As a Muslim living in a non-Muslim country, you definitely have doubts about many religious rituals that you don’t know you are performing right or wrong! In this blog, we will answer the question if is it ok to hear Quran without knowing meanis, things that are most taboo: “be loved” and that is not. Aiming to provide you with a solid foundation for reciting and memorizing the Holy Quran as a non-native speaker.
Is the Reward for Listening to the Quran the Same as Reading It?
Absolutely not, they are not the same. Listening to the Holy Quran has multiple virtuous rewards, yet not as much as the rewards of reading it.
Allah is the most generous, he sees your effort while reading the Holy Quran, which is not the same as the effort of listening to it. Axiomatically, the reward of reciting the Holy Quran is higher than just listening. In addition, reciting the Holy Quran brings you blessings that come just by recitation. For instance, if you want to protect yourself and house from any evil eye. Surah Al-Baqara is strongly recommended for this purpose, but scholars say reciting it by yourself is much more powerful than just playing it by a Quran reciter. Therefore, if you have both options, read it or listen, it is better for you to read it.
Is It Okay to Listen to the Quran Instead of Reading?
It’s a known fact that the best form of remembrance of Allah is the Quran, whether listening or reciting, the most important thing to keep Allah in your mind and heart. However, creating a balance between listening to the Quran and listening to it is required to take full advantage, as listening has benefits and reading has other ones, and they are both complete with each other. You can not depend on just listening to the Quran without reciting it. Let’s take a look at some of the numerous benefits of reading the Quran:
Uncountable Blessings
“I heard ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud say, ‘The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will receive the reward for it, and the reward will be multiplied by ten.” (Al-Tirmidhi:2910)
عن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:
«مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ، وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا، لَا أَقُولُ {الم} حَرْفٌ، وَلَكِنْ {أَلِفٌ} حَرْفٌ، وَ{لَامٌ} حَرْفٌ، وَ{مِيمٌ} حَرْفٌ».
Achieving Better Awareness
Allah says, “Do they not reflect upon the Quran? If it had been from anyone other than Allah, they would have found many contradictions within it.”
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا﴾
[ النساء: 82]
Reward for You and for Your Parents
It is narrated by Sahl ibn Mu‘adh al-Juhani from his father (RA) who said that the Messenger (SAW) said: whoever recites the Qur’an and acts upon what is inside it, his parents will be made to wear a crown on the Day of Qiyamah, the brilliance of which will excel that of the sun if the same were within your worldly houses. Hence, what do you think about the person who acts upon it? Transmitted by Abu Dawud, Al-Hakim and he classified it as sahih ul-isnad.
إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: (من قرأ القرآن، وعمل بما فيه ألبس والداه تاجا يوم القيامة، ضوؤه أحسن من ضوء الشمس في بيوت الدنيا، لو كانت فيكم، فما ظنكم بالذي عمل هذا؟). – رواه أبو داود، والحاكم وقال: صحيح الإسناد.
To sum up, whether listening to the Holy Quran or reading it are both virtuous acts, differing in the level of reward and purposes. The higher reward is for reading the Holy Quran, as our Prophet Muhamed and many verses indicate its significance. Listening to the Holy Quran also has a lot of benefits and blessings, committing to listening and reacting simultaneously on a regular basis is the best solution.
Is It Mandatory to Read the Quran with Translation?
If you mean reading the Quran in Arabic then read its translated version to your native language, so the answer is No, it’s not mandatory but it’s extremely important as grasping the meaning of the Holy Quran is more important than just reading it. Arabic is like an ocean, whatever you are good at it as a second language but you still are not aware of the rich range of eloquent vocabulary that the Quran includes. Therefore, reading the Quran with translation is not mandatory but it’s crucial to understand it and apply what you read in your daily life. Allah says in Surah An-Nisa:
Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا
Allah orders us to read, understand, and think not just read by mouth without touching our hearts. Any other language does not have any effect on your heart as Arabic has, which is provided by Allah. Arabic structure and grammar can communicate much more information and feelings with appropriate words.
So, [O Muhammad], We have only made the Qur’an easy in the Arabic language that you may give good tidings thereby to the righteous and warn thereby a hostile people.
فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَاهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنذِرَ بِهِ قَوْمًا لُّدًّا
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Is It Ok to Hear Quran Without Knowing Meanis?
Yes, it is. Allah says in Surah Al-Araf:
So when the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention so that you may receive mercy.
“وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ”
- Allah SWT orders us to listen to the Quran with full attention even in you don’t know its meanings.Shaykh As-Sa`di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This command is general and includes everyone who hears the Book of Allah being recited. He enjoys listening to it and keeps quiet. The difference between listening and keeping quiet is that keeping quiet is done outwardly by not speaking or being distracted by anything that would keep one from focusing on listening to it.
- All you have to do is listen to it with an attentive heart and clear mind until you understand what you are hearing, then you can ponder the meaning of it. If you commit to these commands when the Book of Allah is recited you will get many blessings and stronger faith.
- The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he sat among his companions, would recite the Quran to them, explaining its meanings to them. Sometimes he would order some of the companions to read while he listened. So the Sunnah for the believers, men and women, when they sit together, is to listen to the Quran from one another, or from a recorded tape of a good reciter, so that they may benefit, ponder, understand, and act accordingly. May God grant success to all. Yes.
- So, it starts from keeping quiet and listening attentively, then you can learn its meanings and act upon them.
Read about Can I Read the Quran in English?
Is It Okay to Read Quran from Phone without Wudu?
Yes, it’s okay to read the Quran from the phone without Wudu, as Wudu is a must to touch the Quran because of its sanctity. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “None except the pure can touch the Quran.” (Sunan Daru al-Qutni, 437).
“لا يَمَسُّ الْقُرْآنَ إِلا طَاهِرٌ”
This Hadith points out the need for Wudu when you want to directly touch the Mushaf. Consequently, Wudu is not a condition to recite the Quran without direct touch. That’s mentioned by Imam Ibn Abideen in “Radd al-Muhtaar,” turning the pages of the Mushaf through any method except touching it, such as a stick or wearing gloves is okay because it is not considered direct contact.
In modern times, a lot of scholars permit reading the Holy Quran from a phone and touch its screen that displays the Quran, because it is not a direct interaction.
So, Wudu is required to touch the Mushaf itself, the physical book form of the Quran, adhering the Allah’s order in Surah Al-Waqi‘ah:
“Which (that Book with Allah) none can touch but the purified”
“لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُطَهَّرُونَ”
However, using any method to read the Quran without direct touching if you don’t perform ablution is permissible as long as the verses themselves are not directly touched.
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Read about: Can You Read Quran Lying Down?
Can I Read the Quran While Listening to It?
Yes, you can. It’s permitted to recite the Holy Quran while listening to it through a recorded recitation. Taking into consideration the manners of listening to the Holy Quran, like:
- Being attentive as you have to be aware of what you are saying, not just recalling from your memory without paying attention.
- Reading it with devotion and respect, maybe you are listening to the Holy Quran in the street or in your car, don’t deal with the Holy Quran like anything you read or your normal doings. You have to maintain its sanctity and stature anytime and anywhere.
- Reading at a lower volume than the recording.
Listening to the Quran is a powerful method to solidify it in your heart and mind. Allah says in surah Al-Qiyamah:
“Move not your tongue with it, [O Muhammad], to hasten with the recitation of the Qur’an.”
“لا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ”
Listening to the Holy Quran and reading it is an indispensable method as long as you are memorizing the Quran, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to work on your recitation skills so that you can reliably depend on yourself while memorizing. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards.”
“الذي يقرأ القرآن وهو ماهر به مع السفرة الكرام البررة، والذي يقرأ القرآن ويتتعتع فيه وهو عليه شاق له أجران”
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Read more about: Is it Haram to Listen to Quran While Sleeping?
Can You Memorize Quran without Knowing Arabic
Actually, memorizing the Quran without knowing Arabic slows down your progress and makes it harder. Preferably, try to have a word-for-word translation, it doesn’t give you the deep meanings that exist in Arabic vocabulary though.
Learning Arabic is no longer complex, we facilitate approaches to learning it, emphasizing the essentials to be able to understand the Quranic text. Find that and more in the Quranic Arabic Course.
You can enhance your memorizing process, even if you are not an Arabic speaker, by:
- Understanding the meaning first and reading each verse repeatedly until it becomes familiar with the words.
- Along with regular listening to reciters. By that time, you will recite it by heart.
- For better results, recite the verses you have lately memorized during your Salah.
- Soon after you get familiar with the Arabic words that are no longer complex.
Conclusion
It’s a virtuous deed to look for answers that can make you confused, which shows your reverence and respect for the words of Allah. The Holy Quran enhances a deeper connection to Allah, aside from the countless rewards in this world and the afterlife. To do it in the best way, you have to broaden your knowledge of the Quran and Islamic rules, which you can find in Al-Walid Academy, your partner in your journey to be a pious Muslim.