Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Pls advise is it acceptable by Allah to read and recite the Holy Qura'an in English Language, I mean the verses all in Arabic oral but using the English alphabets.

Kindly reply urgently at your very earliest.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Transliteration

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

If one cannot read the original Arabic script, and recites the Holy Quran using English alphabets (transliteration) for the Pleasure of Allah, there is absolutely no harm.

It would be best, if he could exert himself in learning how to read Arabic, so that he could recite the Holy Quran in the Arabic script. But lets say one is a new convert to Islam, and has never learnt to read or recognize the Arabic script, there is absolutely no harm in reading the Quran transliteration. It would also be advantageous to read the translation of the Glorious Quran, so that he can understand the Message of the Rabb-ul-Aalemeen.

It has been reported in an authentic narration that the Prophet (saws) said, "A person who recites the Qur'an, and memorizes it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And a person who exerts himself to learn the Qur'an by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward."

Allah is Most Merciful, Most Forgiving. If a person exerts himself to memorize the Holy Quran, or recites it with great difficulty, because he does not know Arabic or for any other reason, but does so only for the love and pleasure of Allah, he will have a double reward from Allah Subhanah. Allah is indeed Great!

May Allah guide us to read and understand the Message of the Al Quran. May Allah make us of those who live our lives in accordance with the guidance and teachings of the Glorious Quran. Ameen.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan