Ramadhaan Programme 2012: Part 1

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

This year I am sharing something with you all that I used last year for my children - daily juz Qur'an questions. In addition, for the two days leading up to Ramadhaan, I gave them questions to research, to give them preparatory knowledge of our Book of Guidance - the Qur'an. All this was based on the Sahih International Qur'an translation, which we since learned was not an accurate representation of Allah's words. We therefore have switched to The Noble Qur'an by Hilali-Khan.

So, with Ramadhaan just a couple of days away, I'm giving you my first set of questions for the pre-Ramadhaan preparation. These questions are taken from the section of the Qur'an translation titled, "History of Qur'an Compilation."

History of Qur'an Compilation

• Did they start making written records of the Qur'an after the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa salaam, died?
• In the beginning, was the whole Qur'an put together (compiled) in one big book?
• Who brought all the Qur'an together onto written sheets (suhuf)? Who ordered him to do that?
• How did they make sure that the Qur'an was correctly recorded on paper?
• Which of the Prophet's wives held the complete Qur'an?
• Who was the caliph that standardised the Qur'an and had copies made for each of the Islamic territories?
• Why didn't the first Qur'ans have any dots or vowel marks?
• Why did they add the dots and vowel marks?
• What are the three stages in which the various marks were added?

I hope this will encourage some of you to take up the challenge and read to seek the answers to these questions and/or use them for your own children. In doing so, you will have accomplished and learned a great deal by the end of this precious and beloved month, all qualifying as a most beautiful worship bi ithn Illah.

For those of you wondering what I will be doing this year, considering I've given different questions on the daily Qur'an juz for two years in a row now, I'm going to use the book, "Fasting from Alif to Yaa" with the family, inshaa'Allah. Of course we will read the complete Qur'an as well, bi ithn Illah, but rather than do Shk. Uthaymeen's Daily Sittings again, we will move on to a fresh program with more hands-on activities for the children.

Don't wait till the night Ramadhaan is announced to focus yourself on this month...focus your heart, your mind, and your body on doing your very best for Allah this year and may Allah make us all successful in our fasting, our worship, and our dua' - AMEEN!