Ask a Muslim Scholar September 2018
Q: Is it ok if I memorize the Quran using a transliteration? A: It is not at all advisable or recommended to memorize the Qur’an by simply relying on transliteration; it may even be wrong to do so, since it may condition oneself to making major mistakes in reading/pronunciations and thus one may end up distorting the noble Qur’an. The Qur’an properly should be learned from the mouth of a qualified teacher. In the event of someone not being readily available, the next best thing to do is to buy a taped recitation of a well known Qaari (reciter) and follow his recitation for practice. In the modern world, since there are numerous teaching aids are available in the form of videos or cassettes or computer software, there is no excuse for people for relying on transliteration. Remember, once we condition ourselves in reading the wrong way, it would be very hard to unlearn it. Therefore, we might as well begin it right. Although a little hard in the beginning, practice, InshaAllah, will make it perfect. The Prophet, peace be upon him, assured us that when a person tries hard to learn the Qur’an, he receives great rewards. Allah says, “Verily,…