Read · 6 min
What a halaqa is
A halaqa is a circle. People sit together, read a few ayat of the Qur'an, learn what the scholars said about them, and talk about what they mean for our lives. It can be three people at a kitchen table or thirty in a masjid, in person or online. Where this way of learning comes from.
What you need
One person to lead, a quiet hour, and the pages for one session. The leader does not need to be a scholar. The pages carry the explanation. The leader's job is to keep the circle moving, keep the time, and keep it kind.
Ready to try? Your first gathering has one passage to start with, a checklist for the leader and an invitation you can send.
How the hour goes
| Part | About |
|---|---|
| Welcome and du'a | 5 minutes |
| Recitation | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Tafsir | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Discussion | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Reflection and closing du'a | 8 to 10 minutes |
Who does what
- The leader opens the circle, keeps the time, and reads the Facilitator guide before the session.
- A reciter reads the ayat aloud. If nobody wants to, play the recitation on the Verses page.
- A reader reads the English translation after each ayah.
- Everyone can speak in the discussion. Nobody has to.
How to use a session's pages
| Page | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Overview | Start here. The passage, what the session covers, and links to the rest. |
| Listen | A sample circle. Hear how a session on this passage can go. Good preparation for the leader. |
| Verses | The Arabic, the translation, the meaning word by word, and the recitation. |
| Discussion | Three main questions, and four more if there is time. |
| Facilitator guide | For the leader: the running order, what to be careful about, and what to do if the room goes quiet. |
| Tafsir, Hadith, Arabic words | More depth, for the leader or anyone who wants it. |
| Handout | Print it for people who prefer paper. |
| Circle cards | Session 04 only, for now. Nine cards anyone can read aloud to run the session in about 45 minutes, with no preparation. |
Good manners in the circle
- Begin and end with du'a.
- Let everyone speak, and do not put anyone on the spot.
- It is fine to say "I don't know".
- Stay close to the text and to what the scholars said.
- Disagree kindly. The scholars often differed too.
- What people share in the circle stays in the circle.
When a question comes
People will ask questions, and that is good. Most questions are one of four kinds. Each kind needs a different answer from the leader.
- A reflection. "What does this ayah mean for my life?" Do not answer it alone. Open it to the circle: "What do the rest of you think?"
- A question of law or detail. "Is this allowed?" "Which hadith says that?" Say "Let's check." For a detail, the Tafsir and Hadith pages may already have it. For a ruling, write the question down and take it to a scholar you trust.
- A personal struggle. Someone shares something heavy, about their faith, their family or their health. Thank them, and do not go into it in front of everyone. Talk with them after, privately, and help them find the right person: an imam, a counselor or a doctor.
- You don't know. Say so: "I don't know. I will find out." Write it down, and bring the answer back next time.
Nobody expects the leader to know everything. Checking, and coming back with an answer, is part of leading.
Keeping the talk going
When the talk wanders
Sometimes the talk moves far from the passage. Do not stop it hard. Thank the person, then bring it back: "That is a good point. Can we keep it for after? Let's go back to the ayah." If many people want to talk about it, it may be a good topic for another session.
When the circle is quiet
Silence is not a problem. People are thinking. Wait a little, then ask the question again in simpler words, or read the ayah once more. "What stood out to you?" is easier to answer than "What does it mean?" You can also go round the circle once, and anyone can say "pass".
When the circle meets online
Cameras on is nice, but never ask anyone to turn theirs on. Ask people to mute when they are not speaking. Watch the chat box: some people find it easier to type than to speak, so read their words out to the circle. A WhatsApp group between meetings is good for reminders, the next passage, and questions that come later. Use your own meeting link, and share it only inside your circle.
When to ask a scholar
Some questions are not for the circle to settle: what is halal or haram, how to pray or fast in a hard case, family or money matters, or anything where a wrong answer could hurt someone. Write the question down and take it to a qualified scholar you trust. Our pages give the views of the classical scholars. They never give a ruling.
Finding a session
New materials come every Wednesday, but you do not need to follow our weeks. Meet monthly, or start next year. Begin at session 01, or choose any session that fits your circle. Each one stands on its own. See all sessions.
For a first gathering we suggest session 04, Al-A'raf 7:26–31. It is about clothing and taqwa, and it needs no background. Your first gathering has everything for it.
Sessions 01 and 04 are always open to everyone. So are the newest session and the sessions from the last four weeks. Older sessions ask you to sign in first, free, with Google or with a code sent to your email. Their first page, Listen page and read-aloud edition always stay open. The privacy page says what we keep when you sign in.