Etiquettes of Reading the Holy Quran

Quran is the last sacred Holy Book of Almighty Allah revealed on last Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Quran is not just the book but it is the wording of Almighty Allah so it’s obligatory on all of us to respect it. It holds distinction in itself from all books of rest of the world in being the written by the Almighty Lord Himself, Who says: “Indeed, it is We, Who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (Quran, 15:9)

From above verse of the Quran, it is clear that Allah Almighty has created this Holy book and He is the one   Who will protect it. Allah (SWT) is Himself, therefore, its recitation requires plenty of etiquettes from all Muslims. Be careful when you handle this Holy Book. Remember, it is not an ordinary book. There are some etiquettes of reading Quran which we all should adopt before start reading it. We need to do the following for giving to the glorious Quran its due respect:

1. Perform Ablution (Wudu): It is the divinity of the Quran not to touch the Book and it’s text except in the state of ablution. Allah (SWT) states in Quran:“None may touch it, except with ablution.”  (Surah Waqiah: 79). This Quranic verse emphasizes on the great honor of this Sacred Book which calls for showing an enormous amount of respect to it. After doing ablution sit in a clean place for reading it. Its reading requires purity whether it’s of body or place where you have to sit and read it.
2. Face Qibla Direction while Reading: Since this is not any normal kind of book as the Quranic lines have descended from the Heavens, so one must pay due to reverence to it by sitting in a decent and upright place while facing qibla direction. One must face the direction of prayer (qibla) to recite the Holy Quran.
3. Place the Quran on High Place: When it comes to placing the Holy Quran it requires a great deal of care while reciting the Quran it should be placed on some Pillow or other high place but avoid putting it on the floor or near a person’s feet due to its extremely high status. Quran must never come in touch with the bare ground; it should always be placed in a clean cloth or someone’s lap or a book holder.
4. Holding Quran in Right Hand: One should always hold the Quran in the right hand as it is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) always utilized His right hand while doing any Hasan (good) work and used His left hand in accomplishing other acts. Therefore, one must use its right hand while handling and reading the Sacred Verses of Holy Quran.
5. Recite with Slow Pace: Recite it slow and without haste, distinctly pronouncing each letter so that you can understand its meaning. Consider the words of the Quran and make efforts to act upon them. The Holy Book of the Creator of entire universe must be recited slowly to better understand and absorb the true gist of its verses.
6. Avoid Talking while Reciting the Quran: When reciting Quran try to not talk in between. Once one has begun, not to interrupt one’s recital from moment to moment with human words, unless absolutely necessary. It is important because one should not counter the worldly matters while reading the Holy Book Quran of Allah SWT as this act might lead to cruel influence.
7. The accomplishment of Tajweed Rules: The Holy Quran needs to be recited with great care in terms of its correct pronunciation as Arabic is a highly complex language and little error could lead to change in the true meaning of the words. Besides, it should also be read in a very striking and attractive tone.

We Muslims believe that the Holy Quran should be handled with the great respect. However, Allah is All-Merciful and we cannot be held responsible for what we do in ignorance or by mistake. These are some of the foremost etiquettes of reading the Holy Quran the Book of Almighty Allah which must be fulfilled in order to pay the required level of respect to the Holy Quran and understand it in the best way.