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Al-Kitaab Al-Muneer, The Enlightened Book, Teaneck, NJ (2026)

12/02/2020

Growing up I used to hear stories about young people who have committed the Qur'an to memory and a few years later, succumb to a life of sin and deviance.

Ignorant folks in the community jumped on the opportunity to shame and ridicule these youthful Huffadh. "Look at these huffadh. What's the point of memorizing if you're gonna behave worse than the rest of us?" "Look at what happened to so-and-so. This is why hifdh shouldn't be the goal".

I've heard many such comments growing up and while yes, I do believe Holders of Al Qur'an should hold themselves to higher standards in adab (manners) and humility, I found it problematic that the people making these comments have little to no experience being a Hafidh/ah.

Taking on the work of studying Al Qur'an means going to war with the shaytaan and with your ego self. And we already know that satan takes on many forms in his attempt to derail a person from continuing.

Allah has bestowed a distinguished honor on Huffadh Al Qur'an. Their bodies will be preserved in their graves, and the Qur'an will be their honored companion. Their rank will be elevated in Jannah. Their parents will be granted a special status in Jannah, decorated with crowns only those who raised Huffadh will deserve.

All of this comes at a steep price. Tests, temptations, envious enemies, and scrutinous eyes will test the Holder of Al Qur'an at every turn. In a way, becoming a hafidh is like having a target on your back; the assassin is none other than the devil himself.

When you hold the Qur'an in your heart, you are never alone. It is the most comforting friend because it is a constant reminder of Allah's love. Holding on to that love and focusing on it through the fitan is why hifdh is so important.

May Allah protect, preserve, and honor our Huffadh and Hafidhaat. They are the ones who inherit the Qur'an and are walking promises from Allah, that His Book will never be changed or altered.

"Oh you who has memorized the Quran, you are not a Preserver,
Until you've applied what you've memorized"
-Unknown author (translated to English)

11/19/2020

I know this one sounds a bit harsh but this is the truth. I hear a lot of parents placing lofty goals of hifdh and recitation for their children when they themselves have yet to commit to furthering their knowledge of the Qur'an.

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I don't remember reading or learning anywhere that the duty we have to seek knowledge (especially that of the Noble Book) stops at adolescence.

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And I'm not saying one must be a master in Qur'an recitation or a hafidh/ah to raise Qur'an-loving children.

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What your children need is to be witnesses that their parents are trying to learn too. That they're trying to memorize too. That they're trying to get those tajweed rules down too. That they set aside time daily just for Al Qur'an, too.

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Your children have rights upon you, absolutely. You're responsible for facilitating their Islamic education. But don't forget the rights of your own soul upon yourself. We're all going into the grave alone. Let's make sure the Qur'an is our companion in the Barzakh.

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08/13/2020

Tajweed comes from the root word جَوّدَ which means to perfect, to produce the best of.

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Tajweed is the precise science we study to reproduce the Qur'an orally the way it was delivered by Jibreel alayhis salam to our beloved Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

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One cannot study Qur'an without studying tajweed.

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That being said, with young children, the science is introduced in a practical and age-appropriate method. The first step is familiarity. Is the student familiar with the sounds of the Arabic alphabet via listening to Qur'an being recited?

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The build up of years of familiarity with the sounds of the Qur'an prepares the child for in-depth study of tajweed. In the case of tajweed, application comes before studying theory.

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Is studying tajweed theory necessary for someone who does not plan on teaching?

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Yes.

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The Qur'an must be read precisely. Simply repeating after someone without understanding the inner workings of how the sounds are produced from one's mouth will undoubtedly lead to major mistakes in qira'ah.

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Some people like to compare tajweed instructors to voice coaches. I don't like that comparison because it means we compare the Qur'an with songs. There is no comparison. We study tajweed to perfect our recitation of the Word of Allah. The depth of this science can never be compared to something entertainers train for. Wal Iyathu Billah.

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So be careful how you present the subject of tajweed to your children and students. This isn't just about making the Qur'an sound good. It's about the haqq of Allah on us, the Ummah of this Noble Book.

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Tajweed is the first real Islamic science most children are exposed to. Giving it its due haqq is imperative to preparing children for the other Islamic sciences like hadith and fiqh.

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May Allah grant us all the wisdom and tawfeeq to do right by the Qur'an.

08/05/2020

I've added the launchgood link to help Lebanon in my linktree. Please give what you can, or share. May Allah grant relief to the people of Beirut.

https://linktr.ee/alkitaabalmuneer

07/28/2020

Don't downplay Qur'an literacy.

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The miracles of the Qur'an continue to amaze me as a teacher and instructor, and especially as a student. I am amazed that a child can learn to read Qur'anic Arabic in the span of a few months or a couple of years. That is astounding to me every single time.

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And so it also surprises me how many don't see it as the achievement it truly is. I see programs being advertised as "your child will learn how to read in only 3 months" or parents falling into the trap of comparing their children to others, or complaining about having to pay to hire someone qualified to teach this subject.

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If your child is Qur'an-literate, they know how to read the MOST ADVANCED FORM OF ARABIC. That is *huge*. I can't even say that of my first language, English. There are so many levels in English language, the highest form being that which is found in academic journals and Shakespearean novels. I'm not fluent in either.

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Why do we downplay Qur'an literacy? Is it a misconception that it's not that big a deal or is it unchecked bias towards a language we believe is limiting in its worldly usefulness?

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I dedicate this post to every child who has learned to read from the mus'haf, to my students who have dedicated a lot of time and effort to learning, and to teachers of this Enlightening Book.

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Your children will take note of what you care about. They will deem important what *you* chose to congratulate them for. Be aware of what messages you send your children in the way you invest, care, and celebrate their Qur'anic achievements.

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07/17/2020

****AUCTION FOR YEMEN****

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Please submit your bids via DMs only. This beautiful piece by dear sister and artist was donated for emergency aid needed in Yemen. This piece will be shipped to the highest bidder.

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Unfortunately I have to limit this auction to the United States only, but please share with as many people as you can.

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The ayah painted on this 25" x 29" piece is ayah 261 of Suratul Baqarah. Befitting ayah to those who give for the sake of Allah.❤

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07/14/2020

Re-evaluate why you want to memorize, or why you want your child to memorize Al Qur'an. Is it for the title? Is it to feel some superiority over others?

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What is the purpose of hifdh beyond the reward, both wordly and other worldly, for memorizing the Qur'an?

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I give my students the analogy of having a Google search engine inside one's brain. I ask them to imagine being able to search for what you need to know in your very own brain. The Qur'an, surely, is far more valuable than all the knowledge contained in the internet. It is far greater than any reference one would ever need in this dunya.

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It's not the children's job to understand the importance of what they are doing right now. That's our responsibility. I can talk about intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation all day long, but at the end of the day, it is up to US. We caretakers, guides, educators, and parents must ensure our children have the tools they need to succeed on their own once they are no longer under our care.

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I can think of no better skill than having the entire Qur'an memorized. You will always need the Qur'an. Your child will always need the Qur'an. Helping them through their journey towards becoming a memorizer of the Word of Allah is cultivating generational wealth. The benefits are endless.

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I will continue to repeat myself until everyone gets this message: the best way to educate your children is to educate yourself. Begin your Qur'an journey and Allah will grant you success and open doors of opportunity you'll never expect. Start today.

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07/10/2020

*ART AUCTION FOR YEMEN*

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My dear sister and talented artist, Amber of has generously donated this beautiful 25" x 29" piece for Yemen.**** I am auctioning it off starting at $150 and will increase bids until 3PM EST tomorrow, July 11****

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PLACE BIDS IN MY STORIES ONLY. I will not count bids placed in the comments. BarakAllahu Feekum.

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Unfortunately I have to limit this auction to the United States but encourage everyone to please share this far and wide. May Allah bless everyone who contributes to the cause for the sake of Allah.

The ayah written on this piece is from Suratul Baqarah:

In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful.

مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُمۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِى كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةٍ۬ مِّاْئَةُ حَبَّةٍ۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُضَـٰعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ (٢٦١)

The example of those who spend
their wealth in the Way of Allâh, is like a seed (of grain) which grows seven spikes, in each spike is a hundred grains. Allan multiplies (His Reward) for whom He wills. And Allâh is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing. (261)

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Happy Friday, everyone.

07/08/2020

JAZAKUMULLAHU KHAYR!! I will be ending this collection for Udh'hiya/Qurbani earlier than the deadline because we've passed capacity of what my people in Aden can handle (20 sacrifices, dividing up all the meat and distributing it to those in need).

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InshaAllah come Eidul Adha I will share news of the Udh'hiya and how it went. Jazakumullahu khayrun for everyone who has fed the hungry this upcoming holiday. Now we'd like to continue our focus on other aid namely medical help, homelessness, home repairs, and other emergency supplies.

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BarakAllahu feekum💜💜💜

06/29/2020

I got in contact with the folks (family and friends) doing all the work in Aden right now and they gave me the green light to collect money specifically for Eidul Adha sacrifice. I am still collecting funds for overall aid, but if you would like to send this year's Udh'hiya/Qurban over to Aden this year, hit me up.

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I will only be collecting for this cause for the next 2 weeks since we need to reserve the animals ahead of time.
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People in Aden struggle to buy chicken and eggs, let alone red meat, so this will be a welcome treat that will surely put a smile in their faces come Eidul Adha inshaAllah.

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May Allah bless everyone who has entrusted me with this task. May Allah grant you all Jannah and expiation your sins. BarakAllahu feekum.

https://venmo.com/laylagraham

https://www.paypal.me/laylagraham

06/26/2020

Age recommendation: 4-12

Every Monday my students and I have a class meeting via Zoom where we either discuss important topics or play a game on TriviaMaker. I wanted to share one of the quizzes I recently made for free for all my fellow educators. I know how difficult it can be to make remote learning as engaging and fun as in-person lessons, so enjoy this and please DM me your feedback!

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Since I am a Montessorian, I opted out of the scoreboard settings, but feel free to keep score for your students if they prefer to play in teams.

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https://linktr.ee/alkitaabalmuneer

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Please note that I am still collecting funds for the crisis in Yemen. Please share my linktree with anyone who may be interested in contributing this this fund. BarakAllahu feekum

06/23/2020

The links to my PayPal and Venmo can be found in the linktree (in my profile). Please share this post wide and far. I cannot stress how extremely desperate the situation is there. La hawla wa la quwwata illah billah.

Al-Kitaab Al-Muneer, The Enlightened Book

12/02/2020

11/19/2020

08/13/2020

08/05/2020

07/28/2020

07/17/2020

07/14/2020

07/10/2020

07/08/2020

06/29/2020

06/26/2020

06/23/2020

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