It is vital that you should understand what Allah is saying to you and reflect over it as much as you can. If you read the Quraan without understanding, you may derive some reward because of your sense of devotion and your desire to read this Book. But this would not, in the least, fulfill the purpose for which it has been revealed. It has come to vitalize you, mould you and lead you to a new life and existence. It is not merely a source of blessing, a sacred ritual, a revered relic or a holy magic. The Quraan is full of exhortations asking you as to why you "hear not", "see not, think not", "use not reason", "ponder not". It says that,
And those who, when they are reminded of the revelations of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat. (Holy Quraan Surah 25 'Furqan': verse 73)
1. Understand and reflect over the Quraan as if it was being revealed today, as each word of it is as living and relevant today as it was when it was first revealed. In this light, you should try to relate and apply it to your own life, concerns, experiences and levels of knowledge and technology. Do not consider any verse of the Quraan as merely a thing of the past.
2. Read the whole of the Quraan, from beginning to end, with the help of a translation. This will give you an overall idea of the Book, its style and message.
3. Initially, read only short but good commentaries and do not delve in long and detailed tafsirs.
4. Try to learn at least as much Arabic as will enable you to understand the meaning of the Quraan without the help of a translation. It may seem an arduous task, but I have known semi-illiterate persons accomplish this within a few months, once they took to it seriously and devotedly.
5. Ponder and think deeply over the various parts of what you read. This requires reciting a particular verse or portion thereof slowly (with tarr'teel) or even repeatedly. The more you think and reflect, you will have a greater share of its rich and unlimited meanings. It is in this sense that Ibn 'Umar spent eight years on Sarah al-BAQARAH alone. The Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wassallam) and many others used to spend whole nights repeating just one verse.