Maneno ya Kiarabu yanayolingana na "reading" ni qifaat na tilawat. Maneno yote mawili yametumiwa na Qur'an kuhusiana na usomaji wa Qur'an.

he Arabic equivalents for "reading" are qifaat and tilawat. Both these terms have been employed by the Qur'an in connection with the reading of the Qur'an.

Neno tilawat hutumika kwa kusoma Kitabu Kitakatifu kwa heshima yote inayostahili kama maandiko matakatifu, kwa akili iliyo wazi, ikiwa tayari kabisa kupokea athari yake, na kwa hamu ya dhati ya kuyafanya maisha yetu yaendane na mafundisho yake. Ni neno linalotumika hasa kwa kusoma vitabu vya mbinguni. Qir'aat, kwa upande mwingine, ni neno la jumla linalotumika kwa kusoma kitabu chochote kile.

The term tilawat is used for reading the Holy Book with all the reverence due to it as a sacred scrip{ure, with an open mind fully disposed to imbibing its influence, and with a keen desire to model our lives upon its teaching. It is a term specifically used for the reading of heavenly books. Qir'aat, however, is a general term used for reading any kind of book.

Tofauti hii katika maana ya maneno haya mawili kama visawe vya "kusoma" inathibitishwa na maana zao halisi; kwa kuwa tilawat maana yake ni "kufuata au kutembea nyuma ya mtu fulani," wakati qir'aat maana yake ni tu "kuchora au kuunganisha vitu pamoja." Mwanzoni, neno qir'aat lilitumika kwa ajili ya kujifunza Qur'ani na kupata elimu yake, na qaan alikuwa mwanachuoni wa Qur'ani. Kadiri muda ulivyopita, the

This difference in the connotation of these two words as equivalents of "reading" is borne out by their literal meanings; for tilawat means "to follow or walk behind some one," while qir'aat means just "to draw or combine things together." In the beginning, the word qir'aat was used for learning the Qur'an and acquiring its knowledge, and a qaan was originally a scholar of the Qur'an. As time passed, the .

neno hilo polepole lilitenganishwa na maana yake ya asili, na likaanza kutumika kumaanisha kusoma Qur'ani kwa matamshi sahihi na kwa mudo kulingana na kanuni za tajwīd, ilhali neno tilāwah likaanza kutumika kama neno la jumla la kusoma kitabu kitukufu kwa bidii na ibada, kwa lengo la kutafuta uongofu na baraka.

term was gradually torn from its original meaning and came to be used for reading the Qur'an with correct pronunciation and modulation according to the rules of tajweed, whereas the word tilawat came to be used as a general term for reading the sacred book with fervor and devotion, for the purpose of seeking guidance and blessings.

Kusoma Qur'ani Tukufu (tilawah) si ibada muhimu tu, bali pia ni njia madhubuti ya kuendelea kuufanya imani (iman) yetu kuwa mpya. Qur'an si kitabu cha kueleweka mara moja na kwa wote. Ni kitabu cha kusomwa tena na tena na cha kusomwa milele, kwa sababu hutoa riziki kwa nafsi ya binadamu. Kama mwili wetu wa kidunia unavyohitaji chakula daima, kinachopatikana kutoka ardhini, ndivyo pia nafsi yetu, ambayo ina asili ya mbinguni, inavyohitaji daima msaada wa Wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu ili kujilea na kujiimarisha. Kama Qur'ani ingeeleweka mara moja na kwa wote, basi isingekuwa na haja ya Mtume Muhammad ﷺ kuendelea kuwepo.

Tilawat of the Holy Qur'an is not only an important form of worship but also an effective method of continually refreshing our /man (faith). The Qur'an is not a book to be understood once and for all. It is a book to be read again and again and to be studied forever, because it provides sustenance to the human soul. As our earthly body is in constant need of food that is obtained from the.earth, so too our soul, which is of heavenly origin, constantly needs the help of Divine Revelation for fostering and strengthening itself. If the Qur'an were to be understood once and for all, there would have been no need for the Holy Prophet (SAW)

- kuisoma tena na tena. Kinyume chake, tunaona kutokana na kusoma Qur'an yenyewe kwamba aliamriwa kufanya hivyo. Katika siku za mwanzo kabisa za utume wake, Mtume Muhammad ﷺ aliagizwa hasa kusimama sehemu kubwa ya usiku katika sala mbele ya Mola wake, akisoma Qur'an kwa sauti ya polepole na yenye mdundo. Katika hatua za baadaye za kazi yake ya utume, hasa alipokabiliwa na hali ngumu sana na alipohitajika kujipa ujasiri na subira ya pekee ili kujiimarisha, maagizo maalum aliyopokea kutoka kwa Mola wake yalikuwa ni kusoma Qur'an.

- of all people - to read it again and again. On the contrary, we find from the study of the Qur'an itself that he was commanded to do so. In the earliest days of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet (SAW) was especially instructed to stand for the greater part of the night in prayer before his Lord, reciting the Qur'an in slow, rhythmic tones. In the later stages of his prophetic career, particularly when he was faced with heavy odds and was required to muster up special courage and fortitude to sustain himself, the special instruction he received from his Lord was to recite the Qur'an.

Katika Surat Al-Kahf, alipewa maagizo yafuatayo:

In Surah Al-Kahf, he was given the following instructions:

Na soma kile kilichofunuliwa kwako katika Kitabu cha Mola wako: Hakuna awezaye kubadilisha Maneno Yake, wala hutapata kimbilio lingine isipokuwa Yeye.

And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord: None can change His Words, and none will you find as a refuge other than Him.

(ACKahf 18:27)

(ACKahf 18:27)

Na tena, katika Surat Al-Ankabut maagizo kama hayo yalirudiwa.

And again, in Surah Al-Ankaboot a similar instruction was repeated:

Soma kile kilichofunuliwa kwako katika Kitabu, na simamisha Swala. . . . (Al-Ankabut 29:45)

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish regular prayer.. . . (Al-Ankaboot 29:45)

Inafuata kutokana na mambo yaliyoelezwa hapo juu kwamba kusoma Qur'ani Tukufu kwa kuendelea na kwa mpangilio ni jambo la lazima, kwa sababu ni chakula cha roho, ni njia ya kuburudisha na kuhuisha imani, na ni silaha ya kuaminika ya kushinda magumu na vikwazo vinavyokutana navyo katika njia ya Allah (SWT). Aya ifuatayo kutoka Surat Al-Baqarah inaeleza jinsi wapenzi wa Qur'ani walivyoonyesha heshima yao kubwa kwa Kitabu hiki:

It follows from the facts stated above that constant and regular study of the Holy Qur'an is essential because it provides food for the soul, because it is a mean of refreshing and reviving faith, and a reliable weapon for surmounting difficulties and obstacles that one encounters in the way of Allah (SVVT). The following ayah from Surah Al-Baqarah describes how the lovers of the Qur'an manifested their great regard for this Book:

Wale tuliowapa Kitabu wanakisoma kama inavyostahili kusomwa ....

Those to whom we have delivered the Book recite it as it ought to be recited .... (Al-Baqarah 2:121)

Ee Mwenyezi Mungu (SWT) atupe nguvu ili tuweze kusoma Qur'ani kama inavyostahili kusomwa. Kwanza kabisa, tunapaswa kuelewa jinsi Qur'ani inavyopaswa kusomwa, na hatua gani zinapaswa kuchukuliwa ili kufikia kiwango kinachohitajika cha usomaji.

May Allah (SVVT) give us strength that we may be able to study the Qur'an as it should be studied. We have, first of all, to understand how the Qur'an ought to be recited and what steps should be taken if the required standard of recitation is to be attained.

Katika muktadha huu, hatua ya kwanza tunayotakiwa kuchukua ni kupata ujuzi kamili wa alfabeti ya Kiarabu, sauti zake za kifonetiki, na umuhimu wa aina mbalimbali za vituo vinavyotumika katika Qur'ani. Neno la kitaalamu linalotumika kwa elimu hii ni tajweed, ambayo ni lazima kwa usomaji mzuri na wa ufasaha. Katika miaka ya thelathini na arobaini, karibu kila mtoto wa Kiislamu katika bara dogo la India na Pakistani alianza elimu yake kwa kujifunza tajweed. Mwanzoni kabisa alipewa picha wazi ya herufi za Qur'ani na sauti zake sahihi za kifonetiki. Ingawa, kama ilivyotajwa mwanzoni mwa kijitabu hiki, juhudi fulani zimefanywa nchini Pakistani na nchi nyingine za Kiislamu kueneza tajweed, bado ukweli unabaki kuwa wengi wa vijana Waislamu, hata idadi kubwa ya watu wazima na wazee miongoni mwetu, hawawezi kusoma Qur'ani ipasavyo. Ukosefu huu wa uwezo wa kusoma hata maandishi matupu ya Qur'ani unatokana, kwa upande mmoja, na kudorora kwa mfumo wa kawaida wa elimu uliotolewa misikitini na maktabu kwa watoto wote wa jamii, matajiri kwa maskini, na, kwa upande mwingine, na umaarufu wa shule za chekechea na aina nyingine za shule za msingi za kisasa ambazo hazijumuishi usomaji wa Qur'ani katika mitaala yao. Hapa nitapendekeza kwamba watu wote wa aina hii, bila kujali kundi lao la umri, ambao hawana uwezo wa kusoma Qur'ani ipasavyo, wanapaswa kutambua upungufu wao na kuchukua hatua zinazohitajika kuuondoa. Pia tunapaswa kukubali kama sera thabiti kwamba elimu ya watoto wetu itaanza kwa tajweed, na kitu cha kwanza watakachojifunza kitakuwa jinsi ya kusoma Qur'ani kwa usahihi. Kusisitiza sana jambo hili huenda lisiwe la busara sana, hata hivyo ni wajibu kwa kila mtu aliyeelimika kupata uwezo wa kusoma Qur'ani kwa lafudhi na matamshi sahihi, akizingatia kwa makini vituo vinavyotumika ndani yake.

In this connection, the first step we are required to take is to acquire a thorough knowledge of the Arabic alphabet, their phonetic sounds, and the significance of the different kinds of pauses used in the ~ur'an.T' he technical term used for this knowledge is tajweed, which is a must for a good fluent recitation. In the thirties and forties, almost every Muslim child in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent would start his education with the learning of tajweed. At the very outset he was given a clear idea of the letters of the Qur'an and their correct phonetic sounds. Although, as already stated in the beginning of this booklet, some efforts have been made in Pakistan and other Muslim countries to popularize tajweed, still the fact remains that a vast majority of the Muslim youth, even a large number of adults and old people among us, cannot read the Qur'an properly. This lack of ability to read even the bare text of the Qur'an is due, on the one hand, to the decline of the classical system of education that was imparted in the mosques and maktabs to all the children of the community, rich and poor, and, on the other hand, to the popularity of the kindergarten and other types of modern primary schools which do not include the recitation of the Qur'an in their curriculum. Here I will suggest that all such persons, to whichever age group they may belong, as do not possess the ability to read the Qur'an properly should realize their deficiency and take necessary steps to remove it. We should also adopt it as a decided policy that the education of our children will start with tajweed and the first thing they will learn will be how to read the Qur'an correctly. Over-emphasis on this point may not be very desirable, nevertheless it is incumbent upon every educated person to acquire the ability of reading the Qur'an with a correct accent and pronunciation, carefully observing the pauses used in it.

Ikiwa tunataka kutimiza wajibu wetu wa kusoma Qur'ani, jambo la pili tunalotakiwa kufanya ni kuingiza usomaji wa Qur'ani katika ratiba ya kila siku ya maisha yetu, na kila mmoja wetu asome sehemu fulani ya Kitabu Kitukufu mara kwa mara kila siku. Sehemu iliyowekwa kwa usomaji wa kila siku inaweza kuwa tofauti kwa watu tofauti. Kiasi cha juu zaidi chenye uungwaji mkono wa Mtume Mtukufu ﷺ ni theluthi moja ya Qur'ani. Maana yake ni kwamba majuzuu kumi yasomwe kila siku, ili usomaji wa Qur'ani yote ukamilike ndani ya siku tatu. Kiasi cha chini kabisa - na zingatieni kwamba chochote kilicho pungufu ya hiki kiwango cha chini kabisa hakikuwa hata kufikiriwa hadi miaka ya karibuni - kinaweza kuwa juzuu moja kila siku, ili Qur'ani yote isomwe ndani ya mwezi mmoja. Kwa kweli, hiki ndicho kiasi kidogo kabisa cha usomaji kinachopaswa kufanywa kila siku, na kiasi kilicho pungufu ya hiki hakingestahili kuitwa hivyo.

If we wish to fulfill our obligation of reciting the Qur'an, the second thing we are required to do is to include the recitation of the Qur'an in the daily routine of our life, and each one of us should recite a certain portion of the Holy Book regularly every day. The portion fixed for daily recitation can be different for different people. The maximum portion which has the support of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is one-third of the Qur'an. It means that ten paras should be recited each day so that the recitation of the whole Qur'an may be completed in three days. A minimum portion - and mind you, anything less than this bare minimum could not even be imagined till recent years - could be one para daily, so that the whole Qur'an could be read in a month. In fact, this is the least amount of recitation which should be done every day and an amount less than this would not be worth the name.

Msimamo wa kati kati ya kiwango cha juu na cha chini ni kwamba mtu asome Qur'ani yote ndani ya wiki moja. Hii kwa hakika ndiyo iliyokuwa desturi ya wengi wa Maswahaba (RAA), na kulingana na riwaya moja, Abdullah Ibn Umar (RAA) alipendekezewa jambo hilo na Mtume Mtukufu (SAW). Ni kwa sababu hii ndipo Qur'ani iligawanywa katika ahzaab (sehemu) saba wakati wa Maswahaba (RAA). Sehemu sita za kwanza zina sura tatu (bila kuhesabu Surat Al-Fatiha), tano, saba, tisa, kumi na moja, na kumi na tatu mtawalia, na sehemu ya saba iitwayo hizbul-mufassal ina sura zilizobaki za Kitabu Kitukufu. Kila hizb ina takriban juzuu nne, na inaweza kusomwa kwa kuridhisha kabisa ndani ya saa mbili.

The middle position between the maximum and minimum is that one should read the whole Qur'an in a week. This, indeed, was the practice followed by the majority of the Companions (RAA) and the same according to a tradition was suggested to Abdullah Ibn Umar (RAA) by the Holy Prophet (SAW). It is for this reasbn that the Qur'an was divided into seven ahzaab (sections) in the time of the Companions (RAA).' The first six of the ahzaab consist of three (excluding Surah Al-Fatiha), five, seven, nine, eleven, and thirteen Surahs respectively, and the seventh called hizbul- mufassal consists of the rest of the Holy Book. Every hizb comprises of approximately four paras, which can be recited quite satisfactorily in two hours.

Pia ni jambo la lazima kwa usomaji sahihi wa Qur'ani kwamba mtu aisome kwa namna iliyo bora zaidi na kwa sauti yenye mvuto na utamu iwezekanavyo. Hili ni la lazima kwa sababu karibu kila binadamu amejaliwa mapenzi ya muziki na ana mvuto wa asili kwa sauti tamu na zenye mvuto. Uislamu ni dini ya kimaumbile; hauzuii mojawapo ya mielekeo yetu ya asili, bali unaielekeza katika njia zenye manufaa.

It is also required for the proper recitation of the Qur'an that a person should read it in the best manner and in the most melodious voice possible. This is necessary because almost every human being is gifted with a love for music and has a natural fondness for sweet and melodious sounds. Islam is a natural region; it does not curb any of our inherent tendencies but diverts them into healthy channels.

Kwa kuwa sisi tuna mapenzi ya asili kwa uzuri wa kuona na uzuri wa sauti, tunasisitiza uchapishaji wa kuvutia wa Qur'ani Tukufu na usomaji wake kwa sauti laini ya kupendeza. Mtume ﷺ ametuhimiza tufanye hivyo:

As we have an instinctive love for the beauty of sight and the beauty of sound, we insist upon a fascinating printing of the Holy Qur'an and its recitation in a soft melodious voice. The Prophet (SAW) has urged us to:

Pambeni Qur'ani kwa sauti zenu. (Imepokewa na Abu Daud na Nasai)

Adorn the Qur'an with your voices. (Narrated by Abu Daud & Nasai)

Pia ametuonya dhidi ya uzembe wetu katika jambo hili kwa maneno yake:

He has also warned us against our negligence in this matter in the words:

Mtu asiyesoma Qur'ani kwa sauti nzuri ya kuvutia si miongoni mwetu! (Imepokewa na Abu Daud)

One who does not recite the Qur'an in a melodious voice is not from us! (Narrated by Abu Daud)

na pia amewapa habari njema kama kichocheo zaidi cha kusoma Qur'ani kwa sauti nzuri ya kupendeza:

and has given us the following tidings as a further inducement for melodious recitation:

Allah (SWT) haisikilizi chochote kwa makini kama anavyosikiliza Mtume ﷺ.

Allah (SVVT) does not listen to anything so attentively as He listens to the Prophet (SAW)

kusoma Qur'ani kwa sauti kwa mtindo mzuri na wa kuvutia.

reciting the Qur'an aloud in a sweet voice.

(Imepokewa na Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, na Nasai)

Kusoma Qur'ani kwa jinsi inavyopaswa kusomwa kunategemea kutimizwa kwa masharti kadhaa ya lengo na ya moyoni. Masharti ya lengo ni kwamba mtu afanye wudhuu kabla ya kuanza kusoma, aketi akielekea qibla, na aanze kusoma kwa ta'awwudh (kujikinga kwa Allah dhidi ya Shetani). Kwa upande wa moyo, ni lazima atafakari ukuu wa Kitabu hiki na ukuu wa Aliye kiteremsha, na asome kwa umakini kamili na kujishughulisha kabisa, kwa hisia za kina za unyenyekevu na unyofu, na kwa shauku na ibada ya hali ya juu.

Reciting the Qur'an as it ought to be recited depends upon the fulfillment of a number of objective and subjective conditions. The objective conditions to be fulfilled are that one should perform ablution before starting the recitation, that he should sit facing the qiblah, and that he should start the recitation with taa'wwuz (seeking Allah's protection against the Satan). Subjectively, he should contemplate the greatness of the Book and the greatness of the Being Who has revealed it, and should recite it with complete concentration and absorption, a deep feeling of submissiveness and humility, and utmost fervor and devotion.

Anapaswa kusoma Kitabu cha Allah (SWT) kwa nia safi na bidii ya dhati ya kufikia ukweli, pamoja na azma thabiti ya kujibadilisha kulingana na mafundisho yake. Anapaswa kutafakari na kuzingatia maana zake mara kwa mara, si kwa lengo la kupata ndani yake uthibitisho wa mawazo na nadharia zake alizokwisha kuwa nazo, bali akitafuta kwa dhati mwongozo ambao unautoa. Kama ilivyofafanuliwa hapo juu, maana halisi ya neno tilawat ni "kufuata au kutembea kwa karibu nyuma ya mtu." Kwa hiyo, kwa maana halisi ya neno hilo, linadai mtazamo wa kujiweka kando na kupokea kwa moyo wazi.

He should read the Book of Allah (SWT) with a sincere and earnest desire to get at the truth, and with a firm resolve to transform himself according to its teachings. He should constantly ponder and deliberate over its meanings, not with a view to finding from it a confirmation of his own preconceived thoughts and theories but genuinely seeking from it the guidance that it offers. As explained above, the literal meaning of tilawat is "to follow or walk closely behind someone." Therefore, in the real sense of the term, it demands an attitude of self-abandonment and receptivity.

Mtazamo wa namna hii ndio kiini halisi cha tilawah.

Such an attitude is, indeed, the essence of tilawat.

Njia bora ya kusoma Kitabu Kitukufu ni kwamba mtu asimame katika sala ya usiku baada ya manane mbele ya Mola wake, mikono yake ikiwa imekunjwa kwa unyenyekevu wote, na asome Qur'an akiwa na moyo wa kupokea, polepole na kwa subira, akisimama mahali panapofaa ili moyo wake upate kuingiwa na athari yake. Aina hii ya kisomo inaitwa tarteel, na labda maagizo muhimu zaidi aliyopewa Mtume Muhammad ﷺ katika hatua za mwanzo za utume wake ni kusoma Qur'an kwa namna hii.

The ideal way in which the Holy Book should be recited is that one should stand in post-midnight prayer before his Lord, with hands folded in all humility, and recite the Qur'an in a receptive state of mind, slowly and patiently, pausing at proper places so as to enable one's heart to imbibe its influence. This kind of recitation is called tarteel, and perhaps the most important instruction that was given to the Holy Prophet (SAW) in the earliest stage of his prophetic mission was to recite the Qur'an in this manner:

Ee wewe uliyejifunika nguo! Simama (kuswali) usiku. Lakini si usiku wote; nusu yake, au pungufu kidogo, au zaidi kidogo. Na someni Qur'an kwa sauti za polepole zenye mdundo wa kupimwa. (Al-Muzzammil 73:1-4)

0 you wrapped in garments! Stand (in prayer) by night. But not all night; half of it, or a little less, or a little more. And recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. (Al-Muzzammil 73:l-4)

Kusoma Qur'ani polepole na kwa kutafakari, kwa kusimama kwa kufaa katika sehemu za matini yake, kuna mfanano na namna ilivyoteremshwa. Kama sote tunavyojua, Qur'ani yote haikuteremshwa mara moja, bali imeteremka kidogo kidogo kwa vipindi. Katika Surat Al-Furqan, kwa kujibu wale waliopinga kwa nini Qur'ani haikuteremshwa yote kwa mara moja, Allah (SWT) anasema akimwambia Mtume wake ﷺ:

Reading the Qur'an slowly and thoughtfully, making pauses at proper points in its text, has a resemblance with the mode of its revelation. As we all know, the whole Qur'an was not revealed at once but it has descended piecemeal at intervals. In Surah Al-Furqan, by way of answering those who objected as to why the Qur'an was not revealed all at once, Allah (SWT) says addressing His Messenger (SAW):

Hivyo (ndivyo ilivyoteremshwa) ili Tuutie moyo wako kwayo, na Tumeiteremsha kwako kwa mpangilio wa vipande vipande, hatua kwa hatua. (Al-Furqan 25:32)

thus (is it revealed) that We may strengthen your heart thereby, and we have revealed it to you in slow well-arranged stages, gradually. (AI-Furqan 25:32)

Ikiwa Qur'an itatakiwa kusomwa kama alivyoisoma Mtume Mtukufu (SAW), basi ni lazima tujifunze kwa moyo sehemu nyingi iwezekanavyo za Kitabu hicho Kitukufu. Kwa bahati mbaya, desturi ya kukariri sehemu za Qur'an kwa ajili ya visomo virefu katika Swala ya baada ya usiku wa manane karibu imetoweka. Hata hivyo, desturi ya kukariri Qur'an yote bado ipo. Kwa kawaida, kwa ajili ya hili, kuanza kwa kukariri kunapaswa kufanyika utotoni, wakati suala la kuelewa Qur'an halijaja, lakini hata desturi hii inapoteza nguvu. Kukariri Qur'an yote kwa bahati mbaya kumeachwa kwa tabaka la watu maskini na wanyonge katika jamii yetu, ambao wanaichukulia kama taaluma. Haikuwa hivi hadi miaka ya karibuni. Katika siku za kabla ya kugawanywa kwa India, desturi ya kukariri Qur'an yote ilikuwa ya kawaida hata miongoni mwa familia zenye heshima na zenye mali, na katika baadhi ya miji ya India kabla ya kugawanywa, karibu kila familia ya Kiislamu ilikuwa na angalau hafidh mmoja (yaani, mtu aliyejifunza Qur'an yote kwa moyo). Katika siku hizo, familia ambayo haikuwa na hafidh miongoni mwa wanafamilia wake ilichukuliwa kuwa jambo la aibu.

If the Qur'an is to be recited as it was recited by the Holy Prophet (SAW), we have to learn by heart as much of the Holy Book as possible. Unfortunately, the practice of memorizing portions of the Qur'an for long recitations in the post-midnight prayer has almost died out. However, the custom of memorizing the whole Qur'an still exists. Naturally, for this a start has to be made in childhood when the question of understanding the Qur'an does not arise, but even this custom is losing ground. Memorizing the whole Qur'an has unluckily bee& left to a class of poor and down-trodden people in our society who adopt it as a profession. This was not the case till recent years. In the pre-partition days, the custom of memorizing the entire Qut'an was quite common even among respectable, well-to-do families, and in some cities in undivided India almost every Muslim family had at least one hafiz (i.e., one who has learned the whole Qur'an by heart). In those days, it was considered to be discreditable on the part of a family not to have a hafiz among its members.

Hakuna shaka kwamba kuhifadhi Qur'an ni desturi tukufu.

No doubt, memorizing the Qur'an is a noble tradition.

Ni sehemu ya mpango wa Mwenyezi Mungu wa kuhifadhi Qur'ani, na inapaswa kudumishwa kwa bidii na hamasa mpya. Hata hivyo, kuhifadhi Qur'ani yote moyoni si jambo linalowezekana kwa kila mtu. Ninachotaka kusisitiza hapa ni kwamba kila mmoja wetu ajitahidi kwa uwezo wake wote kujifunza sehemu kubwa zaidi ya Qur'ani moyoni, ili aweze kuisoma mbele ya Mola wake akiwa amesimama katika sala.

It is a part of the Divine dispensation for the preservation of the Qur'an and should be maintained with renewed vigor and enthusiasm. However, committing the whole Qur'an to memory is not within the reach of every person. What I wish to stress here is that every one of us should try his utmost to learn maximum portion of the Qur'an by heart so that he may be able to recite it to his Lord, standing before Him in prayer.