] Outward respect is one aspect but the real respect is in
understanding and following the guidance within the Qur’aan. (Translator’s
Note)
[3] Abu Bakr said, “Which sky will give me shade
and which land will carry me if I say something I do not know about the Book of
Allaah.” (Translator’s Note)
[4] NLP has been labelled a discredited
pseudoscience and a quasi religion belonging to the New Age with origins in
Shamanism and folk magic. It calls on the transcendent ‘other’ in a person (God
being in union with the person or in other words the so called ‘unconscious’ in
you – similar to yoga and Budhism) Dr. Yahya recommends special breathing
techniques to help memorization. (Translator’s Note)
Copyright (C) Nothing can be changed or edited without permission.
Download this in pdf format click here.
Tips on Teaching Children to Memorize
Qur’aan
1. Correct
your intention for teaching your children. Make it sincerely for Allaah and do
not allow intentions of showing off or boasting about your children.
2. Start
young. Let the children see and hear you reading out loud regularly. Set an
example for them.
3. Listen
to the Qur’aan often yourself when you are cooking, ironing, travelling etc.
4. Start
informally surrounding them with audio Qur’aan so that they can absorb the
sounds and words even before they can speak. They will learn to recognize
familiar sounds much easier if they are used to hearing them.
5. Each
child is different so you have to try out and judge when to start them
memorizing formally.
6. Download
the electronic Qur’aan programme called ‘Ayaat’ onto your mobile, computer,
ipad. You can set the ayaat you want to learn and repeat them multiple times.
You can also choose different reciters. See the separate review discussing this
‘Ayaat’ programme.
7. You
can invest in a digital Qur’aan called ‘Misk’. It is the best one tried and
recommended so far. It is also safe to put in the hands of children. There is
no internet and therefore no risk of them becoming corrupted like with mobiles
etc. The children feel they own it and they quickly learn how to use it. It is
portable so they can bring the Qur’aan along with them on a journey or in the
bedroom before sleep to listen and learn. Children learn very quickly how to
find the surah they want to listen to and choose their favourite reciter even
before they can read.
8. Find
a good teacher skilled in reading Qur’aan with tajweed. The Misk can help with
pronunciation but it cannot check or correct their mistakes. Neither can it
motivate them with praise.
9. Use
reward charts to motivate them. Tick off and give a sticker when they have
completed a surah. Treat them with an outing or a present when they complete a
juz.
10. Set
a timetable but be flexible. There will be days that they will be willing and
other times not!
11. Set
the ayaat to learn and repeat ten times. Let them listen to it then sit them
down and listen to them or read it with them. Correct them.
12. Record
their voices and play it back to them. However, make sure you delete the files
so no one hears them and thinks that it is an accurate recital of the Qur’aan.
Do not keep mistakes even if it sounds cute. The Qur’aan is to be preserved
accurately. Recording the children reciting can be motivating for them and it
is a good way for them to read over the ayaat whilst listening to their
recitation to find and correct their mistakes. Then let them listen to a
reciter to consolidate the correct recitation.
13. When
they are older and praying, encourage them to read the aayaat they learn in
their salaah. Let them read the aayah before they start praying to remind them
and also straight afterwards to check and consolidate it.
14. Let
the children write out the aayah they are learning. Either by copying it by
looking or even off by heart if they know the rules of writing and joining.
15. Let
their Father, Uncle, Aunty, Grandfather, Grandmother, brother or sister listen
to them for a few minutes a day. To read a page of Qur’aan can take 3-5 minutes
in a fluent reader. For a family member to listen to one aayah or one page a
day is not a burden on anyone. It just requires a regular time slot.
