1. To examine and grasp the meaning of (written or printed characters, words, or sentences).
That is the definition of reading. To the least you should understand the meaning of each word (vocabulary) and then indulge the whole meaning of the sentences.
As for me i don't really understand what read (if that is call reading in the first place). Shame on me, i know! I (we) been taught to 'read' Koran since we were kids, probably around 4 years old. Our parent sent us to Tok Guru/Ustaz/Ustazah house or even religious school to read the holy book. There we started to learn, the first character is alif, then ba followed by ta. It rhyme so well that we sometimes say, 'pegi belajar alif ba ta' which is equivalent to learn the Koran.
We also learn the sounds when this character is combined, i.e: alif atas = aa , alif bawah = ii and alif depan = uu, thus becomes aa ii uu, followed by ba, ta and so on. When we mastered that, we are then asked to read short sentences in the Koran. Ustaz/Ustazah/Tok Guru were so persistence to make sure we really got the sound right, they always have a long 'rotan' besides them. New school of taught may say that instilling fear in kids to get the results is NOT the right way, well for me it works back then.
After that we start to learn reading the first surah of Koran which is Al-Fatihah, also known as the mother of the book, although the first commandment by Allah to Muhammad is in surah Iqra'. From there we learn to finish what is called back then 'Quran Kecil' (small Koran), next comes the the part of 'reading' the whole holy book and after that we finished the learning process which sometimes accompanied by a small functions of 'Khatam Al-Quran'.
The question is, from those period of 2,3 or 4 years learning to 'read' The Koran, do we really reading it, or we just making the right sound without really understand what we read (if you call it reading). Wait wait, i'm not condemning the traditional ways of learning 'reading' The Koran, but there was a gap. Most of us, including me, thought that, "yippie, thats it, i already khatam Al-Quran". Whereas there should be another process of LEARNING THE MEANING/TEACHING/STORY inside the holy book.
It is no doubt in our secular school teaching, we are spared 'Pendidikan Islam' to help us understand this religion. The teaching of The Koran is passed on through the syllabus, but not as chapter by chapter itself. Look at the William Shakespeare play Hamlet. I think in some western countries it becomes a subject of study of itself, reading (the real reading) from page to page, interpret, debate the meaning of the masterpiece.
Well if that book/play, written by a human being is considered as masterpiece, then The Holy Koran would be greatestpiece. It was not crafted by human, but rather a God commandment itself and shame on us for not understanding what we are reading (if that is call reading).
That is the definition of reading. To the least you should understand the meaning of each word (vocabulary) and then indulge the whole meaning of the sentences.
As for me i don't really understand what read (if that is call reading in the first place). Shame on me, i know! I (we) been taught to 'read' Koran since we were kids, probably around 4 years old. Our parent sent us to Tok Guru/Ustaz/Ustazah house or even religious school to read the holy book. There we started to learn, the first character is alif, then ba followed by ta. It rhyme so well that we sometimes say, 'pegi belajar alif ba ta' which is equivalent to learn the Koran.
We also learn the sounds when this character is combined, i.e: alif atas = aa , alif bawah = ii and alif depan = uu, thus becomes aa ii uu, followed by ba, ta and so on. When we mastered that, we are then asked to read short sentences in the Koran. Ustaz/Ustazah/Tok Guru were so persistence to make sure we really got the sound right, they always have a long 'rotan' besides them. New school of taught may say that instilling fear in kids to get the results is NOT the right way, well for me it works back then.
After that we start to learn reading the first surah of Koran which is Al-Fatihah, also known as the mother of the book, although the first commandment by Allah to Muhammad is in surah Iqra'. From there we learn to finish what is called back then 'Quran Kecil' (small Koran), next comes the the part of 'reading' the whole holy book and after that we finished the learning process which sometimes accompanied by a small functions of 'Khatam Al-Quran'.
The question is, from those period of 2,3 or 4 years learning to 'read' The Koran, do we really reading it, or we just making the right sound without really understand what we read (if you call it reading). Wait wait, i'm not condemning the traditional ways of learning 'reading' The Koran, but there was a gap. Most of us, including me, thought that, "yippie, thats it, i already khatam Al-Quran". Whereas there should be another process of LEARNING THE MEANING/TEACHING/STORY inside the holy book.
It is no doubt in our secular school teaching, we are spared 'Pendidikan Islam' to help us understand this religion. The teaching of The Koran is passed on through the syllabus, but not as chapter by chapter itself. Look at the William Shakespeare play Hamlet. I think in some western countries it becomes a subject of study of itself, reading (the real reading) from page to page, interpret, debate the meaning of the masterpiece.
Well if that book/play, written by a human being is considered as masterpiece, then The Holy Koran would be greatestpiece. It was not crafted by human, but rather a God commandment itself and shame on us for not understanding what we are reading (if that is call reading).
5 comments:
Him: What's the meaning of akidah?
Me: Uh, gee, i forgot. What does it mean?
Him: It comes from the root word akad. Which means, ties, relationships.
Me: Uh, really?
Him: Yes. So when you read that you have to have akidah, it means that you have to have ties or relationship with your kins, your brothers.
Me: Yeah. I've got to go. Later bro (splits the scene)
how about you?
well dude...
there are various level of learning religion. just like our secular learning, pmr, spm,degree, master, etc.
we learn basic ibadat, coz we know its rukun islam; mengucap dua kalimah syahadah, mendirikan sembahyang, berpuasa di bulan ramadhan, menunaikan zakat and mengerjakan haji bila mampu.
then come the part of understanding our rituals. kenapa mengucap, apa maksud mengucap, kenapa sembahyang, kenapa angkat takbir, kenapa subuh dua rakaat, etc.
aku pun tengah belajar dan akan terus belajar lagi. Learning never stops rite.
Tapi so far member aku dah tak approach aku lagi... maybe dia nampak ke devillish aku ni... :D
Dudes! EXACTLY!
Jom! THIS is the reason why I want to go. Answers! I doubt we'll get straight answers, instead, I think the answer will lie within the journey itself. Like in the story of the Conference of the Birds!
More to the topic though, I agree that a majority of us don't really understand our own religion. We get incensed over it when other's mock it. But we mock it more seeing how we merely "act out" the religion and don't truly understand the meanings behind it.
Conferences of the Birds... wtf is that...hahhaha. First time i heard of it. Don't worry i'll google it.
Nway, i remember last time, i had this same kind of feelings, not understanding my rituals...so i opened up tafsir and start to hafal the meaning of Al-Fatihah. Alhamduillah now every time i recite it, the meanings come out in my mind.
You should do the same, since Al-Fatihah is Mother of Al Quran.
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