Impact of the Quran Reading Interest on the Quran Reading Engagement: A Scale Development in the Context of Bangladesh

Abstract

Despite the rapid growth of Quran education centers and digital Quranic platforms in Bangladesh, empirical tools for measuring individuals’ engagement with the Quran remain limited. Existing studies largely focus on religious practice or literacy, while the psychological mechanisms that sustain long-term engagement is missing in the literature. This study addresses this gap by developing and validating a culturally grounded scale to measure Quran Reading Interest (QRI) and Quran Reading Engagement (QRE) among Bangladeshi adults. Using a scale-development design, data were collected from 155 Bangladeshi adults through an online survey. Items were adapted from established reading interest and engagement scales and contextualized within the culture of Bangladesh. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation supported a clear two-factor structure corresponding to QRI and QRE, explaining 64.2% of the total variance. The scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (QRI α = .88; QRE α = .84). Regression analysis indicated that Quran Reading Interest significantly predicted Quran Reading Engagement (β = .54, p < .001), explaining 29.2% of the variance in engagement. The findings confirm that interest is a substantial, though not exclusive, driver of Quran reading engagement. The validated scale offers a reliable instrument for researchers, educators, and Quranic organizations to assess engagement patterns and design interventions that move beyond mechanical recitation toward reflective and sustained Quranic interaction in the Bangladeshi context.