A fundamental thing we must remember is that the number of times you finish the Quran is not as important as what you gain from reading. You may read just a few ayat but these could be the fuel that kickstarts a change in your life. The Word of Allah: First Come to the Quran with a strong and deep faith that it is the word of Allah, your Creator, and Lord. This book is no ordinary book; it opens with the emphatic statement: Allah says:

وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ

“Remember your Lord in yourselves with humility and in private without announcing it in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:205)

Certain basic states and attitudes of heart and mind are a necessary prerequisite to any fruitful relationship with the Quran. Develop them as much as you can. Make them part of your consciousness, keep them ever-alive and active. Integrate them into your actions. Let them penetrate the depth of your being. Without the help of this inner resource, you will not receive your full measure of the Quran’s blessings. Allah says:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

“The believers are but brothers, so make reconciliation between your brothers and fear Allah that you may receive mercy.” (Surat al-Hujurat 49:10)

Just like everything else we do, it is important to first make the reasons to read the Quran clear to ourselves. Many of us read the Quran mainly to gain Pahala. However, just that it is not strong enough for us to continue to make reading it a habit. Have other reasons like:

• To gain more knowledge – what is it that you can learn from the ayat that you just read?
• To have direct access to Allah – to be able to communicate straight to Him.
• To continuously heal and cleanse your heart from all the diseases of the heart – jealousy, spirit, khurafat,

“. . . guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.” (Quran:2:184)

Make yourself constantly alert with intense praise and gratitude to your Lord for having blessed you with the greatest gift – the Qur’an – and for having guided you to its reading and study. Once you realize what a priceless treasure you hold in your hands, it is but natural for your heart to beat with joy and murmur, and for your tongue to join in: Allah says:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

“The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say words of peace.” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:63)

Accept and trust, without the least doubt or hesitation, every knowledge and guidance that the Qur’an conveys to you. You have the freedom to question whether the Qur’an is the word of Allah or not and to reject its claim if you are not satisfied. But once you have accepted it as His word, you have no basis whatever to doubt even a single word of it.

Develop a More Meaningful Relationship With the Quran:

1. Quran informed about humans and described our Lord
2. Quran told us about His attributes, names, and deeds
3. Quran is a miracle in terms of its words and meaning
4. Quran will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment
5. Quran teaches forgive those who did wrong to you
6. Quran acts as the first source of Islamic Shariah
7. Quran is a source of guidance for humanity
8. Quran is a piece of knowledge and lessons
9. Quran fulfilment of religious duty
10. Quran will lead to Paradise
11. Quran is a book of spiritual healing
12. Quran is used/recited in the daily prayers
13. Quran focuses divine light on every object 
14. Quran is used in taking oaths and swearing
15. Quran has shown mankind the path of repentance
16. Quran separating thereby the right from the wrong
17. Quran acts as a source of knowledge to the Muslims
18. Quran is the whole of not only meaning but also words
19. Quran was revealed into the heart of the Prophet (PBUH)
20. Quranic context, knowledge, carries a great significance

Bring the will, resolve and readiness to obey whatever the Qur’an says, and change your life, attitudes, and behaviour-inwardly and outwardly-as desired by it. Unless you are prepared and begin to act to shape your thoughts and actions according to the messages you receive from the Qur’an, all your dedication and labour may be to no avail. Mere intellectual exercises and ecstatic experiences will never bring you anywhere near the real treasures of the Qur’an. Allah says:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا

“Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. Remember the favour of Allah upon you, when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became brothers by his favour.”(Surat Ali Imran 3:103)

Always remain aware that, as you embark upon reading the Qur’an, Satan will create every possible hazard and obstacle to stalk you on your way to the great riches of the Qur’an. Trust, exclusively and totally, in Allah to lead you to the full rewards of reading the Qur’an. Reading the Qur’an, the tilawah must involve your whole ‘person’. Only thus will you be able to elevate your encounter with the Qur’an to the level where you can be called.

Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:

• “((Allah)) Most Gracious!” (Surah Ar-Rahman, 1)
• “By the Qur’an, full of Wisdom.” (Surah Yasin, 2)
• “It is He Who has taught the Qur’an.” (Surah Ar-Rahman, 2)
• “That this is indeed a Quran Most Honourable.” (Surah Al-Waqia, 77)
• “By the Glorious Qur’an (Thou art Allah.s Messenger..” (Surah Qaf, 1)
• “By the Qur’an, Full of Admonition: (This is the Truth).” (Surah Saad, 1)
• “It is We Who have sent down the Qur’an to thee by stages.” (Surah Al-Insan, 23)
• “What then is the matter with them, that they believe not?” (Surah Al-Inshiqaq, 20)
• “And when the Qur’an is read to them, they fall not prostrate.” (Surah Al-Inshiqaq, 21)
• “These are verses of the Quran, -a book that makes (things) clear.” (Surah An-Naml, 1)
• “These are the Ayats of Revelation,- of a Qur’an that makes things clear.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 1)
• “O, my Lord! Truly my people took this Qur’an for just foolish nonsense.” (Surah Al-Furqan, 30)
• “We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, so that ye may learn wisdom.” (Surah Yusuf, 2)
• “We have not sent down the Qur’an to thee to be (an occasion) for thy distress.” (Surah Ta-Ha, 2)
• “(So also on such) as have made Qur’an into shreds (as they please).” (Surah Al-Hijr, 91)
• “We have explained (things) in various (ways) in this Qur’an, so that they may receive admonition, but it only increases their flight (from the Truth)!” (Surah Al-Isra, 41)
• ”Thankful praise be to Allah, who has guided us to this; [otherwise] never could we have found guidance had Allah not guided us.” (al-A’raf 7:43)
• “When thou dost recite the Qur’an, We put, between thee and those who believe not in the Hereafter, a veil invisible.” (Surah Al-Isra, 45)
• “As to thee, the Qur’an is bestowed upon thee from the presence of one who is wise and all-knowing.” (Surah An-Naml, 6)
• “We have put forth for men, in this Qur’an every kind of Parable, so that they may receive admonition.” (Surah Az-Zumar, 27)
• “(It is) a Qur’an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): so that they may guard against Evil.” (Surah Az-Zumar, 28)
• “And We have bestowed upon thee the Seven Oft-repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur’an.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 87)

Having a goal insight will help you stay motivated. Again, this should be a personal goal determined by your abilities. It may be to complete the whole Quran or perhaps to memorize a significant portion of the Quran. The more important part of your ‘person’ is your inner self. This inner self the Qur’an calls the qalb or the ‘heart’. The heart of the Prophet, blessings, and peace be on him, was the first recipient of the Quranic message: Allah says:

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from the Shaitaan, the accursed.” (Surah An-Nahl, 16:98)

We want to strengthen our relationship with the Quran is to ensure we find the guidance Allah has set out. Therefore, we must make sure we act on what we learn, In Shaa Allah. You will, therefore, reap the full joys and blessings of reading the Qur’an when you can involve your heart fully in your task, Insh’Allah. May Allah always guide us to the right path and be pleased with us. Ameen.