Question

Assalamu alaikyum! I am a very recent revert and I have heard that there are many benefits of reciting certain surahs/ayah of the Quran throughout the day for various reasons. For example, reciting Ayatul Kursi before bed for protection and again in the morning for the same reason. I still struggle with reading Arabic a lot and I am working on learning Arabic in’sha’Allah, but I was wondering if these benefits still apply if I were to recite them in English (perhaps the benefits still apply but armed less than what they would be if I recited in Arabic)? As I am at the very beginning stages of learning, I find it more beneficial to memorize an ayah in English first so when i’m trying to recite it in Arabic later in’sha’Allah I know what I am saying. Thank you so much for the help! Jazak’Allah Khair!

Answer

In order for us to receive the reward/virtue of any particular dhikr from the Qur'an or Sunnah, it needs to be said in Arabic. Until you learn to read the Arabic properly, I would suggest memorizing easier and shorter kinds of dhikr, like subhanallah, alhamdulillah, allahu akbar, etc.

And Allaah Ta'aala knows best.

Sheikh Kamil Ahmad