Part 1: You Became Muslim. Now What? A Gentle Guide to Learning The Qur’an as a New Muslim.
- Maktabah Az Zahraa'
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
This series of posts will take you through the revert and beginner journey, sharing practical tips to help you move from where you are now to where you want to be. But before we get into the practical side of things, there is something I want you to remember about:
That sinking feeling.
A tough ayah comes up. A difficult letter just will not seem to come out correctly. Someone asks a question and you do not know the answer. Then that sinking feeling arrives and sits at the bottom of your stomach like a weight.
Your nafs whispers, “I'm so behind.” But what if, instead of allowing that feeling to consume you, you used it as an opportunity to pause, reevaluate your intention and renew it for the sake of Allah? because what really matters is how Allah sees you. Not what your classmates might be thinking. Not what you imagine your teacher might be thinking. Not whether someone else seems to be progressing faster than you. You are learning because you want to seek the pleasure of Allah. You are learning because you want to become closer to His Book. You are learning because you want the reward from Him, and Him alone.
Ask yourself this. Would you rather walk into a class knowing everything already, or walk into a class where you can genuinely benefit and learn? Surely, the answer is the second one. But learning comes at a price. You have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Comfortable with not knowing, comfortable with making mistakes and being corrected, and that's where the real progress happens, and where you see difficulty, Allah sees your effort.You will make mistakes. You will forget things. You will struggle with pronunciation. You will have days where you feel like you are making no progress at all. And when those moments come, renew your intention and keep showing up. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the noble and righteous scribes, and the one who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult, while striving in it, will have two rewards.” Sahih al Bukhari 4937 and Sahih Muslim 798.
Being a beginner is not a failure.
Think about a baby learning to speak. Nobody looks at a baby and asks why they do not know how to speak properly yet. They are learning. They repeat themselves. They make mistakes. They try again.
Eventually, what once seemed impossible becomes something natural.
Your journey with the Qur’an can be like this too.
Yes, children may sometimes find certain aspects of learning easier than adults, but that does not mean you are too old to begin. It does not mean you are behind. And it certainly does not mean you should be ashamed of starting from zero because everyone starts somewhere.
So do not look at where you are today and assume that this is where you will always remain because the only person you should be comparing yourself against is...yourself. Not the sister who can read fluently. Not the student who has memorised more than you. Not the person who started learning after you but somehow seems further ahead. Their journey is theirs, and yours is yours.
Instead, ask yourself, “Do I know more today than I did yesterday?” “Did I practise even when I did not feel like it?” “Did I correct one mistake?” “Did I show up?”. That is real progress.
Progress does not always look impressive. Sometimes progress is simply opening the Qur’an when your nafs tells you not to. Sometimes it is repeating the same letter again and again. Sometimes it is finally recognising an ayah that you could not recognise before. And never underestimate the small, consistent steps. You might only have ten minutes to give today. You might only manage to practise one letter, read a few ayat, or learn one new word. But do not think that because it is small, it does not matter.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are done consistently, even if they are few.” and The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not belittle any good deed, even if it is meeting your brother with a cheerful face.”
Learning the Qur’an is a lifelong journey.
Guess what? That sinking feeling...it never goes away AND
You do not have to master everything today.
You do not have to understand every rule before you begin.
You do not have to become “good enough” before you deserve to learn.
There will always be another ayah to learn, another word to understand, another aspect of tajweed to improve and another opportunity to strengthen your relationship with the Book of Allah.
So give yourself permission to be a student. Be humble enough to say, “I do not know.” Be courageous enough to ask. Be patient enough to repeat. And be sincere enough to continue, and finally...
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