بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

8 Easy Steps to Recite the Entire Qur'an This Ramadan

By Haafidha Rayhaanah Omar

"It has been said that everything has a beloved, and that the month of Ramadan has a beloved, too: the Glorious Qur'an."

For the duration of this blessed month, Muslims worldwide honor Ramadan's beloved and aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur'an. In this article you'll learn how you too can work towards achieving this noble goal, insha'Allah.

Ramadan

Step 1

Establishing an Intention

Our beloved Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught us — through his words and actions — the importance of one's intent or purpose. Establishing one's intention is an effective catalyst for implementation.

💡 Key Point: Once your intention has been established, remember to renew it often. Whilst reciting and even upon completion of the Qur'an, recall your intention and renew it, thus ensuring that it is constantly purified and you are seeking His Divine Acceptance, insha'Allah.

Step 2

Don't Be Overwhelmed

For some, as much as they aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur'an during Ramadan, they are overwhelmed by the number of pages or the length of some Surahs.

Remove "I can't" from your vocabulary and eliminate negative thinking, for the believer puts their trust in Allah, matched by striving with their actions.

💪 Empowerment: Remind yourself that you are (if Allah wills) fully capable of achieving your Qur'anic aspirations, whether it be completing the Qur'an 1 or 5 times. Put your heart into this accomplishment and reap the rewards throughout, insha'Allah.

Step 3

Plan Ahead

Prior to commencing with your recitation, it's important to plan around your routine and block out time for your Qur'an goal, e.g., your work hours, rest hours and any other commitments that you may have.

Structure a realistic plan of how to complete the recitation of the Qur'an within the month by dividing each Juz per day.

📝 Action Item: Draw up this personal plan, review it constantly, and put it into action!

As you put your plan to paper, consider past Ramadans and ask yourself if there have been instances where you were unable to complete Qur'anic recitation. Reflect over why and how this occurred. Is there a different mechanism that you could put into place?

Take the first opportunity that comes to begin your Qur'anic quest. So when the moon is sighted and the announcement has been made for the 1st Salatul-Taraweeh, begin in earnest, with Surah Al-Fatiha, Surah Al-Baqarah, etc.

Step 4

Understand the Qur'an

Read the translation of the Juz you will be reciting daily. Having a basic knowledge of the theme, topic, message and meaning of what you are reciting makes the recitation of the Qur'an an incredibly uplifting experience that you do not want to miss out on!

📖 Understanding brings life to recitation: When you know what you're reading, the Qur'an transforms from mere words to divine guidance speaking directly to your heart.

Step 5

Find Qur'an Buddies and Compete in Good

Develop close bonds with brothers/sisters who are known for their attachment to the Qur'an. They'll be your spiritual friends. Engage a Qur'an buddy in your noble Qur'an productivity goals. Request that they remind you to fulfill your goals and spiritual aspirations so they can help you in times of slacking.

In life, we compete with many materialistic goals and race one another, but what about following the footsteps of the best of generations that had come before us in a competition this Ramadan? In striving and competing with our friends and colleagues towards our noble goals, in a good-natured way, we can motivate ourselves to finish our Qur'an goal.

⚠️ Warning: One of the common aspects that deter a Muslim from completing this task is excessive communication. Often, many of us spend too much unnecessary time surfing the net, chatting, texting, etc. Reduce this even by a third, and you will see, feel, and witness the blessings in your time, insha'Allah.

Step 6

Seize the Moment

A deeply inspiring story in "Lessons from the Waiting Room" — where a mother, who has taken her unwell child to the hospital, waits for the doctor to see to her child. She notices a young Muslim who uses his time in the waiting room in a most effective and spiritually rewarding way, reciting from a pocket-sized Qur'an.

📱 Lesson to be taken here: Invest in a pocket-sized Qur'an and make it your best friend this Ramadan. Seize every opportunity and moment to be with Allah through your recitation.

⏰ Time Tips for Recitation

🌅 After Suhoor (Pre-dawn Meal)

One of the best times at which to recite the Qur'an is after Suhoor. Having partaken of the Sunnah meal, and with an hour or two still to go before work or school, this is the ideal jump start to your day. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked Allah to bless our Ummah in the early hours, and you will also be more likely to memorize ayahs at this time.

🕌 After Each Salah

Try reciting 6–8 pages of the Qur'an after each of your 5 daily salah. Add Qiyamul-Layl (late night salah) as a 6th addition, and you will reach the end of Ramadan, having completed your Qur'an recitation with ease and perhaps even before the last 5 days of Ramadan, so long as you remain committed.

🌙 Before Going to Sleep

Allah says: "Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence and more suitable for words" (Qur'an 73:6).

Reciting during the day is also beneficial; however, the nighttime recitation is easier during Ramadan, as there are fewer distractions and less noise.

Step 7

Remain Steadfast and Consistent

The key to any success is consistency. Once you've mapped your plan, stick to it. Remind yourself of the greatness of this month, of the opportunities that it provides for your spiritual growth and your relationship with the Qur'an.

🎯 Stay the Course: Don't be willing to compromise your Qur'an goal in this blessed month. Your consistency will be rewarded, insha'Allah.

Step 8

Make Du'a to Allah

Nothing can be achieved without the aid and guidance of Allah. When making your intention to complete your recitation or memorization of the Qur'an, supplicate to Allah to ease this noble pathway and to crown your efforts with success, insha'Allah.

🤲 "O Allah, make the Qur'an the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the removal of my sadness, and the relief of my distress."

"This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah."

— Surah Al-Baqarah 2:2

These are the 8 ways to start and complete your journey through recitation of the Qur'an this Ramadan. In the hours of the days and nights of this sacred month, may the Qur'an be your companion of light and guidance, resonating through your words, actions, and life mission.

May your relationship with the Qur'an be strengthened, enriched and enlivened with the profound wisdom and divine message from Allah.

آمين — Ameen

Article by Haafidha Rayhaanah Omar