The Importance of Having God in your Heart
According to the Tazkirah, knowing to read the Quran is a "Fardhu Ain" and compulsary for every Muslim. However, teaching the knowledge of reading the Quran with the right "Tajwid" or pronounciation is a "Fardhu Kifayah". Fardhu Kifayah is compulsary for a Muslim ONLY IF the person knows none other with the knowledge or skill.
In Malaysia, in my knowledge, the basic reading of the Quran is taught using the IQRA in KAFA classes (now known as J-QAF) at primary schools, oversee by JAKIM and coordinated by JAIS in Sarawak. The problem arises that most Muslim Secondary Students are still unable to read the Quran. In my yesteryear, we learn with the Muqaddam in School which leads us to familiarize with the characters and words rather than the sound which these days another method is introduced privately outside school using the Baghdadi method.
Personally, the illiteracy problem starts when God is not in the child's heart. From personal observation and experience, most parents are too busy working and forgot to become good early role model for their children. A child is like a sponge. They follow what they see and later develop their own logic. What kind of logic if would that child develop?
Hence, as a Muslim, the first step is always to rectify oneself and practice the Islamic way of living. One of the Islamic way of living is learning to read the Quran: which is the word of God and main text of Islam.
When you read the Quran, you need to have:
In Malaysia, in my knowledge, the basic reading of the Quran is taught using the IQRA in KAFA classes (now known as J-QAF) at primary schools, oversee by JAKIM and coordinated by JAIS in Sarawak. The problem arises that most Muslim Secondary Students are still unable to read the Quran. In my yesteryear, we learn with the Muqaddam in School which leads us to familiarize with the characters and words rather than the sound which these days another method is introduced privately outside school using the Baghdadi method.
Personally, the illiteracy problem starts when God is not in the child's heart. From personal observation and experience, most parents are too busy working and forgot to become good early role model for their children. A child is like a sponge. They follow what they see and later develop their own logic. What kind of logic if would that child develop?
Hence, as a Muslim, the first step is always to rectify oneself and practice the Islamic way of living. One of the Islamic way of living is learning to read the Quran: which is the word of God and main text of Islam.
When you read the Quran, you need to have:
- the FEEL - know that God is talking directly to your Heart "Kalbun" and be honest to yourself;
- the ACTION - saying it out or doing it; and
- the ROUTINE - by making it a habit.
Hence, when you do only ACTION only without the FEEL. How can you hope that a child can make it a ROUTINE without the predecessor. Which comes to my conclusion of the importance of having God in our hearts before we and our generations are forever trap in this SECULAR system world built to make a world without God. Take your actions NOW for it is never too late UNLESS the judgement day comes before you even started.