thalamtnafsee:

..the sheikh who mentored and initially inspired me to consider memorizing Quran told me something quite absurd long ago, and it was this: not everyone can memorize Quran.

At first, I wanted to believe this was true because heck, I was one of his students, and everyone knew if you were a student of Sheikh Ahmed, you were a serious Quran student. I wanted to believe that I was capable enough, a nonspeaking Arabic girl, to memorize the Quran just like the rest of the girls memorizing. Because I didn’t have much motivation and encouragement from home, the fact that Sheikh was filling this void for me at school, and in such a profound manner, really had me believe that I was chosen.

And yet, two years later, I have not finished memorizing the Quran. And yet, I still fail to fully encompass the message of Quran as thoroughly in my life as possible. And unfortunately, I am still struggling to understand the allegorical verses in the Quran. It was a big thrust to my ego, knowing that two years later, I still did not accomplish what I desired to attain in my last year of high school. 

But I’m a living example that every single Muslim has the capacity to fully articulate, memorize, read, and understand Quran; I truly believe that. No, people are not chosen. It is you choosing your own self to be chosen for Quran that has you formulate a relationship with it. 

• if you can not read, listen to Quran: try to synchronize your ipod or phones with new a new music player that plays surah’s in the Quran that you love and enjoy listening to. 
• search for your favorite surah: the most loveliest feeling in the world is finding ‘the one;’ the surah that you truly love listening to constantly no matter how many times it plays. 
• one day within your week: devote an hour after your friday prayer to reading a surah that you particularly find easy reading. evalute your schedule, search for a free time, and stamp it Quran time. Promise yourself that this portion of your day will be for Quran and Quran alone. 
• find “the one”: when I laid my eyes on the Quran I decided was going to be my partner for life, I swear to Allah, I couldn’t let go of it. I hugged it, I literally held it close to my heart, and I showed it off to everyone. Take one of your friends out, go to your local masjid or Islamic bookstore, and find the Quran you love. 
• read to your friend, read to yourself: find a Quran partner, that always works for me. I always sit my younger brother down and have him test me in my memorization. Go find one of your friends that is willing to do this just as much as you are, and read with him/her. Test eachother, read to eachother, and listen to one another read Quran. 

InshAllah you take this into consideration and really push yourselves forward with the Quran. Have the Quran be the core of your existence, and allow your mind, heart, and struggle revolve around it. Allah is great. Take the time to understand Allah, and Allah will bless you in ways unimaginable.