Many devout Muslims are dedicated to strengthening their relationship with their faith. Regularly reading and reciting the Quran is a critical part of that journey. If your recitation fluency — or lack thereof — is holding you back from becoming closer to Allah, it may be time to begin a course of study.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to improve your interpretation and understanding of the Word through Quran recitation practice. Follow these tips to make reciting the Quran easier.

1. Make it manageable

To learn Quran recitation for complete beginners, it’s important to not be too overambitious.

If you try to learn everything at once, you may feel overwhelmed from the start and feel overburdened with how much there is to master. It’s great to be excited about refining your recitation skills, but start small or else you may lose confidence and motivation. Take it one step at a time and make short-term goals for yourself. Don’t expect to conquer every aspect of proper recitation all at once.

2. Be consistent

Create habits around your Quran practice so that it becomes a part of your everyday life. Setting aside a part of your day to focus on your faith can help you be more consistent and better encourage growth. Incorporate the recitation of small passages into your daily routine.

3. Listen to and learn from professional reciters

When it comes to Tajweed, it can be discouraging at first to hear fluent expert reciters, but it can also be motivating to see how much there is to learn. Regularly listening to recordings of experts recite the Quran can be a great auditory learning tool. Try to play audio of expert Quran reciters in the background while doing everyday tasks, such as driving, cooking or going to and from work.

4. Define words you don’t know

Typically, it is easier to recite the Quran when you know what you are reciting. Comprehension is important for retaining the knowledge and meaningful messages that the Book of Allah has to offer. Compile a list of vocabulary words that appear often in the Quran. Then, define and study them — even if you’re pretty sure you know what they mean. When you understand what you are reciting, you’re likely to be more engaged and get more out of the experience.

5. Focus on pronunciation and articulation

Following the rules of  Tajweed is important if you want to learn Quran recitation authentically and properly. This includes the correct lengthening and shortening of vowels and sounds, articulation, taking the right breaths and pauses, and more. For accurate recitation, get into the habit of practicing Tajweed while you learn and recite the Quran.

6. Pay attention to the quality of your recitation

Aside from Tajweed and the correct pronunciation of your reading, there are other factors that can determine the quality of your recitation. For instance, a soft, tender recitation of the blessed text is considered to be of better quality than one that is hasty, rushed and does not focus on the meaning. When practicing your recitations, center your mind and soul to ensure you are giving an honest and meaningful reading of the Book of Allah.

7. Enlist the help of a tutor

If you’re not confident in your ability to self-teach proper recitation of the Quran, find an experienced professional who can help. You may be asking yourself, “Am I pronouncing the text correctly? Do I have the correct meanings for the vocabulary I am learning?” Someone with years of experience in reading, reciting and interpreting the Quran could be a valuable teacher to help you with this sacred text.

The expert instructors at IQRA practice core teaching principles that make them qualified to help you understand what the Quran has to offer. We provide online education for Quran memorization, Tajweed, Islamic history and more. Learn more about our interactive courses and enroll today.