How to do the Quran Journaling?

Are you ever confused about how, when, why, and where to start the Quran journaling from? There is no word more peaceful than the word of Allah - and there is nothing better than working towards our very purpose of creation - to worship Allah.

Any act that is done with a sincere intention only for the sake of Allah is an act of worship. So why not, we attach to something everlasting, the Quran.

Most people, despite having a strong desire to Quran journal, yet fail to do so - and what are the reasons?

What is Quran Journaling?

Quran journaling is to reflect on the meaning of the Quran and see how can we implement and bring the Quran into our daily lives. It is the process of taking notes from the Quran - or commenting on our personal feelings about certain verses, reading, and making notes for study or understanding purposes.

Most people become overwhelmed when it comes to Quran journaling because of the fancy intimidating images of other Quran journals on the internet - all that glitz and glam. Why not? If you have the skills, and you like decorating your journals, it’s a good activity - but your Quran journal doesn't need to look fancy! Our main focus, starting with the name of Allah, should be on the main purpose of Quran journaling - reflecting.

The Most Asked Questions About The Quran Journaling?

Amongst many questions, the most important to get started with the Quran journaling is to know when and how to start.

1. What things do I need to start Quran journaling?

For starters, you need to have a good notebook, a few pens in at least two different colors, an easy translation Quran, or a tafsir if you wish to have extensive journaling. Keeping a few sticky marks comes really handy to bookmark your favorite pages.

Depending on what approach you take to Quran journaling you can use different sizes and types of notebooks. I like to keep my Quran journaling minimal, and sleek, which helps focusing more on learning than decorating.

For Quran journaling, I suggest using a wide notebook which is more helpful in taking better notes and gives you more space to write on a single page.

I use Moleskin's extra-large ruled notebook for my Quran journaling. It has a fine feel to the paper and has much space on each page to take notes.

Having different color highlighters helps in organizing topics, or highlighting important things you want to remember or reflect on.

When it comes to pens, I either use fountain pens or gel pens. Fountain pens give a vintage traditional feel, however, it is a little hard and distracting to remove or place the lid again and again. Hence, gel pens are highly handy when it comes to intensive writing, and you want to keep your focus.

Sticky notes are my best friend - more than organizing, they help me remember pages or places that need further explanation or revision later in the future. If you know you know, I forget things. Like literally, I forget things.

The most important question is, what translation or tafsir to use? Let’s talk about it at the end of the blog.

2. What if I make mistakes?

We are all capable of making mistakes, but our intent and effort should be sincere towards learning.

It is very important to understand that we are not interpreting the meaning of the Quran or doing commentary on it - but we are just reflecting on the Quran as per our understanding to understand the word of Allah.

3. What is the purpose of Quran journaling?

The purpose of Quran journaling generally is to connect to the Quran, the word of Allah on a deeper level, and build a consistent routine with the Quran.

However, why someone starts Quran journaling depends on what they want to achieve with it. What their goals are and what they aspire to be - it vary from one person to another. On a greater level, it helps us evaluate ourselves.

And it gives us a constant reminder of our Lord, Allah. It also humbles us and keeps us focused on our purpose of creation, and The most important one is that it keeps us in the remembrance of Allah.

فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ

“Remember Me; I will remember you.” [2:152]

4. What do I journal about in the Quran?

There are many ways to do Quran journaling. You read and observe the verses in the Quran, read stories, write the verses of the Quran, or reflect upon them - depending on how much time you have or what you want to achieve with it.

How to do Quran Journaling?

There are many ways to start your very own Quran journal. I suggest using the method that works the best for you, and is not tiring and overwhelming - because our intention with Quran journaling should be building a strong connection with the Quran and Allah, rather than filling up our notebooks with notes that do not benefit us in real life.

Here are some ways you can start your journey with Quran Journaling.

1. Verses for Quran Journaling

This is the most convenient way of Quran journaling, especially if you are a beginner, and your focus is on consistency.

For people who do not have much time but have sincere intentions to get started, journaling Quranic verses is a great way to connect to the Quran.

With this method, you can pick a random verse or the one that you want to learn more about and write it in your journal.

Read the translation, and get a little detailed overview from the Quran Tafsir to better understand what message Allah wants to convey to us through this verse.

2. Topic/Theme Wise Quran Journaling

Another beautiful way of starting a journal for the Quran is topic study.

The Quran has themes and topics that it talks about. The topic-wise journaling includes a focus on certain themes from the Quran. For example, Tawhid, Prophethood, social justice, ethics, death and resurrection, Qiyamah, Worldly life, and the afterlife.

You can pick one theme find relevant verses or surahs from the Quran, and read, observe, and reflect upon them. It is not necessary to cover one theme at a time. It is advisable to reflect on one or two Ayahs as per your schedule to have a better understanding.

3. Emotions & Feelings

This is a very light and enjoyable form of Quran journaling and is more effective in building consistency.

You can choose the ayah for your day depending on how you are feeling. For instance, if you are feeling confused, heartbroken, happy, sad, scared, or anything - you can find the Ayah(Quranic Verse) from the Quran that resonates with your emotions and reflect upon it.

4. Chapter(Surah) Wise Quran Journaling

This is indeed the most detailed version of Quran journaling. It requires more time, effort, and attention.

You start with one surah.

Read the background, context, time of revelation, topic, or theme of the Surah, and then reflect on the whole surah - the lessons you have learned, the stories you have read in that surah, the prophets, any rulings if there were, and concluding with how you resonate with it or how you can implement it in your life.

Or you can do a few verses daily or weekly as you like, depending on your routine.

Our intention and focus is to connect to the Quran, and to keep that in mind, and keep our intentions pure, we should always go for the way that suits us the best. Aiming for the best is good, but if it leaves you overwhelmed, you won’t be able to build a consistent routine.

Most people fail to continue building their journaling habits because they try to do more than what they can. It is important to understand that our purpose is not to complete the whole Quran in a month or two - but to make it part of our lives in a beneficial way.

Steps to Quran Journal

Keeping it light and enjoyable, here are the steps to start Quran journaling.

Prayer

Everything is from Allah. Even this capability, this desire to connect to Him, to remember Him, to read the Quran - all these blessings are given to us by the grace and mercy of Allah. So, when doing your Quran journal, always start with a prayer.

A prayer, and gratitude.

Pray to Allah to help you in gaining this knowledge, and also thank Allah for giving you this chance to be among the people who reflect on the Quran deeply.

Intention

Any act with a sincere intention for the sake of Allah is an act of worship. So, every single day, every single time you open your journal, make, renew, and purify your intention.

Write your intention for the Quran on the first page of your journal. It helps in keeping your goal in mind, and also whenever you feel demotivated, read your intentions and remind yourself that you are doing it for the sake of Allah.

Select your Ayah

Choose the verse you want to reflect upon. Well, the question is how to choose the verse. When you read the Quran, some verses speak louder than others. It can be an Ayah you want to learn more about. It can be a verse related to your current life situation. It can be an Ayah that resonates with something that keeps bothering you all the time.

Anything that truly connects with you!

Write & Connect

You are now literally going to write it down with your hands and feel it. You can write the Arabic text and its translation. Or you can write only the Translation of it as a heading.

Now, it’s time to reflect on it. Make three sections;

What Allah is saying in the Ayah

Read and understand the basic meaning of the verse of the chapter - what message Allah is giving us, and what is its importance as a believer.

Tadabbur & tafakur(Reflection)

Analyze the deeper meaning of the ayah, and how it resonates with you personally.

Reflection is personal. How do you feel about it? What does it say to you? What emotions or lessons do you get from the verse you are studying?

Action plan

How are you going to implement this in your life? This is where you live by it, and bring it into your daily life, which is the main purpose of the Quran - how to reform ourselves.

All you have to do is just to make your intention, and start - focus only on your progress!

What Quran Translation or Tafsir to use?

The best course is to go with the translation that is easy to understand for you!

My favorite Quran translation so far is “The Study Quran” by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. It has everything one needs for a comprehensive study of the Quran. It has explanator notes, detailed commentary, cross-references, and an index of the Quan topics which makes it so easy to find verses by topic or theme.

However, this translation and commentary are a little too overwhelming if you are reading the Quran for the first time like this.

I suggest that one must read a simple basic translation of the full Quran one time to have a kind of basic understanding of all the chapters and verses. It helps in in-depth study and makes the process of diving deep into the chapters when you know what each chapter is about.

If you are looking for a light translation of the Quran, “The Meaning of the Noble Quran” by Mufti Taqi Usmani is a very helpful, and brief yet comprehensive translation. I use “The Meaning of the Noble Quran” by Mufti Taqi Usmani for a basic understanding of the text, and “The Study Quran” by Seyyed Hossein for detailed journaling or understanding.

One thing to keep in mind while being on a spiritual journey is that there is no competition. The only competition you have is with you. Everyone has their routines, responsibilities, and struggles with deen(religion). Some people are blessed more than others. Some have more time, while others have to struggle to find time - both are rewarding in their own ways.

Left to right: “The Study Quran” by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Moleskine extra large notebook, “The Meaning of the Noble Quran” by Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do you already have a Quran journal or you are planning to start one? If you already have one, share any useful tips in the comments below that can help other Muslims.

Let the wait be over, and Bismillah!