Question : What do scholars say about this?

[Auzer]

As we know , in many Muslim cultures , most people just 'parrot' Qur'an without even understanding what they are reading. Children in countries like Pakistan just read Arabic of the Qur'an and they don't even know what they are reading. They just keep reading , reading , reading , while in the end...they get NOTHING out of Qur'an. They are not even touched by the great wisdom of Qur'an...

So should Qur'an be read in Arabic or people should read Qur'an in their own language? Whatever it is ...

Why reading Qur'an in Arabic is necessary? What scholars say about it? Shouldn't we teach Qur'an to our Children? Instead of teaching them how to read Arabic , by using Qur'an as a 'language reading practicing manual' ..?

So what is the scholarly view about it? And how should we make sure that our children know what is in the Qur'an...?

[Arif2]

So should Qur'an be read in Arabic or people should read Qur'an in their own language?

There is no "Qur'an in their own language". There is only one Qur'an and it is in Arabic.

[amr123]

By Mufti Ebrahim Desai

A.) The noble Qur'an is that noble and blessed book of Allah Ta'ala which He revealed for the guidance of mankind. The virtues of reciting the Qur'an are numerous, but there is one virtue which supercedes all others.

Sayyidna Abu Sa'eed Khudri, Radi-Allahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, 'That person who due to excessive recitation of the Qur'an is not able to make Allah Ta'ala's Dhikr and Du'a, Allah Ta'ala will bestow such a person with more blessings and Ni'mat than even those who make Dhikr and Du'a.' (Tirmidhi). What better virtue can there be, when Allah Ta'ala takes it upon Himself to bless such people who recite the Qur'an excessively?

The question arises that whether a person will attain this virtue, by only reciting it with understanding, or does he also obtain the benefits if he recites without understanding?

Sayyidna Abdullah ibn Ma'sood, Radi-Allahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, 'That person who recites one letter from the Kitabullah, he will get one reward, and one is multiplied by ten.' He further went on to say, 'I do not say that Alif, Laam, Meem is one letter, but instead alif is one letter, laam is one letter and meem is one letter.' (Tirmidhi)

If we ponder over this Hadith, we will find that there is no condition that the reciter will only get Thawab (reward) if he recites the Qur'an with understanding.

In the noble Qur'an, there are many Ayahs which we do not know the meaning of, for example, Huroof Muqattaat, which appear at the beginning of some Surahs, e.g. Alif-laam-meem.

We do not know the meaning of such Ayahs, but we still recite them. If we do not get reward for reciting the Qur'an without understanding, then it will imply that we will not get reward for reciting these Ayahs of the Qur'an as we do not know their meanings, but Nabi Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam chose the words Alif-laam-meem knowing well that he had not explained them to the Ummah, yet he still commanded us to recite them, and described the virtues for reciting such three alphabets.

From the above points, it is clear that even though a person recites the Qur'an without understanding, he will still attain the virtues and benefits of reciting it.

However, if after learning how to recite the Qur'an, a person goes on to learn the meaning of the Qur'an so that he understands the orders and commands of Allah Ta'ala, the reward for such a person is certainly more.

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best.

[تفويض]

السلام عليكم

Allah SWT in an aayah of the Qur'aan describes the Qur'aan as an Arabic Qur'aan.

"We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an so you people may understand / use reason" (12:2)

Anything that is not Arabic is therefore not the Qur'aan. Hence teaching our children the Qur'aan in Arabic is essential and if they read anything else they are not reading the Qur'aan. However, having said this, that does not mean they cannot read the translation of the Qur'aan in their own language, in fact they should be encouraged to do so.
As you have said it is a major problem that many or us share that we understand nothing of what we read. This directly affects our desire to recite the Qur'aan and affects our concentration in Salaah. I believe we would all see major changes in our Salaah if we understood what we read.

What is superior to this though is that we and our children should learn to understand the Arabic language and transition from the understanding of Qur'aan through another language to understanding it through the Qur'aan in Arabic. From the quote, you can see that the Arabic language was chosen specifically so that we could understand the Qur'aan. Classical Arabic has many nuances which other languages don't share/no longer have and a true appreciation of the Qur'aan can only be reached by studying the language.

I think it's quite a big failure that our masjids don't teach our children to understand Qur'aan. They are taught to read the Qur'aan which is essential, but once they learn to read Qur'aan with beautiful tajweed, to quote you brother auzer (with minor changes, which as I write this means it isn't actually a quote, oh well), "they just keep reading , reading , reading , while in the end...they get NOTHING more out of Qur'an." I added in the word more because just reading the Qur'aan earns many rewards so you are getting a lot out of reading. But nothing compared to reading it with comprehension.

So the too long didn't read answer:

Learning to recite the Qur'aan in Arabic is essential. You cannot do without it.
Reading the translation of the Qur'aan is very important.
Learning to understand the Qur'aan by learning Arabic is also essential. I'm not a scholar (although apparently scholars such as Ibn Taymiyyah have said this too, but I haven't verified this), but in my mind it is fard on all Muslims to learn Arabic if they possess the means which many of us do. I absolutely blow a fuse when some friends of mine say it isn't important. I feel a rant coming along, I had better quit writing.

[abdulwahhab]

One of the easiest solutions to the problem is to learn Arabic. We teach our kids English and/or our own language and/or French and/or Spanish, etc. but we skip out on teaching them Arabic.

[تفويض]

One of the easiest solutions to the problem is to learn Arabic. We teach our kids English and/or our own language and/or French and/or Spanish, etc. but we skip out on teaching them Arabic.

و عليكم السلام

Usually because we don't know Arabic ourselves. Even then though, I can't imagine the imaams in the masjid refusing to teach children Arabic. All we have to do is ask them. Our children usually spend a good few years here in the UK going to the masjid between 5-7pm after school. Perfect place to teach them Arabic after they learn to recite Qur'aan.

I had the intention of teaching myself Arabic and teaching it to my children as a 'mother tongue' to the best of my ability. That though is looking bleak. This first year in uni has completely halted my progress. Inshaa Allah I will be able to pick it up again the next year and manage my time better, may we all be blessed with the Arabic language so we many understand the Qur'aan. Ameen