When I was young, I looked forward to English lessons when we would all sit together and listen to the teacher read The Big Book. I loved how she voices out her character, and I get a warm and fuzzy feeling repeating after her in unison with my other classmates. It's as if, for a period of time, I forgot my annoying classmate who took my eraser or that my palm got hit by a ruler by the teacher for forgetting to do my homework.
When we repeat after her, what was central was not the plot of the story, but how we enunciate or how well we follow after her.
Similarly, my relationship with the Q'uran prior to this was always how to pronounce words I never understood in a language I don't speak, to be read in a melodious tone. Reciting was very important and encouraged in the hadith.
Perhaps it is time to stop reciting blindly. A melodious sound is not enough to touch the heart. For the heart to be stirred, and the mind to be convinced, deep reflection is needed. And with reflection, a chance to evaluate.
After all, my favourite part of the Read-Aloud session comes at the end where I hear the melodious words from the teacher saying, "So, what do you all think of the story?"
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