My journey of online Quran classes – Observations and Mistakes

About 4 years ago, I got myself enrolled in an online Quran academy out of my deep desire to learn Quran. Since I did not have the time to commute neither I could find a fairly affordable and qualified tutor in my vicinity, online learning appeared to be the best option. After registering and taking trials with a couple of academics, I chose the one that I found better. I started with them and continued my learning for about 3.5 years in which I was able to learn Quran reading with Tajweed from scratch. At the same time, I learned Islamic fundamentals and memorized some short Surahs (Chapters) that I now recite in my daily prayers.

I decided to pen down my journey of online Quran classes and the observations and mistakes I made during this journey to help any current or aspiring online Quran student. These points will serve them to learn Quran online fast and with more accuracy and the right attitude.  So let’s get started.

1. Morning is the best time

Morning is the best time for any kind of learning. Your mind is fresh and can absorb things easily as compared to when you are exhausted. Also, when you get up early, your day prolongs and you can do more. You can practise your lesson in the evening or before going to bed.

Initially, I got my online Quran classes scheduled for the evening after I was back from work. I would be tired with my mind preoccupied with a lot of work and family-related things limiting my ability to learn anything new. I continued this schedule for 2 months and after realizing this wasn’t that effective, I changed it to morning. After this, I quickly observed pleasing changes not only in my Quran learning capacity but also in my whole schedule.

2. Keep yourself motivated

Learning Quran is a long process. You can easily be demotivated or discouraged particularly if you are a complete beginner or a full-time working professional. Some days you may be under stress due to work, other days you may find your Quran lesson hard. Sometimes you may think this whole process is futile or costly forcing you to consider quitting.

The key is to constantly keep yourself motivated. One way to do this is to think of Quran learning as your top religious responsibility.  Remind yourself of all the blessings you will get from Allah by learning to read the Quran. Think of your online Quran classes and the time you spend on them as highly valuable and sacred which will earn you countless benefits both in this world as well as in the hereafter.

3. Take Notes

One of the mistakes I made during my online Quran classes was not taking notes of the errors my tutor would point out. This negligence cost me much time. I should have completed my Quran in around 2 years.

When you note down your errors and the Tajweed rules, you tend to focus on them and try to fix them. The result: your recitation improves faster. On the other hand, when you don’t take your errors seriously and don’t make notes, you repeat the same mistakes time and again.

My suggestion: have a pen and paper while taking Quran classes and note down every single detail. If you can’t take notes, you can also record your sessions for future reference.

4. Be regular

If you let your excuses like busy routine or guests at home the reason for missing your classes, it will negatively affect your learning curve. You may not feel this immediately but when you will look back after some time, you will realize that your irregularity has cost you a lot.

I noticed during the course of my online Quran memorization classes that the more regular I am, the easier it gets. This is because irregularity in classes breaks the momentum and your enthusiasm. I also noticed that the more determined I am to attend classes, the more fun and effective they become.

Make it a point to not miss your Quran classes no matter what. It’s easier and tempting to skip a class based on a trivial excuse. It will, however, cost you in the long run in terms of time and money.

I really hope the above tips will help you make your online Quran classes more fruitful.