The question is pretty straightforward, but let me give some details. If I read some ayah or surah which I remember, I have no struggle whatsoever. But I keep struggling with surahs and ayahs I haven't learned.
I don't speak Arabic so that might be a factor, too.
So the question that arises:
Do you need to know a Surah beforehand in order to read it fluently?
It doesn't seem to be considered as a Wajib (obligatory) practice to know a Surah beforehand in order to read it fluently (in Arabic) (even though you do not understand their meanings) according to the holy Qur'an and hadiths (traditions).
But rationally it could be nicer if you be more familiar with it (with reciting a Surah of the holy Qur'an fluently and also knowing its meaning) before reciting it. Since it could help you reciting it better and likewise figuring it out (than you don’t know its meaning...). But at I declared at first, it is not Wajib to know it, but it could be better if you know it at first.
But I keep struggling with surahs and ayahs I haven't learned.
I think by learned you mean here memorized.
Do you need to know a Surah beforehand in order to read it fluently?
No, you do not. Most people that recite the Quran are simply reading the text (that is, the Arabic words) and may not know what they are saying actually means. Even some native Arabic speakers struggle with "knowing" (that is, memorizing the Surah, knowing its place in the Quran, and understanding its meaning to recite it better).
So, take heart and practice your recitation and you shall insha Allah be successful:
The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely - The ones who establish prayer, and from what We have provided them, they spend. 8:2-3
No. It is the practice and dedication over reading Arabic text which will make you a fluent read. By practice, you tend to accept and say words quickly when you look at them as it gets stuck in your memory.
Wa alaekum us Salam brother.
Yes, if you don't know Arabic then you first need to learn the Surah in order to recite it daily.
Because Quran is not just any ordinary Arabic book, that you can guess from your unconsciousness and keep on reciting. You need to know what Quran is saying and then you can recite it. In Arabic such small mistakes while reciting them can change the entire meaning. If you don't know Arabic, and you recite a verse, you won't feel a difference but in Arabic, just a slight change in the phonetics would totally change the sense of the verse.
Quran has no doubt. As it is stated in the first Surah Baqrah that there is no Doubt in this book (Quran) and Allah.
So you can think of the sin you might commit while reciting the verse falsely. While it is a good habit to recite the verses you don't remember by heart. But while doing so, you must keep Quran open in front of you, so where ever you think there is a doubt you can clear it through Quran.
Yes, you have to understand the ayat while you're memorizing the Quran, because in my experience, when memorizing the Quran and you need to know the meaning, maybe by word or by story, and event. So here is my advice for you to easy memorizing Quran :
If you're recitation is not fluent then you need to watch videos or listen to Imam that recite the Quran beautifully so you can copy/mimick the recitation
In Order to easy to memorize you have to read the translation like Shahih translation or in your language that you understand, and then memorize the ayat. Some ayat is hard to memorize because you don't know the meaning.
Some ayat is hard to recite or maybe hard to remember because in my experience, you recite the Quran is not with beautiful recitation, tried to mimick the imam that you loved their recitation, you will find it very easy.
The Quran is not the thing that you can memorize and then showing off to other Muslim, But You need to understand that the Quran is Our guidance in this life. When you have memorize the Quran then its your Duty to deliver the message to everyone with peace and hikmah.
Hope it helps
Brother i will give you this advice inshallah it will help you as it helped me, i do speak Arabic but yet some words in the Quran are hard to pronounce (for me that is) so what i have done is read the surah directly from the Quran and at the same time hear the pronunciation on some YouTube Quran recitation videos, therefore i hear how some words are to be pronounced, to pronounce them correctly my self. another tip would be learning Arabic just to truly enjoy the Quran and acknowledge meanings in the correct interpretation, wallahi it is a big joy to the heart!!!
