Want to get some Quran journaling ideas but don’t know where to start?
Let me fill you in!
Generally, there is no specific way how you should do Quran journaling. But here are some Quran journaling ideas that can get you started.
Read the tafseer of the Quran.
Most people often like to read the Quran but forget to read the tafseer or the translation of the Quran. Although reading the Quran without its meanings will allow us to gain rewards, but understanding its meanings can help mould us into better individuals.
Apart from making us better individuals, reading the tafseer of the Quran would allow us to first understand our purpose and our role in life. It also reminds us of the stories of the Prophets and how certain issues will be addressed in the Hereafter.
You might wonder, how does that give help me with my Quran journaling ideas?
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When you are reminded of stories of some communities, the challenges they had to endure somehow gives you a different perspective in life.
Usually, people today often feel overwhelmed because they compare their lives to people on social media. There is research that supports the idea that one of the reasons is the increased use of social media.
Sometimes, indulging too much in social media without reminding ourselves that what is shown does not reflect one’s reality can make us feel overwhelmed because somehow, it forces us to believe that everyone is happy.
Therefore, reading stories of communities that have strong character, perseverance could help us be more positive in our daily attitudes.
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Read stories of the Prophet and His Companions
You might question how does reading stories of the Prophet help giving me Quran journaling ideas?
The idea to read more is to give you more perspective and eventually, wisdom. And only then you can get inspiration from these stories and have more ideas and insight when you read the Quran. It allows you to connect the dots.
As for me, when I really get overwhelmed with work and life in general, I would read the stories of the Prophet, his wives and companions. And it does make me feel better as I would feel more grateful and realize that the challenges I am experiencing, although they are valid, is definitely not the same as theirs.
Read the hadeeth
Ever since I was young, my father had always reminded me to read the hadeeth. He reminded me that it’s important to understand the hadeeth because it really helps guide us in this life as Muslims.
In addition to reading the hadeeth, we can also read a commentary of the hadeeth which can help us strengthen our understanding of the hadeeth.
My father had encouraged me to read this book:
The Compendium of Knowledge and Wisdom
Start writing your Quran journal:
Prompts to give you Quran journaling ideas:
Like I’ve mentioned before, there is no specific way for you to start your Quran journaling journey. But when you start to question yourself, it’s much easier to understand and remember the message of the Quran.
Below are some questions that you can use to reflect when reading the Quran.
- What am I feeling right now?
- Why did I reach out to read these books?
- What blessings do I have?
- What challenges am I experiencing that I find difficult to handle?
- How did the Prophet and His Companions deal with challenges back then?
- How can I be a better person/ parent/ daughter/son / student/ husband/wife?
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We need to remember that when we read the Quran, we shouldn’t read it like a textbook but more like a book of guidance.
Listen to inspiring podcasts by Muslim scholars
Running out of time to read books by scholars about the teachings from the Quran?
You can try to listen to inspiring podcasts by Muslim scholars to help you with your Quran journaling ideas.
The benefit of listening to podcasts is that you can still listen to informative sessions even when you’re mentally tired. Sometimes, when you’re tired after a long day of work you don’t feel like reading a book. Listening to podcasts especially when you’re drained can really be beneficial for you.
Hamza Yusuf Podcast on Muslim Central
Did you know that Hamza Yusuf has a podcast on Muslim Central on Spotify?
I started listening to his podcasts several years ago on the way to work when I was unhappy working in this company. I found that his podcast sessions helped me be more positive and set my intentions right before and after I start work.
One of the many Hamza Yusuf’s podcasts by Muslim Central focuses on Sacred Text Messages – where he talks about the messages of the Quran and the hadeeth.
In the first episode in season one, he acknowledges that many Muslims today forget to refer to the Quran and the Hadeeth and abandon this guidance that we have been given.
The podcast is very heartfelt. It doesn’t feel like you’re going to school and listening to someone read from the textbook. Instead, it feels like you’re attending his talk and it just feels very inspirational and motivational.
The Ahmed Khan Podcast
The Ahmed Khan podcast may not highlight or talk about the Quran specifically, but he talks to Muslim scholars of different expertise.
The topics that are covered are mental health, responding to adversity, gender, preventing suicide as well as about renowned Muslim scholars and personalities such as Prof Syed Naquib Al-Attas and Salahudin.
Tafseer of the Holy Quran by Mufti Ismail Menk Podcast
If you want to listen to tafseer of the Quran based on the different surahs, then there is the podcast by Mufti Ismail Menk.
In this podcast programme, Mufti Menk explains the meanings of several surah. Many of his recordings were conducted during the month of Ramadhan.
Lives of the Prophets by Mufti Menk Podcast
Another podcast album that Muft Menk has is on the lives of the Prophets.
In this album, there are 29 sessions that he focuses on the different Prophets.
Yaqeen Institute Podcast
The podcast by Yaqeen Institute highlights many challenges modern Muslims today face such as mental health and holistic growth. But they also talk about atomic habits that Muslims can do on a daily basis to improve our wellbeing such as tahajjud prayer.
For instance, Dr Tamara Grey explains in one of the episodes on tahajjud prayer that although tahajjud may seem to be such a small part of our daily lives, it can help Muslims in several ways such as:
It allows us to rest at night (sleeping) and making prayers for Allah which helps to heal our hearts and make us spiritually stronger which Allah loves.
Be kind to yourself in your spiritual growth
Personally, I started practicing tahajjud in 2019 when I had a difficult time falling asleep or kept waking up in the middle of the night and then found it hard to fall asleep.
I remember I was anxious about having a second child and often thought about how and whether I could handle two kids without much help. How was I going to handle two small children?
Once I started to perform tahajjud (when I woke up in the middle of the night) I noticed that I started to be calmer after that. Of course, this did not happen overnight.
But in the efforts to spiritually heal myself, I began to rely more on Allah’s plan. Once I achieved that, I began to accept life’s challenges better – with patience. And this helped me with my anxiety.
I hope that this is can help you with your Quran journaling ideas and help you in your spiritual development.
