An Ayah a Day - Teaching the Qur’an to Children

[Ayesha Nicole]

An ayah a day - Teaching the Qur’an to children - www.hafidh.com
by Hafidh - www.hafidh.com on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 9:53am
 
An ayah a day
Teaching the Qur’an to children
 
We all dream of ourselves and our children becoming hafidhul-Qur’an – the protectors of the Qur’an. For Umm Raiyaan, her teacher happens to be her husband, Abu Raiyaan, who has 16 years of experience in teaching Hifdh and Tajweed. She interviews him to gain some insight and some tips as to how parents can take responsibility for their children’s hifdh.
 
1.      How should the Qur’an be taught to children?
 
Do not teach Qur’an to young children in a strict manner. It should be taught in a fun way (without mocking the Qur’an). Children need incentives. Just as we memorise because of incentives of Jannah, children will be motivated by a little treat after completing each surah. Always remind them that Allah (s.w.t) stores away special treats for them every time they memorise something and that treat is a surprise and better than the one you are giving to them.
 
2.      What is the best way to memorise the Qur’an?
 
The best way to memorise is through listening and repeating. Depending on the age and ability, this can be done by breaking down the ayah and asking the children to repeat until the ayah is completed or by repeating a few ayah at a time. This is the traditional method of learning the Qur’an. A lot of people/children memorise after they have learned to read, but it can start even earlier. When our first child was born, we would play the same tape of Juz Amma while she napped or slept at night. We still do it; it now helps when she does come to memorise a new surah. Whichever surah you or your child is memorising, play it continuously- when you are driving, when you are on the train, when you are waiting for a doctor’s appointment. When your children are playing, play that surah in the background.
 
3.      Many want to memorise the Qur’an quickly. What is your advice?
 
It is good that we make the niyah to memorise the Qur’an but many make the mistake of memorising the Qur’an very quickly in order to become hufadh but then, after a few months, they forget a lot. In my opinion, it is better that the Qur’an is memorised slowly with the aim of memorising it all. In this way, the person will still memorise the entire Qur’an but will retain it, insha Allah. Retaining the Qur’an is much more difficult and more important than actually memorising it. Always develop a muraji’ah (revision) programme every day. Even if your child has only memorised a few surahs- it is important that these are revised every single day in addition to new ayat that are being memorised. A common mistake that is made is that new hifdh is what is concentrated on and the muraji’ah is forgotton.
 
4.      What other advice can you offer to anyone wishing to achieve this goal?
 
Firstly, do not underestimate the response to your du’a from Allah (s.w.t.) neither you nor your children will become hafidh of Qur’an without the permission of Allah (s.w.t.).
 
Secondly, you must constantly make istighfar. Your sins will be a barrier between you and your goal. So, always seek forgiveness from Allah (s.w.t.) for the sins you remember and the sins you have forgotten.
 
Thirdly do not try to fit your hifdh time in (to your life). You have to make specific times for your memorising and stick to it! You must be strict on yourselves and your children (but still teach them in a fun way).
 
Fourthly, when memorising, read the tafsir. The stories and sequences in the Quran will help you memorise.
 
Fifthly, and this is very important, a little every day is better than larger amounts. Small goals are better. Test yourself throughout the day. For example, with children, test them after lunch, “Recite Surah Fajr to me”. Whilst they are playing with toys, tell them, “recite to me Surah Fajr again.”
 
In the car, say “Im sure you’ve forgotten surah Fajr.” (They will probably reply with a NOOOOOOOOOOO!”) Then they will revise it by repeating it to you. So it is about testing them here and there throughout the day.
 
Finally, always remember why you are doing this. It is not to receive the label of being a ‘hafidh’. It must be done with ikhlas (sincerity). Those that do it to seek Allahs pleasure- Allah (s.w.t.) will help them in ways you cannot imagine. Those who do it for any other reason will continue to struggle for the rest of their lives.
 
And Allah (s.w.t) knows best.
 
Source: Sisters - Summer 2009

http://www.facebook.com/notes/hafidh-wwwhafidhcom/an-ayah-a-day-teaching-the-quran-to-children-wwwhafidhcom/157028031019317

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A Suggested Quran Memorization Schedule [for Children]
Posted by Alserat Almustaqeem on Friday, April 10, 2009

Assalamu aliakum,

We always want the best for our children.. the best akhlaaq (manners), the best education, etc. etc. We focus on ensuring they're right up there developmentally: academically, physically, socially, emotionally, & psychologically. Sometimes, that means we get side-tracked from focusing on what matters most: their deen. Their understanding of the deen, their implementation of it, their love for it, and their pride in it.

What better way to keep their heart attached to Allah, than by memorizing & understanding His words?

I was searching for a Qur'an memorization schedule for my daughters and came upon a suggested schedule, starting with kids as young as 3. I will be honest, I haven't tried it yet.. but insha Allah when Hafsah turns 3 I will begin.

Unfortunately, it is only available in Arabic (here is the original topic).

http://www.muslm.net/vb/showthread.php?t=297311

I will summarize it here insha Allah, asking Allah that it benefits us & our children.. and that He accepts it as a sadaqa jaareya (continuous charity) for sister Bint Al-Resaalah (may Allah have mercy on her). May it be a source of Noor (Light) for her in her grave, ameen.

But before the suggested schedule, I found this fatwa from Sh. Salih Al-Munajjid with advice on how to teach children the Qur'an.

http://islam-qa.com/en/ref/32436

---

The Schedule:

The Program was set based on the green Qur'ans (the ones printed at the King Fahd Qur'an Printing Complex in Madinah). It includes 604 pages, each page with 15 lines.

Based on the above:

- For the first three years, begin memorizing your 3-yr-old 3 lines/day only. Do this from Saturday - Tuesday. Use Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday as revision days for what was memorized earlier that week.

- Do this the whole year, except for one month. Use this month as a revision for everything memorized that year (preferably in Ramadan).

- By Kindergarten, your child will have memorized, by the Will of Allah, from Surat An-Naas to Surat Faatir.

- For the next 3 years, increase the daily amount to be memorized to half a page, and the revision of a full page. Do this from Saturday - Tuesday. And again, used Wed - Fri as revision days for what was memorized that week.

- Do this the whole year, except for one month. Use this month as an intense revision month for everything memorized (preferably in Ramadan).

- By grade 5, in this case, your child will have memorized the Quran, by the Will of Allah.

What you will need to succeed:

- Patience & perseverance.

- 2 hrs/day dedicated to Quran. Every single day.. no excuses.

- A qualified Haafidh (someone who memorized the Qur'an) who can test your child every 5 juz' memorized.

How to do it:

Recite the aayah (verse) 10 times with clear pronunciation of the letters according to the correct tajweed. It is recommended that the child be able to see the movement of your mouth as you recite the verses correctly. Allow the child to repeat after you until he/she memorizes it correctly. Repeat in groups of 10 as many times as needed.

- Recite the following aayah 10 times as well, and repeat as above.

- Combine the first 2 aayahs and repeat them together 5 times.

- Then add a third aayah, and continue in the same fashion.

Since, at 3-yrs, the child is still very young, here are some ideas on how to keep your child interested:

- Get a small microphone & allow your child to recite in it.

- Get your child to recite one aayah sitting, another standing, etc. etc.

- If you have more than one child, make it a game: Let them stand next to each other, and when one recites an aayah correctly, let him/her take a step forward.. and if he/she recited it incorrectly, a
step backward to see who can reach you first.

- Recite while swinging on a swing, or in your lap, etc.

- Don't depair. You will find at first that things are moving slowly.. but with practice & patience, memorization becomes faster & more solidified.

---

Again, the above is a summary of sister Bint Al-Resalah's program. May Allah reward her with al-ferdaws.

http://amuslimchildisborn.blogspot.com/2009/04/suggested-quran-memorization-schedule.html

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Islam For Kids: How did you memorize the Quran?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/V14usLU6Xno&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/V14usLU6Xno&rel=1</a>

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How long would it take you?

How long would it take you to finish reading the Quraan
From Dr. Salih as-Salih’s (rahimahuLlahi) website Quote:

5 Daily Prayers 5 Daily Opportunities to read Quran-

1 page after each salaah 3 months to finish Quraan

2 pages = 2 months

3 pages = 40 days

4 pages = 30 days

5 pages = 24 days


How long would it take you to Memorise the Quraan
If you were to memorise

1 line per day – It would take you 24 years to memorize Quraan

3 lines per day -  It would take you 8 years

6 lines per day – It would take you 4 years

8 lines per day 3 years

1 page per day 20 months

www.understand-islam.net

http://companionofquran.com/2010/08/03/how-long-would-it-take-you-2/

[Ayesha Nicole]

ASA. 

A dear friend of mine is has a master's degree in educational psychology, masha'Allah, and is pursuing her Ph.D. in the same field with an emphasis on children memorizing the Qur'an, insha'Allah.  She is strongly against using "competitions" (Qir'aat / Hafidh competitions) as a way to encourage children to memorize Qur'an.  Some thoughts to consider by one of her favorite authors:


WORKING MOTHER
September 1987
The Case Against Competition
By Alfie Kohn

When it comes to competition, we Americans typically recognize only two legitimate positions: enthusiastic support and qualified support.

The first view holds that the more we immerse our children (and ourselves) in rivalry, the better. Competition builds character and produces excellence. The second stance admits that our society has gotten carried away with the need to be Number One, that we push our kids too hard and too fast to become winners -- but insists that competition can be healthy and fun if we keep it in perspective.

I used to be in the second camp. But after investigating the topic for several years, looking at research from psychology, sociology, biology, education, and other fields, I'm now convinced that neither position is correct. Competition is bad news all right, but it's not just that we overdo it or misapply it. The trouble lies with competition itself. The best amount of competition for our children is none at all, and the very phrase "healthy competition" is actually a contradiction in terms.

That may sound extreme if not downright un-American. But some things aren't just bad because they're done to excess; some things are inherently destructive. Competition, which simply means that one person can succeed only if others fail, is one of those things. It's always unnecessary and inappropriate at school, at play, and at home.

Think for a moment about the goals you have for your children. Chances are you want them to develop healthy self-esteem, to accept themselves as basically good people. You want them to become successful, to achieve the excellence of which they're capable. You want them to have loving and supportive relationships. And you want them to enjoy themselves.

These are fine goals. But competition not only isn't necessary for reaching them -- it actually undermines them.

Competition is to self-esteem as sugar is to teeth. Most people lose in most competitive encounters, and it's obvious why that causes self-doubt. But even winning doesn't build character; it just lets a child gloat temporarily. Studies have shown that feelings of self-worth become dependent on external sources of evaluation as a result of competition: Your value is defined by what you've done. Worse -- you're a good person in proportion to the number of people you've beaten.

In a competitive culture, a child is told that it isn't enough to be good -- he must triumph over others. Success comes to be defined as victory, even though these are really two very different things. Even when the child manages to win, the whole affair, psychologically speaking, becomes a vicious circle: The more he competes, the more he needs to compete to feel good about himself.

When I made this point on a talk show on national television, my objections were waved aside by the parents of a seven-year-old tennis champion named Kyle, who appeared on the program with me. Kyle had been used to winning ever since a tennis racket was put in his hands at the age of two. But at the very end of the show, someone in the audience asked him how he felt when he lost. Kyle lowered his head and in a small voice replied, "Ashamed."

This is not to say that children shouldn't learn discipline and tenacity, that they shouldn't be encouraged to succeed or even have a nodding acquaintance with failure. But none of these requires winning and losing -- that is, having to beat other children and worry about being beaten. When classrooms and playing fields are based on cooperation rather than competition, children feel better about themselves. They work with others instead of against them, and their self-esteem doesn't depend on winning a spelling bee or a Little League game.

Children succeed in spite of competition, not because of it. Most of us were raised to believe that we do our best work when we're in a race -- that without competition we would all become fat, lazy, and mediocre. It's a belief that our society takes on faith. It's also false.

There is good evidence that productivity in the workplace suffers as a result of competition. The research is even more compelling in classroom settings. David Johnson, a professor of social psychology at the University of Minnesota, and his colleagues reviewed all the studies they could find on the subject from 1924 to 1980. Sixty-five of the studies found that children learn better when they work cooperatively as opposed to competitively, eight found the reverse, and 36 found no significant difference. The more complex the learning task, the worse children in a competitive environment fared.

Brandeis University psychologist Teresa Amabile was more interested in creativity. In a study, she asked children to make "silly collages." Some competed for prizes and some didn't. Seven artists then independently rated the kids' work. It turned out that those who were trying to win produced collages that were much less creative -- less spontaneous, complex and varied -- than the others.

One after another, researchers across the country have concluded that children do not learn better when education is transformed into a competitive struggle. Why? First, competition often makes kids anxious and that interferes with concentration. Second, competition doesn't permit them to share their talents and resources as cooperation does, so they can't learn from one another. Finally, trying to be Number One distracts them from what they're supposed to be learning. It may seem paradoxical, but when a student concentrates on the reward (an A or a gold star or a trophy), she becomes less interested in what she's doing. The result: Performance declines.

Just because forcing children to try to outdo one another is counterproductive doesn't mean they can't keep track of how they're doing. There's no problem with comparing their achievements to an objective standard (how fast they ran, how many questions they got right) or to how they did yesterday or last year. But if we value our children's intellectual development, we need to realize that turning learning into a race simply doesn't work.

Competition is a recipe for hostility. By definition, not everyone can win a contest. If one child wins, another cannot. This means that each child comes to regard others as obstacles to his or her own success. Forget fractions or home runs; this is the real lesson our children learn in a competitive environment.

Competition leads children to envy winners, to dismiss losers (there's no nastier epithet in our language than "Loser!"), and to be suspicious of just about everyone. Competition makes it difficult to regard others as potential friends or collaborators; even if you're not my rival today, you could be tomorrow.

This is not to say that competitors will always detest each other. But trying to outdo someone is not conducive to trust -- indeed, it would be irrational to trust someone who gains from your failure. At best, competition leads one to look at others through narrowed eyes; at worst, it invites outright aggression. Existing relationships are strained to the breaking point, while new friendships are often nipped in the bud.

Again, the research -- which I review in my book No Contest: The Case Against Competition -- helps to explain the destructive effect of win/lose arrangements. When children compete, they are less able to take the perspective of others -- that is, to see the world from someone else's point of view. One study demonstrated conclusively that competitive children were less empathetic than others; another study showed that competitive children were less generous.

Cooperation, on the other hand, is marvelously successful at helping children to communicate effectively, to trust in others and to accept those who are different from themselves. Competition interferes with these goals and often results in outright antisocial behavior. The choice is ours: We can blame the individual children who cheat, turn violent, or withdraw, or we can face the fact that competition itself is responsible for such ugliness.

Studies also show, incidentally, that competition among groups isn't any better than competition among individuals. Kids don't have to work against a common enemy in order to know the joys of camaraderie or to experience success. Real cooperation doesn't require triumphing over another group.

Having fun doesn't mean turning playing fields into battlefields. It's remarkable, when you stop to think about it, that the way we teach our kids to have a good time is to play highly structured games in which one individual or team must defeat another.

Consider one of the first games our children learn to play: musical chairs. Take away one chair and one child in each round until one smug winner is seated and everyone else has been excluded from play. You know that sour birthday party scene; the needle is lifted from the record and someone else is transformed into a loser, forced to sit out the rest of the game with the other unhappy kids on the side. That's how children learn to have fun in America.

Terry Orlick, a Canadian expert on games, suggests changing the goal of musical chairs so children are asked to fit on a diminishing number of seats. At the end, seven or eight giggling, happy kids are trying to squish on a single chair. Everyone has fun and there are no winners or losers.

What's true of musical chairs is true of all recreation; with a little ingenuity, we can devise games in which the obstacle is something intrinsic to the task itself rather than another person or team.

In fact, not one of the benefits attributed to sports or other competitive games actually requires competition. Children can get plenty of exercise without struggling against each other. Teamwork? Cooperative games allow everyone to work together, without creating enemies. Improving skills and setting challenges? Again, an objective standard or one's own earlier performance will do.

When Orlick taught a group of children noncompetitive games, two thirds of the boys and all of the girls preferred them to games that require opponents. If our culture's idea of a good time is competition, it may just be because we haven't tried the alternative.

How can parents raise a noncompetitive child in a competitive world? Competition is destructive to children's self-esteem, it interferes with learning, sabotages relationships, and isn't necessary to have a good time. But how do you raise a child in a culture that hasn't yet caught on to all this?

There are no easy answers here. But there is one clearly unsatisfactory answer: Make your son or daughter competitive in order to fit into the "real world." That isn't desirable for the child -- for all the reasons given here -- and it perpetuates the poison of competition in another generation.

Children can be taught about competition, prepared for the destructive forces they'll encounter, without being groomed to take part in it uncritically. They can be exposed to the case against competition just as they are taught the harms of drug abuse or reckless driving.

You will have to decide how much compromise is appropriate so your child isn't left out or ridiculed in a competitive society. But at least you can make your decision based on knowledge about competition's destructiveness. You can work with other parents and with your child's teachers and coaches to help change the structures that set children against one another. Or you may want to look into cooperative schools and summer camps, which are beginning to catch on around the country.

As for reducing rivalry and competitive attitudes in the home:

Avoid comparing a child's performance to that of a sibling, a classmate, or yourself as a child.

Don't use contests ("Who can dry the dishes fastest?") around the house. Watch your use of language ("Who's the best little girl in the whole wide world?") that reinforces competitive attitudes.

Never make your love or acceptance conditional on a child's performance. It's not enough to say, "As long as you did your best, honey" if the child learns that Mommy's attitude about her is quite different when she has triumphed over her peers.

Be aware of your power as a model. If you need to beat others, your child will learn that from you regardless of what you say. The lesson will be even stronger if you use your child to provide you with vicarious victories.

Raising healthy, happy, productive children goes hand in hand with creating a better society. The first step to achieving both is recognizing that our belief in the value of competition is built on myths. There are better ways for our children -- and for us -- to work and play and live.

Copyright © 1987 by Alfie Kohn. This article may be downloaded, reproduced, and distributed without permission as long as each copy includes this notice along with citation information (i.e., name of the periodical in which it originally appeared, date of publication, and author's name). Permission must be obtained in order to reprint this article in a published work or in order to offer it for sale in any form. Please write to the address indicated on the Contact Us page.

http://www.alfiekohn.org/parenting/tcac.htm

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No Contest

The Case Against Competition
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1986 / 1992)

 
From the Book Flap:
No Contest, which has been stirring up controversy since its publication in 1986, stands as the definitive critique of competition. Drawing from hundreds of studies, Alfie Kohn eloquently argues that our struggle to defeat each other -- at work, at school, at play, and at home -- turns all of us into losers.

Contrary to the myths with which we have been raised, Kohn shows that competition is not an inevitable part of "human nature." It does not motivate us to do our best (in fact, the reason our workplaces and schools are in trouble is that they value competitiveness instead of excellence.) Rather than building character, competition sabotages self-esteem and ruins relationships. It even warps recreation by turning the playing field into a battlefield.

No Contest makes a powerful case that "healthy competition" is a contradiction in terms. Because any win/lose arrangement is undesirable, we will have to restructure our institutions for the benefit of ourselves, our children, and our society. For this [1992] revised edition, Kohn adds a comprehensive account of how students can learn more effectively by working cooperatively in the classroom instead of struggling to be Number One. He also offers a pointed and personal afterword, assessing shifts in American thinking on competition and describing reactions to his provocative message. 

What People are Saying:

“Alfie Kohn marshals the evidence that [competition] is not the mainspring of achievement in industry, the arts, education, or games.”
-- Dr. Benjamin Spock

 “We have been in prison from wrong teaching.  By perceiving that cooperation is the answer, not competition, Alfie Kohn opens a new world of living.  I am deeply indebted to him.”
-- W. Edwards Deming

 “Alfie Kohn's critique of the role of competition in our society is a really impressive piece of work.  Challenging and thoughtful, it reaches to the heart of many problems of our social life and the ideology that constrains and distorts it.”
‑‑ Noam Chomsky
 
“Well‑researched and sound, No Contest exposes erroneous assumptions about the inevitability and value of competition.  This book...deserves our attention.”
‑‑ Carl Rogers

“Superbly researched, lucidly written.”
-- Los Angeles Times
 
Table of Contents:
1 The “Number One” Obsession
2 Is Competition Inevitable?:  The Human Nature Myth
3 Is Competition More Productive?: The Rewards of Working Together
4 Is Competition More Enjoyable?: On Sports, Play, and Fun
5 Does Competition Build Character?: Psychological Considerations
6 Against Each Other:  Interpersonal Considerations
7 The Logic of Playing Dirty
8 Women and Competition
9 Beyond Competition: Thoughts on Making Change
10 Learning Together
Afterword

http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/nc.htm

[Ayesha Nicole]

ASA.  Another article regarding the use of rewards and praise for academic achievements and/or Quranic memorization:


Volume 10, Number 2
March/April 1994

The Case Against Rewards and Praise
A Conversation with Alfie Kohn
By SARA-ELLEN AMSTER


Alfie Kohn's newest book, Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Starts, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes, details the destructive effects of rewards and questions many of the most common assumptions of teachers, parents, and employers about motivation. Kohn has also written No Contest: The Case Against Competition and The Brighter Side of Human Nature: Altruism and Empathy in Everyday Life. He writes frequently on human behavior and education and gives lectures and workshops for teachers. He was interviewed for the Harvard Education Letter by Sara-Ellen Amster.

HEL: Rewards and praise—how big a problem are they, really?

Kohn: If I had to choose between punishing and rewarding, I would pick rewarding. But many of the people who are already persuaded that punishment is not a good idea nevertheless believe that rewards represent an enlightened alternative. The truth is that rewards and punishments are not opposites—simply two sides of the same coin.

Rewards, as one pair of researchers has aptly put it, are just control by seduction. It's important to reveal controlling techniques for what they are and to oppose them, even if we're talking about what might seem to be the slightly more innocuous of two version s of control.

HEL: What does the research tell us about the relation between rewards and creativity?

Kohn: Rewards kill creativity. Some twenty studies have shown that people do inferior work when they are expecting to get a reward for doing it, as compared with people doing the same task without any expectation of a reward. That effect is most pronounced when creativity is involved in the task.

Rewards undermine risk-taking. When I have been led to think of the "A" or the sticker or the dollar that I'm going to get, I do as little as I have to, using the most formulaic means at my disposal, to get through the task so I can snag the goody. I don't play with possibilities. I don't play hunches that might not pay off. I don't attend to incidental stimuli that might or might not turn out to be relevant. I just go for the gold. Studies show that people who are rewarded tend to pick the easiest possible task. When the rewards are removed, we tend to prefer more challenging things to do. Everyone has seen students cut corners and ask: "Do we have to know this? Is this going to be on the test?"

But we have not all sat back to reflect on why this happens. It's not laziness. It's not human nature. It's because of rewards. If the question is "Do rewards motivate students? The answer is "Absolutely. They motivate students to get rewards." And that's typically at the expense of creativity.

Rewards undermine intrinsic motivation. At least seventy studies have shown that people are less likely to continue working at something once the reward is no longer available, compared with people who were never promised rewards in the first place. The more I reward a child with grades, for example, the less appeal those subjects will have to the child. It is one of the most thoroughly researched findings in social psychology, yet it is virtually unknown among educational psychologists, much less teachers and parents.

HEL: Is there something children can say to themselves to counter this effect, such as, "this reward is good, but it's not the reason I'm doing the work"?

Kohn: There has been some research on trying to immunize children against the destructive effects of rewards by modeling just this kind of response. "It's nice to get the "A" or the sticker, but it's really fun to solve a problem or write a story." There have been mixed results.

I think it's a mistake to place the burden on students. What has to change is the structure. If a teacher must give grades, the number one obligation of that teacher is to do everything possible to help students forget that grades exist. The last thing we as educators ought to be saying is, "C'mon Sheila, you're so close to that A," or "Only a C this time—what happened, Benjamin?" or "Do you want a zero in here, young lady?" In fact, I think that individual assignments ought never to carry a letter or number grade, even if the teacher is required, unhappily, to give grades at the end of the term.

HEL: What about giving kids grades for effort?

Kohn: Never grade for effort—especially with a separate mark. Grades and other rewards and punishments help to explain why a lot of kids have given up trying. To think that we can solve the problem by the same technique that caused it is naïve, to say the least.

Many students perceive a poor grade for effort as a message that they are failures even at trying. And a high effort grade coupled with a low achievement grade sends the message that there's no point in putting out any effort because they're not going to be able to do better. Finally, giving effort grades removes responsibility from teachers to help students engage with what they're learning. Instead, it blames the child for not wanting to do whatever the teacher has demanded.

HEL: Is there anything parents can do to counteract the negative effects of grading?

Kohn: parents ought to join in making grades as unsalient and invisible as possible, in order to give kids a chance to find the material intrinsically interesting. Unfortunately, many parents—well-meaning but appallingly misguided—actually pay children for good grades. This is a reward for a reward! If some perverse foundation had hired me to try to devise a plan that would destroy what is left of students' interest in learning, it would look very much like this.

There's a nationwide program sponsored by Pizza Hut called "Book it!" that consists of bribing kids with pizzas for reading books. John Nicholls at the University of Illinois says that the predictable effect of such a program is a lot of fat kids who don't like to read.

What kinds of books are they likely to pick in such a program? Short books. Easy books. The whole point is just to get through this tedious chore so they can snag a slice of pepperoni.

When anyone says rewards work, I always respond with two questions: Work to do what? And at what cost?

HEL: Are rewards ever good?

Kohn: If you understand the distinction between something pleasant and using that something as a reward, then I'm not sure we needs rewards. I want to make sure I'm not misunderstood here. There's nothing wrong with having a popcorn party for a class on Friday. There is something wrong with saying, "If you're good this week we'll have a popcorn party."

There's nothing wrong with giving a kid an allowance. There is something wrong with saying, "I'll pay you if you help out around here." There's nothing wrong, heaven knows, with love and affection and approval. There is something dreadfully wrong with using those things as M&Ms to reward a child for compliance.

What's wrong, in a word, is contingency. If we define rewards in terms of that contingency, then I scratch my head to find any examples where it's necessary or desirable.

HEL: The most surprising thing in your book is what you say about praise. Many teachers feel it's their duty to praise children, particularly those with low self-esteem, who come from families where they rarely get praise.

Kohn: Praise is a different matter from tangible rewards in some respects. I don't argue that all positive comments are bad. It depends on why we're giving them, how we're giving them, and what the effects of giving them are.

But even to take a moderate position strikes many people as heretical because teachers are taught to slather it on, to praise every child every day, with nary a thought that there could be something damaging about it.

Children from loveless homes need unconditional support and warmth and encouragement. Praise is the very opposite of that. Praise by definition is conditional: Do this and you'll get that. Jump through my hoops and I'll tell you how proud I am of you. More conditionality, more strings attached, more control is really not what students need. It does not build self-esteem to be given verbal doggie biscuits for complying with someone else's standards.

What builds self-esteem is the chance to feel self-determining, to help to formulate the standards for one's own behavior and then be able to judge one's own conduct or works in accordance with those standards.

HEL: You caution teachers to avoid praise that sets up a competition. What do you mean?

Kohn: It's never a good idea to praise a student by comparing her to someone else: "You're the best in the class," for example. The research is quite clear that such comments undermine intrinsic motivation, but their most pernicious effects are subtler. They encourage a view of others as rivals rather than as potential collaborators. What's more, they lead people to see their own worth in terms of whether they have beaten everyone else—a recipe for perpetual insecurity.

HEL: Is there research evidence of the long-term effects of this kind of praise?

Kohn: No one has ever done a controlled, longitudinal study. We know about short-term effects of praise, and we can extrapolate. It is possible that children who are marinated in rewards, including verbal rewards, become less interested in the things for which they are rewarded.

How many adults are serious readers, for example, if it's not part of their profession? And how many adults do we know who continue to be desperate for someone else's approval, incapable of feeling satisfied with their work, such that their moods rise or fall depending on other people's thumbs up or thumbs down? It seems plausible to me that a childhood full of being praised for meeting someone else's standards is related.

HEL: What are some of the good ways to praise—or, if you don't want to use that word—to encourage?

Kohn: We could improve our responses immeasurably by saying less and asking more. It is very useful and affirming when we ask questions about what a student has done and why he or she has done it. That opens up a conversation where the student comes to reflect on his or her work and also feels a sense of support from the teacher.

The classic example is of a preschooler who has drawn something and present sit to a parent or teacher who might respond by saying, "I notice you have the sun over here next to the mountain instead of behind it. That was an interesting choice. Why did you do that? Or, "You use a lot of orange. Is that your favorite color? Or "What are you going to draw next?"

HEL: What would you like educators to walk away saying after they read Punished by Rewards?

Kohn: The first thing that occurs to many people who read the book or hear me speak is "oh my God, I have everything wrong. Does this mean I'm a bad teacher?" If you respond that way you're probably a very good teacher, because the willingness to question one's basic assumptions and practices stands right at the top of my list of qualities of a good teacher. The people I worry about are those who dismiss this out of hand and say, "It's unrealistic," or "Rewards work, and I don't want to hear about your studies."

If I had to summarize the book in one sentence, it would be this: We can never meet our long-term goals by doing things to students, only by working with them. Rewards, like punishments, are ways of doing things to people. And to that extent they can never help them to take responsibility for their own behavior, to develop a sense of themselves as caring people, to work as creatively as they can or become excited learners for the rest of their lives. Rewards, like punishments, actively undermine those goals.

http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/463

* * *

   
Punished by Rewards
The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes

(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993 / 1999)
1999 edition features a new Afterword by the author

From the Book Flap:

Our basic strategy for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summarized in six words: Do this and you'll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in much the same way that we train the family pet.

In this groundbreaking book, Alfie Kohn shows that while manipulating people with incentives seems to work in the short run, it is a strategy that ultimately fails and even does lasting harm.  Our workplaces and classrooms will continue to decline, he argues, until we begin to question our reliance on a theory of motivation derived from laboratory animals.

Drawing from hundreds of studies, Kohn demonstrates that people actually do inferior work when they are enticed with money, grades, or other incentives. Programs that use rewards to change people's behavior are similarly ineffective over the long run. Promising goodies to children for good behavior can never produce anything more than temporary obedience. In fact, the more we use artificial inducements to motivate people, the more they lose interest in what we're bribing them to do. Rewards turn play into work, and work into drudgery.

Step by step, Kohn marshals research and logic to prove that  pay-for-performance plans cannot work; the more an organization relies on incentives, the worse things get. Parents and teachers who care about helping students to learn, meanwhile, should be doing everything possible to help them forget that grades exist. Even praise can become a verbal bribe that gets kids hooked on our approval.

Rewards and punishments are just two sides of the same coin -- and the coin doesn't buy very much. What is needed, Kohn explains, is an alternative to both ways of controlling people. The final chapters offer a practical set of strategies for parents, teachers,  and managers that move beyond the use of carrots or sticks.

Seasoned with humor and familiar examples, Punished by Rewards presents an argument that is unsettling to hear but impossible to dismiss.

What People are Saying:

“Wonderfully clear, provocative, and satisfying. Alfie Kohn's groundbreaking exploration of the harmful effects of rewards should be mandatory reading for every parent and teacher.”
-- Adele Faber, co-author of
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

“Once again, Alfie Kohn destroys a universal myth -- this time convincingly exposing the destructive effects of using rewards to control children and adults. Every parent, teacher, and manager should read this book -- and hurry.”
-- Thomas Gordon, founder of
Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.)

"Unorthodox, occasionally utopian, revolutionary in its implications, this eye-opening critique of behaviorist reward-and-punishment psychology will challenge and enlighten parents, teachers, managers, and the general reader."
-- Publishers Weekly [starred review]

"A compelling argument that the use of rewards is counterproductive in raising children, teaching students, and managing workers....A clear, convincing demonstration...written with style, humor, and authority."
-- Kirkus

"Kohn...marshals impressive theoretical support and, at the same time, uses humor disarmingly to argue his case."
-- Booklist


Table of Contents:

Preface
 
PART ONE – The Case Against Rewards
1 Skinner-Boxed:  The Legacy of Behaviorism
2 Is It Right to Reward?
3 Is It Effective to Reward?
4 The Trouble with Carrots:  Four Reasons Rewards Fail
5 Cutting the Interest Rate:  The Fifth Reason Rewards Fail
6 The Praise Problem

PART TWO – Rewards in Practice
7 Pay for Performance: Why Behaviorism Doesn’t Work in the Workplace
8 Lures for Learning: Why Behaviorism Doesn’t Work in the Classroom
9 Bribes for Behaving:  Why Behaviorism Doesn’t Help Children Become Good People

PART THREE – Beyond Rewards
10 Thank God It’s Monday: The Roots of Motivation in the Workplace
11 Hooked on Learning:  The Roots of Motivation in the Classroom
12 Good Kids Without Goodies

Afterword

Appendix A:  A Conversation with B.F. Skinner
Appendix B:  What Is Intrinsic Motivation?
Appendix C:  The Behaviorists Talk Back

http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/pbr.htm

[Ayesha Nicole]

A few more methods and schedules for memorizing the Qur'an:

* * *

How long would it take you to finish reading / memorizing the Qur'aan:

How long would it take you?

How long would it take you to finish reading the Quraan

From Dr. Salih as-Salih’s (rahimahuLlahi) website Quote:

5 Dialy Prayers 5 Daily Opportunities to read Quran-

1 page after each salaah 3 months to finish Quraan
2 pages = 2 months
3 pages = 40 days
4 pages = 30 days
5 pages  = 24 days

How long would it take you to Memorise the Quraan

If you were to memorise

1 line per day – It would take you 24 years to memorize Quraan

3 lines per day -  It would take you 8 years

6 lines per day – It would take you 4 years

8 lines per day 3 years

1 page per day 20 months

www.understand-islam.net

http://companionofquran.com/2010/08/03/how-long-would-it-take-you-2/

* * *

Here is another version, although I am unsure which mushaaf it is using; the Madinah mushaaf has 6,236 ayat (by one count I have read);

YOU CAN DO IT! > RASAULLAH(SAW) SAID: “THE BEST AMONGST YOU IS THE ONE WHO LEARNS THE QURAN AND TEACHES IT.” [BUKHARI]

Don’t forget each letter you say when reading the Quran is a reward for you, and each reward is written for you as ten by Allah’s generosity. So in Bismillah arRahman arRaheem-- 19 letters, which means 190 rewards! Just by saying the Bismillah without even starting you gained 190 rewards. masha’Allah.

So how about reciting ayas and commiting them to memory? It is truly an offer from Allah we cannot refuse. Mabye the scales on the day of Judgment may only need one reward for it to be heavier and open up the way by Allah’s mercy to Jannah! We ask Allah the sincerity, the truthfulness, the acceptance, and the good abode in the hereafter.  You can also have, if you need, your own private tutor, go to
www.islamicbulletin.com, click on enter here, Quran recitation, and you have a choice of reciters to choose from.

THIS SCHEDULE CALCULATES HOW LONG IT TAKES YOU TO MEMORIZE THE QURAN ACCORDING TO YOUR MEMORIZATION ABILITY

“If you memorize 20 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 10 months and 16 days.

“If you memorize 19 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 11 months and 1 day.

“If you memorize 18 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 11 months and 19 days.

“If you memorize 17 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 10 months and 0 days.

“If you memorize 16 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 1 month and 6 days.

“If you memorize 15 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 2 months and 1 day .

“If you memorize 14 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 3 months and 0 days.

“If you memorize 13 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 4 months and 6 days.

“If you memorize12 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 5 months and 15 days.

“If you memorize 11 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 7 months and 6 days.

“If you memorize 10 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 9 months and 3 days.

“If you memorize 9 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 1 year and 11 months and 12 days.

“If you memorize 8 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 2 years and 2 months and 12 days.

“If you memorize 7 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 2 years and 6 months and 3 days.

“If you memorize 6 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 2 years and 11 months and 4 days.

“If you memorize 5 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 3 years and 6 months and 7 days.

“If you memorize 4 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 4 years and 4 months and 24 days.

“If you memorize 3 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 5 years and 10 months and 13 days.

“If you memorize 2 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 8 years and 9 months and 18 days.

“If you memorize 1 ayas each day, you will be able to memorize the Quran in 17 years and 7 months and 9 days. “

Page 23 > You Can Do It!
http://islamicbulletin.com/newsletters/issue_24/sep_2009_IB.pdf

* * *

Juz Amma / Juz Tabaarak Memorization Schedules:
http://www.muhajabah.com/docstorage/juzammah.htm
http://www.muhajabah.com/docstorage/juztabaraka.htm

Juz Amma Schedule:
http://eazyislam.unblog.fr/english-pages/tajweed-lessons/learn-juz-amma-by-heart/

A memorization/revision table for 2 years, that actually comes from a book written by a brother from Egypt by the name, Anwar al-Baaz (in Arabic):
Post #17 > Zip File
http://talk.islamicnetwork.com/showthread.php?t=1024&page=2

Detailed Plan to Memorize Qur'an in 5 Months:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46294346/Detail-Plan-to-Memorize-the-Quraan-in-Five-Months

Detailed Plan to Memorize Qur'an in 5 Months ii:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46050429/Plan-to-Memorize-Quraan-in-5-Months

* * *

How to Memorize Qur'an:

http://khaldun.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/attention-students-of-the-quraan/#more-429

http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?10435-Methods-of-Memorization-in-Mauritania

http://muslimology.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/manual-of-quran-memorization-techniques-and-strategies/

http://towardshuda.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/how-2-memorize-complete1.pdf

Best hifz technique by world-leading Quranic recitation authority Dr. al-Ghouthani
Attached are scans from a book on memorisation techniques by the world-leading Syrian Saudi-based Quranic recitation scholar, Dr. Yahya al-Ghouthani waffaqahullaah.  He describes a technique from his own extensive experience that is the best way to memorise the Book of Allah.
Regretfully it is in Arabic, but inshaa`allaah we can try to collectively translate it in the near future.
Translated in post #7
http://talk.islamicnetwork.com/showthread.php?t=5643


Blind Sheikh : Golden Advice For Qur'an Memorization. [English]:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mxdAnMR6WdA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/mxdAnMR6WdA&rel=1</a>


Best way to memorize the Quran you never gonna forget it:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/G25_FDY1UDg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/G25_FDY1UDg&rel=1</a>

* * *

Indonesian method,that I will look into a little more with some qari/qaria there, insha'Allah:

Hajjah Maria has been a popularizer of what in Indonesia is now called "Egyptian style" both in her own recitations and as director of the women's department of the Institute for Qur'an Study, where she oversees some 800 women who aspire to become teachers of Qur'an. From their first day, her students must memorize, and the Qur'an is traditionally divided into 30 parts for this purpose.

"The students already read Arabic, as that is one of the conditions for entering the institute. Then they have to use a certain mushaf [written copy of the Qur'an] in order to remember. Usually every juz' [30th part] has 20 pages. The way it is laid out is easy to memorize. Every day the student must memorize four pages. If you don't do it that way, you can't finish, and you want to be able to memorize it in four years. Four pages every day: four years. But it depends on the talent of a particular student: Some can do it faster."

They walk up and down, back and forth, and repeat, repeat, repeat. Then they sit, two students with a teacher, for correction. The student recites, and the teacher guides her according to tajwid. In another class, students learn melodic recitation, and in others, meaning. They earn the title of hafiz, or memorizer of the Qur'an. After graduation, they go back to their villages to teach, become judges, or take on other functions.

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200003/recited.from.the.heart.htm

* * *

An Innovative Way to Memorize Qur'an:
http://kaheel7.com/eng/index.php/secrets-of-quran-a-sunnah/255-innovative-way-to-memorize-the-quran-1

* * *

An Applied Linguistics Approach to Improving the Memorization
of the Holy Quran: Suggestions for Designing Practice Activities for Learning and Teaching
Muhammad Yaseen Alfi
Assistant Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction,
College of Education, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
(Received 29/11/1422H.; accepted for publication 24/7/1423H.)

http://colleges.ksu.edu.sa/Arabic%20Colleges/CollegeOfEducation/DocLib51/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%AF%2016%20%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%AF%202/%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%82%20%D8%AD%D9%81%D8%B8%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%20%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA%20%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%20%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85%D9%87%D8%A7%20%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%87%D8%A7%20%D9%85%D9%86%20%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A9%20%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%B1%20%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%82%D9%8A.pdf

* * *

Bismillah Alrahman Alraheem
This Inshallah shall be a summary of the Book "How to memorize the Quran" by Sh. Ali bin Umar Badahdah
http://forums.almaghrib.org/showthread.php?t=12752&page=1&pp=10

* * *

Question and Answer Details
Name of Questioner: khalil
Title: Methods of Memorizing the Qur'an

Question: Dear scholars, As-Salaam `Alaykum. My question is: What is the best way to memorize the Qur’an? Can you also outline a schedule as to how to do it? After memorizing one Juz' does one need to revise the one memorized before moving forward? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Date: 04/Jun/2003

Name of Counsellor: IOL Shari`ah Researchers

Topic: Sciences of the Qur’an

more:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE&cid=1119503544548

* * *


Guidelines for the Best Results:

- Before memorizing the sabaq, students must read it thoroughly 5 to 10 times with full attention

- All mistakes must be marked and corrected by the teacher before memorizing the sabaq

- Students should listen to the sabaq that is to be memorized with a reciter so that all the mistakes can be avoided

- Students must recite the Qur’an loudly with a slow tone

more:
http://www.thequranacademy.com/guide.html

* * *

It is incorrect to try to memorize without having the reading smoothed out first as there are very likely to be mistakes in the memorization, especially in the timing of the vowels and medd letters.  
more: http://www.abouttajweed.com/kb/entry/227/

* * *

How to Memorize Qur'an?
http://www.quranhifdh.com/

[Ayesha Nicole]

as salaam  'alaikum,

This is a nice and easy memorization schedule, that could also be used as guidelines for children:

How A Student Did Hifz At Uni

Assalamu Alaikum ,

In this email you’ll learn one of
The most effective strategies I’ve ever
Come across for doing your hifz of the
Quran and building a very close relationship
With Allah (swt) in the process…

+++++++++++++++++++++

If you want TONNES of more effective
Strategies to achieve each of your personal
Quran goals, check out…

www.quranforbusypeople.com/timeforquran

+++++++++++++++++++++


So, this technique was taught by the Algerian
Shaykh Zakariya al-Siddiqi who teaches
at the Institute of Human Sciences in
France is one of the foremost scholars
of Quran.

He memorised it by the age of 9 and
dedicated his life to studying and teaching
it, and he once told us the story of one of
his friends. His friend was an engineering
student, who was a 'Fresher' about to
embark on a 5 year degree. Let's call
him Ahmed...

Ahmed was an intelligent student who
Followed one of the oft-forgotten Sunnah's
of Success...

He woke up earlier than most people.
In fact, he woke up on time to get to the
Mosque to pray Fajr every day.

When he got home from the mosque,
instead of busying himself with the
internet or watching television, he spent
the first few minutes of each day
memorising the Quran.

Ahmed made a firm commitment to
memorise the Quran, but instead of
rushing in and trying to memorise one
or two pages each day (like his friends
who gave up before long), he confined
himself to learning 5 lines per day.

This worked out to be about 20-30 minutes
per day for him.

In order to overcome the initial unfamiliarity
with the new verses, he spent the first few
minutes each day actually writing out the
5 lines of that day onto a small sheet of paper.

He spent the next few minutes reciting
them over and over, and then attempted
to memorise them.

As Ahmed went about his day, he often
found that he had a few chunks of time –
several minutes each. During these times,
such as waiting for the bus, or waiting for
a teacher to turn up to a class, Ahmed
would try to remember the 5 lines from
that morning.

To aid his memory, he kept the sheet
that he wrote out that morning folded
in his pocket, and would pull it out if he
was struggling.

To further support his memory, every
prayer he prayed that day, he would
recite the same 5 verses of Quran that
he learned that morning. In each raka',
he would alternate between the 5 lines
from that day, and the 5 lines he learned
the day before. And remember...

With the Uthmani script of the Quran,
there are exactly 15 lines per page.
So, by the end of the week, Ahmed
had not only memorised 2 whole pages
of the Quran, but he had written them
out in full, too... a very blessed act if
ever there was one.

On the weekend, Ahmed would visit a
local scholar of Quran recitation, and
would revise with him the 2 pages he
had just memorised, and have a go at
the 2 pages he would be working on the
following week. This way, he was certain
to learn the Quran with accurate tajweed
and beautiful recitation.

There was one other secret to Ahmed's
success.

Once a week, on a weekend evening
(usually on a Friday night), Ahmed
would wake up in the middle of the
night, and pray Tahajjud. During his
special Tahajjud prayer, Ahmed would
recite the whole two pages he had
learned that week, and consolidate them.

At this point, the Shaykh mentioned
that perhaps one of the reasons so
few people manage to wake up and
do this special prayer, which is highly
recommended by the Quran and by
our beloved Prophet (saw), is that we
don't have anything to recite.

We have so little Quran memorised
that there's no fun or enjoyment in
the challenge of waking up for Tahajjud.

You can imagine Ahmed's excitement
and feeling of achievement and success
3 months after he started, when he had
memorised the entire 1st Juz!

It's not just the feeling of success and
empowerment that Quran gave him,
but also the deep connection with Allah
(SWT) he felt every single day.

You can only imagine how proud he must
have felt of himself, when upon graduation
Ahmed not only received a 1st class
degree in engineering (he was 3rd in his
class), but he had also officially memorised
the entire Quran.

Shaykh Zakariya pointed out a final
lesson from this blessed brother.

The biggest achievement he made was not
to memorise the Quran. The biggest
achievement he made was to be deeply
connected with the Quran every single
day for 5 years.

That connection with Allah (SWT)
is what made Ahmed so special. That
deep link with the Creator is what
keeps life in perspective and is what
helped Ahmed to keep on track with
the little weekly targets he set for
himself.

One can only imagine what happened
to Ahmed's levels of personal fulfillment,
iman and taqwa, as he went back every
single day to develop this ritual of ihsan
(spiritual excellence). Each day he woke
up for Fajr and wrote out another 5 lines
of Quran, his self-esteem and self-confidence
soared...

+++++++++++++++++++

Top 5 Quran Hifdh Tips

+++++++++++++++++++


Before you rush in to try and start
Learning 5 lines of Quran per day,
Here are some tips…

+++++++

1.    Learn Quranic Arabic – it makes
Memorization about 300x easier!

+++++++

Many people would love to do their
Hifz, but in reality, they can’t understand
Basic Quranic Arabic.

Even though they could still do hifz
(South Asian madrassa style), I’d
recommend spending your first
couple of months of study learning
Quranic Arabic - Go through the course
described In this video first:

www.quranforbusypeople.com

++++++++++

2.    You can achieve all of your Quran goals,
But NOT all at the same time

++++++++++

Make an effective long-term plan
For your Quran studies. I call this
The “Strategic Quran Plan”, and
Show you exactly how to create it,
In Module 2, here:

www.quranforbusypeople.com/timeforquran

+++++++++++

3.    Follow Your Heart.

+++++++++++

If you love the sound of a certain
Surah, or are intrigued by the tafsir
Of a certain section of the Quran, but
You’re not sure if you’re ready to go all
Out and do a systematic ‘hifz’ yet…

Use the strategy above to learn the section
Of the Quran that you’re most "into" right
Now.

This way, you’ll learn some Quran each
Year, and get used to memorization before
You start your ‘official’ hifz program.

+++++++++++

4.    Keep Track

+++++++++++

Masha’Allah, there are some brilliant
Hifz online tracking programs that are
Now available, and there’s the old-
Fashioned ‘Quran Journal’.

If you keep track of what you’re learning,
Once in a while you can review what you
Know, and use what you know regularly
In your Salah.

I’d recommend at least one of the 5
Daily prayers should be a little longer
Than the others, where you put some
Of the Quran you’ve learnt to use.

+++++++++++

5.    Start With Revision

+++++++++++

A lot of people neglect revision,
Because it doesn’t feel like you’re
‘Memorizing’.

The truth is, being structured around
Revision is MORE important than
Learning new lines.

If you don’t revise what you know now,
You won’t revise what you’re about
To learn.


For loads more Quran Strategies,
And a structured way to keep
Yourself motivated all year round,
Check out our video training program:

www.quranforbusypeople.com/timeforquran


If you found any benefit in this article, forward it on
to your friends, family & other Quran fans!

Did someone send this to you?

If you want the full scoop on getting great 
Quran tips, techniques and study methods, (as
well as the quickest, easiest way to understand
the entire Quran in Arabic!), visit...

www.quranforbusypeople.com


Warmest Salams,


--
Mamoon Yusaf
Quran Coach
Barcelona
+44 (0)208.133.4520
www.quranforbusypeople.com

Discover The Quickest, Easiest, Most
Effective Way To Understand The Entire
Quran In Arabic Within A Few Weeks, In
Just Minutes Each Day... For FREE!...
www.quranforbusypeople.com

My Life Results

Balmes 25, Apartment 3-1
Barcelona, Barcelona
08007
ES

- from an email received on Sunday, April 3, 2011

as salaam 'alaikum,
Ayesha

[Ayesha Nicole]

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2008

Learn to Memorize Al Quran
"And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy to remembrance, so is there any who will remember?"
(Surah Al-Qamar : 17)

==============

First of all, I want to share my experience in teaching the kids to memorize Al Quran. Insha Allah, the kids will love to read and learn more about Al Quran.

I am sure that everyone has different way of teaching the kids. I am not expert on this, but I would like to share it with others what I have been teaching for my kids and the others kids who come to my house. We know that each kid is special and different. Some kids can learn faster than other. For the kids who are not Arabic speaking is not easy to learn and memorize Al Quran.

For my kids, Arabic is their second language after English.

'Aisha radi-Allahu anha reported that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:"A person who recites the Qur'an, and reads it fluently, will be in the company of the obedient and noble angels, and he who reads the Qur'an haltingly and with difficulty will have a double recompense." [sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I think, it is One of the miracle of Quran that we, including the kids, can memorize Book of Allah, Al Quran. I never heard people can memorize other than Al Quran.

We, as parent, has the responsibility to teach our kids. If we can not teach them, you have to find the teacher for them to learn.

At home, you should ask your kids to read Al Quran together. We always read Al Quran at night or in the morning. Sometimes, we learn together the meaning of the surah that we have been read. Alhamdulillah, the kids can khattam/finish reading Al Quran at least twice in one year. We want our kids love reading and learning Al Quran. And I want your kids, too. Insha Allah.

The mercy of Allah descends upon a house in which the Holy Qur'an is being recited and the angels of Allah enter that house to listen to the recitation of the Holy Qur'an. (reported by Abu Hurairah)

I will try to answer some questions below that my friends asked to me.


May Allah help us in teaching our kids. Ameen.

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What, When, Where, and How to memorize Al Quran
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I. What

What are the surahs that the kids need to memorize first?

The kids only want to memorize the short and easy surah for the first time, such as surah Al Fatihah and the last ten surah of Juz Amma (Surah An Nas, surah Al Falaq, surah Al Ikhlas, surah Al Lahab, surah An Nashr, surah Al Kafirun, surah Al Kawthar, Surah Al Maun, surah Quraish, ans surah Al Fil).

What are the books that we can use to teach the kids to read the Arabic?

There are several books that you can use to teach the kids learn to read the Arabic letters, such as:

1. Iqro 1-6 (from Indonesia)

2. Qaaidatun Noor (from Pakistan)

3. Kur'an Lisani Elifbasi (from Turkey). I like this book very much.

4. Others that you can find in Islamic Bookstores and Online Resources.


II. When

When do the kids start to memorize Al Quran?

You should start teaching to memorize the surah in young age (before 5) at least the kids know that surah by hearth and recognize the Arabic Alphabets.

Just think of it, when the kids start to memorize the ABC songs, the kids should memorize the Arabic Alphabets and some short surahs, too.

When is the good time for the kids to memorize?

I think it depends on the situation. But Most of the time, the good time to memorize is in the morning and before going to bed.


III. Where

Where is the best place to learn?

In Masjid or at Home.

It is good if you can find teacher who can teach the kids everyday including Sunday or Saturday. The kids need support from their parent at home to memorize Al Quran.

You should always review their memorization.

Remember that the best teacher for the kids is their own parent.

If you can not find the teacher, you can do it yourself at home. If you need help you can find it the resources online. If you are not memorizing yet, you should memorize the surah first before teaching the kids.

IV. How

How can we help the kids to memorize Al Quran?

It depends on the abilities of the kids.

1. The kids who can not read Arabic yet.

For age 3-6

If the kids do not know how to read then you should say the ayah clearly to them. You should do it many times around 10 to 15 times or more.
Try not to continue to the next ayah if the kids do not memorize the ayah that you just say it.

Keep focus on one ayah.

When they memorize the ayah, then you start teach them the meaning of that ayah. You can explain the meaning using their surrounding in their daily life in school or in house.

For age 6 and Up

If the kids just start to learn to read the Arabic, then let them read the transliteration Quran to help them faster in memorizing the Quran.
But don't forget once a while let them to read from Al Quran to memorize their surah. To let them get used to it the Arabic one.

2. The kids who can read Arabic very well.

For age 6 and Up

It is easy to memorize when the kids knew how to read the Arabic.

They will read Al Quran and memorize by themself. Our job is only to review when they finish memorize the surah.

How many ayah per day do the kids memorize?

Everyday I ask them to memorize at least one ayah, if they are doing well, I want them to do 2-3 more ayahs or maybe more.

For the kids who can read Arabic very well, they will do it at least one page a day. Yes, one page or more per day.

On the weekend, I ask the parents to review their kids memorization and I ask the kids to use the surah in their sholat.

==========================


Some suggestions that are good to remember are as following:

- the kids are easy to memorize and easy to forget. Please always review their memorization.
- each kid is special and different.
- learning Al Quran is about learning the manner/adab, too.
- learning is long process.
- memorizing Al Quran needs patient and alot of practices.
- you should give the kids special rewards each time they memorize one surah or one Juz.
- the Quran Memorization Contest is good to encourage the kids to learn more and more.

May Allah give you reward for helping the kids to learn and memorize Al Quran. Ameen.


Links that are useful to help memorizing and learning Al Quran:

1. Download/Listen MP3 Quran
You choose the Reciters from A-Z.

2. Rules of Recitation

3. Quran Transliteration

4.Qaaidatun Noor" Learn Arabic Quran

5. Quranic Sciences Institute: Quran Reciter/Memorizer

6. As-Sidq: Durusul Quran (Lessons of Quran)

7. Learn Quranic Arabic

8. Useful links Quran and Hadiths

9. Teaching Arabic Quran

10. Online Quran Reciter

11. Imaanstar: Juz 30

12. About Tajweed

13. An Index to Quran

14. Learn to read Quran in 10 lessons

15. Principles of Tafsir of the Quran

16. Quran Links

17. Quran Recitation Page

18. Rules of Memorizing Quran

19. Schedule for Memorizing Juz Ammah

20. Schedule for Memorizing Juz Tabaraak

21. Tafsir Ibn Kathir

22. Tajweed Guide in Arabic

23. The Quran & Modern Science

24. Understand the Quran the easy way

25. Quranic Science

26. Quranic Phonetic Exerciser

27. Memorizing Quran

28. Audio Islam

29. Recitors list

30. Qur'an Explorer

To watch the videos:

1. Children read Al Quran beautifully

Some Articles to read:

1. Learn Knowledge of The Noble Quran

2. Learn some short surah from Al Quran

3. The language of Islam: The Important of Learning Arabic.

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To hear the lecture for this week:

1. Distractions during sholat

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For Quran, Let's memorize surah Al Kafiroon and surah An Naba.

Surah Al Kafiroon:

1. Surah Al Kafiroon (No English)

2. Surat Al-Kafiroon(The Rejecters Of Faith)

3. Surah Al Kafiroon by boy

4. Sura Al-Kafiroon recited by Imam Shuraim (readable)*

5. Surah Al Kafiroon recited by Sheikh AbdulRahman sudais

6. Surah Al-Kafiroon

Surah An -Naba:

1. Ahmed Al-Ajmi Surat An-naba' + An-nazia'at

2. Qur'an Surah Naba (The Great News)

3. Sa'ud Shuraim-Surah An-Naba

4. Abu Bakr Ash Shatri - Surah Naba' (Beautiful!!)

5. Surah An-Naba' (The Great News)


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For Hadith:

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks, let him
not approach our mosque, for the angels are annoyed
by the same things that annoy the sons of Adam.”
(Reported by Muslim)

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For Islamic Studies, I would like to review about basic of Islam.

Alot of the kids do not remember what Islam is.

I. Five Pillars of Islam.

1. Saying Sahadah. 2. Sholat. 3. Zakat. 4. Sawm/Fasting in Ramadhan. 5. Hajj .

II. Principles of Belief in Islam:

1. Belief in Allah. 2. Belief in Angel. 3. Belief in Books of Allah. 4. Belief in Messengers of Allah. 5. Belief in Qadr. 6. Belief in Akhirah.

Something to read are:

1. The Five Pillars of Islam

2. Principles of Islam

To watch the videos:

1. Islam is based on Five Pillars - by a small Child

2. Pillars of Islam for Kids (1)

3. 5 Pillars in Islam

4. 5 Pillars of Islam

5. Pillars of Islam

And

6. Principles and Pillars Of Islam

======================

For Maths:

1. Brainormous, a site dedicated to fun and education

Providing a generous sampling of their products for free.

For age 7-10.

2. Houghton Mifflin Math Expressions gr K-5

3. Kid's Edu: Houghton Mifflin Math gr K-6

4. eMath Book gr K-6


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For Languages Arts, Reading , and Spelling:

1. Kid's Place: Houghton Mifflin Reading gr 1-6

2. Kid's Edu: Houghton Mifllin English gr K-5 and gr 6-8

3. Houghton Mifflin Spelling and Vocabulary gr 1-6

4. Brain Food Word Puzzles Ages: 10 and up (Young readers may be able to do some of these activities with a little help from mom or dad.)

======================

For Science:

1. Try Science

Grade Range: K-12

2. Scientific Animation

Age Range: 14 and up (note: designed for college level biology students)

3. Science Technology Dr Bob Homepage

Age Range: 10 and up

This website was designed by a chemist to engage kids ages 10 and up in the observation, investigation, and explanation of the things that happen around us - science!

4. Houghton Mifflin Science gr K-6

5. Houghton Mifflin: Experinces Science for Students gr K-6

========================

For Social Studies:

1. Geography Lesson Plans for age 5-18 (grades K-12)

========================

For Virtual Field Trip:

1. Amazon Interactive

Let's go to take a virtual trip to the Amazon Rain Forest!

Explore the geography of the Ecuadorian Amazon through online games and activities.

2. A Tour of Your Brain

Age Range: 10 and up

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POSTED BY MUSLIM HOME SCHOOL IN AMERICA AT 8:26 PM 

LABELS: ARABIC, HADITH, ISLAMIC STUDIES, JAN 2008, LANGUAGE ARTS, MATH, QURAN, READING, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, SPELLING, VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP

http://sekolahrumahdiamerika.blogspot.com/2008/01/learn-to-memorize-al-quran.html

[Ayesha Nicole]

Teaching Children to Memorise the Qur’an

Allah revealed in the Qur’an;

"Allah has favoured the believers by sending them a messenger from among themselves,
to recite His verses to them, and teach them the book."

The Prophet (saws) stated;

"The best of you is he who has learnt the Qur’an and then taught it." (Bukhari)

As we can see, (or should I say read), Qur’an recitation as related by Allah and the Prophet (saws) is very important in Islam. We should illustrate this importance within our home educational routine. The following are some steps that will help facilitate the memorising process.

Before One Begins to memorise

Whether memorising the Qur’an or doing anything for Allah, a most important obligation is to purify the intention and correct the goal. Thus, one’s concern to memorise Qur’an and preserve it must be secured for Allah, for gaining His paradise and attaining His pleasure and for acquiring the great rewards that are reserved for those who recite the Qur’an and memorise it. Reiterate to your children the significance of intention and do not restrict its importance to just Qur’anic memorization.

Being aware that the Qur’an is in fact easy to memorise for the one who desires to do so due to the saying of Allah;

"And we have made the Qur’an easy for remembrance (and understanding),
so there is one that will receive admonition?"
[Qur'an 54:22]

Practical Steps for memorising

Correcting Pronunciation and Recitation

The next step in memorising the Qur’an is to correct the pronunciation. This cannot be fulfilled unless one listens to a good precise reciter or someone who has memorised of the Qur’an. If you are not a good reciter then find someone in your community that is insha'Allah. If you are unable to find anyone then utilize Qur’anic tapes by reputable reciters Insha’Allah. Utilize this opportunity to increase your own memorization Insha’Allah.

The Prophet (saws) learned the Qur’an from Jibreel orally. Also the Messenger (saws) used to recite the Qur’an to Jibreel once in every year - in Ramadan. And in the year that he died, he recited it twice.

Likewise, the Messenger (saws) taught the Qur’an to his Companions orally; and he heard it from them, after the had learned it from him, time and again.

One must set a daily limit for the amount of Qur’an that one wishes to memorise. This limit should be reasonable and possible to fulfil. This teaches goal attainment and also a feeling of completion and daily achievement. Help your children set realistic goals Insha’Allah.

One should resist the temptation to move to a new portion of the Qur’an before perfecting the memorization of the current portion that agrees with the set limit. This is a disciplinary measure that helps one concentrate on one thing at a time, reducing interruption, and enabling one to firmly establish one’s current portion in one’s mind.

Continual Recitation and Review

Once one has corrected their recitation and set their daily limit, one should begin their memorization process by continual recitation and repetition of his daily portion. This will ensure that the portion will be retained within the long-term memory instead of the short-term memory where it can be easily forgotten.

The recitation can be reaffirmed;

In the fard (obligatory) as well as the nafl (optional) prayers

While sitting in the Masjid awaiting the jama’ah prayer

Before going to sleep

While waiting for anything (bus, dentist, etc.)

While riding the bus, car, etc.

In this way, it is possible for a person to practice their memorization even when occupied with other matters, because they are not restricted to just one specific time for memorising the Qur’an. By the end of the day, one will find that their set limit is memorised and firmly established in their mind. Make this repetition enjoyable for the children and not a chore. They should enjoy reciting the Qur’an and not view it as a chore Insha’Allah.

Reciting in a Melodic Tone

It is important that one reads melodically. This is important for the following reasons;

Melodic recitation conforms to the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) who used to recite the Qur’an in a melodious and tranquil manner. The Prophet (saws) stated, "Whoever does not chant the Qur’an (recite it melodiously) is not of us." (Bukhari)

It is pleasing to one’s ears, providing incentive to continue with the memorization.

It helps make one’s memorization firm and strong. The tongue will always return to a specific tone of voice, and would thus detect a mistake whenever the balance or harmony on one’s recitation becomes disordered.

Using the Same Copy of the Qur’an

A memoriser of Qur’an should have a specific mushaf (copy of the Qur’an) from which they read all the time. Give each child their own Qur’an for memorization Insha’Allah.

A person memorises using vision as they do using hearing. The script and form of the ayat, and their places in the mushaf leave an imprint in the mind when they are recited and looked at frequently. The positions of the ayat would be different in different types of mushafs, and the script may be different also. This confuses the memory and makes memorising more difficult.

Understanding is the Way to memorising

An important thing that greatly aids the process of memorising Qur’an is to understand the meaning of the ayat one is memorising, and know how they are linked to each other.

Thus the memoriser should read the tafsir (explanation) of the ayat that they desire to memorise, and should bring their meanings to mind while they are reciting them. This makes it easier for them to remember. Try to establish a daily routine of reading tafsir with your children insha’Allah. Have the readings relate to the ayaat they are currently memorising.

As one completes memorising a full surah (chapter of the Qur’an), they should perfect it by connecting its ayaat together, both in meaning and in the flow of their tongue.

When the ayaat are well linked and perfected, one should be able to recite them almost as easily as they recite al-Fatihah. This only occurs through repeating these ayats frequently and reciting them often.

Reciting to Others

A memoriser should not rely on memorising individually. Rather, they should test their memorization by reciting the ayat to a companion who knows them by heart, or who can follow from the mushaf. It is very common for one to make mistakes in memorising a surah, without realizing it - even when one looks at the mushaf. Reading often races the eyesight; and one may overlook their mistakes while reading from the mushaf. Reciting Qur’an to a knowing companion is a means of avoiding these errors and keeping their mind constantly alert. You as a parent can be this companion, a member in the community, or even a sibling if they are knowledgeable enough to recognize errors.

Constant review of What has Been memorised

The Qur’an is different than any other material that one memorises, whether poetry or prose. It quickly evaporates from one’s mind. Allah’s Messenger (saws) said;

"Guard the Qur’an (in your memory); for by Him in whose Hand is my soul, it slips away faster than tied camels." (Bukhari and Muslim)

No sooner would the Prophet (saws) leave, and they would forget what they had finished memorising, even after a short while, it started slipping away from them - they quickly forget it! Thus, it is necessary for one to follow up on what they have memorised in a constant and careful manner. In this regard, the Messenger (saws) said;

"Verily, the example of a possessor (in memory) of Qur’an is like a possessor of tied camels. If he watches over them carefully, he would keep them, if he lets them loose, they would run away from him." (Bukhari and Muslim)

We must ensure that our children watch over the camels carefully and have an allocated portion of the Qur’an that they constantly read each day. Only with this constant revision, and constant watch, they would retain what they memorised from the Qur’an and protect it from slipping away.

Watching for Analogous Sections of the Qur’an

Various parts of the Qur’an resemble each other in meaning, wording or repetition of ayat. Allah states;

"Allah has sent down the most beautiful of speech, a Book, (parts of it) resembling (others), often repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah." [Qur'an 39:23]

The Qur’an consists of more than six thousand ayat. Of those approximately two thousand carry some sort of resemblance to others. The resemblance varies from total coincidence, to a difference in one letter, a word or two, or more.

Thus a good reciter of the Qur’an should direct special attention to the ayat that resemble each other in wording. The excellence of one’s memorization depends on this watchfulness in this regard.

Taking Advantage of the Golden Hours of the Day

The best time of the day to memorise Qur’an is the last part of the night that precedes the fajr (dawn) prayer, or the early morning hours that follows it. At this time, the body is rested and fresh, the mind is clear and sound, the worldly attractions are few and remote, and the blessings abundant.

Taking Advantage of the Golden years of memorising

Successful is he indeed who takes advantage of the best years of memorization, which are approximately from the age of five to twenty-three - these are the golden years of memorising.

We must encourage our children to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity Insha’Allah.

This article was adapted from A Guide for Memorising the Noble Qur’an. English Translation and Compilation by Amjad ibn Muhammad Rafiq. Edited and Supplemented by Muhammad al-Jibali.

http://www.missionislam.com/family/memorising.htm

[Ayesha Nicole]

"While other children are playing games and eating bubble gum, your child could be memorizing thousands of pages from the book of Allah. How does this benefit them? Quite obviously, the child’s mind is trained at such a young age to absorb information and facts. When the child who memorized the Qur’an is put in a class with bubblegum chewing/Playstation absorbed children, there is little doubt who will be the head of the class. Isn’t this what every parent wants?" 

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Video of > MUSLIM CHILD CRYING AFTER MEMORIZING AL-QURAN

A Saudi Muslim child is crying as his father watches him sitting with his teacher & finishing the memorization of The Holy Quran. Very Beautiful Video! He and his father prostrate to ALLAH thanking him at the end! and then he hugs and kisses his father! ALHAMDULILLAH ALONE !
http://www.albaseerah.org

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/U3Svd8L7Z6I&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/U3Svd8L7Z6I&rel=1</a>


* * *

Written in Stone, Tips on Memorizing the Qur'an
by Muhammad Alshareef, www.khutbah.com


Abu Bakr, radi Allahu ‘anhu, sent four armies to fight the nemesis of Musaylimah AlKadhdhab, the liar who had claimed he was a Prophet and God’s Messenger. The armies contained the most senior of Sahabah and their slogan for the battle was, “Oh companions of Surat AlBaqarah!”

The battle raged on and the forces of Musaylimah AlKadhdhab were winning. The Sahabah could not lose; they would not lose. ‘Ammar ibn Yasser, radi Allahu ‘anhu, mounted a rock and called to all the Muslim fighters, “YAA HAMALAT ALQURAN!!” Oh carriers of the Qur’an!

He gathered a battalion of Sahabah that only consisted of the Huffadh. Every fighter at the side of ‘Ammar ibn Yasser had memorized the Qur’an in his heart. The battle was won!

Back to today. Have you ever been in a Masjid with elder respected members of a community, but when Salah time comes, a young unassuming brother steps forward from amongst everyone and leads the congregation? Why was this young boy honored such? Someone whispers into your ear, “Oh, don’t you know? He memorized the Qu’ran by heart.”

Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Verily, Allah elevates some people with this Qur'an and abases others.'' [Muslim].

This article is meant [for] those who have taken their first steps, not those who are still waiting for motivation. It is dedicated to all our young brothers and sisters in Qu’ran Hifdh schools (and all the wanna bes J). In sha Allah, I will discuss how you can become more effective in your memorization of the Qur’an.

Let me ask this question, “Who wants to memorize the Qur’an?” No doubt, the hands initially will rise slowly, but then almost everyone should have their hand raised. But, most truthfully, is that desire a sincere, heartfelt desire? If it was, then action would follow. If I said, “Who wants to lose weight?” Most people would raise their hands and upon being asked would mention the steps they are taking to achieve their goal. What steps are we taking to memorize the Qur’an if indeed our intentions are passionate?

I would like to tell you a story of my own. A few months ago, I was sitting in a Halal chicken restaurant in Canada. All of a sudden, one of my classmates from the Qur’an school I went to when I was young entered. We hugged each other and sat together reminiscing about our days in Qur’an school. I told him about Allah’s blessings upon me and my family. He said to me, “Muhammad, I swear by Allah, I still remember the day when you came to the school and you couldn’t read alif-baa-taa correctly!” Sitta azizah’s mushaf

We attend school for about 13 years. Then another 4 or 6 or 10 years at a University. More then 15 years of our life in such a slow process. Why? Because, we see the benefit of education for prosperity on earth. Why then do we not see such a rush to memorize the book of Allah? Perhaps the benefits are not readily apparent. Consider the following:

While other children are playing games and eating bubble gum, your child could be memorizing thousands of pages from the book of Allah. How does this benefit them? Quite obviously, the child’s mind is trained at such a young age to absorb information and facts. When the child who memorized the Qur’an is put in a class with bubblegum chewing/Playstation absorbed children, there is little doubt who will be the head of the class. Isn’t this what every parent wants?

Umar’s Dawee anNahl observed: What is our Dawee? On the highway, it’s music and tv. Our golden generations were not golden because they watched tv and listened to music. They were golden because of their buzzing with the Qur’an.

When a young brother or sister is blessed with the gift of memorizing the entire Qur’an, it is a sign that Allah ta’ala loves them! Many humans chase after material wealth. They may achieve it, but that is not a sign that Allah loves them. Look at Fir’own, he had everything of the material world, but he was one of the most hated humans because of his actions.

Moses prayed: "Our Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of the present, and so, Our Lord, they mislead (men) from Thy Path. Deface our Lord, the features of their wealth, and send hardness to their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous penalty." [Qur'an 10:88]
And more than material wealth, what humans really want in life is significance and contribution. No one wants to live their life without having done something for their Deen and the betterment of life on earth. We want to leave a legacy.

With that in mind, notice the life of a Haafidh. From a very young age, he or she is pushed into a position of leadership. Consider it a mere 10% shift in their path. In the beginning it seems like a little, but after 20 or 50 years, it becomes a different destiny.

Notice the young brothers that memorized the Qur’an in your community, they are already pushed to the front of the congregation by virtue of their accomplishment. They, at this early start, are forced to contribute to the community and live a life of significance. Bi idhnillah. That’s what we all want. The Qur’an can do it for you.

But these gifts have a condition: the taqwa of Allah. There is one absolute naseeha that will make or break the persons drive to memorize the Qur’an: One must desist from sin! Ibn Mas’ood said, “I feel that indeed someone will forget knowledge they had a acquired because of sins they commit.”

When Abu Haneefah, rahimahullah, was confronted with a Fiqh Mas’alah that he was unable to conclude, he would get up and pray two raka’at in tawbah to Allah. These are people who truly knew the prize to be won. Allah ta’ala teaches us in the Qur’an: [Be conscious of Allah and Allah will teach you.] This knowledge is from Allah ta’ala, a gift. It makes no sense that someone spends their nights disobeying the gift-giver while awaiting His gifts in the morning.

Al-Khateeb reported in al-Jaami’ (2/387) that Yahya ibn Yahya said: “A man asked Maalik ibn Anas, ‘O Abu ‘Abd-Allaah! Is there anything that will improve my memory?’ Maalik ibn Anas, rahimahullah, replied, ‘If anything will improve it, it is giving up sin.’” Bishr Alhaafee, rahimahullah, said, "A servant commits a sin, and is deprived [thereby] of performing tahajjud."

In this country, the wealthy are followed and studied. What are the secrets of massive accumulation of wealth? I wish someone would do a study on Huffadh. I’ve done my own surveying (albeit unscientific) of those who accomplished the memorization of the Qur’an. Every Hafidh I know has strong encouraging parents. I do not have any examples of anyone who memorized the Qur’an who has an irreligious family.

One parent I know has two and soon to be three, in sha Allah, of his children who memorized the Qur’an. I know you’re thinking, three! Hey share some of those kids with ours, that’s not fair. Well, I contemplated his situation. The father takes his children to class and at the same time, he tries his utmost to memorize the Qur’an himself. His children, day after day, see their father practicing his words. They don’t hear him say things like, ‘Hey kids, don’t be like me.’ Absolutely not.

The key: if you want your children to be effective in their Deen and their memorization of Qur’an, YOU have to be the one that you want your children to become. Do not let them see a contradiction.

When I was young, I did not want to go to a Qur’an school. Subhan Allah. I went to that Qur’an school, I went to Madinah University and here I am today. I recently received a beautiful email after giving a lecture to the Canadian Hujjaj, my father’s group. While I spoke, my father had his head up high, smiling and crying during the speech. The brother wrote in his email that he was watching my father during the lecture. It dawned on him that Muhammad is here today giving this speech because of the dua of this man! I hadn’t contemplated it much until I read that email, for indeed it is correct. After the tawfeeq of Allah, it was the dua of my parents for me that helped me become who I am.

Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “The heart that has no Qur’an in it is like an abandoned ruined dwelling.” [At-Tirmidhi]. What kind of home would you like your heart to dwell in? excusitis, is a most powerful sickness that keeps people back from accomplishing in life. Excuse-itis. If you interview effective people, you will rarely find them making excuses. If you want to succeed in your memorization, never make excuses. Do what you have to do. I forbid those around me from making excuses. I advise the same for you. Do what you have to do to accomplish. If you cannot, then do not make excuses.

One of the interesting excuses is “I have to completely understand the Qur’an before I memorize it. I have to know Arabic, and Fiqh and Hadith before I start from the source.” Do not look at what a scholar is currently reading or studying. Look at what he did in the beginning. Every single scholar I have ever met started with Qur’an, nothing else. If you want to accumulate massive knowledge of this Deen, you must begin with memorization of the Qur’an. The children in the Hifdh school are well on their way to accomplishing massive accumulation of knowledge of this deen by virtue of their Hifdh. Bi idhnillah.

Let me give you two views by two very different people and how they look at the challenges of life:

Person 1: “Oh man, that’s a killer. I can’t do that. This time I just give up. Looks like I’m finally whipped. I’ll never amount to anything. I’m tired.”
Person 2: “Awesome, that was the kind of challenge I’ve been waiting for. Yaa Rabb, I am going to make you proud of me. I’m going to give it my best. I’m going to pump 110% of my energy into every part of this challenge!”

Guess which one will succeed in their memorization of the Qur’an. That’s right, the second one. Why? Because the second one has the right attitude.

When I hear someone talking about their attempts to memorize Qur’an, I can usually tell which category they have locked themselves into. It is not the Qur’an. The Qur’an is easy to remember. Allah ta’ala testifies to that in the Qur’an: [And verily we made the Qur’an easy to remember, so is there anyone who will take heed?] If you think it’s easy for you, it is. If you think it is hard for you, it is. It is your attitude that determines it.

Below are some quick tips that will help you in memorizing the Qur’an:

You absolutely must have a teacher. Do NOT memorize on your own. You must have a teacher who you respect and whom you fear. Don’t ask ‘how’ to memorize the Qur’an. Ask where you can find the best teacher. The teacher will then guide you on the ‘how’.
Distractions. In memorizing the Qur’an, you must free your mind and environment of distractions. Imagine trying to memorize at a football game? Tough, huh? How about a theme park, could you sit down and control yourself to memorize? Probably not. Getting into a Qur’an Hifdh program with a teacher and discipline will assist you in creating the perfect atmosphere for memorization.
Memorize through Audio. A lot of people think they are memorizing the ‘look’ of the Mushaf, but actually you are memorizing the ‘sound’ of Ayat. When I review, I record my recitation on CD and listen to it again and again. The students that read the loudest in class are all the strongest students. Why? Because they can hear themselves the most?
When I was in Qur’an school, the boy beside me read so loud. I asked the teacher to ask him to read more quietly. He said a most powerful statement that became my motto: “No, you read louder!” I did and it benefited me unbelievably.

Location of the Mushaf. Your eyes follow a specific direction depending on what you are thinking or doing. If you are lying, your eyes go left. If you are remembering something visual, like where you left your keys, your eyes will look upwards.
When you memorize, the direction of memorization is right and left, not downwards. The mistake I see people make is that they put their mushaf low on the ground and then try to memorize. In order to fully harness the power of your mind, you must keep the mushaf at eye level, and not dip your head..

Eat brain food. We’ve all heard the advice of uncles that you have to eat Badams (almonds) to improve memory. Well, I’m here to tell you that the uncles were right! The food you eat, the drinks you drink, directly affect your ability to excel in memorization of the Qur’an.
Do not eat fatty, unhealthy food. Do not drink soda. Eat a nutritious light breakfast, a nutritious light lunch, with almonds for snacks during the day. Subhan Allah, you will find you accomplish much more in your day.

Make everyday a victory. You can move a mountain rock by rock. Enjoy every page you memorize, every Ayah.
I am often asked about my secret to memorizing the Qur’an. They are expecting me to teach them a special ‘south-beach-hifdh-diet’ or something. (I call it tip shopping, they are expecting a specific tip). I say again and again, there is no doubt that there are three ingredients. If you have these three ingredients, you will accomplish what you set out for:

Dua, supplication (you must always reflect your desire to Allah).
Sabr, patience (it will be a testing path, fill your bags with Sabr powerbars).
Taqwa, protecting yourself from sin.
If you do not remember anything from this article except these three ingredients (DST – Dua, Sabr, Taqwa - DST) then, bi idhnillah, it will suffice.

`Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The one who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: `Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayah you recite.''' [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

How many ranks will you climb on the Day of Resurrection?

How many ranks would you like to climb?

http://www.beautifulislam.net/quran/written_in_stone.htm

[Ayesha Nicole]

Fatwa No : 94128

How to help one’s children memorize the Quran

  Fatwa Date : Rabee' Al-Awwal 20, 1428 / 8-4-2007

Question:  Salam Alaikom, is it ok if children 4-12 yrs old to play (games,toys) excessively all day everyday? If I wanted to make my child a Hafith/ Hafida el Quran (memorize) what can I do to help them memorize it? Can you please teach us how to teach our children to memorize the Quran step by step? At what age must we start to teach them? Jazakom Allah Khair!!

Answer:  All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  is His slave and Messenger.
 
It is not correct or acceptable for the children to spend all their time playing. We have already issued Fataawa 83778 [ http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&lang=E&Id=83778 ]and 86237 [ http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&lang=E&Id=86237 ] clarifying the conditions of being serious with children and when to allow them to play during cultivation, and how to guide them to learn the matters of religion, so please refer to the above Fataawa. We also clarified in Fatwa 83178 [ http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&lang=E&Id=83178 ] the priorities of religious education for children, and issued Fatwa 86146 [ http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&lang=E&Id=86146 ] about the ruling on computer games and the like.

As regards the best way to teach the children how to memorize the Quran, then to be frank with you, the first step for a person who lives in a non-Muslim country where dissoluteness is widespread, is to take his children out of that country and go to a Muslim country where there are fewer sins and where the schools for memorizing the Quran are so many.

Indeed, trying to cultivate the children upon good moral principles and religion in countries like the one you live in is a very difficult task, and this is something experienced.

Nonetheless, we advise whoever is unable to leave the non-Muslim country, to endeavour to teach his children the Quran and if there are places for the memorization of the Quran, he has to take his children there, and make sure that they attend. He should follow up with their memorization of the Quran, and earnestly supplicate Allaah to enable them to do good and guide them.

With regard to the age when the father should start teaching the memorization of the Quran to his son, it is the age of distinction. Therefore, if the child reaches the age where he can distinguish and understand what is said to him and answer, then this is the first age of teaching him.

However, the process of teaching him should be gradual according to the ability of the child.

Allaah Knows best.

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=94128

[Ayesha Nicole]

Fatawah 32436

Pedagogy education and upbringing

Question:  How can she teach her five-year-old sister to memorize Qur’aan?  I have a sister who is five and half years old and I want to teach her to memorize Qur’aan. Where should I start with her, and how?.

Answer:  Praise be to Allaah. 

Raising children to follow Islam from an early age, teaching them to memorize the Book of Allaah and educating them is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and is regarded as a very important matter, especially in this day and age. But it is something that many people neglect with regard to their children and those under their care, and they get distracted by things that will be of no benefit to them in the Hereafter and may indeed harm them, and make them emotionally attached to those who do not even deserve to be mentioned, let alone taken as role models, such as actors, sports players and singers.

We appreciate our sister’s question and we ask Allaah to make her steadfast and to help her in this matter and others, and to decree reward for her on the Day of Judgement. What can be greater than meeting one's Lord with a record of good deeds which includes guiding others to do good or sharing in establishing good?

With regard to this little sister and teaching her to memorize Qur’aan, we advise our sister to do the following:

1 - Start with that which is easiest to read and memorize, namely Soorat al-Faatihah, then with the last juz’, working from the end. Starting with something easy helps one to move on to more difficult material. Moreover she will have a real need for that when she starts to learn the prayer.

2 - The amount to be memorized every day should be small, so that she will be able to memorize it and it will be easy for her to memorize what comes next. This amount will vary from one child to the next, depending on his or her intelligence and memory.

3 - Review often so that what has been memorized will stick. Do not let any day go by without memorizing something new and reviewing the old.

4 - Encourage her by giving her a prize every time she finishes a juz’ – for example – and memorizes it well.

5 - Start to move from prompting her and having her repeat, which is usually the first stage in memorization, to teaching her how to read, so that it will be easy for her to read the Qur’aan by herself at times when her sister or teacher are not present.

6 - Let her get used to reciting what she has memorized in her prayer, whether that is obligatory or naafil prayer, once she reaches an age where prayer is required of her and she can understand it.

7 - Get her get used to listening to what she has memorized on tapes or on the computer, so that she can hear both a good pronunciation and good recitation, and she can review and consolidate what she has learned.

8 - Choose a good time for memorization when there are few distractions – such as after Fajr or between Maghrib and ‘Isha’. Avoid times when she is hungry, tired or sleepy.

9 - Praise her for what she has memorized in front of neighbours and relatives, so as to encourage her and encourage them to do the same thing; at the same time, pray for refuge for her with Allaah for fear of the evil eye and envy (hasad).

10 - It is essential for her to have one style of Mus-haf with no changes, so that the layout of the verses will be imprinted in her memory.

11 - You should encourage her to write out what she has memorized so that she may combine learning how to write with reinforcing what she has memorized.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Islam Q&A

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/32436

[Ayesha Nicole]

How a mother aided her daughter in memorizing the Quran at age 7!

http://www.7cgen.com/index.php?showtopic=34068

[Ayesha Nicole]

Golden advices to memorize Qur'an

http://muslimmomscafe.com/forums/showthread.php?25508-Tips-to-memorize-the-quran

[Ayesha Nicole]

http://ummahatsalafiyat.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/hifdh/

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