- Begin with the right intention. Learn in order to know your religion and live by it. The first hadith of the Forty is about exactly this.
- Learn with a teacher. A translation gives you the words; a qualified teacher gives you their meaning, context and rulings. Do not derive rulings on your own.
- Be exact. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the severest of warnings against attributing to him something he did not say; it is reported in al-Bukhari and Muslim. Quote a hadith with its source, and if you are unsure of the wording, say so.
- Act on what you learn. Knowledge that does not change you is a proof against you.
- Go slowly. One hadith understood and lived is worth more than forty skimmed.
Study tip. If you do not have a teacher, you can book one from the Quran Recitation section of this site and ask them to take you through this path.