9 replies to this topic

[abdullahfath]

salaam alaiykum brothers & sisters,

If one is trying to learn a new surah how long should they go over it before breaking? And how long should they break before coming back to it?

[ParadiseLost]

wa alaykum as salaam
Do you mean how long should one spend trying to learn a surah? Well it really depends on the length of the surah and the person trying to learn it as people have different ways of learning. My advise is to start off with the smaller surahs which occur at the end of the quran some are only 3 and 5 verses so it shouldn't take long. I prefer to slowly learn the surahs because if you rush through learning them you might find you won't remember them. Also you have to keep practicing once you learnt them so make sure you say them during your prayers.

I don't know if my technique will be useful for you because everyone is different but I will tell you what I do. I start learning the first verse on its own. I listen to it being recited over and over and then I try to say it using the transliterations. However I also learn the meaning of the arabic words so that when I am reciting it I know what I am saying because there is no point in reciting arabic words and you don't know their meanings. Two websites I find useful for this are: http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/ this website you can choose the recited and choose how many times you want to listen to the verse in particular or surah as a whole. Then this website http://www.allahsquran.com/learn/ shows the meanings of the words and the arabic script. Also http://quran.com/ is useful for transliteration.

You will know yourself when you have learnt the verse well enough because you will be able to say it by yourself without mistakes and then you can move on to the next verse.

[abdullahfath]

wa alaykum as salaam
Do you mean how long should one spend trying to learn a surah? Well it really depends on the length of the surah and the person trying to learn it as people have different ways of learning. My advise is to start off with the smaller surahs which occur at the end of the quran some are only 3 and 5 verses so it shouldn't take long. I prefer to slowly learn the surahs because if you rush through learning them you might find you won't remember them. Also you have to keep practicing once you learnt them so make sure you say them during your prayers.

I don't know if my technique will be useful for you because everyone is different but I will tell you what I do. I start learning the first verse on its own. I listen to it being recited over and over and then I try to say it using the transliterations. However I also learn the meaning of the arabic words so that when I am reciting it I know what I am saying because there is no point in reciting arabic words and you don't know their meanings. Two websites I find useful for this are: http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/ this website you can choose the recited and choose how many times you want to listen to the verse in particular or surah as a whole. Then this website http://www.allahsquran.com/learn/ shows the meanings of the words and the arabic script. Also http://quran.com/ is useful for transliteration.

You will know yourself when you have learnt the verse well enough because you will be able to say it by yourself without mistakes and then you can move on to the next verse.

Well @ present I am trying to learn Surah Al-Falaq and was trying to figure out how much time to spend on trying to learn it before stepping away from it for a bit. And how long should it be before I come back to it to work on trying to memorize it some more. Right now I have memorized the first two verses completely.

[ParadiseLost]

well that is a good surah to start with. You said you have learnt 2 verses so keep continuing until you learn the rest. I usually spend 5-6 days on one surah but really as I said it depends on the person. Maybe you are a quicker learner than me. Maybe try memorise what you can today, come back tomorrow and see what you remember.

[abdullahfath]

That is what I meant as far as how much time one should spend consecutively on it. ie thirty minutes, an hr, etc.

[Younes]

As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh

There is no specified time limit. You will have to come up with your own plan. Some people can memorize something by just hearing it once (Very rare though, I hope I did not get you scared). For others it takes more time.

My way of learning Surahs is the following. I read it many times (not all at once but spaced out during days) and I don't even try to memorize. After reading it a few times the words become kind of etched in my mind, then I will try to recall it without reading. After that it becomes memorized. I have a background in Arabic though. I don't know if that matters.

Don't be in a hurry though. Most of the Sahaba (ra), if I recall correctly, learned only 5 verses per day - spaced out during a period of approximately 23 years.

Take as long it takes. Let's say you can memorize something in 5 minutes. Then that's what you do. If it takes 30 minutes or an hour, so be it. Although you might not want to memorize for one hour in one sitting. It is better to space it out. That's just my opinion. For you one hour in one sitting could be the thing. You have to figure out what works for you.

[Younes]

My way of learning Surahs is the following. I read it many times (not all at once but spaced out during days) and I don't even try to memorize. After reading it a few times the words become kind of etched in my mind, then I will try to recall it without reading. After that it becomes memorized. I have a background in Arabic though. I don't know if that matters.

Listening is just as good by the way. Listening+reading is the most optimal.

[abdullahfath]

salaam alaiykum,

funny it is through such a manner that I learned surah al-fatiha and surah al inkhras (not sure if I am spelling that right). It was printed off for me and I would, initially, use the print off to perform salah. Later I began to try to perform salah without the print off and found that I could remember the words.

[ParadiseLost]

salaam alaiykum,

funny it is through such a manner that I learned surah al-fatiha and surah al inkhras (not sure if I am spelling that right). It was printed off for me and I would, initially, use the print off to perform salah. Later I began to try to perform salah without the print off and found that I could remember the words.

as salaam alaykum

that made me laugh because I also used to learn how to perform salah by printing off sheets with images of each position and the arabic words to say and they would all be in front of me - its funny how we learn at least I am glad I can do it without sheets now!

[abdullahfath]

yea that was a bit bunglesome