In many households, teaching the Quran is viewed as a deeply spiritual but often rigid experience – especially for young children. But ILuvQuran is flipping that narrative.
Founded by a mother inspired by her son’s early Quran journey, ILuvQuran is creating a joyful, story-driven learning experience rooted in Islamic values and modern child development.
It Started with a Beach, a Bedtime Routine, and One Curious Toddler
Before ILuvQuran was an organization, it was a family tradition. ILuvQuran founder, Nur Zahirah Sukran and her husband were then working professionals at Petronas and living in Bintulu, had a peaceful lifestyle. Evenings were filled with beach walks, home-cooked dinners, and short Quran sessions between a father and his young son.
“At the time, our son was about two or three,” Zahirah shared. “Every evening, during the short drive to the masjid, my husband would teach him small surahs. By the time he was three, he had memorized ten surahs from Juz Amma – just from repetition and bonding.”
It wasn’t about pressure or perfection. It was about presence.
That early experience opened their eyes to something powerful: children have incredibly absorbent minds, and if they can memorize songs like Baby Shark, they can absorb the Quran – if it’s presented in the right way.
When Life Got Busy, the Learning Stopped
After moving back to Kuala Lumpur, everything changed. Hectic traffic, long workdays, and limited quality time led to a halt in their son’s memorization.
“He stayed at those same ten surahs for over a year,” she explained. “My husband was frustrated. He said, ‘We need a system—even if we’re busy, our children should still be able to learn.’”
They considered tahfiz schools, but found them too strict and not developmentally suited for young kids. The curriculum lacked play, storytelling, and creativity. That was when the idea of ILuvQuran began to take shape.
The Breakthrough Came in Ireland
Burned out from the KL grind, the family took a one-year sabbatical in Ireland. Zahirah pursued her M.Ed on a MARA scholarship while their son attended school in Dublin and joined Quran classes twice a week.
“He almost completed Juz Amma while we were there. It reminded us what’s possible when lifestyle, routine, and faith align.”
Returning to Malaysia, they knew they had to build something new – not just for their children, but for others too.
Building a New Kind of Quran School
Step One: Don’t Just Teach the Quran – Tell Its Story
Most people didn’t understand the need at first.
“People would say, ‘There are already so many tahfiz schools – why start another one?’ But we weren’t trying to build just another school. We wanted to change how children experience the Quran.”
So they invited experts to the table – Montessori educators, psychologists, Islamic scholars, and teachers. The goal? Design a Quranic learning experience that nurtures the mind, heart, and soul.
The game-changer came from a family member:
“My sister-in-law, an Islamic Studies lecturer, suggested we teach the Quran by focusing on the meaning of each ayah – using stories to bring those meanings to life.”
That approach became ILuvQuran’s foundation: storytelling-based Quran learning designed specifically for children.
Early Challenges: Creating Safe Spaces and Supportive Culture
Building the right internal culture wasn’t easy – especially when working with teachers trained in more traditional Islamic environments.
“In many cultures, especially among Islamic teachers, there’s a tendency to stay quiet and polite. They won’t always tell you what’s wrong,” she shared. “We had to create a space where they felt safe to speak up.”
The lesson: culture matters. If your team doesn’t feel seen or heard, your vision won’t survive. Building a culture of empathy, openness, and trust was essential to their growth.
Milestones That Mattered
1. A Grant When It Was Needed Most
“One of our biggest breakthroughs was receiving a grant at a time when we were struggling internally,” she said. “I was making so much du’a, asking if I was meant to continue this. That grant felt like Allah’s answer.”
2. The First 40 Students
“When we started, we didn’t think of ILuvQuran as a business. It was about helping the ummah. Alhamdulillah, we had 40 children sign up in our first intake.”
Today, ILuvQuran has grown from being taught at Al-Amin centres to 9 physical branches, staying grounded in its mission while scaling with purpose.
3. The Real Win: Seeing Students Flourish
No metric has been more meaningful than seeing students grow spiritually and succeed.
“Watching children develop love for the Quran, watching them carry it proudly – it’s the deepest joy.”
The Bigger Vision: Reviving a Legacy Through the Quran
ILuvQuran’s goal isn’t just to educate – it’s to reawaken a legacy.
“Historically, the Quran was at the heart of all knowledge. Scholars built medicine, astronomy, and philosophy on Quranic principles. We want to revive that starting point – by transforming children’s early experiences with the Quran.”
They envision ILuvQuran as more than a school – it’s a movement at the intersection of education, technology, and faith. A space where future scientists, leaders, and thinkers are first rooted in the Quran.
Advice for Founders: Especially Women, Build Your Circle
For first-time founders—especially women—Zahirah offers this:
“Have a strong support system. A supportive spouse, family, and community can make all the difference. Entrepreneurship is hard, and balancing roles as a mother, wife, and leader is even harder.”
She adds,
“It’s very important to build that support network from the beginning – emotionally, spiritually, and practically. Don’t try to do it all alone.”
Final Thoughts: ILuvQuran Is More Than a School. It’s a Start.
ILuvQuran began as a simple family habit – quiet evening drives, heartfelt recitations, and a toddler’s first steps with the Quran. Today, it’s transforming how a generation of Muslim children connect with their faith.
By centering storytelling, love, and age-appropriate design, ILuvQuran is doing more than teaching memorization—it’s nurturing meaning, purpose, and identity. Children aren’t just learning surahs; they’re discovering who they are and where they come from.
And ILuvQuran is doing it the camel startup way.
In a world obsessed with hypergrowth, ILuvQuran has grown slowly, intentionally, and sustainably – choosing depth over scale, impact over hype. Like a camel, it’s built to last: resilient in tough conditions, careful with resources, and deeply rooted in purpose. It’s a model of spiritual entrepreneurship – balancing modern strategy with timeless values.ILuvQuran isn’t just building better students.
It’s building a future where young Muslims grow up loving the Quran, confident in their faith, and ready to lead.
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