Lately I felt my home is getting crowded. I normally shut my windows n treat my house like my own personal studio to belt out the Quranic verses I'm memorising. It helps to read out loud as if nobody was watching.
Of course, as woman, I have to be careful not to be carried away with ego n riak cos our voices r aurat. N also sometimes listening to our own melodious voice, we may get engrossed in our own ability n forget that our niat is only for God.
So I went to the beach. I put on my headphones, closed my eyes and recite out loud in an isolated area. I was so into it that I did not feel my surroundings. So lost, in ecstacy.
I noticed that my body moved along with the tunes I created to recite with tajwid. But when I opened my eyes, I saw there were many peeps beside me. Yikes?! Awkward.
I thought it was a private concert only for me, but it has become public. I then whisper the rest of my practice. N then I seek a more remote place to continue on.
I was taught by my Madinah Ustaz that to read something for the first time is to open one's mouth as wide and in as many shapes as possible to enunciate the proper alphabets well. It may looked ugly n ridiculous sometimes. But it's worth it. It took me months just to get the alphabet ain well.
I'm a person who got bored easily and cannot stay put in 1 position or location for long...thus,i seek many other Quranic reciters to rekindle my passion.
Ramadan is the best time to do so. Why? Because terawikh prayers are often led by hafiz Quran from various countries. I mosques-hop to listen to myriad recitations from heart n soul. Sometimes, the imam got teary eyed with certain verses. Though I'm just a noob in Arabic, it got me crying a river.
Also re-learning hifz in this 46+ age is no spring chicken. Though challenging, it's possible.
When young as a child, memorisation is like engraving onto stones, when older like me, memorisation is like writing on sand. Anytime, it can delete itself.
I had to stay put in 1 mosque (fully aircon of course in this blistering heat of 35 degrees Celsius) from 11am-8pm to truly memorised Sura Mudaththir, 56 verses. Not easy cos I get restless. Sometimes need self force to commit.
And as we age, we may have issues like istiadhah, so best to get Quran with translations or use apps (my eyes get tired easily with phone apps). Or normal Quran is fine, if u r able to refresh ur wudhu in every prayer.
For women with menses, I've learnt various methods. Some hafizah teachers said that we can still memorise new and old sura of the Quran because we are students of hifz (in menses/moon time) . So it's special for us but not for normal peeps.
But some only allow us to recite repeated verses that we had memorised. And niat/intention as zikir.
Whatever it is, consult your own teacher for this. Do not be shy to learn, we have to be bold. Of course find a female teacher if possible if not, male teacher do know the answer or they may refer u to another female teacher.
Again as mentioned, I'm only sharing from my experiences. I'm no expert in Islamic matters or even hifz. Do Get your info from certified asatisahs professionals please. Though I have certifications of Quranic teaching certs, It's been ages since I was active in this niche n community. And so im still just a noob, restarting. So dont take me seriously.
Only take what helps, inspire n empowers u in your own journey.
The best is from Allah, all mistakes r my own, so forgive me dunia akhirat.