By Quran Schooling | 12 August 2022
The Quran is not an ordinary book for Muslims but a comprehensive holy book that teaches us many things we would not have known without it. The Quran gives us a sense of direction in life.
Therefore, it is incumbent on every Muslim, young and old, to learn to read and understand the Quran. Learning and teaching the Quran must begin from an early age. This article will try to see some ways of teaching our kids the Quran.
Children are talented, learn things quickly, and have an excellent memory. When should we teach the Quran to our kids, you might ask? The best time to begin teaching the Quran to kids is when they are about 4-6 years of age. How? Kids at this age do not know how to read or write.
Therefore, you must try to have them memorize the Quran by listening to the recitation of the Quran and repeating it. The best surahs that kids can memorize easily and quickly are the short surahs in the last juz of the Quran.
For example, you can teach them surahs, such as Fatiha, Kawthar, Fil, Quraysh, and Qadr. Kids can easily memorize these surahs. You must read each verse phrase by phrase and ask them to repeat after you.
Kids can easily get bored as far as education is concerned. Consequently, it would be best to try to make the learning process fun and entertaining. One way of achieving this is by telling the stories of the surahs.
For instance, tell them how Surah Qadr is about a special night in the month of Ramadan on which the Noble Quran was revealed, and every matter is decided on that night. Tell them how this night is very precious and is better than a thousand months. Therefore, Allah multiplies every good deed that people do on this night.
By telling stories of the Quran and incorporating other fun activities into learning the Quran, kids will become eager to learn and memorize the Quran.
The Quran is the book of Allah and deserves to be treated rightfully. We must explain the significance of the Quran to our kids. We should tell them they should not leave the Quran on the ground so no one would accidentally step on it.
We must not extend our legs toward the Quran while reciting it. It is highly recommended that the Quran be placed in the highest place in the house, such as the top shelf of your bookshelf.
These are some ways of respecting the Quran outwardly. What is more important is respecting the Quran inwardly. For instance, we should follow exactly what Allah has told us to do in the Quran, such as praying on time, giving zakat, fasting during Ramadan, and helping our friends and neighbors.
By explaining these things to kids, they will be able to better relate to the Quran and practice and implement the teachings of the Quran in their lives.
We need to look at the Quran from a different angle. We all know that the Quran is not an ordinary book that merely tells stories, explains religious laws, etc. Much, much greater than that, the Quran is a perfect guide to living and leading a prosperous life in this world and the hereafter.
The Quran tells us many things, such as the dos and don'ts of life, how we should treat others, how we should act in difficult situations, and always seeing Allah present wherever we go and in whatever state. Therefore, the Quran opens a path that will take us to our ultimate destination, eternal bliss.
We should teach our kids these things to easily grasp the concept. For example, we should tell them, "Did you know that it is a very deadly sin to talk behind someone's back? It is like eating the dead flesh of your brother or sister in faith while you hate it."
Learning to read the Quran is another important thing we must teach our children. Usually, we or teachers of the Quran should teach kids who are at school age to read the Quran. Fortunately, the language of the Quran is easy to grasp, and children from various nationalities can learn it.
Perhaps this is another miracle of the Quran. Learning the Quran should begin with teaching kids the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. Afterward, they should learn the short and long vowels. Then they can learn other elements of the Arabic language, such as sukun, shaddah, tanween, and madd.
As kids grow older and reach the age of puberty, it is time to teach them some more advanced rules of Quran recitation. We must teach tajweed to them. Tajweed means beautification of recitation that is achieved by mastering certain advanced articulatory rules. By learning Quran with tajweed, your recitation would sound more authentic and Arabic.
However, it is essential that you do not teach your children all of the rules of tajweed at once. You must take a step-by-step approach and ensure they have mastered one tajweed rule before moving to the next.
Some tajweed rules include the sounds of the letters, idgham or merging of letters, the mudud or lengthening of long vowels, and qalqalah or slight movement of the sound of a letter. As I said, when kids get older and reach the age of puberty, they can learn the advanced rules of tajweed.
Nowadays, people have shown great interest in learning things online due to its advantages and health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning to read, memorize, and understand the Quran for kids is no exception. Learning the Quran via online Quran classes for kids proves to be a very safe, secure, and exciting way to learn the Quran.
Usually, the classes are held using video chat and video conference. Students and teachers can interact easily as if they are in a physical class, all while in the comfort of their own homes. The things we explained and discussed can also be learned through online Quran classes.
The good thing about online Quran classes is that one can find the best teacher from another side of the world, something that is almost impossible if one was to attend a physical class in one's own city or country.
Teaching your kids the Quran might seem to be an overwhelming task. It is not if you follow certain small steps as children grow older and mature. You yourself or a Quran teacher can teach the Quran to your kids. First, you should try to work on the basics of the Quran with your kids.
This means helping them memorize important surahs of the Quran. Meanwhile, kids must learn the significance of the Quran in their daily lives. Furthermore, learning to read the Quran and tajweed enables them to acquire more and greater rewards. Online Quran classes have also gained popularity and are taking the place of physical classes.
Everything that can be taught in physical classes can now be taught online. Inshallah, we will be able to teach the Quran to our kids, make them fond of it, and enable them to practice it in their lives.