Question

Assalaamu alaikum and may Allah reward you for answering our questions!  Could you give me your opinion about a beginner in reading the Qur'an who is struggling to read the letters;  it is alright to be reading from the Qur'an at that stage while making many mistakes.

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh.  May Allah reward you for asking questions and benefiting the Muslims.

Certainly the beginner needs to be able to recite the Faatihah and a few of the shorter surahs correctly for Salaah.  While he/she is learning these so they are read in the acceptable range of mistakes-meaning not changing a letter into another, not changing the vowels (harakaat), and not lengthening vowels until they become medd letters and not shortening a medd letter until it becomes only a vowel, -he/she can be learning how to read from a reading book.  There are many ways of teaching reading, but either a qaa’idah or a first grade reading book from an Arabic country (the first grade girls Saudi reading book is good) can be used to teach the letters, vowels, the laam shamsiyyah, laam qamariyyah rules, etc.   We have recently reviewed a book that is not yet published that teaches how to read the Qur’an in 7 days. The author devised a concentrated curriculum based on dire need in Japan, and has met with success with his method.  What is always needed is first and foremost, seeking Allah’s help, and secondly, devotion on the part of the student and the teacher. 

Once the basics are conquered, the student can then with a qualified teacher start to read the Qur’an.  Very careful attention should be given by the teacher to correct all the mistakes that change the Qur’an.  With Allah’s help, strict corrections and hard work lead to great progress in a short time, as long as the student puts in the needed practice on their own. 

A beginning student however, should not be attempting to read from the Qur’an without a teacher present or without following closely and meticulously following the tape of a known excellent reciter of the Qur’an.