If you open a modern printed copy of the Qur’an, you may notice an interesting detail: its chapters are not arranged in the order in which they were revealed. Most readers begin with the longer surahs and rarely stop to consider how the Revelation itself actually began. Yet the first chapter revealed to the Prophet Muhammad was neither Al-Fatihah nor Al-Baqarah.
The first words that Allah revealed to humanity through His Messenger were:
“Read in the name of your Lord who created...” (96:1)
This is highly significant. Allah’s first command to humanity was not “argue,” not “follow tradition,” not “defend your group,” and not even “perform rituals.”
The first command was: Read.
And there is an obvious irony in this: it is precisely this command that often remains unfulfilled.
Without exaggeration, it can be said that a vast number of people have never read the Qur’an in its entirety. And this is true not only of non-Muslims. Many Muslims know certain surahs, individual verses, or familiar stories, yet have never gone through the Qur’an as a whole, seeking to understand it as a unified guidance.
As a result, a strange situation emerges: a person may consider themselves a follower of the Qur’an while possessing only a limited knowledge of what it actually contains.
When Form Becomes More Important Than Substance
If we observe modern religious debates, a recurring pattern becomes apparent. People spend hours discussing the position of a finger during prayer, the placement of the hands, the number of movements, the sequence of certain details, and differences between legal schools.
Yet many of these same people have never studied the Qur’an from beginning to end.
This does not mean that prayer is unimportant. On the contrary, prayer is one of the most important practices in Islam. HoopoeLab has already published studies on this subject, and more will appear in the future.
Nevertheless, a reasonable question remains:
How did discussing the form of prayer become more important for many people than becoming familiar with the very Book that prayer is meant to remind them of?
Allah repeatedly calls people to reflect upon the Scripture:
“Will they not then reflect upon the Qur’an?” (4:82)
The Qur’an constantly directs people back to understanding, reflection, and thoughtful consideration.
Yet these are often the very things that are forgotten.
The external form begins to occupy more space than the meaning for which that form was established in the first place.
Why Reading the Qur’an Changes a Person
A Qur’anic foundation changes not only what a person knows but also how they think.
A person begins noticing questions they never considered before. They start looking for foundations and asking simple yet important questions:
Why do I consider this part of the religion?
What is the basis for this claim?
What does the Qur’an actually say?
Mistakes along this path are inevitable. No one begins with perfect understanding.
But reflection is impossible without engagement with the text itself.
One cannot seriously reflect upon something one has never read.
That is why reading the Qur’an is not a formality or an optional extra. It is a necessary condition for having a thoughtful and informed relationship with religion.
Can the Qur’an Be Read in Translation?
Sometimes one hears a peculiar statement:
“Do not read a translation. You will not understand it anyway.”
At first glance, this may sound like caution. In reality, however, such an approach creates a serious problem.
Allah calls people to reflect upon the Qur’an. He addresses humanity.
Yet nowhere does the Qur’an say that only specialists in Arabic are capable of understanding it.
Yes, the Qur’an was revealed in Arabic.
Yes, the original text always remains the original.
But turning the Arabic language into a mandatory gateway to encountering Allah’s words creates a restriction that Allah Himself did not establish.
If a person speaks Russian, English, Turkish, or any other language, it is entirely reasonable to begin with a translation.
Otherwise, an absurd situation emerges: a person never reads the Qur’an at all because they were told that reading a translation is not allowed.
Translation Does Not Remove Responsibility
At the same time, reading a translation requires responsibility.
A translation is the work of a human being and therefore cannot be completely neutral.
Different translators sometimes render the same verse in different ways.
For that reason, serious study of the Qur’an requires comparing translations, examining word meanings, studying context, and testing one’s own conclusions.
But this is not a flaw.
It is a natural part of any serious investigation.
A person should not blindly trust a translation simply because it is written in a familiar language.
Yet this is not a reason to avoid reading altogether.
On the contrary, it is a reason to read more carefully, compare more thoughtfully, and approach the text more seriously.
The Paradox of Knowing the Language
There is another interesting pattern.
Sometimes a person reading the Qur’an through a translation approaches it more carefully than a native Arabic speaker.
The reason is simple.
Such a person understands their responsibility.
They know they may misunderstand something, and therefore they check, compare, and study more thoroughly.
Knowledge of Arabic is undoubtedly helpful.
But language alone does not guarantee understanding.
The Qur’an repeatedly appeals not only to the ability to read words but also to the ability to reflect upon them.
Allah does not say:
“Let only the Arabs reflect.”
He addresses all people.
And this is an important point:
the message of the Qur’an is not limited by linguistic identity, nor is its audience confined to a single culture.
Beautiful Recitation and Understanding Are Not the Same Thing
Many Muslims admire beautiful Qur’anic recitation.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this.
A beautiful voice may help a person focus and listen more attentively.
However, it is important to remember that the purpose of the Qur’an is not to create a musical experience.
Allah says:
“We have not taught him poetry, nor is it fitting for him.” (36:69)
The Qur’an was not revealed as a literary performance.
It was revealed as guidance.
Beautiful recitation may be beneficial, but it does not replace understanding.
A person may recite the Qur’an flawlessly and rarely reflect upon it.
Another may read slowly, with mistakes and a heavy accent, yet sincerely strive to understand its meaning.
And the latter is far closer to the purpose for which the Qur’an was revealed.
How Can One Accept Allah’s Words Without Knowing Them?
Perhaps the most important question is remarkably simple:
What distinguishes a Muslim from someone who merely happened to be born into a Muslim family?
The obvious answer is acceptance of Allah’s words.
But this immediately leads to another question:
How can one claim to have accepted Allah’s words without knowing what He actually said?
How can one defend the Qur’an without reading it?
How can one argue about religion without studying its primary source?
How can one appeal to Islam without becoming acquainted with its foundation?
These questions may feel uncomfortable.
Yet honest inquiry begins with precisely such questions.
Without them, knowledge is easily replaced by habit, and conviction by inheritance.
Conclusion
The first command of the Qur’an was astonishingly simple:
“Read.”
Do not merely admire the recitation of others.
Do not rely entirely on second-hand summaries.
Do not limit yourself to culture or tradition.
- Read.
- Study.
- Reflect.
- Verify.
- Ask questions.
Mistakes along this path are inevitable.
But there is a far more dangerous mistake:
to spend a lifetime living beside the Qur’an and never truly become acquainted with it.
Perhaps one of the most overlooked responsibilities of a Muslim begins with the very word through which the Revelation itself began:
“Read.”
