The Qur’an is the word of God (﷾), revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) over twenty-three years. It has 114 surahs (chapters), and is divided into 30 roughly equal parts, each called a juz, to make it easy to read through. Anyone can open it, whether you are a Muslim or just curious, and it promises to be within reach.
“And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?”
Where to start
You do not have to start at page one. These surahs are short or self-contained, and each opens on this site in Arabic with an English translation beside it.
- 1.Al-Fatiha (the Opening)Seven verses, recited in every unit of every prayer. The best place to begin.
- 112.Al-Ikhlas (sincerity)Four verses on who God (﷾) is. The Prophet (ﷺ) said it is equal to a third of the Qur'an.
- 113.Al-Falaq (the daybreak)A short prayer for God's (﷾) protection, often recited morning and evening.
- 114.An-Nas (mankind)The last surah, a companion to al-Falaq.
- 55.Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious)A beautiful surah on the blessings of creation, with a refrain that returns again and again.
- 12.Yusuf (Joseph)A complete story in one surah, about patience, forgiveness and trust in God (﷾).
- 19.Maryam (Mary)Mary and the birth of Jesus, with Zakariya, John, Abraham and other prophets. Especially meaningful to Christian readers.
- 67.Al-Mulk (the dominion)A reflection on creation and on the life to come.
Al-Ikhlas as a third of the Qur’an: Sahih al-Bukhari 5013.
How to read
Isti'adhah and Basmalahseeking refuge, and beginning in Allah's name
Begin with "A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytani-r-rajim", I seek refuge in Allah (﷾) from the rejected Satan, and "Bismillahi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim", in the name of Allah (﷾), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“When thou dost read the Qur'an, seek Allah's protection from Satan the rejected one.” Qur’an 16:98
Tartilreading slowly and clearly
There is no need to rush. A few verses read calmly, with their meaning, are worth more than pages skimmed.
“recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones.” Qur’an 73:4
Tadabburreflection
Stop at a verse that speaks to you and think about it. Read the translation alongside the Arabic, and come back to the verses that stay with you.
“And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember” Qur’an 54:17
Taharahpurity
Make wudu before you read, and handle the printed Arabic Qur'an (the mushaf) with care. The four schools of Islamic law hold that wudu is needed to touch the mushaf; reciting from memory does not need it, though someone who needs a full bath (ghusl) after marital relations should bathe before reciting.
Istiqamahconsistency
A little every day is better than a lot now and then. Five minutes after one prayer is a good start.
Learning to recite in Arabic
The Qur’an is recited in Arabic, and learning to read it is within anyone’s reach. Most people start with the Arabic letters, using a simple primer, then learn tajwid (the rules of recitation) with a teacher. Many mosques run friendly classes for adults and beginners.
Every step is rewarded. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that the best of people are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it, and that someone who works hard at it and recites it with great difficulty receives a double reward.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5027 (learn it and teach it); Sahih al-Bukhari 4937 (a double reward).
A simple plan
In the standard printed Qur’an each juz is about twenty pages. Read four pages after each of the five daily prayers and you complete a juz a day, and the whole Qur’an in a month. Many Muslims do exactly this in Ramadan, the month in which the Qur’an was first revealed.
If that is too much, a page a day is a wonderful habit. What matters is that you keep coming back.
Reading on this site
The whole Qur’an is here, in Arabic with the English translation of Abdullah Yusuf Ali, verse by verse. You can search it in English or Arabic, and open it side by side with the Bible, the Torah or other scriptures.