Farisa, a community member who avidly attended MyLLife's Ramadan Nightly Readings, shared her experience with us:
"I recently had the good fortune to participate in MyLLife’s group nightly reading and reflections of the Quran during the recent month of Ramadan. The plan was for us to spread out all of its 30 juz (parts) throughout the fasting month, in effect reading and discussing as a group one part an hour a day. I leapt at the chance, as this seemed to be a good opportunity as any to delve and deepen my understanding of the Holy Book alongside other interested folks. The Qur'an exhorts us to do just that in Surah Ali ‘Imran:
‘[…] consult them [i.e. the Muslims] in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].’ (Qur’an 3:159)
Indeed, it was a privilege to perform this “mushawara”, that is the sharing of views and exchanging of opinions of such a vital matter as God’s words, with such an active and diverse group of people. The learned facilitator, Mr. Rashed Hasan, led the daily discussions in which we first took turns to read aloud the English translation of the chapter in question. The ensuing lively discussion was invaluable in explaining not only the meanings of the verses, but also the context of revelations. Furthermore, Mr. Hasan took great effort in adding the practical implications of the teachings on both the individual and society in general. It must also be mentioned that the Quranic translation was taken from the five volumes of Mr. Hasan’s “Removing the Middlemen” series which is to be lauded for its clear and easy-to-read modern English.
Imam Al-Ghazali, the great 11th century Muslim philosopher and polymath, said: “In order to benefit from the Qur’an, three of our faculties must participate in the act of recitation, namely, the tongue, the mind and the heart”. During the MyLLife nightly reading and reflections I believe we strove to do just that where our tongues articulated the sounds, our minds discussed the meanings, and our responsive hearts received counsel and understanding, Insha'Allah." Thank you, Farisa, for sharing your experience!
