statement or piece of knowledge, a character or dialogue, a promise or a warning, a command or a prohibition."
-from Way to the Quran by Khurram Murad, pages 43-44
Writing a journal is an exercise many of us who have gone through the North American school system may have encountered in English classes. They are a way for students to develop their writing skills.
But many self-help gurus also extol the virtues of keeping a journal as a tool for self-development. It's a way to get in touch with your feelings, a way to track your development as a person, and a way to develop a better
understanding of who you are.
Amidst these uses for a journal, there is one that has been rarely talked about: the Quranic journal.
What is the Quranic journal?
The MYNA (Muslim Youth of North America) Workers Manual, published in 1992, explains what the Quranic journal is in this way:
"There are moments in life when you read some Ayahs (verses) in the Quran, and they seem to have been revealed precisely for your needs at those moments. You have read them a hundred times before, but only now have your life experiences prepared you to understand them....Keep a Quran journal of these moments when certain verses click and become real in your life."
Why keep a Quranic journal?
1. Creates reverence for the Quran
For many Muslims today, especially those who have not grown up in a Muslim country, the value of the Quran as the Word of Allah may not be as strongly entrenched.
They may not feel the very special connection to the Book of Allah other Muslims who have grown up learning and reciting it from childhood in a mostly Muslim environment have.
The Quranic journal is a way to develop a stronger connection to the Quran by noting our reactions to it.
2. It can help the words of Allah sink in
One problem many, many Muslims in our day and age, and in our culture have is a lack of concentration. In our fast-paced culture, squeezing in time to read the Quran is sometimes hard. Those times that we do read, the words don't seem to sink in. The Quran journal can help do that.
3. The Quranic journal is about you
The Quran is not simply a Book to be read and memorized. It is a Book to be lived. That means the deeper our understanding, and the more we connect what we learn from the Quran to our daily lives and experiences, the better we can see it as THE tool of guidance in our affairs.
We will see the Quran as part of our daily life in this time. The lessons in it will not be lessons for people from centuries ago, irrelevant to us. Rather, they will be our lessons, regardless of whether we live in Karachi or Kansas.
Some tips on keeping a Quranic journal
1. Ask yourself: why am I doing this?
Some reasons could be:
a. for the sake of Allah
b. to make the Quran a living reality for me
c. to learn how to use the Quran as a tool for guidance in my everyday life.
If your intention is sincerely all three, Insha Allah (if Allah wills), you will benefit and learn from the experience and grow as a Muslim.
2. Remember, this is not a Tafseer
It is very, very important to point out that your Quranic journal is NOT an official exegesis (Tafseer) of the Quran. It is simply a record of your thoughts at various moments while you read the Quran.
It is strongly recommended that you do not read simply a translation of the Quran. Rather, find a good, reliable Tafseer. The Tafseer helps because it gives you much needed background and context to properly understand what the verses of the Quran mean.
