Implementing the Rabbani Love-Based TRANSWARNA Method to Support Essential Prayer Recitation and Memorization among Year Two Pupils in Sabah, Malaysia: An Action Research Study

This action research study investigated the use of the Rabbani Love-Based TRANSWARNA Method to improve the recitation and memorization of essential prayer recitations among eight Year Two pupils at a primary school in Sabah, Malaysia. TRANSWARNA is a coined term derived from the Malay words ‘Transliterasi (transliteration)’ and ‘Warna (colour)’. It refers to a colour-coded Arabic-to-Roman transliteration system in which words are divided into smaller syllabic units and presented in alternating colours. It refers to a colour-coded Arabic-to-Roman transliteration system in which red serves both as an anchor colour and a symbol of love, while a contrasting colour provides supporting cues to help pupils. For example, the word Muhammad is segmented as Mu (red), ham (black) and mad (red), helping pupils identify, combine and pronounce each unit before progressively memorizing the complete recitation. The Rabbani Love-Based component gives the learning activities personal and spiritual meaning by cultivating love for Allah, Prophet Muhammad SAW and prayer, alongside affection for parents, teachers and friends. It is incorporated through a Rabbani-oriented induction activity and teacher guidance characterized by compassion, patience and encouragement. Accordingly, the Rabbani Love-Based TRANSWARNA Method integrates love-based motivation, colour-coded Arabic-to-Roman transliteration, segmented pronunciation, structured repetition and guided tasmik. The intervention comprised a diagnostic phase followed by two action phases. Quantitative data were collected using a micro-assessment system that awarded one mark for each correctly recited syllabic unit, with a maximum score of 203. Qualitative data were gathered through classroom observations, interviews with pupils and the supervising teacher, and attendance records. Seven pupils provided complete paired data. Their mean score increased from 1.43 in the diagnostic phase to 98.43 in Phase 1 and 136.43 in Phase 2. An exact Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that the Phase 2 scores were significantly higher than the Phase 1 scores, Z = −2.388, p = .017, with a large effect size, r = .90. The qualitative findings suggested that colour cues, segmented transliteration, structured repetition, teacher guidance and love-based meaning supported pupils’ persistence in reciting and memorizing the material. However, unfamiliar pronunciation patterns, lengthy word sequences, limited reading fluency and absenteeism affected individual progress. The findings indicate that the Rabbani Love-Based TRANSWARNA Method was associated with improved recitation and memorization among the participating pupils. The method is best positioned as a resource for guided independent learning rather than a substitute for teacher modelling, pronunciation correction, and the monitoring of makhraj and tajwid.

The Rabbani Love-Based TRANSWARNA Method, Arabic-to-Roman transliteration, colour coding, essential prayer recitations, memorization, action research.

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