Generally, as believers we all have a special connection and a beautiful bond with
Holy Quran.
I too had one and perhaps it was a special one because my amazing mother once told me that when I was an infant and used to cry, she used to make me rest on her lap and recite Holy Quran, loud enough to reach my ears and after some time I used to calm down, listening it many times, and falling asleep other times. This information was indeed a booster for me and till date, it happens whenever I am not calm and I feel stressed out, I just reach out for Holy Quran and it really helps me, the beautiful parables, the amazing incidents mentioned in Holy Quran always strike amazingly to an extent that it gives peace and serenity.
In addition to this, the name Maryam did a great job for me, I always used to and still feel blessed about being named as Maryam, a name mentioned in Holy Quran gracefully, another reason to get back to Holy Quran more often.
Well! The more I used to recite and contemplate on Holy Quran, the more I used to feel often that there is indeed a big void, a huge gap that we don’t know Quranic Arabic and we are reading the translations.
I used to tell others as well that we should try to learn Quranic Arabic, though I myself was not even trying for it, many have tried to convince me that I should, and I used to think, I won’t be able to do at this age, with much responsibilities revolving around, learning a new language will be an uphill task for me, the *psychological barrier* was there and *it was me who has made it.*
I used to feel guilty at times too, that I am preaching to others what I myself is not practicing, I am telling others to learn Arabic but myself is far away from it.
The guilt was there but what guilt will do good if it is not giving something productive to achieve?
Alhamdulillah, then it happened that our 12 year old son – AbuBakr, started reading Arabic online from brother Asif from Canada. He has his recorded lectures there on lqtoronto.com
It was beautiful on part of a mother to observe her son learning something incredible!
I used to see how much young AbuBakr cherished his lectures, which are taught in a light atmosphere and in a very simple way.
SubhanAllah! AbuBakr left no stone unturned to convince me to join him in learning from brother Asif, but I had that self imposed psychological barrier back in my head.
But I was really grateful that alhamdulillah Abu Bakr has started his journey learning the beautiful language and I was grateful to my husband and brother who both introduced him to this course and motivated him initially.
I was really grateful that alhamdulillah Allah swt has made little AbuBakr capable enough to speak to me often on learning it, a little boy encouraging his mother to learn that too Quranic language was indeed a blessing from Allah swt.
One fine day, I asked AbuBakr that he should write an appreciative email to brother Asif, whom he admires a lot as a teacher and whose free online lectures has helped him so much. The motive was simple to make him express his love to his teacher and to make him learn that we should appreciate and be grateful to His creation, as He loves those who are grateful to Him, to His creation.
AbuBakr readily accepted the suggestion, he has written himself, via my email id to his teacher.
Interestingly, I found AbuBakr checking my emails after every ten minutes or so.
I realised he was waiting for the reply.
I realised I have to set his expectations, I told him that people like brother Asif are mashaAllah busy people and it may happen that you may not get your response sooner or even later, but it is appreciated that you expressed your gratitude to him.
He didn’t say anything but his expressions said everything, he was indeed waiting and infact desperately waiting for the response.
SubhanAllah! After a couple of hours the response was there and it was beyond words that it was from brother Abdur Raheem, the teacher of brother Asif and the one who has designed the Arabic learning program.
MashaAllah! He is in his late eighties.
He appreciated AbuBakr and asked him to ask him any question directly if he ever finds an issue.
Brother Abdur Raheem told that
The emails go directly to the institute and from there the copy is forwarded to the one for whom it is written.
SubhanAllah! It was so amazing to receive an email from the *teacher of the teacher!*
AbuBakr was so filled with joy and so was I and so was everyone in the family, believe me Abu Bakr and I was literally screaming out of joy.
😊
And Alhamdulillah after few days brother Asif also replied and he replied beautifully.
I really wanted to share the screenshots of the emails here but the emails are so big mashaAllah that it will take many screenshots.
I will highlight some important points,
I want to raise.
Brother Asif, motivated AbuBakr a lot and he said he will courier him some books that will help him more. SubhanAllah! What a beautiful motivation from an amazing teacher.
He made dua for Abu Bakr and for me as well, he thought AbuBakr is learning Arabic under my supervision.
AbuBakr, told brother Asif candidly and in beautiful words that he would love to study under my supervision but the case is different here and that I have not started yet.
Abu Bakr requested brother Asif to keep me in duas.
SubhanAllah!
The next day, I got inspirational emails, which I am still getting Alhamdulillah from brother Asif, which his distant students have written to him about their learning experiences, and how hard they thought Arabic to be and how easy it was for them by His will and by brother Asif’s teaching skills and the beautiful course designed by brother Abdur Raheem and how beautifully it has transformed their lives and their connection with Holy Quran has revived.
The emails were indeed very inspirational and highly motivating, people have narrated how Holy Quran was different for them altogether after learning Quranic Arabic.
I was moved to tears, I was unable to thank Him for motivating me through my son and through his admired teacher.
But I was so convinced by my pyscholgical self imposed barrier that I didn’t even try learning then too and I was really feeling bad about it.
“How much inspirations do I need to have on my side to learn something which will enable me to unlock the gems which are still away from me?”
The heart was heavy indeed in this thought.
The next morning,
I opened the Holy Quran and it was surah Yusuf which I was supposed to be reading then, the initial ayat translates –
“We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, in order that ye may learn wisdom (ye may understand)”
SubhanAllah! I have read this ayat many times before as well, but this time it brought shivers down my spine.
I said bismillah.
And started finally the journey of learning Quranic Arabic.
Alhamdulillah.
Though, I am on very initial stage and on first few chapters, but I thought I should write down all this as it is important for us to take heed.
So, my dear friends if you are thinking of Arabic as being tough then it must be another pyscholgical barrier like I had created, if you think you cannot now, then I think If I – the reluctant one, can start then anyone can.
We should try to learn this beautiful language and understand the Divine words as they are expressed. It may take few years but imagine the results!
If you are waiting for some inspiration, please take my post as an inspiration then 🙂
Start, say bismillah.
Let’s learn and do some extra efforts to learn Quranic Arabic language, it will give us ajr and who knows we may understand and perceive what others were not able to conceive.
Allah is All Giving.
Take that one step towards Him, you will find Him taking ten steps towards you.
May Allah swt bless brother Asif for teaching Arabic in a way that even beginners like me can comprehend.
Alhamdulillah.
May Allah swt bless them for being so humble in reciprocating to AbuBakr’s email and motivating us.
Indeed a teacher’s role and motivation go beyond measures.
Alhamdulillah.