Level of Quran Reading Proficiency: A case Study of Arabic Language Students in Malaysia

Abstract

The importance of mastering the recitation of the Qur'an among Muslims has prompted many researchers to study the level and ability of reciting the Qur'an, especially among Muslim students. The present study was conducted to examine the ability to read the Quran among students taking Arabic language courses at one of the public universities located in the East Coast, Malaysia. This quantitative study uses two methods, namely reading test and questionnaire survey method for the purpose of data collection. Respondents for the study were selected using purposive sampling technique. A total of 36 respondents were involved in this study. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. The results of descriptive analysis showed that the majority of respondents are weak in reading the Quran. The results of the survey also indicated that only 10.6 percent of the respondents obtained excellent scores (A and A-) in Arabic for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) while less than half (38.9 percent) of respondents obtained excellent scores in the UBA 2012 Arabic course. The ability to speak in Arabic is also associated with the ability to read the Quran. Thus, future studies can be conducted to find out the relationship between achievement in Arabic language proficiency with the ability to read the Qur'an among students as well as the existence of other indicators that can affect the ability to read the Qur'an.