With the Islamic New Year approaching, how about setting a positive resolution to start Quran Journaling? If you have already started your Quran Journaling journey, an easy thing that you can do to help you to remember and understand the 114 chapters is to index your Quran! Anything that helps us to connect with the Quran is a wonderful thing and I love finding different ways to do so. In this post, we will be learning about Quran Journaling – Indexing and Tabbing for Beginners. This post will specifically be dedicated to organizing your Quran with tabs based on Suwar (the 114 chapters). As we advance further, we will look into how we can index our Qurans based on themes.
What is Quran Indexing or Tabbing?
Simply put, Quran Indexing or Tabbing are basically tabs that go inside your Quran. There are three ways to do so – tabbing based on the 114 suwar (chapters), the ajza’ (30 parts), or by themes.
For this post, we will be going into depth on how to tab your Quran based on the 30 parts and 114 chapters. This technique is perfect for beginners and suitable for any age! You can even do it as a fun activity with your children to get them involved in the exciting journey of Quran Journaling.
The house in which the Quran is recited and Allah, The Noble and Grand, is remembered will receive numerous Divine blessings (barakah), the Angels will be present, and the Satans will be distanced from there. In addition, that house will shimmer for the people of the sky, just like the stars shimmer for the people on the Earth.
IMAM ALI (AS)
Quran Journaling Indexing and Tabbing – why do it?
There are many reasons for Quran Indexing and Tabbing but overall, it comes down to the following two primary benefits:
- They make your Quran personal, unique, and special to you! Rather than looking like everyone else’s Qurans, the tabs add style and character, helping the reader to form a deeper connection with it.
- They make reciting the Quran easier. If you are someone who has not memorized which Sura is which number and the imagery associated, these tabs help to remember that information as well as quickly being able to turn to where you need to be! You don’t need to be flipping through the entire Quran to find a certain Sura. The tabs on the side quickly allow you to open the Sura you need to and visually help you to remember! Something beneficial for both adults and children!
And We have certainly made the Quran easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?
QURAN – 54:17
Methods of Quran Indexing and Tabbing
In my Quran, I have used two methods:
Method 1 – Make your own!
For the chapters, I made my tabs using sticky tabs and images for each chapter with the number which was designed by Parenting with Sabira. This method does take some time but you learn so much in the process as you can connect the Sura with the image associated.
The images used are not all literal representations. Some humorous images have been added to help remember the chapter in a fun way. You can use these tabs or create your own! Scroll down to find out how to get started!
Method 2 – Quran Journaling Sticker Tabs
For the 30 parts, I used these gorgeous high-quality tabs by Kufesk. (Get yours for a 15% off discount using code: BALANCEDBAYT)
It took me less than an hour to stick these down and the pack comes with clear instructions on how to do so. I love how durable they are and the colors and designs are absolutely stunning! There are also stickers for the chapters too, so if you don’t fancy creating your own, this is a great alternative. Keep reading to find out how you can get a hold of these for yourself!
What you will need for Quran Journaling – Indexing and Tabbing for Beginners
- A copy of your Quran (preferably with translation). This is the one I use and highly recommend
- 2 packs of colorful file folder tabs
- Scissors
- Clear Tape
- Colored print-out of Sura Images Tabs (add your email below to get your free printable).
Print on letter-size paper OR print directly onto label/sticker paper to save you time
Step by Step on Indexing and Tabbing your Quran for Beginners
This guide is for Method 1 (mentioned above).
Step 1
Cut the Sura images in strips so that you don’t lose any images and work with 1 strip at a time.
Step 2
Stick your sura image onto one plastic sticky tab and cut a horizontal strip so that there is a colored outline around the image. I had used smaller tabs which just left me enough space for a coloured strip on the side. If you aren’t using sticker paper, you can glue the image onto the label. Next, add some tape to stick around the image. This will also avoid them from wearing out with time.
TIP: Make sure to round off the corners on your tabs using scissors to avoid any harsh edges!
Step 3
Place your sura tab on the side of your page (longer edge) as the top is better suited for the Juz tabs. Start from the top and then as you proceed to the next sura, you can check the placement alongside the previous tab.
TIP: For chapters in the same juz (part), I used the same tab colors. For example, chapters in Juz 1 are all red, Juz 2 are orange etc.
And that’s it!
If you followed these methods, I would LOVE to see your beautiful Qurans! Please share them with us over on our Instagram page @BalancedBayt, and we will be sure to feature you.
Happy Quran Tabbing!
