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"My brother, will you keep a secret for me until the day I die?"

His Name: al-Yaman al-Aswad
Kunyah: Abu Mu'awiyah
Status: Later generations
Location: Tarsus (located between present-day Syria and Turkey)

He is Abu Mu'awiyah bin al-Aswad, from the greatest of the awliyaa' (allies, friends) of Allah. He was a companion of the great scholars Sufyaan ath-Thawri, Ibrahim al-Adham, and others.

Abu az-Zahiriyyah narrated:

"I went to Tarsus, I met Abu Mu'awiyah al-Aswad after he had become blind. In his house, I saw a Mushaf hanging from the wall and so I asked him, "May Allah have Mercy on you! A Mushaf when you cannot even see?"

He replied,

"My brother, will you keep a secret for me until the day I die?"

I replied: "Yes." He then said to me:

"Indeed, when I want to read from the Qur'an, my eyesight comes back to me."

Abu Hamzah Nasir bin al-Faraj al-Aslami - and he was a servant of Abu Mu'awiyah al-Aswad - narrates something similar:

"Abu Mu'awiyah had lost his eyesight. If he wanted to read from the Qur'an, he would search around the room for the Mushaf until he would find it. As soon as he would open it, Allah would return his eyesight to him. As soon as he closed it, his eyesight would leave him." 

Source: Gems from 'Sifat us-Safwah' (The Characteristics of the Most Excellent) by Imam Ibn al-Jawzi. His story is also featured in 'Siyar A'lam an-Nubala'' [8/43]

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The times we live in at present are indeed very worrying; this worry far surpasses the magnitude of the attacks launched upon the Nation of the Muslims from outside its realms, but indeed her slow and painful emersion into ignorance of the Book of Allah, and a deeper insight into its implementation in our daily lives.

“And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except [indulgent in] wishful thinking, but they are only assuming”[1]

“It is but a reminder to the worlds”[2]

“And you will surely know [the truth of] its information after a time”[3]

Contemplation upon the word of Allah and its glory is of far greater importance than it is given in our times today. Allah the Exalted says:-

“And we have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?”[4]

And Allah notifies His beloved ones of the importance of contemplating upon the Qur’an as The Exalted says:

“Do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts?”[5]

Simple contemplation upon the word of Allah the Exalted can range from relating every happening and event in our daily lives to the Qur’an, to upholding and implementing the Divine Law (hukm) of Allah. This is the likes of pondering before drinking a simple glass of water, “And have you seen the water that you drink?”, “If We willed, We could have made it bitter, so why are you not grateful?”[6]

Too large of a majority of our Ummah are living a life devoid of the blissfulness of the Word of Allah the Exalted, reading whilst contemplating, and contemplating whilst achieving a heart in the state of contentment. Our contemplation and use of the Word of Allah the Exalted should be as contenting as taking strides across cool soft blades of grass with exhausted feet. Only then will our hearts accept the Divine commands of Allah the Exalted in every daily occurrence.

The prime existence of the Word of Allah the Exalted is using it as a source of reference for our daily interactions ranging from daily family feuds, to administering the justice of the Divine Law to all that one can contemplate. Our attachment to the Qur’an and understanding of its purpose should be such that it is the foremost source of legislation for every miniscule matter, and this starting from our own homes. Only then will we understand the true might of the Word of Allah the Exalted.

The might of the Word of Allah was well understood by all that Allah created, for indeed is it not the mountains with their sizable glory which Allah the Exalted described that “If We had sent this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and rent asunder from the fear of Allah”? And how the encompassing heavens and earth refused to burden what it well understood, as the Word of Allah explains that, “Indeed we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man bore it. Indeed he was unjust and ignorant.”

How then was the Qur’an taken in the times of our righteous companions (May Allah be pleased with them all)? Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied when asked about the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him), she replied that “the character of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) was the Qur'an.”[7]

Amongst the examples of those who embodied the Qur’an and understood its true purpose was the great worshipper, Ali bin Husayn Zain al-Abideen (may Allah be pleased with him), the great-grandson the Prophet (peace be upon him). He had asked his slave to pour water from a clay vase which he dropped on Zain al-Abidin’s foot. Soon after, without contemplating on the pain, he recited the verse “those who repress anger” and replied to his servant ‘I have quelled my anger’, then without stopping for thought he recited, “and those who pardon men verily, Allâh loves the good-doers”, and said to his servant ‘go you are free’!

It is very easy for one to quote these stories or even to talk about, but yet another to enact when tested by Allah the Exalted. An editor who maintained a book written by Jalal-ud-deen As-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in his introduction to the work, “And it is not meant from the recital of the Qur’an the publication of recitals with madd, and ghunnah, and Ikhfaa’, and Ithaar (tajweed rules) only. But verily these are all but means, allowing one to take the full extent of the meaning as to affect the soul, and mind and one’s emotions. So what would possibly be the effects of listening to the Qur’an and observing silence whilst listening if one merely copies voices of reciters, however well their recital or pronunciation. But verily, there is no other reason of the recital of the Qur’an other than understanding it and contemplation upon it and in instigating the mind and one’s thoughts.”[8]

A famous Muslim poet of the Indian sub-continent wrote a beautiful piece of poetry about how the Qur’an was used so superficially in his time, and he sings the following couplets[9]:

“I am placed as an adornment upon shelved enclaves,

And people put me to their eyes to seek blessings,

I am made into amulets,

And dissolved into water to drink,

I am wrapped in colourful embroided silk cloths,

Aromatic scents are put on me,

Yet I am recited like the speech of parrots,

People use me merely to take oaths,

Even though I am read in all gatherings,

The reciters do not shed tears as their hearts are void of Taqwa,

People claim to follow me,

But yet follow the laws of the disbeliever,

This is the way in which people disrespect me,

Every year people celebrate,

And I am spoken about in all gatherings,

Yet I am still not understood.”

(Listen to the audio in urde here)

After every piece or spoken word, one must conclude imploring the readers to think about what has been mentioned, and outline what can be done to improve the situation as not to leave hearts in despair. Indeed, the matter of trying to change the system of how the Qur’an is memorised and studied is a colossal one. The magnitude of this task is not only so due to pessimism, but because the common madrassah method of memorising the Qur’an is so widespread.

Leaders of institutions who help students memorise the Glorious Qur’an must revisit the goals, objectives, and methods utilised for memorising the Qur’an as to preserve its true message and pass it to the following generations. Any change in this methodology of memorising the Qur’an which at present entails just memorizing its words, will take unfathomable, but achievable exertions in understanding its meanings so that we live by this most divine message.

May Allah the Almighty help all of us in achieving what is pleasing to Allah Alone, and allow us to live by and understand the Qur’an how He intended, for there is no soothing shade better to occupy than the shade of the Qur’an.

_________________

References:

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If you want to identify with the spirit of the Qur’aan, you must practically involve [yourself] with the struggle to fulfil its mission. For the Qur’aan is not a book of abstract theories and cold ideas, which one can grasp while seated in a cosy arm chair. Nor is it merely a religious book like other religious books, whose meanings can be grasped in seminaries and oratories.

On the contrary, it is a Book which contains a message, and invitation, which generates a movement. The moment it began to revealed down, it impelled a quiet and pious man to abandon his life of solitude and confront the world that was living in rebellion against God. It inspired him to raise his voice against falsehood, and pitted him in a grim struggle against the lords of disbelief, evil and iniquity. One after the other, from every home, it drew every pure and noble soul, and gathered them under the banner of truth. In every part of the country, it made all the mischievous and the corrupt to rise and wage war against the bearers of the truth.

This is a Book which launched a glorious movement, with the voice of a single individual, and continued to provide guidance to it for twenty-three years, till the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. At every stage during this long and heart-rending struggle between truth and falsehood, this Book showed its followers the ways to eradicate the old order and usher in the new.

Is it, then, possible, to reach the heart of the Quran merely by reading its words, without ever stepping upon the battlefield of faith and disbelief, of Islam and Ignorance, without passing through any stage of the struggle? No, you can understand the Quran only when you take it up, begin to act upon it, and call mankind to God, and when every step you take is in obedience to its guidance.

Then and only then, you will go through all the events and experiences which occurred during the course of its revelation. You will then pass through Makkah, and Habashah, and Taai’f; you will face Badr, Uhud, Hunayn and Tabuk. You will encounter Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab; you will meet the hypocrites and Jews; you will come face to face with those who instantly responded to this call as well as those who were drawn into Islam seeking some gain. You will come across all of these human models; you will deal with all of them.

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This was during my first two months in the Political Security Jail. This was a time when I was allowed no visitors, no contact with family, and no contact with other prisoners. In fact I wasn't even allowed to speak to the prison guards except in whispers and only for urgent needs. This was a time of complete isolation from the outside world.

I was in an underground solitary cell made up of four concrete walls with an iron gate on one side and on the opposite side a small window -rather a hole- covered with iron mesh to allow for some fresh air to come in. I couldn't see much from it because it was about four meters high. Then there was the roof with a bulb hanging from it which was on continuously day and night. Then the floor with a mattress 2-3 inches thick, a blanket, a worn off pillow, a plastic plate, a bottle for water, and an empty bottle "just in case."

And then there was a Qur’aan....

In this environment there is nothing to do and nothing to read but the Qur’aan, and that is when the Qur’aan reveals it secrets. When the hearts are clean; when there is nothing clouding the spirit, the Qur’aan literally overwhelms the heart.

I have never in my life felt the Qur’aan so strongly. Thoughts, insights and feelings that I would fail to describe would come with every new verse that I would recite. Reading Qur’aan then was not something I would force upon myself but I would recite it with eagerness for hours at end and never lose my concentration. The chapters of the Qur’aan would carry me outside of this world and I would completely forget about my situation until a warden would slam the door open for restroom time or to take me for interrogation. Then I would wake up again to the depressing reality of this world.

So does the Qur’aan speak to us differently in jail?

We approach Qur’aan with a more receptive heart when we are being tested. We also come to understand Qur’aan better when we are separated from the distractions of this world. Both these two elements exist in prison. One thing I came to realize is that the Quran does not open up its secrets to you unless you open up your heart to it. Qur’aan does not spill its pearls to the undeserving.

Ibn Taymiyyah wrote while he was in jail that he had been reciting Quran and reflecting on its meanings and that Allah has opened up the meanings of Qur’aan for him. He said he learned new meanings that scholars would wish to learn. He had learned from it meanings he had never thought of before and he went further to state that he regretted the time he spent in the past learning other aspects of knowledge and not focusing on the Book of Allah. Within a short period he said that he had read the Quran, from cover to cover, eighty times. This was due to the blessings of him being imprisoned. Allah says: "You might dislike a thing and in it Allah puts a lot of good." (Suratul Baqarah [2]: 216)

During that blessed period of over two months when I was free of any distractions except for the interrogation worries, that is when I came to understand the statement of Uthman (r) when he said:

“If the hearts are pure they would never satisfy their thirst from the Book of Allah.”

Those moments are so strange to me now, and so different that they do not seem to be a reality, or even a far away memory, but rather seem to be a dream.

We ask you O Allah to make us of those who love your words and contemplate them.

"Indeed in that (i.e. Quran) is a reminder for whoever has a heart or who listens while he is present (in mind)."

(Surat Qaaf 37)

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There can be no doubt that the Qur’aan is the greatest miracle of the Prophet (saws) - a miracle that can be appreciated by all of mankind. Yet, despite the power and status of the Qur’aan, many Muslims are heedless of it.

It is distressing to see that the Muslims of today have turned away from this great treasure that has been revealed to them - the very Speech of Allaah. They have made the Qur’aan a sacred family heirloom; to be treasured in exotic and expensive covers, yet to be uninhabited by the best of all covers - their hearts; to be recited and listened to in the best and most melodious of voices, yet to ignore its meanings; to be placed high above all other objects in any room, yet to occupy the lowest station in their daily lives; to be read when a death has occurred, yet to be ignored by the living; to be written in the fanciest of scripts and on the most expensive of papers, yet to be heedless of its commandments and prohibitions.

'What is the matter with them that they have turned away from the Remembrance?' (Al Qur’aan: 74:49)

'O Mankind! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?' (Al Qur’aan: 82:6)

O Muslims! O Believers of the Qur’aan! Beware that you do not fall into those whom the Prophet (saws) will complain about to his Lord on the Day of Judgement:

'And the Messenger (will) say: ‘O My Lord, indeed my people took this Qur’aan as something worthy of being abandoned!’' (Al Qur’aan: 25:30)

The scholar Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 758 A.H.) said,

There are various types of ‘abandonment’ of the Qur’aan:

1) To abandon listening to it and believing in it.

2) To abandon acting upon it, and ignoring its lawful and prohibited ordinances (Halaal and haraam), even if one believes in it and recites it.

3) To abandon judging by it and resorting to it as a judge when there are differences in the essence of the religion or other matters.

4) To abandon pondering over it, and understanding it, and seeking the explanation of it.

5) To abandon using it as a cure in all types of diseases of the heart, and instead to seek to cure these diseases by other means.

And all of these categories are included in the statement of Allaah,

'And the Messenger (will) say: “O My Lord, indeed my people took this Qur’aan as something worthy of being abandoned!’'(Al Qur’aan: 25:30)

- even though some of these types of abandonment are worse than others. (Al Qur’aan: 8)

How many of these types of abandonments are we guilty of?  O Muslims! Have you not read the outcome of the one who turns away from the Qur’aan?

'And whoever turns away from My Remembrance (the Qur’aan), for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up, on the Day of Judgement blind. He will say, ‘O My Lord! Why have you resurrected me blind, when I used to see (in this world)?’ (Allaah) will respond, ‘Likewise (in this manner), Our verses came to you, but you ignored them. And, likewise, today you shall be ignored.’' (Al Qur’aan: Chapter 20, Verses 124-126.)

The one who was blessed with sight, but turned away from the light and guidance of the Qur’aan, deserves that his sight to be snatched away from him, for of what use was it? If his sight was blind to the light of the Qur’aan, then, on the Day of Judgement, it shall be blind to all else. 'And whoever is blind in this world (to the Qur’aan), then he will be blind on the Day of Judgement, and even more astray!' (Al Qur’aan: 17:72)

The Prophet (saws) said, “Indeed, Allaah will honour people (i.e., in this world and the Hereafter) by this Book, and He will debase others by it.” (Reported by Muslim.)

There are only two categories of people when it comes to the Qur’aan; those that will be honoured because of it, and those that will be humiliated because of it. The Prophet (saws) also said, “Whoever puts (the Qur’aan) ahead of him, it will lead him to Paradise; and whoever throws it behind him, it will drag him into Hell.” (Reported by at-Tabaraani.)

Which of these two categories do you wish to be in?

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Indeed the Book of Allaah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of Allaah, not a created thing, a study guide for life and death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than anyone else's speech. It necessitates that its reader return to the early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its explanation by the one deputed by Allaah to rehearse and explain His Words to humanity, the Prophet Muhammad [may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him].

For if one would try to ponder over the meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct application and understanding that the early Muslims had would cause him to understand some things not intended by Allaah [the Most High], and therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allaah.

So every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allaah's love by reciting and reflecting over Allaah's Book, then let him hold tight to the meanings explained by the Prophet [may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], and those taught by the Companions and their immediate followers, and the early scholars of Islaam.

Know that reciting and pondering over the Book of Allaah, devoting your time regularly to its study and implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the Next, so let us now look to just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to Allaah's Majestic Words. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement on its own for us to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves to the Qur'aan properl

1 - Reading and reflecting over the Qur'aan fulfils an Islaamic duty

Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) summarized this Religion with his statement:  "The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)." So then Tameem ibn Aws (may Allaah be pleased with him) then said, "We asked, 'To whom?'" He (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) replied: "To Allaah, His Books, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.”[2]

The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allaah, as Ibn Rajab Al-Hambalee said, includes:

• Having a strong love for it
• Honouring and extolling its great status
• Affirming that it is the Speech of Allaah
• Seeking to understand its meanings
• Acting by it
• Following the orders found in it
• Spreading its correct understanding of it
• Continually studying it
• Taking on the good manners that are encouraged in it.[3]

So by reading and reflecting over the Qur'aan, one fulfils an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Qur'aan then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgement! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...

2 - The Qur'aan will be a proof for us on the Day of Judgement

This is due to the statement of our Dear Prophet, Muhammad [may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]:  "...and the Qur'aan is a proof for you or against you..."[4]

So one of two things will occur with this proof, the Book of Allaah. It will either be in your favour, a proof for you on the Day when you will need every single good deed, or it will be something standing against you, the very Speech of your Creator, a proof against you! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if Allaah's own Speech is against him?!?!

Think carefully, dear Muslim brother or sister, about your position with the Qur'aan. Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it? Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgement?

O Allaah! We ask you, by Your Glorious Speech and the rest of Your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make the Qur'aan a proof for us! O Allaah! Don't make the Qur'aan a proof against us on that Day, and save us from the hellfire!

For if Allaah makes the Qur'aan a proof in our favour on that Day, then it would also be an intercessor for us, when no intercession will take place except by His Permission.

3 - The Qur'aan will intercede for us on the Day of Judgement

The proof: Aboo Umaamah relates that the Prophet (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Read the Qur'aan, for verily it will come on the Day of Standing as an intercessor for its companions."[5]

4 - Your status in this life will be raised

In Saheeh Muslim, we find a lovely story, about how a man from the promised people of Jannah, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, and his deputy over Makkah understood the fact that the Qur’aan raises the status of people.

On the authority of 'Aamir ibn Waathilah, he said that Naafi' ibn 'Abdil-Haarith met up with 'Umar (ibn Al-Khattaab) at (a place called) 'Usfaan. 'Umar used to put him (Naafi') to work (to govern) over Makkah.  So he ('Umar) said, "Who have you put to work (to govern) over the people of the Valley (Makkah)?" He (Naafi') said, "Ibn Abzaa." He ('Umar) said, "Who is Ibn Abzaa?" He (Naafi') said, "One of our freed slaves." He ('Umar) said, "So you have put a freed slave in charge of them?" He (Naafi') said, "Verily he is a recitor of the Book of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and verily he is knowledgeable of the laws of inheritance."

'Umar said, "Verily your Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) had said: "Certainly Allaah raises some people by way of this Book and lowers others by it."[6]

5 - You will be from the best of the people

'Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), the third khaleefah and one of the most virtuous person on earth after the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), said that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:  "The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur'aan and teach it to others."[7]

6 - There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur'aan

As an authentic hadeeth in Sunan At-Tirmithee proves:  "Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allaah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that "Alif, Laam, Meem" is a letter, rather I am saying that "Alif" is a letter, "laam" is a letter, and "meem" is a letter."[8]

So increase your recitation of the Qur'aan to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well...

7 - The recitors of the Qur'aan will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels

'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the Prophet's beloved wife, relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "Verily the one who recites the Qur'aan beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses [i.e. is not proficient in reciting and faces difficulty in reciting], then he will have twice that reward."[9]

So do not let the Shaytaan give you false excuses, such as "I am not an 'Arab," or "Its not my language." This hadeeth [narration] is a firm proof against these whisperings. Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allaah, whether you are an 'Arab or not! The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the Book of Allaah without holding back or offering excuses.

And surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Qur'aan once you read the following benefit of reading and contemplating over the Qur'aan...

8 - The Qur'aan will lead you to Paradise

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:  "The Qur'aan is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; Whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire."[10]

9 - Your position in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur'aan you memorize in this life

'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas heard the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying:  "It will be said to the companion of the Qur'aan: ‘Read and elevate (up through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the world! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!" [11]

Know that these nine benefits, from the many benefits available, can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allaah. The heart must be sincerely attached to Allaah's Book and the limbs and tongue will then naturally implement this attachment into fruitful actions.

Only a few of the numerous benefits of reading and reflecting over the Qur'aan have been mentioned here. There are many benefits that await you in the Qur'aan and books of hadeeth, like the chapter of the Qur'aan that will argue on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other blessings.

____________

Footnotes

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Allaah the Exalted said: {Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful.} (Surat al Qaaf: [50]:37)

When you desire benefit from the Qur’an, then bring your heart together during its recitation, listen heedfully and have the presence of the one who is being addressed and spoken to, since it is a speech from Him, the Sublime, to you, upon the tongue of His Messenger (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).

This is because the best and most complete effects suspended between the following:

1. That which produces the required effect,

2. A place which receives this effect,

3. The condition which is necessary to receive such an effect and

4. The absence of that which prevents this effect from being obtained.

This verse has included all of the above with the most concise and clear of wording, which is most direct in expounding the intended meaning.

His speech: (Verily, therein is indeed a reminder...) is an indication of what has preceded from the beginning of Surat al Qaaf to the present and this constitutes that which produces the desired effect.

And His speech: (...for him who has a heart...) this is the place which receives the effect and what is desired by it is: a living heart which understands from Allaah, just as the Exalted has said:

{It is but a Reminder and a Manifest, Clear Qur’an, that he (Muhammad) may give warning to him who is alive.} (i.e. the healthy and live heart of the believer.){footnote}Yaa Seen 36:69-70{/footnote}

And His speech: (...or who gives ear...) the one who directs his listening and the perceptive faculty of his hearing to what is being said to him, and this is the condition of benefitting and receiving the desired effect from the words (that one hears).

And His speech: (...while he is heedful) meaning his heart is present and witnessing, not absent and unmindful.

Ibn Qutaibah said: "Listen to the Book of Allaah, while your heart and understanding are present, not while you are unmindful and forgetful."

And this is an indication of that which prevents the desired effect [from the Book of Allaah] from being obtained and that is the forgetfulness and absence of the heart from understanding what is being said to it, looking at it with care and pondering slowly and carefully over it.

So when that which produces the effect and that is the Book of Allaah; a place which receives the effect and that is the heart; the necessary condition, which is paying attention; the absence of that which prevents the effect and that is the hearts occupation and distraction away from the meaning of the speech and its turning way to something else are all present, then the effect will be obtained and realised and that is benefiting from the Qur’an and its remembrance.

Source: Al-Fawaa'id

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Thinking about and trying to understand meanings of the Glorious Quran, which Allah has sent down for His slaves to clarify all things and as a Light that He gives to whom He wills among His slaves. Indeed, the Quran contains tremendous medicine for all ills of the heart, as Allah [az] said, "And We sent down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism)." (Al-Qur’aan: 17:82)

The Quran contains Islamic Monotheism; Allah’s promises, warnings and Commandments; stores of previous nations; and codes of the best conduct and behaviour. These various subjects in the Quran have different effects on the heart. Some Soorahs (chapters) of the Qur’aan are more frightening than others.

The Prophet’s Reaction When Reciting the Qur’aan

The Messenger of Allah said, what translated means, "Hood (Al-Qur’aan: Chapter 11) and its sisters (Al-Qur’aan: Chapters 56, 77, 78 and 81) have brought me white hairs before their due time." (As-Silsilah As-Sahihah). The Chapter Hood and its sisters brought white hairs to the Messenger of Allah because of what they contain of matters of eemaan [faith]. These Soorahs [chapters], and the rest of the Quran, showed their effect on the Messenger of Allah and his companions, exactly as they were ordered in the Quran, "So stand (ask Allah to make) you (Muhammad) firm and straight (on the religion of Islamic Monotheism) as you are commanded and those (your companions) who turn in repentance (unto Allah) with you." (Al-Qur’aan: 11:112)

The Companions’ Reaction When Reciting the Qur’aan

The Companions would also be deeply moved with emotions when they recited the Qur’aan. Abu Bakr, for example, who was a soft-hearted man, used to cry while reciting the Qur’aan when leading Muslims in prayer. Once, 'Umar became ill as a result of his reciting the verse, "Verily, the Torment of your Lord will surely come to pass. There is none that can avert it." (Al-Qur’aan: 2:7-8)

On another occasion, U’mar wept when he was reciting the verse, "I (Prophet Jacob) only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah." (Al-Qur’aan: 12:86), and he was clearly heard by those who were standing behind him.

Furthermore, Uthman ibn `Affan said,

"If our hearts were pure, they will never have enough from reciting Allah’s Speech (the Quran)."

The Reaction Of the Later Generations When Reciting the Qur’aan

As for later generations, Ayyoob said, "I heard Sa`d ibn Jubayr recite the Ayah, "And be afraid of a Day when you shall be brought back to Allah." (Al-Qur’aan: 2:281), repeating it more than twenty times." This is the last Ayah that was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, and it ends with, "Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly." (Al-Qur’aan: 2:281)

Also, Ibrahim ibn Bashar said, "If you could but see where they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say, 'Would that we were but sent back (to the world)." (Al-Qur’aan: 6:27), was the Ayah that Ali ibn al-Fudhayl died while reciting. I was among those who prayed the Janazah (funeral) prayer on him, may Allah grant him His Mercy."

Furthermore, when our Salaf [predecessors] would reach a portion of the Qur’aan where Sujood (bowing down) is warranted, they treated this incident different than ordinary people. A man once recited, "And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility." (Al-Qur’aan: 17:109), and then fell in Sujood. Then, he said to himself,

"Here you are, you do the Sujood, so where is the crying?"

Ibn Al-Qayyim said with regards to what one should do to cure his weak emaan using the Quran,

"First you should remove your heart from the life of this world and settle it in the Next Life. Then, pay your full attention to pursuing the meanings of the Qur’aan, and try to comprehend and understand them and what they were sent down to accomplish. Then, offer these meanings to the sickness that your heart feels, and when they touch the disease, they will cure the heart, Allah willing."

 

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1. Before you touch it, check your heart.

The key to really benefiting from the Qur’aan is to check your heart first, before you even touch Allaah's book. Ask yourself, honestly, why you are reading it. Is it to just get some information and to let it drift away from you later?

Remember that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was described by his wife as a "walking Qur'aan": in other words, he didn't just read and recite the Qur’aan, he lived it.

2. Do your Wudhoo’ (ablution).

Doing your Wudhoo’ is good physical and mental preparation to remind you you're not reading just another book. You are about to interact with God, so being clean should be a priority when communicating with Him.

3. Start with reading only 5 minutes everyday.

Too often, we think we should read Qur’aan for at least one whole hour. If you aren't in the habit of reading regularly, this is too much. Start off with just five minutes daily. If you took care of step one, Insha Allaah (God willing), you will notice that those five minutes will become ten, then half an hour, then an hour, and maybe even more!

4. Make sure you understand what you've read.

Five minutes of reading the Qur'aan in Arabic is good, but you need to understand what you're reading. Make sure you have a good translation of the Qur'aan in the language you understand best. Always try to read the translation of what you've read that day.

5. Remember, the Qur'aan is more interactive than a CD.

In an age of "interactive" CD-ROMs and computer programs, a number of people think books are passive and boring. But the Qur'aan is not like that. Remember that when you read Qur'aan, you are interacting with Allaah. He is talking to you, so pay attention.

6. Don't just read, listen too.

There are now many audio cassettes and CDs of the Qur'aan, a number of them with translations as well. This is great to put on your walkman or your car's CD or stereo as you drive to and from work. Use this in addition to your daily Qur'aan reading, not as a replacement for it.

7. Make Du’aa (supplication).

Ask Allaah to guide you when you read the Qur’aan. Your aim is to sincerely, for the love of Allaah, interact with Him by reading, understanding and applying His blessed words.

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A survivor of the horrific Qala-i-jangi massacre of 2001, Abu Sulayman al-lrlandi (John Walker Lindh) was detained and suffered abuse and torture in Afghanistan at the hands of the CIA and later the FBI, who obtained a forced confession from him. This later formed a key piece of evidence against him whilst on trial in the United States. He was sentenced to 20 years in a Supermax prison - without ever having fought against the US; in addition he had to agree to drop all claims he was tortured at the hands of US personnel. He is set to be released in May 2019. Read more about him here.

Here Abu Sulayman al-lrlandi (John Walker Lindh) provides our readers and those who are currently detained in particular, with a practical guide and step by step instructions to memorising the Qur'aan in its entirety, and how to develop a better relationship with the Qur'aan.

1) INTRODUCTION

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. May prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammed, his household, companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement.

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (radi Allaahu 'anhumaa) narrates that the Messenger of Allaah (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:

"The parable of a companion of the Qur'aan is that of tethered camels: if he watches over them vigilantly, he will keep them in his possession, but if he lets them roam freely, they will escape." (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Free time is a great gift from Allaah and few people enjoy more of it than prisoners. The best way we can express our gratitude to Allaah for this gift is through the study, recitation, memorisation, contemplation, and implementation of His Noble Book.

This brief guide presents readers with a simple practical programme to develop a solid mastery of the Qur'aan in less than two years. It is easy to grasp in theory, but to put it into practice: it requires strict discipline, focus, and consistent sustained hard work.

I ask Allaah to make this guide beneficial for brothers and sisters who have been blessed with the honour and privilege of being imprisoned for His cause. And may prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his Household, and all of his Companions.

2) THE GOAL

You are about to begin a new relationship with the Book of Allaah that will last until your death and benefit you in the Hereafter: in the grave, on the Day of Resurrection, and in Al-Firdaws, the highest level of Paradise, inshaa'Allaah.

Your goal is to be able to recite the Qur'aan in its entirety from memory on a weekly basis, as many of the Sahaabah used to do.

Before you begin, you should be in the habit of reciting one Juz' every day from the mushaf. If you are not, then something is wrong with you and you need to fix it. Organise your recitation so that it corresponds with the Islamic lunar calendar: on the first day of the month, read the first Juz', on the second day, the second Juz', and so on. If the month only has twenty nine days, then read both the twenty ninth and thirtieth Juz's on the twenty ninth day.

The Qur'aan is divided into seven parts, each part known as a 'Manzil.' The first Manzil contains Surat ul-Fatihah and the three surah’s that follow. The second contains the next five. The third contains the next seven. The fourth contains the next nine. The fifth contains the next eleven. The sixth contains the next thirteen. The seventh contains the mufassal surah’s which begin with Qaf and end with an-Nas.

Once you have completed this programme, you will have established the practice of reciting a Manzil a day from memory and a Juz' a day from the mushaf. In this way, you will recite the Qur'aan in its entirety from memory each week and from the mushaf each month. Set this as your goal from the outset and know that it can only be attained with the help of Allaah, first and foremost, and then with a great deal of patience, dedication, struggle, and sacrifice.

3) TAJWEED FIRST

Before you begin to memorise the Qur'aan, study Tajweed and work to perfect your recitation to the best of your ability. In the process of memorisation, you will be reciting the Qur'aan for several hours every day. If you are able to recite correctly, your skills will be further reinforced. Otherwise, the memorisation process will deeply ingrain your errors to such an extent that it may be difficult to correct them later on.

In prison, your resources for studying Tajweed could be limited, but make use of whatever you have available. This may mean books, recordings of Qur'aan recitation, or fellow prisoners who are proficient in Tajweed.

4) HOW TO RECITE

The speed at which you recite will have a significant impact on how long it takes you to complete the memorisation process. If you recite too quickly, you will not be able to adhere to the rules of Tajweed. If you recite too slowly, the memorisation and review process will take an exceedingly long amount of time and could it make it feel burdensome which may ultimately cause you to give up altogether.

Start your speed at one page per minute. At this speed, you can adhere to all of the rules of Tajweed while covering a lot of ground in a relatively short amount of time.

This speed also makes it easy to organise your schedule when you become busy. If, for instance, you have to recite five Juz's today you know that each Juz' contains twenty pages, so it will take an hour and forty minutes, and you can then plan accordingly.

Walk while reciting, even if you only have a small cell to walk in. This will help you to drive away drowsiness and maintain concentration. If you are unable to walk, change your sitting position frequently. Recite aloud whenever possible.

5) THE PROGRAMME

When it comes to committing short portions of the Qur'aan to memory, it is not necessary to have a fixed daily schedule of memorisation and review, but when it comes to memorising the Qur'aan in its entirety, strict adherence to a set programme is essential.

Memorising the Qur'aan is not a hobby; it is a full-time job. Every day you will have a set quota of material to memorise and review and it will require a significant devotion of time and energy.

First and most importantly you must have a clear, pure, sincere intention. You also must make a habit of asking Allaah for His assistance at every step along the way.

Suppose you are starting out and so far know the thirtieth Juz' and some of the twenty ninth. These form a part of the seventh Manzil of the Qur'aan so this is where you will begin.

On your first day review everything you know from memory. If you get stuck and need to consult the Mushaf on any given page, read that page again from the beginning from memory before moving on.

Next, memorise a new page from the Juz' in which you are working. You have not yet completed the twenty ninth Juz', so select a page and memorise it well enough to be able to recite it from memory without consulting the Mushaf, without taking any long pauses and without making any mistakes. These are your tasks for the first day.

On the second day, you will have three tasks. You will need to recite forty times from memory the page you memorised the previous day. In addition, you will need to recite from memory everything you have memorised so far. Finally memorise your next daily page.

Your task on the third day will be similar to those of the second, and this will continue until you reach the end of the Juz'. At this point recite the entire Juz' from memory five times.

Now memorise a new page from the beginning of the twenty eighth Juz' and proceed as you did with the twenty ninth, reviewing everything you have covered so far.

When you come to the end of the twenty eighth Juz' recite it five times. Do the same with the twenty seventh Juz'. In the twenty sixth Juz', only Surat Qaaf and the first half of Surat Adh-Dhaariyaat are a part of this Manzil, so once you have memorised that, recite it only from memory five times. Now you have a Manzil.

At this point you will move back to the first Juz. From now on, you will have four daily tasks: repeat forty times from memory the previous day’s page, recite the seventh Manzil from memory as well as whatever you have from the first Manzil, and memorise a new page.

When you complete the first Juz', recite it five times from memory and do the same with each following Juz' until you reach the end of the Manzil.

At this point, you have two Manzils, so you will now begin to alternate them. One day, you will recite the seventh Manzil, the next day, the first.

Proceed with the second Manzil in a similar manner. As you complete each Manzil, rotate them so that every day you recite a different Manzil. At the same time, continue with your other three daily tasks.

Once you finish this process and commit all seven Manzils to memory, recite the first Manzil on Saturdays, the second on Sundays, and so on, so that you complete the Qur'aan every Friday. This was the practice of Imaam Ahmed ibn Hanbal [r].

As the months and years pass, the Qur'aan will become more and more deeply engraved in your heart, inshaa'Allaah.

6) COMMON OBSTACLES

Beware of disobeying Allaah outwardly or inwardly. Some of the most common pitfalls for prisoners are sins of the tongue such as backbiting, slander, and lying. Be truthful in your speech and avoid lying at all costs.

Then there are the poison arrows of lblis: you must resist looking at members of the opposite sex or pictures of them. This is especially harmful to prisoners because incarceration heightens one's sensitivity to such things. If you abstain from this for the sake of Allaah, He will put a sweetness in your heart greater than what you experience looking at such images.

Avoid eating too much and sleeping too much.

Only associate with others for beneficial purposes such as Da'wah, commanding good and forbidding evil, learning and teaching, etc. Avoid talking too much and people who talk too much, because memorising the Qur'aan is a time-consuming endeavour and there are only twenty-four hours in a day. Look at people who try to steal from your time as you would look at people who try to steal from your wealth. Most prisoners have no sense of the value of time and are more concerned with killing it than benefiting from it. Do not let them stand in the way of achieving your objective.

7) SOME WORDS OF ADVICE

It is easy to memorise the Qur'aan; to retain it is the challenge. Do not cut corners in implementing this programme.

As you memorise, you should have someone check your recitation for errors on a regular basis. In prison, this is not always possible, so in the absence of such a person, you must be very careful not to make careless mistakes.

Make sure that what you consume is Halaal. Pay special attention to this point.

Regular cardiovascular exercise will help you to focus your mind and keep wandering thoughts under control. This should be a part of your schedule.

If you feel the need to further reinforce what you have memorised after you complete this programme, recite each Aayah individually one hundred times from memory.

If you find yourself stuck at the end of an Aayah, unable to recall what follows, open the Mushaf and look at the Aayah on which you are stuck as well as the Aayah that follows it. Now close the Mushaf and recite both Aayahs ten times together.

Once you complete this programme you may sometimes be overburdened with other responsibilities to such an extent that your schedule of completing the Qur'aan weekly is disrupted. When this happens, you can split it up into two weeks, but try not to let that happen very often. Otherwise, what you miss one day you can complete the next day in addition to that day's quota. As time passes, you will begin to associate each Manzil with the corresponding day of the week, and you will feel perturbed whenever you fail to complete your daily Manzil.

Only use the Mushaf of Madinah. As you memorise, you will begin to remember where each Aayah is placed on each page and you will be able to flip through the pages in your mind. Alternating between different Mushafs during the memorisation process can cause a lot of unnecessary frustration.

In your spare time, read books of Qur'aan commentary, especially Tafseer lbn Kathir and In the Shade of the Quran by Sayyid Qutb. Practice what you learn and teach it to others. If you do not understand Arabic, learn it. It can be self-taught if there is nobody available to teach you, do not use that as an excuse to fail to learn it.

Many Aayaat resemble one another, and this can cause difficulties even for seasoned memorisers of the Qur'aan. The more you progress, the more you will encounter this. Be mindful of it and try to develop techniques to help yourself remember differences between these Aayaat.

The recitation of the Qur'aan is an act of worship, and as such, it should be kept concealed from the eyes and ears far as possible. Prison is a crowded place: and this may be difficult or even impossible. Nevertheless, as far as you should try to keep your recitation and memorisation a private matter between you and Allaah.

After completing this programme, remember that you now have the Book of Allaah with you in your heart so do not put it in places or situations that are not appropriate for the Book of Allaah.

Lastly, never lose sight of the fact that the Qur'aan is meant to be implemented, not simply recited, so strive your utmost to turn it into a living reality:

"We have sent aforetirne Our Messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance, so that people may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is mighty material for war, as well as many benefits for mankind, so that Allaah may test who it is that will help Him and His Messengers unseen; for Allaah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might." (57:25).

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Here's my Qur'an story summarized with my tips.

First of all, Alhamdulilah ... Alhamdulilah.. Allaah has blessed me with this great Amaanah (trust) and this great gift.. Alhamdulilah.. And I ask Him humbly to allow me two things: to revise the Qur'an, and to inspire others. May Allaah bless you with this great gift. It can be done. All you need is determination and Du'a. You don't even need all the time in the world.

It was a crash-memorization camp, and Alhamdulilah/Maashaa'Allaah I finished in about 2 months and a half. Alhamdulilah I was on vacation for part of my memorization journey, but for the majority I was busy, still going to school (the hospital, 5 days a week). Still having to see patients, still getting in trouble with doctors for slacking off. Although I wasn't studying, time really was not on my side- but I realized that's not what's most important. Many girls in the actual camp finished in 2 months, and the first girl finished in one month. It really is possible!

I was supposed to finish in 2 months exactly- 10 pages a day. Most days I could do this, but on days I couldn't I would make it up the next day if possible.. which is fine- still worth it. Still, make your goal big.. Reach for the moon and you will land among the stars!

Here is a general idea:

Here are my humble tips:

• Seek Allaah's help. Make Du'a. When you reach Juzz 7.. or 14.. or anything.. and you start to lose motivation- turn to Him. They are His words and He alone can teach you them.
• Get a portion done in the morning, especially if you are busy. The days where I could manage at least 1-2 pages before noon, made the 10 pages much easier. If I started after noon, it would take longer. 
• Cancel Stuff. Say No more often. You have to cut back on some things you are used to. Its just the way it works. Even if you do have time to do other things, you don't have the energy. Too much non-Qur'an things really takes you away from the mood. If your friends start to get annoyed by how much you are saying no recently- then you are doing it right.
• Find Recitation Coach(es). I couldn't stay with the camp the whole time- so I would recite to my mom, sister, and friends. Try to stick to a couple people but have more than one person. If you need to recite and the person is busy you will get discouraged- so try to have a back-up. I used to even recite on the phone sometimes!
• Memorize and recite DAILY. No days off. None. Even if you memorize only page and your goal is to memorize 10. It has to become a habit. Plus, you start one page... then the next page looks easy.. then the next one goes fast..
• Big chunks are easier! I used to think memorizing one page a time is faster- but actually.. memorizing 4-6 pages at a time makes it go faster. Its like your brain gets into "memorization" mode-and whats you recite to someone else its hard to get back into "memorization" mode to start again. So if you are doing 10 pages, try to memorize 6.. recite them to your "coach", then the 4 pages will be easy inshAllaah. Even memorizing all 10 is not that hard!
• Don't tell too many people at first. Because it gets kind of stressful when they keep asking where you reached, how many pages you've done, etc. Tell your "coaches" and tell your close friends for motivation and to not lose sight of the goal.
• Free your Mind-more than your time! It's not about how many hours you have a day as much as how much you need to reduce mental clutter. I can get much more done in 2 hours relaxed than in 6 when I am worrying about something. The Qur'an does not enter with chaos. So before you start, make your to-do lists and put them aside, get essential things done, free yourself from worries and commitments. If anything worries you while you are memorizing, remember Shaytaan doesn't want you to focus and that the Qur'an will take care of your worries.
• When you are sleepy-do one more. I don't even know why. I guess its just about pushing yourself. But I always felt Barakeh when I did 1-2 more pages at night when I was getting sleepy rather than giving up.
• Motivate yourself with baby steps. Its daunting to be in Surat Al-Baqarah and be dreaming of Surat Al-Naas. Just keep imagining how happy you will be to be in the next Surah or next few Juzz. When I was in the 13th I would be like: Yaa Rabb.. I want to reach 15...the middle. Then in 15- Yaa Rabb, I want to reach 20th Juzz.. the majority. Then in the 20th.. Yaa Rabb- till the 25th so almost nothing is left.. Then, Yaa Rabb- I have to finish!!
• Use one Mushaaf. Don't switch around. I used mine every single day. And I used a pencil to mark around words and underline verses. And post-it notes for the next Juzz so I would get excited to reach it. Try to get a standard size Qur'an- too small is hard to memorize from. Too big is hard to hold. Avoid electronic Mushafs- they personally give me headaches and I find take more time. Plus you can't write on them.
• Phone- silent. Far away. I muted almost all notifications.
• Find your memorization-style. My best memorization technique is sign- language! I look hilarious when I recite something I know well. I memorize it all with hand gestures. It really helped me. I also sometimes would write them out, or write out the beginning of each verse. Walking also helped because it gave me energy-but only for a few pages at a time. Listening to verses is nice-especially if you have trouble reading- but is time-consuming. But please do this if you can't read it well because the worst thing you can do is memorize something wrong the first time.
• Divide page into halves or thirds-then glue together. Do one verse, repeat a couple times. Do the next verse, then repeat it with the one before it. Divide the page in halves or thirds depending on how many Aayahs a page, then try them together at the end.
• When reviewing a large amount, review the BEGINNING of each verse. When you keep repeating an Aayah, chances are if you can start it you can finish it. So don't waste your attention re-reading the whole page. Just test if you know the beginning of each Aayah.
• Stay away from sins... but when you mess up- repent and keep going. Shaytaan will tell you: there's no point to memorize- you are a sinner. Or will remind you of a sin so that you feel that you can't memorize. Seek refuge from Allaah and keep going. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need a Holy Book from Allaah teaching us how to live our life. You won't be perfect by the end. This is us trying to come closer to Allaah as humans. Seek refuge from the Shaytaan, say Bismillah- and just keep memorizing.
• Take breaks after reciting to someone- not after memorizing. I don't know if this just worked for me- but I always found it more efficient. And don't make them long. 10 minutes are a good refresher. More than that and you will lose the "memorization- mode"
• Find a partner. Or a group! Make it a challenge for those around you. Even away from the camp I was motivated thinking of the girls sitting memorizing at the camp working towards my same goal.
• Try to stay focused. When you take too long on one page because of distractions or daydreaming- it takes extra extra long. Stay focused, finish the page, then take your break.
• Not all Aayahs are the same. Some Aayahs are harder, you will have to find new ways to memorize them or repeat them more. That's fine.
• Set time goals. I used to always have a max goal of half an hour per page. More than that- and I knew I was doing something wrong or not focusing. Sometimes it takes less- which is great! Just don't lose track of time.
• Make connections. Sometimes I would relate one word with one word in the next Aayah. It really helps. For example.. an Aayah that has my friends name, and the next Aayah would remind me of another friend. So I would connect those two words to tie the two Aayahs together..
• Look up tough words. Sometimes understanding that ONE hard word in the Aayah- makes you understand the ENTIRE Aayah which helps you understand the page and really helps you memorize. Too much Tafseer while memorizing makes it harder- you start to understand it but forget the actual words.
• Tarteel later.. (Tarteel: slow, beautified recitation) I suggest that you don't keep repeating each Aayah with full tarteel when memorizing- it takes too long if you are aiming for a short time-frame and sometimes you memorize the "sound" and not the actual words. When I would memorize I would repeat them relatively quickly- to not lose energy or focus. (When you are done memorizing- enjoy your tarteel.)
• Once you finish, start planning your revision strategy. It is not a once and for all thing, and revising is essential! Especially if you finish it in a short time period.

Aayahs with stories are the easiest! Enjoy them!

A few Notes:

For all those who asked, I do speak and read Arabic, and I have been Alhamdulilah learning Tajweed and Arabic for years. For those who do not speak Arabic or know Tajweed it would be best if you spent some time learning those first so you can memorize it correctly the first time.

Also, I know from all my role models who memorized the Qur'an before me that you must memorize it several times. I realize that I have a lot of revision to do, and May Allaah forgive us for our shortcomings, but we really do have to start somewhere..

Hope this helps.. I ask of whoever is reading this to please keep me in your Du'aas..

May Allaah bless you with memorizing the Qur'an and practicing its meanings.. And May the light of the Qur'an illuminate your path always.

And Allaah Knows Best...

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Protection from Evil People, Evil Jinn, Shaytaan and Magic

Her home was busy and bustling with the excitement of a marriage which was to take place in just a few hours. Her husband's nephew was getting married; they had come from abroad and hence, were staying in her home for two weeks. She was more than happy to entertain them as her husband meant so much to her, he was a man of gentle disposition...although he had his moments of restlessness, to put it mildly. Without thinking much she gave in to her teenage daughter's persistent nagging and went with her to a professional make-up artist, all the while delaying her 'Asr prayer.

As she allowed the make-up artist to sweep her face with cosmetics, she began to increasingly become worried. All the guests were to arrive in her home by 6pm and from there go to the wedding hall. It was already 5.30pm and the way back home was long, on top of which they didn't have anyone to collect them. She hadn't realized the time fly by as she had gotten into a discussion with the make-up artist. In all of the excitement of the wedding she hadn't also read her portion of the Qur'aan, something which weighted heavily on her heart.

As it began to rain, she quickly contacted her husband. He was not in a good mood. All the guests had arrived...the sisters were left without any host to serve them with cold drinks. In fact, they were all repeatedly asking about her. She then rang her nephew with her desperate plea; on the way back her nephew advised her to try and abate her husband's hunger by remaining politely silent. As she arrived home, it was pouring with rain. She slowly began to open the car door, only to find her husband and son waiting at the door, she was hours late. All the guests had left. The wedding had begun - her husband and son were not in a good mood.

It was only later on that she realized how important the Qur'aan was in her life. Because she hadn't been keeping up with her recitation and memorization of the Qur'aan it had slipped her mind that in between the verses which mention divorce in Surah Al-Baqarah a verse mentions the middle pray, i.e. the Salatul-'Asr. The scholars mentioned that the one who doesn't read Salatul-'Asr on time, and delays it out of its' time, will see the effect of this sin in one one's marital life.

Being a student of knowledge, she realized the connection.

***

I was with this sister while most of this was happening. This lady strongly believed that it was because she hadn't safeguarded her Salatul-'Asr that a strain had developed on her relationship with her husband, which could have resulted in something more serious. For, satan walks into the heart when anger is present and when Allaah's Name is not mentioned.

In the previous article we discussed how sustaining a sincere attachment and connection with the Qur'aan, and leading lives while knowing that the Qur'aan is a form of Dhikr (Remembrance), can keep us away from indulging in destructive sins. We covered how memorizing the Qur'aan can become a safeguard, an obstacle and an impediment from falling into the abysses and deep dark pitfall chasms of satan. Evil can at times easily overcome our hearts and distort our sense of judgment and our sense of right and wrong. It destroys our peace and happiness and brings about regret, grief, worry and depression. And indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, the Merciful.

{And whosoever turns away (blinds himself) from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allâh) (i.e. This Qur'ân and Worship of Allâh), we appoint for him Shaitân (Satan ­ devil) to be a Qarîn (an intimate companion) to Him.}

[Az-Zukhruf, [043]:036]

Now our next step in these series, dear sisters, is to venture on to a further benefit of memorizing the Qur'aan, namely: that it's a safeguard and protection from magic, satan and his workers from the evil jinn, and the immoral and wicked people from amongst mankind.

Sins are the opposite of good deeds; good deeds bring about blessings and respect – both for oneself and in the eyes of others by the Mercy of the Almighty. In stark contrast, sins bring about ignominy, destruction and unrest. Hence, one of the direct results of leading a life away from the words of Allaah is that a person finds themself stuck, without clear and concise solutions, without clear focus and aims, and without solutions to problems which are cancerous. Problems which, slowly and quietly are eating away at the fabric of our community, and most dangerously, hidden away within the walls and private domains of Muslim homes.

Today, as couples are still facing unrest, turmoil and troubling issues in their homes there is a growing need for "couple therapy" and "couple's counseling". These issues can range from anywhere between repetitive arguments, feelings of distance or emptiness in the relationship, pervasive feelings of anger, resentment and/or dissatisfaction or lack of interest in affection or in physical relationship with one another. At times, these issues in turn then become so big that not only do they take away peace and tranquility from the home, but sadly break the home. It's tragic that Muslims are not resorting first and foremost to the Qur'aan, the Book of Allaah.

A wise women builds the foundations of her home by the recitation of the Qur'aan and by following its message. If she is a Haafidhah or aiming to complete the memorization of the Qur'aan, this will only further increase her in guidance as she will be systematically connecting to the Qur'aan so as to imprint it into her heart. Hence, by keeping a strong relationship with the Qur'aan she will be able to drive the wretched satan away from her home ... without unnecessarily allowing others to interfere and without unnecessarily making her problems known to the world.

Sorcerers plot.

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Riyadh-based Quran teacher with three ijaazas speaks on the importance of learning the divine book. – Conducted and translated by Asma Yasin.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Adlia Hasan Mohammad Ahmad El-Fakeeh. My parents are Nubians from Northern Sudan but they moved to Cairo, Egypt before I was born. I lived there until I got married and had my first child, Iman. Then we came here to Saudi Arabia.

Many people are not familiar with the term "Ijaza". Can you please explain for them what an Ijaza is?

An Ijaza is a certificate from a sheikh authorizing the recipient to teach Quran and listing the sanad (chain) of teachers going back to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم who himself learned it from the angel Jibreel عليه السلام, who was sent down from the heavens to reveal what Allah سبحانه و تعالى has taught him.

(A page from her Ijaza is on the right).

When did you start memorizing the Quran and what motivated you to do it?

My memorization of Quran didn't become serious until I came to Saudi Arabia in 1990. It started when a friend of mine called Hanan told me about Dar Al-Quran. I remember her telling me that it was a place like no other: "مكان يخلِّيكي تنسي الدنيا و ما فيها" .

How long did it take you to memorize the whole Quran?

I didn't really finish memorizing the Quran until I studied for the Ijaza. Before that I memorized only parts of the Quran according to personal interest or courses that we took at the Dar.

What led you to consider studying for an Ijaza?

When I first went to Daar Al Quran my intention was only to memorize because I didn't know that there was more to Quran than memorization. Then I found out about the importance of tajweed in reciting Quran.

What exactly is Tajweed and why is it so important?

Tajweed literally means "proficiency" or "doing something well". It comes from the same root letters as the Arabic word "jayyid", which means "good". With regard to Quran, tajweed means reciting the Quran while observing the rules of recitation. Every letter of the Quran must be given its right.

The Quran was revealed with tajweed. The angel Jibreel عليه السلام recited Allah's words to the Prophet in a certain way and showed him the ways in which it was permissible to recite the Quran.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught these ways to his Companions who passed them down to us today. Applying those rules, reciting the Quran the way it was revealed, is an obligation. That was what led me into studying for an Ijaza. Allah says in the Quran:

(( ورتل القرآن ترتيلا ))

"And recite the Quran with measured recitation." [Quran 73:4]

What kind of Ijaza do you have?

First of all, I want to clarify that there are ten different kinds of Ijazas, meaning there are ten different ways of reciting the Quran. I have three Ijazas. The first Ijaza I completed is known as "Hafs from Aasim", which is probably the most widespread way of reciting the Quran throughout the Muslim world. I completed it here in Riyadh with Shaikha Ilham Al-Tarabeeshi. Later, while living in Cairo, I completed a double Ijaza--Warsh and Qaloon from Nafii—with Shaikh Muhammad Abdul-Rahman Sayyid.

How long did it take you to complete these Ijazas?

It took me two years to complete the first Ijaza but only six months to finish the double Ijaza.

What was the most difficult part of earning your Ijazas?

Alhamdulillah, I don't remember finding any special difficulty in doing the three Ijazas. Allah must have made it easy for me. In fact, the hardest part was not studying for the Ijaza, but the responsibility of actually finishing and receiving it. I remember feeling nervous as I was reciting the last surahs of the Quran. Receiving an Ijaza is a great responsibility. It's an amaanah (trust) not only from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم but also from Allah the Most High.

What advice do you have for youth?

My advice to all youth is to hold fast to Allah's Book. Without Quran, a Muslim is "dead". The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the difference between the one who knows the Quran and the one who does not is like the difference between one who is living and one who is dead. I want you all to remember that one day you will be asked about the Quran and what you have done with it. What then will you say?

A lot of students concentrate only on getting A's in Math, Science, English and other academic studies, because they see this as the key to success in the world. But when it comes to Quran they say, "Oh I just don't have time." What these people fail to realize is that only through memorizing and perfecting Quran can they easily manage their time and find barakah (blessing) in their lives. Only through Quran will Allah pave their way to success in this life and in the next.

The Quran is as Allah says, a guidance, a light, and a cure for what's in the hearts. So pick up the Quran at least five minutes a day, read it, understand it, and live it. Trust me, it will light up your day and you will find the satisfaction and happiness we all seek; the real happiness, the real success, in this life and in the Hereafter.

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Memorising the Qur'an is not just about memorising the words of Allah 'azza wa jall. No. It's a lot more than that.

By understanding the meanings and by making a sincere move to truly live these words, you'll come to see that it's actually a magnificent journey...

It's a journey that takes you through paths you never thought you'd ever tread.

A breath-taking trip that will throw you into a sea of knowledge, cast you under the shade of guidance, ascend you to lofty clouds, and bring you back to the harsh realities of life – but as a hakim (wise one).

It will take you through paradigm shifts, open your eyes to the unseen and the unheard, it will challenge you, test your limits, break you down and then rebuild you from new.

It will teach you what patience really means, what endurance is, what reliance tastes like, where sincerity comes from, what it means to believe in yourself and most importantly, it will teach you that your success in life and this unpredictable path truly comes from Allah in accordance to who you are, who you want to be, and the level of your faith & driving force.

It is a journey designed so specifically for you, so unique to you. Don't run lest you stumble, don't dally lest you miss the signs, and don't stop lest the gale winds throw you off.

Days and nights will never be the same again. You will struggle with yourself and others, you will feel pains that only Allah knows of, but the sweet taste in your mouth will never let you give up. There will be dashed hopes, failed attempts, and you might miss the train more than once, but the ignited flame of passion within you, will not let you be, so you carry on.

You will be tested and taught your boundaries not as a punishment but as the greatest act of kindness you will ever witness: being shown that your barriers are just that; your barriers. And not Allah's. He will truly show you your strengths and increase them for you, show you your weaknesses and help you overcome them. He will make sure that you witness all the battlefields known to the Son of Adam; you will battle forces from Shaytan, forces from your surroundings, forces from your emotions, and you will battle the greatest force to reckon with: your mind and soul. Allah will let you fight in these plains, but He will make sure that you not only win the battle, but that you win the entire war.

As you endure and develop grip on this path you will start to feel physically, mentally, and spiritually stronger. You breathe on a deeper level, you see further than you did before, your heart captures what it could not before, and it dawns on you that you are emerging as a completely different person. Your mind is alarmingly clearer, your knowledge more vast, and your ability to understand and comprehend is more than you thought. The blessings in your life don't stop coming, you see the responses to your du'a, you feel the secure presence and serenity of Allah in your life, you are continuously being taught and continuously improving and the signs all seem to point in one direction: Go forward.

As you arrive in the end, you arrive as a musafir (traveller) arrives home, as a hero returns from the front line, as a beloved comes back home. You arrive with the greatest smile on your face, and a radiant glow in your heart. You look back and see that you've crossed over a realm and a world you didn't know existed.

As an enlightened believer you emerge walking with light upon a lighted path... Your name is the same, but you? No, you will never be the same. What just took place is a transformation like no other; promised to all who decide to take this route. Don't leave this world without treading this glorious path. Don't leave without memorising, learning, rather living this Qur'an. Angels align with you as your brothers, and Allah is guiding you back to Him for rewards that no eye has seen, no ear has heard of and no heart of yours ever thought possible. Wa billahi tawfiq.

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We 've all been there, we listen to a few lectures here and there or attend some seminars and gatherings and make a firm resolution of memorising the book of Allaah, and you think to yourself, "I mean my little brother has done about 5 juzz already... why cant I?" Then a few months down the line you get frustrated and upset "Why am I not a Haafidh yet!" But what is it you are doing wrong? Is Hifdh not meant for you or something?

Read more: 7 Ways of Becoming a Haafidh of the Qur'aan - By Aboo Thaabit

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It’ll surely keep you away from sin

Those of us who aren’t used to continuous Dhikr should be really, really worried as people who keep away from Allah Almighty's remembrance are more liable to being attacked by Satan, just like a house that is left unprotected, unlocked, and without any alarm.

This is because Satan likes to play with a heart that is away from Allah’s remembrance. In fact, in chapter 114, verse 4, we find that Allah Almighty refers to Satan as "Al-Khannaas," which means ‘the one who withdraws’ as he is the one who whispers in the hearts and then retreats. The Prophet’s Companion, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said,

“The devil is squatting (perched) upon the heart of the Son of Adam. So when he becomes absent-minded and heedless he whispers…” (Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer of Surah An-Naas)

Some of us may think that the best Dhikr is to say Allah Almighty’s names continuously, which is true, but in reality the whole Qur’aan is the best Remembrance (Dhikr) in its totality, which includes the Names, Mention and Words of Allah in the best possible way. For, it contains much more than Allah’s Names; for example, it contains the mention of the Prophets, pious examples, paradise, the story of creation, and so it is a complete guide, a beacon of light, the very Words of the Lord of the heavens and the earth. That’s why Satan runs far, far away when it is recited with contemplation, deliberation, and conviction. Bearing this in mind, it makes sense why the Ruqyah (Exorcism) of certain individuals (*and Allah Knows best) is more effective against black magic and evil Jinn (such as the Ruqyah of Bro. Abu Muhammad, as is clear from his videos which can be viewed here) even if he, and others like him may not know the whole Qur’aan by heart, in comparison to the Ruqyah of others that may. This is not something minor as usually the scholars write that a requirement of being a Exorcist to such a level is to have memorized the whole Qur'aan by heart. And all Power and Might is indeed in Allah’s Hands alone.

Therefore, reading, understanding, reflecting and pondering WITH FAITH in Allah’s words is the most effective way of remembering Him and protecting oneself from Satan’s influence.

NOW we come to see why one of the names by which the Qur’aan is mentioned is: ‘Adh-Dhikr’ i.e. ‘The Remembrance’ or ‘The Reminder’. In fact, this name for the Qur’aan has been mentioned 55 times in the Qur’aan! In Surah Saad, Verse 1: "By the Quran, full of Dhikr." And in verse 49: "This (the Quran) is no less than a Dhikr for all the worlds."

In this way, due to it being the best of Remembrances, the Qur’aan cleans and clears the heart from the filthy remnants and dark lurking debris which sin leaves behind, as does asking the forgiveness of Allah Almighty. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “If the believer commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents, gives it up and seeks forgiveness, his heart is cleansed, but if he does more, then (that spot) increases until it covers his heart. That is the raan (covering of sin) which Allah mentioned in the Qur’aan: {Nay! But on their hearts is the Raan (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn}.” (al-Mutaffifeen [83]:14, Ahmad, 8792 and al-Tirmidhi, 3334)

As Muslim women who believe that the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are inspired, as indicated in the following verse: {It is only an inspiration that is inspired} (Surah An-Najm [53]:4), we must firmly believe that the majority of the inhabitants of the hellfire will be women. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “I looked into Paradise and I saw that the majority of its people were the poor. And I looked into Hell and I saw that the majority of its people are women.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3241 and Muslim, 2737)

We must believe this without (Allah forbid) thinking that this is patriarchal and misogynistic, or an attack against women, their capability and their rights. Indeed, there is a reason for the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) statement, which he clearly mentioned in the following narration, which proves how gracious he was as he could have left us in the dark, wondering as to why he had said such a thing.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I was shown Hell and I have never seen anything more terrifying than it. And I saw that the majority of its people are women.” They said, “Why, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Because of their ingratitude (kufr).” It was said, “Are they ungrateful to Allah?” He said, “They are ungrateful to their companions (husbands) and ungrateful for good treatment. If you are kind to one of them for a lifetime then she sees one (undesirable) thing in you, she will say, ‘I have never had anything good from you.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1052)

Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah said: “I attended Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no adhaan or iqaamah. Then he stood up, leaning on Bilaal, speaking of fear and consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) and urging us to obey Him. He preached to the people and reminded them. Then he went over to the women and preached to them and reminded them. Then he said, ‘Give in charity, for you are the majority of the fuel of Hell.’ A woman with dark cheeks stood up in the midst of the women and said, ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘Because you complain too much and are ungrateful to your husbands.’ Then they started to give their jewellery in charity, throwing their earrings and rings into Bilaal’s cloak.” (Narrated by Muslim, 885)

Dear sisters, the question must be asked: how can we save ourselves from such a tremendous sin? How can we ensure that we are not from the majority of the women of the hellfire, Allah forbid? Surely, the answer is to live under the shade of the Qur’aan (which includes the mention of charity therein), to live it day-in day-out. To apply it, even when it’s hard, to understand it, learn it, and what I intend to highlight here: to try and even memorize it. For, once our hearts shine by its words, our heart will be attached to it, and then we’ll want to be in the company of our Lord’s Words as much as possible: at every moment, every second, every hour, and every day of our life. And the only way to truly actualize this is to memorize it. Then our limbs will obey its commands, and the whispers of Satan will as a consequence subside. We will become women of the Qur’aan, the Haafidhaat, those who run away from sin….right into the shade of the Quraan, the very Words of the Lord Himself.

Let’s become like those Sahaabiyaat, who didn’t start debating, arguing, vehemently screaming or aggressively retaliating when they heard that the majority of the inhabitants of the hellfire are women. For, as believing women they accepted the Prophet’s statement without questioning and accepted what he said to be a fact, something unquestionable. And how could they question the man that they knew with conviction and surety that he was the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). A man who never lied, who always kept people’s promises and trusts; a man who was so caring, loving and gracious; a man who always wanted good for all, even if that meant that he’d have to suffer as a result…They just couldn’t argue. And they didn’t argue. So what makes us so apprehensive? Why is our testimony of faith and conviction in it so shaky? Why don’t we work hard to protect ourselves from the hellfire, just as the Sahaabiyaat did? It's because they were women who had a proactive attitude, an attitude that guaranteed them paradise. It was easy for them because they truly believed that Jannah awaited those who do righteous deeds, as they read so many times over in the Qur’aan and heard from the noble lips of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). So they threw their jewellery, something that is usually so precious to women... they threw it into Bilaal’s cloak (may Allah be pleased with them all) and away from themselves. Why? Because they wanted to thereby ransom themselves from the possibility of being one of the women of the hellfire as they were Women Bearers of the Qur’aan, women who cherished and implemented whatever they learnt.

So Sisters!

How many a battle did Satan win,

As he made you trip,

Away from Allah’s remembrance... he did make you slip.

It wasn’t all of a sudden; rather he watched and planned, bit by bit.

Then he took his chance and sat,

As he began to whisper on your very heart.

He threw his evil darts,

That you thought were ideas from you, from your very own heart.

Yes! He was there with his sneer,

Oh yes, he did dare!

But Sister, don’t consciously allow him to attack again,

For that’s not the way of the spiritually sane,

In fact it’s the way of those who merely feign.

Who stand not in guard with Allah’s remembrance,

Which is difficult for satan as it’s THE spiritual cane.

Open the Qur’aan, move your lips,

And then take the dark remnants of sin away from your heart.

Bit by bit, by Allah’s permission, your heart will surely be lit.

Continue on in this way, to save yourself in the future,

For then you may slip even deeper.

Hold on to the Qur’aan, take it as your guide,

For it was revealed by the Lord of the mighty heavens so wide.

Even if it takes your time, try and take a step further then you'll realize,

The great blessing of inscribing it on your heart, so begin the journey NOW as you begin to memorize.

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The first matter that it befits him to employ is Taqwa (consciousness) of Allah secretly and openly, by exercising caution (wara’) with regards to the sources of his food, drink, dress and earnings. He is perceptive about his time and the corruptions of its people that he may beware of them regarding his religion. He concentrates on his own situation, having the aspiration to reform whatever is corrupt in his affairs, guarding his tongue and choosing his words.

If he speaks, he speaks with knowledge when he sees speech to be correct. He fears from his tongue things more severe than he fears from his enemy. He imprisons his tongue the way he imprisons his enemy, so that he may be safe from its evil and bad consequences. He rarely laughs at the matters which people laugh, due to the bad consequences of laughter. If he is pleased by something in accordance with the truth, he smiles. He dislikes joking, fearing frivolity: if he jokes, he speaks the truth. He is accommodating in countenance and pure in speech. He does not allow himself to be praised for qualities he has, how then for qualities he does not have? He is wary of his self, that it should overcome him for what it desires, of the things that will anger his Master. He does not backbite anyone. He does not look down upon anyone. He does not abuse anyone. He is not happy at the affliction of others. He neither transgresses upon anyone, nor envies them. He does not think the worst about anyone, except for one who deserves it. He loves with knowledge, and hates with knowledge. He speaks about a person’s faults only with knowledge, and remains silent about a person’s real nature with knowledge.

He has made the Qur’an, Sunnah and Fiqh his guide to every good and beautiful quality, guarding all his limbs from what has been forbidden. If he walks, he walks with knowledge. If he sits, he sits with knowledge. He strives hard so that people may be safe from his tongue and hand. He does not behave ignorantly: if someone behaves ignorantly towards him, he is forbearing. He does not oppress: if he is oppressed, he forgives. He does not transgress: if he is transgressed upon, he has patience. He restrains his fury to please his Lord and enrage his enemy. He is humble in himself: when the truth is presented to him, he accepts it, whether from one younger or older.

He seeks status from Allah, not from the creatures. He despises arrogance, fearing for his self from it. He does not (earn to) eat by the Qur’an, nor does he like his needs being fulfilled by way of it. He neither runs with it to the sons of kings, nor sits with it amongst the rich so that they may honour him.

If the people earn plenty from the world without understanding or perception, he earns a little with understanding and knowledge. If the people wear fine luxury, he wears of the halal with that which conceals his private parts. If his circumstances ease, he eases; if they tighten, he tightens. He is content with little, so it suffices him. He bewares for his self from the world that which will make it tyrannical. He follows the obligations of the Qur’an and the Sunnah: he eats food with knowledge; he drinks with knowledge; he dresses with knowledge; he sleeps with knowledge; he has union with his wife with knowledge; he accompanies his brothers with knowledge; visiting them with knowledge, seeking permission to enter upon them with knowledge, and greeting them with knowledge; he treats his neighbour with knowledge.

He imposes strictly upon himself the honouring of his parents: he lowers his wing to them, and lowers his voice before their voices. He expends his wealth for them, and looks upon them with the eye of respect and mercy. He prays for their longevity, and is thankful for them in old age. He is not irritated by them, and does not look down upon them. If they ask for his help in a matter of obedience, he helps them. If they ask for his help in a matter of disobedience, he does not help them, but is gentle with them in his disobedience of them: he shows beautiful etiquette such that they may return from the ugly matter that they intended, that it does not befit them to do. He maintains family relations and despises breaking them. If someone breaks off relations with him, he does not break off relations with them. If someone disobeys Allah regarding him, he obeys Allah regarding him.

He accompanies the believers with knowledge, and sits with them with knowledge. He benefits those who accompany him, being an excellent companion for those whom he sits with. If he teaches another, he is gentle with him. He is not harsh with the one who makes a mistake, and does not embarrass him. He is gentle in all his matters, extremely patient in teaching goodness. The leaner finds comfort in him, and the one sitting with him is joyous at his company. Sitting with him brings goodness. He educates his companions with the etiquettes of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

If he is afflicted with a difficulty, the Qur’an and the Sunnah are two educators for him. He grieves with knowledge. He cries with knowledge. He has patience with knowledge. He purifies himself with knowledge. He prays with knowledge. He gives zakat with knowledge. He gives charity with knowledge. He fasts with knowledge. He performs the hajj with knowledge. He wages jihad with knowledge. He earns with knowledge, and he spends with knowledge. He eases in matters with knowledge, and tightens in them with knowledge. The Qur’an and the Sunnah have taught him his manners. He looks through the pages of the Qur’an in order to teach himself manners, and he is not pleased for himself to fulfil with ignorance the obligations imposed by Allah. He has made knowledge and understanding his guide to every goodness.

When he studies the Qur’an, it is with the presence of understanding and intelligence: his aspiration is to understand that which Allah has imposed upon him of following His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. His aspiration is not: when will I complete the soorah? His aspiration is: when will I be enriched by Allah, so that I am in no need of other than Him? When will I be of the pious? When will I be of those who excel? When will I be of those who have total tawakkul? When will be of those who humble themselves? When will I be of the patient ones? When will I be of the truthful ones? When will I be of the fearful ones? When will I be of the hopeful ones?

When will I have non-attachment to the world? When will I have yearning for the Hereafter? When will I repent from sins? When will I recognize the widespread favours? When will I be grateful for them? When will I understand from Allah His address? When will I understand what I recite? When will I overcome my self regarding its base desires? When will I strive in Allah’s cause with a true jihad? When will I guard my tongue? When will I lower my gaze? When will I guard my chastity? When will I be ashamed before Allah with true shame? When will I be preoccupied with my faults? When will I reform the corruptions in my life? When will I call my self to account?

When will I take provision for the Day of Resurrection? When will I be pleased with Allah? When will I have trust in Allah? When will I be admonished by the warnings of the Qur’an? When will I be preoccupied with His remembrance away from remembrance of other than Him? When will I love what He loves? When will I hate what He hates? When will I be sincere to Allah? When will I purify my deeds for Him? When will I reduce my vain hopes? When will I prepare myself for the day of my death, when my remaining term shall have vanished? When will I build the life of my grave? When will I reflect upon the Standing and its severity? When will I reflect upon my solitude with my Lord? When will I reflect upon the Return?

When will I beware that which my Lord has warned me of: a Fire whose heat is severe, its depth great and its grief lengthy. Its inhabitants do not die that they may rest; their sins are not forgiven; their tears are not shown mercy. Their food is zaqqoom, and their drink is boiling water. Every time their skins are roasted, they are replaced with new ones so that they may taste the punishment. They regret when regret does not benefit them, and they bite upon their hands in sorrow at their falling short in obeying Allah and their embarking upon the disobedience of Allah. Thus, one of them says,

“Alas! If only I had sent something forward for my life!” (89:24)

Another says, “My Lord, return me! It may be that I work righteousness in what I have neglected!” (23:99-100)

Another says, “O woe to us! What is the matter with this Book? It does not leave a minor or major matter, except that it counts it!” (18:49)

Another says, “O woe to me! If only I had not taken so-and-so as a close friend!” (25:28)

Another group of them says, with their faces turning in different kinds of punishment, “Alas! If only we had obeyed Allah, and obeyed the Messenger!” (33:66)

So this is the Fire, O assembly of Muslims! O Bearers of the Qur’an! Allah has warned the believers of it in more than one place in His Book, out of mercy from Him towards the believers. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: “O you who have believed! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones. Upon it are angels, stern and severe: they disobey not Allah in what He commands them, and they do as they are ordered.” (66:6)

He, Mighty and Majestic, also said, “O you who have believed! Fear Allah, and let each soul see what it has sent forth for tomorrow; and fear Allah: truly, Allah is Aware of what you do.” (59:18)

He then warned the believers against being heedless of what Allah has obligated upon them and what He has entrusted to them not to lose, and to guard His limits that He has entrusted to them, and not to be like the others who rebelled against His command and so He punished them with different types of punishment. Thus He, Mighty and Majestic, said, “And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He caused them to forget themselves: they are truly rebellious ones.” (59:19)

He then informed the believers that the people of the Fire and the people of the Garden are not equal, saying, “Not equal are the people of the Fire and the people of the Garden: the people of the Garden, they are the truly successful ones.” (59:20)

Thus, when the intelligent believer recites the Qur’an, he presents himself to it, so it becomes like a mirror in which he sees which of his actions are beautiful and which are ugly. Thus, whatever his Master warns him against, he is wary of it; whatever He instils fear regarding its consequences, he fears; whatever his Master encourages him in, he desires it and hopes for it.

Thus, whoever fits this description, or close to this description, he has recited it as it should truly be recited, and has attended to it as it should truly be taken care of. The Qur’an becomes for him a witness, intercessor, comfort and support. Whoever has these qualities benefits himself and benefits his family, and returns with every goodness upon his parents and his children in this world and the Hereafter.

Source: From 'The Character of The Bearers (and People) of the Qur'an', Chapter 4, by Imam al-Ajooriyy al-Baghdadi (rahimahullah).

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Members of the Advisory Council of `Umar (radiyallahu `anhu), the second Caliph of Islam, were always the `Ulamaa’ (the learned in religion) whether they are old or of young age.

Abu Huraira (radiyallahu `anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Anyone who is most versed in Allah’s Book should act as an Imaam for the people; but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding the Sunnah; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest of them to emigrate; if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them."

In another version it is reported:

"No man must lead another in Prayer where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission." (Muslim transmitted it.)

Jaabir (radiyallahu `anhu) said:

"Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) had each pair of those killed at the Ghazwa of Uhud wrapped in a single garment and asked which of them knew more of the Holy Qur’an. When one of them was pointed out to him, he had him put first in the side of the grave." (Bukhari transmitted it.)

Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (radiyallahu `anhu) reported that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

"It is out of reverence to Allah in respecting an aged Muslim, and the one who commits the Qur'an to memory and does not exaggerate pronouncing its letters nor forgets it after memorizing, and to respect the just ruler". (Abu Dawud)

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Knowing One's Priority

Hudhayfah said:The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) related matters to us. I have seen one of them, and I am waiting for the other. He (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) informed us: "Trustworthiness was sent down in depths of the heart of the people, then they learnt it from the Qur'aan, then they learnt it from the Sunnah" 2

Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar (852H) said: "His (peace be upon him) saying: 'then they learnt it from the Qur'aan, then they learnt it from the Sunnah' So it occurs in this narration with the repetition of "then", which contains and indication that they would learn the Qur'aan before learning the details of the sunnah. And what is meant by the details of the sunnah is anything that they would learn from Prophet (saallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) whether it was obligatory or recommended."3

Al-Maymoonee said, I asked Abu 'Abdullaah Imaam Ahmed: "Which is more beloved to you, that I should I begin teaching my son the Qur'aan or the hadeeth?"

He said: "No! The Qur'aan."

I said: "Shall I teach him all of it?"

He replied: "Unless that is difficult, in which case teach him some of it." Then he said to me:

"If he begins reciting first, then he will learn correct recitation and will persevere in it."4

Ibn Muflih said:

"Upon this are the followers of Imaam Ahmad right up until our time."5

Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 718H) said:

"As for seeking to memorize the Qur'aan then this is to be given preference over many of the things that the people consider to be knowledge, but are -in reality - either totally useless, or having little benefit. It is also to be given precedence in learning especially by those who wish to acquire knowledge of the Deen, its principles and its particulars. Since what is prescribed for such a person at this time is that he should begin by memorizing the Qur'aan, as it is the foundation of the branches of knowledge of the deen. This is contrary to what is done by many of the people on innovation, in that one of them will preoccupy himself with superfluous parts of knowledge; such as kalaam (rhetorical speech) and argumentation; or very rare matters of differences; and blind following, which there is no need for; or very strange and rare ahaadeeth which are not established, nor of benefit; and many discussions do not establish proofs. And he abandons memorizing the Qur'aan which is more important than all of this."6

Muhammad ibn al-Fadl said, I heard my grandfather say: 'I asked my father for permission to study under Qutaybah, so he said:

"First learn the Qur'aan and then I will give you permission."

So I memorized the Qur'aan by heart. Then he said to me:

"Remain until you have led the people in prayer with it (i.e. for taraweeh prayer)."

So I did so, and after the "eed prayer he gave me permission, so I left for Marw."7

Ibn 'Abdul-Barr (d. 463H) said:

"Seeking knowledge is of levels and is of different stages which should not be skipped over. Whoever skips over them altogether, then he has overstepped the path of the Companions and those that follow them. Whoever deliberately takes a path other than this has seriously deviated. However, whoever oversteps due to an ijtihaad (a knowledge-based judgment that a qualified scholar makes, intending to reach the truth), then such a person has erred. So, the first (step in) knowledge is memorization of the Book of Allaah and seeking to understand it. And it is obligatory to seek everything which will aid in understanding it. However, I do not say that it is obligatory to memorize all of the Qur 'aan, but I do say that it is obligatory and essential for anyone who wishes to become a scholar - not that it is something obligatory in itself." 8

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (d. 463H) said:

"It is fitting for a student that he begins with memorization of the Book of Allaah -since it is the greatest of the branches of knowledge and that which should be placed first and given precedence."9

Al-Haafidh an-Nawawee (d. 676H) said:

"The first thing he should begin with-is memorization of the mighty Qur'aan, which is the most important of the branches of knowledge. And the Companions and those that follow them did not use to teach hadeeth or fiqh except to one who had memorized the Qur'aan When he has memorized it, let him beware of preoccupying himself from it with hadeeth, fiqh or other things, to the extent that it leads him to forget anything of the Qur'aan, or makes that (i.e. this happening) likely."10

Seeking knowledge in due proportions 11

Allaah (`azza wa jall) said: "And it is a Qur'aan which We have divided into parts, in order that you may recite it to men at intervals. And We have sent it down in stages."12

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam said to `Abdullaah ibn `Amr ibn al-`Aas: "Read the Qur'aan in every month." I said: "I find that I have more strength than that". He (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Recite it in every twenty nights." I said: "I find that I have more strength than that." He (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Then recite it in every seven days and do not increase upon that."13

'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas also related from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) that he said: "He does not understand the Qur'aan who recites it in less than three days "14

Umar ibn 'Abdul-Waahid, a companion of al-Awzaa'ee said: We read in al-Muwattaa to Maalik (d. 179H) in forty days, so he said:

"A book that took me forty years to compile, you take from me in forty days! How little you understand of it."15

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee said:

"It is fitting that he takes care in acquiring knowledge and that he should not take too much in one go. Rather, he should take a little at a time, such that he can bear it, memorize it and be able to understand it. Because Allaah says which means: "And those who disbelieve say: Why is the Qur’aan not send down to him all at once? Thus (is it sent down in parts) that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages."16" 17

Al-Khateeb also said:

"And know that the heart in an organ from the organs. It is able to bear somethings and unable to bear others—just like the rest of the body. Thus, some people are able to carry one-hundred pounds, whereas others are unable to carry even twenty. Some people are able to walk a number of miles in a day without tiring, whereas others are unable to even walk a mile a day before they become tired... So let each person limit himself to what he is able without expending all his energies, because that will better aid him in learning with a good mind, from a firm and proficient teacher.''18

Supplicating for an Increase in Knowledge

Allaah (`azza wa jall) said which means: "Say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge." (Soorah TaaHaa 20:114)

Umm Salamah said: Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to supplicate in the morning prayer: "O Allaah! I ask you fur beneficial knowledge, righteous action and pure sustenance."20 Anas bin Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) supplicate: "O Allaah! Benefit me with knowledge. Teach me that which will benefit me, and provide me with knowledge from which I can derive benefit."21

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ja'far said: I heard Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311H) being asked: "From where did you acquire this knowledge?" So he said: "Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Zam-zam water is that for which it is drunk."22

So when I drunk zam-zam water, I supplicate to Allaah for beneficial knowledge." 23

Shaykhul-lslaarn Ibn Taymiyyah24 said:

"The reality of this matter that the servant differs in what he asks of knowledge and guidance, and of what he seeks to ask. So with remembrance of Allaah and turning towards Him, Allaah guides such a person—as He said which means: "O My servants! All of you are misguided, except whomsoever I guide. So seek your guidance from me."25

And, as the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to say: "O Allaah! Lord of Jibreel, Meekaa 'eel and Israafeel. The Originator of the heavens and the earth. Knower of the Unseen and the apparent. You judge between Your servant in that which he differs. So guide me in that which I differ from the truth—by Your permission. Indeed, You guide whomsoever You please, to a Path that is straight."26

__________

Notes:

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14. Delight in the Prayer

A Sister who reads the Qur’aan in her optional prayers from a copy of the Qur’aan will probably not feel the same delight as she who reads the Qur’aan from memory. In fact, one of the major reasons why people slack in performing the Night prayer and from standing long hours in front of Allaah Almighty is because all day they may have already mechanically read the same short Surahs of the Qur’aan that they had probably memorized years back when they were young, and now continue to repeat daily many times over without contemplation and without a readiness to change according to its message. Although these short magnanimous verses should always have a profound effect on us, it is a fact that we as human beings find change, variety and alteration interesting and hence, we tend to bore more easily, except for the one whom Allaah Almighty blesses. So, let’s say it’s a cold freezing night; as the Muslimah intends to leave her bed to stand up to pray at night, satan whispers to her and reminds her that Tahajjud is not binding on her, and that maybe she can offer it another day. But the sister who knows that she will be traversing through new verses of the Qur’aan, that she has goals and aims to one day finish the whole Qur’aan from memory in her Salaah, as was the practice of many of the righteous before her, it will most likely be a further incentive for her to stand up and pray, despite the temporary and short-lived difficulties experienced in its pursuit.

As Muslim women, we need to study the lives of the women who passed before us, such as the life of our Mother ‘Aaishah and that of her students, Mu’aadhah Al ‘Adawiyyah and Hafsah Bint Seereen (may Allaah be pleased with them all). They were women who understood the honor and glory showered upon a Muslim at that time, a time of mercy which descends from the Lord of the heavens and the earth and a time wherein Allaah Almighty descends to the lower heaven. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever stands (for the night prayer) with ten verses is not written amongst the heedless, whoever stands with a hundred verses is written to be amongst the devout and sincere ones and whoever stands with a thousand verses is written amongst the muqantareen (those for whom a Qintaar (a measurement of weight) of reward is written).” (Abu Dawud, authenticated by al-Albaani)

Imaam Adh-Dhahabi (rahimahullah) recounts regarding Mu’aadhah (rahimahallah), ‘It has reached me that she (Mu’aadhah) would stay awake at night and would say:

“I am amazed at the eye which sleeps and knows the long sleep in the grave.”‘ (Tuhfah al Ahwazee, Baab al istinjaa bil maa’, vol 1, pg 77.)

In another report, with similar meaning but more wording: Aasiyah bint Amr al ‘Adawiyyah said: ‘She would pray every day and night (altogether) six hundred rak’ah (units of prayer). She would read her part of the Qur’aan at night, standing with it, and would say:

“I am amazed at the eye which sleeps and knows [of] the long sleep within the darkness of the graves."’ (Sifah as-Safwah, vol 4, pg 22-24.)

As for the Taabi’eeah Hafsah bint Seereen (may Allah be pleased with her) then Mahdi ibn Maymoon said:

“Hafsah bint Seereen stayed thirty years without leaving her prayer place, unless for sleep or to answer the call of nature.” (Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa’)

Hishaam said that:

“Hafsah used to enter her Masjid, then pray in it Adh-Dhuhr, Al-‘Asr , Al-Maghrib , Al-‘Ishaa’ and As-Subh (i.e. Fajr). Then she would stay in it (the Masjid) until the day rose. She would then bow (perform rukoo’), then leave (the Masjid). At that time she would make wudhoo’ and sleep until the Prayer (Salah) became due. She would then (once again) return to her Masjid and do the same continuously.” (Sifah As-Safwah, Dhikr Al Mustafiyaat min ‘Aabidaat al Basrah)

Hishaam ibnu Hassaan mentions that Hafsah (rahimahallah) purchased a jaariyah (maid, slave-girl). She was asked, “How do you find your master (i.e. Hafsah)?” She said,

“She is a righteous woman, except that she has (i.e. must have) committed a huge sin because she cries all night and prays.” (Sifah As-Safwah, Dhikr Al Mustafiyaat min ‘Aabidaat al Basrah, Vol 2, Page 709)

Although this slave girl thought that it was only because of a sin that Hafsah (rahimahallah) cried, in reality it was because of Khushoo' (a state of mind that contains serenity, tranquility, dignity and humility during prayer, which springs from one’s heart standing in front of Allah in humility and submission) in her Salaah that she felt as she did, for that is the first thing that will be lost from the Ummah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The first thing to be lifted up (taken away) from this ummah will be Khushoo', until you will see no one who has Khushoo'." (Al-Haythami said in al-Majma, 2/136: It was reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, and its isnaad is hasan.)

Today it’s not just our optional prayers, but our obligatory prayers too which suffer from a lack of Khushoo, something the Prophet (peace be upon him) had indeed prophesized hundreds of years ago, and something that is indeed dangerously common in today’s world.

15. Most Befitting to Lead others in Prayer

Although as Muslims this is not something we should greedily crave, it is definitely an honor to lead the believers in prayer. The Haafidhah is more eligible to lead sisters in prayer if she has memorized the Qur’aan and also holds knowledge of it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people should be led in prayer by the one who has most knowledge of the Book of Allaah; if they are equal in knowledge of the Qur’aan, then by the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah.” (Narrated by Imam Muslim, 1530)

16. You will automatically memorize the supplications mentioned in the Qur’aan

It’s truly tragic that many of us haven’t memorized even a handful of the du’as mentioned in the Qur’aan. As for the Haafidhah, she will not only have memorized the Qur’aan but also all of the special supplications found in the Qur’aan. Allaah Almighty says:

“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Surah Al-Baqarah [2]: 186)

17. Hifdh of the Qur’aan eases recitation of Qur’aan at all times, the more you memorize the easier it gets!

I remember some time ago watching a relative cook. As she was cooking, all of a sudden she began humming and sort of bopping around in the kitchen as she fondly remembered a Bollywood tune. Thinking back I’m surprised she didn’t slip...

The Muslim woman who finds peace in the Qur’aan and whose heart is attached to the Qur’aan feels greater joy and more satisfaction in reciting the Words of her Lord while cooking, cleaning, walking, sitting…and whenever she gets a chance. For, work and chores just never seem to finish, and the believing woman’s heart never feels bored or disenchanted from the Words of her Lord. Allaah Almighty says:

“Nay, but they, the clear Aayaat (verses) are preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge.” (Surah Al-'Ankabut [29]: 49)

And Allaah Almighty has said in a hadeeth Qudsi, which is narrated in Saheeh Muslim: “I have indeed sent you (O Prophet) to test you and test others by you, and I have revealed onto you a Book that cannot be washed by water, so that you may recite it while in the state of wakefulness or sleep.” Imaam An-Nawawi (rahimahullah) said in this regard,

“This means that it’s preserved in the hearts – it’s not free to depart but rather it stays in the course of history.” (Sahih Muslim, Sharh an-Nawawi (18/204))

Today many Muslim women sadly can’t recite the Qur’aan fluently and without experiencing difficulty. This may be because Arabic is not their mother tongue, or it may be because they haven’t studied Tajweed. As for the Haafidhah, she will gain a lot of practice in reciting the Qur’aan as she memorizes the Qur’aan.

Yes, she will not only recite fluently when reading the Qur’aan from the Mushaf, but more amazingly, from her very memory, Allaah Willing.

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7. From the honor of Allaah is to honor the bearer of the Qur’aan

Maybe it’s time we get to know ourselves a bit better, especially our limits and restrictions. If we do so, we will come to realize that in the true sense of the word our own personal selves are not really worthy of untainted and complete honor and that in fact, it is only by following the Deen that we can raise our statuses near Allaah Almighty and gain His pleasure even while being limited, transient, needy, weak and in need of Allaah’s (‘azza wa jall) abounding Mercy and Help. Allaah, the Lord Almighty, clearly depicts to us our meek origin:

“Verily, we have created man from nutfah drops of mixed semen (discharge of man and woman), in order to try him, so we made him hearer, seer.” (Surah Al-Insaan [76]: 2)

When and while the Muslimah undertakes the honorable task of memorizing the Qur’aan, and to be successful in this regard, she must bear these facts in mind. She must remember Allaah’s Grandeur and Greatness in comparison to her meekness and weakness to be successful and to become from the special group from amongst the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Nation who have memorized the Qur’aan onto the slates of their hearts. It is then and only then that she’ll find as she memorizes the Qur’aan that her vocal cords will be in tune and in sync with a pure intention emanating from her heart and the Noble Qur’aan will then become amazingly easier to memorize. The journey of memorizing the Qur’aan, which for some may seem like a steep and rocky terrain, will become an easy and spiritually uplifting exercise, regardless of the years of time and effort that one will have to invest into it. Yes, you’ll crave for even small doses of Hifdh sessions and you’ll feel a profound connection to the Qur’aan, especially when approaching it with the right frame of mind.

Such a Haafidhah/ Haafidhah-to-be will experience a life-changing experience, an experience that will put her existence and limitations within this expansive universe into perspective and will provide her with peace and happiness experienced by few. For, the heart craves and is in dire need of being close to its Lord. It is then, and only then, that by memorizing the very words of our most Honorable Lord, the Haafidhah will be honored – not for her sake, but solely and purely because of Allaah’s (‘azza wa jall) Words.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

“Indeed, from the honor of Allaah is to honor the grey-haired (older) Muslim, the carrier of Qur’aan who is neither extreme in it nor turns away from it…” (Sunan Abu Dawud)

8. The Qur’aan is the Final Testament from Allaah

The book of Allaah is a confirmation of the books before it and the seal of all the scriptures. Only the blessed one will succeed in engraving this revelation onto his heart within this limited lifespan designated by Allaah Almighty. You don’t need to memorize the Bible or the Torah, as they are generally considered abrogated and are no longer the law that we are obliged to follow. By memorizing the Qur’aan, the Haafidhah is indeed memorizing the final revelation, a current canon of law for mankind that was revealed to Muhammad, the Final Messenger (peace be upon him).

“O people! Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allaah and the Seal of the Prophets, and Allaah has full knowledge of all things.” (Surah Al-Ahzab [33]: 40)

9. The Qur’aan is a Book that Can’t be Changed or Altered

The fact that the Qur’aan is a book that can’t be altered or changed, unlike other books, is yet another distinguishing feature that it possesses. Therefore, you won’t find yourself going through the hard task of memorizing it only to find a few years later that a “revised addition” of it has been published. Today, just like yesterday, the Qur’aan is in the same pristine form in which it was revealed 1500 years ago.

“And recite what has been revealed to you (O Muhammad) of the Book (the Qur'ân) of your Lord (i.e. recite it, understand and follow its teachings and act on its orders and preach it to men). None can change His Words, and none will you find as a Refuge other than Him.” (Surah Al-Kahf [18]: 27)

10. Following the Messenger of Allaah and the Pious

The Sister who memorizes and has memorized the Qur’aan has indeed taken the beloved Rasool (peace be upon him), the righteous and the martyrs as her lofty examples. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would memorize the Qur’aan and continuously recite from it. In fact, Jibreel (`alayhis-salaam) used to review it with him once every year and in the year that he (peace be upon him) passed away, Jibreel came to him twice. We find that in the Qur’aan Allaah (ta’aala) has said: “Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad, peace be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day and remembers Allaah much.” (Surah Al-Ahzaab [33]: 21) Furthermore, when the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was asked about the Prophet (peace be upon), she would reply:

“His character was the Qur’aan.” (Saheeh Muslim)

As for the connection of the Pious Predecessors to the Qur’aan, then it will suffice by just mentioning the example of ‘Aa’ishah, the Mothers of the Believers:

Al Qasim bin Muhammad said, “Whenever I went out in the morning, I used to visit `Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), his aunt and the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and greet her. One day I found her performing Ad-Dhuha prayer, reciting this verse repeatedly, crying and invoking Allaah: “So Allaah has been gracious to us, and has saved us from the torment of the Fire.” (Surah At-Tur [52]: 27) I stood there until I felt bored, so I left and went to the market to do something and said to myself that when I finish what I have to do, I will go back (to `Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her). When I finished and went back to her, I found her still standing in prayer, reciting the same verse, crying and invoking Allaah.” [Al Ihya 4/436]

Therefore, every Sister that wishes to take on the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and follow the example of the righteous before us, and even those who live today, should inscribe the Words of Allaah Almighty in her heart and continuously review her lifestyle according to it so as to be successful, Allaah Willing, in this life and the Next.

11. A Special Characteristic of this Ummah

Hifdh al-Qur’aan (to memorize the Qur’aan) is from the special characteristics of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ibn al-Jazari (rahimahullaah) said:

“The transmission of Qur’aan by reliance upon memorization (off by heart) and not upon script in the mus-haf and in books, this is from the most noble of characteristics given to this Ummah by Allaah Ta’aala.”

He also said,

“Allaah ta’aala has informed us that the Qur’aan does not need to be confined - in preserving it - to a page that can be washed with water. Instead it is read in all states as has been narrated in the description of this Ummah: “Their scriptures are in their hearts” - and this is different to the People of the Book who do not memorize it except in (referring to) the Books, they do not read it except by looking at it and it is never off by heart.”

12. You will come to really love the Paradise and vehemently hate the Hellfire

The thought of even entering a house on fire is a horrifying prospect, let alone the idea of entering Hellfire. Let’s take as many precautions as we can, as many means as we can by which to save ourselves from the hellfire by memorizing the Qur’aan.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If the Qur’aan was to be gathered inside a vessel (heart), Allaah will never punish it with the Hellfire.” (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi from ‘Ismah ibn Maalik – Saheeh al-Jaami’ 5266)

13. You’ll become from the Best, the People of the Qur’aan, the People of Allaah AND His Special Ones

Today, many Sisters are specializing and excelling in leading professions around the world so as to become distinguished and to have a standing of respect within the ranks and social statuses of this world. Yet the following questions await answers from us: where are the Sisters who have specialized in memorizing the Book of Allah, the very Words of the Creator of all that was, is and ever will exist. How many of us aspire to be in this way, from His Special Ones? How many of us give it even the same importance, or even half the importance and attention we give to acquiring and pursuing secular studies? This is not to say that Muslim Women shouldn’t acquire a good education and be learned, but it’s about where our priorities and interests lay foremost, how much importance do we give to the Qur’aan and it is some food for thought for the sisters who have completed their degrees/masters/PhDs and still show a lack of interest in gaining Islamic knowledge...

Dear Sister, if you memorize and complete the Qur’aan you will be from the ones whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) described as, “Indeed, Allaah has people from amongst Mankind: the People of Qur’aan, they are the People of Allaah and His Special Ones…” [Ahmad, Ibn Majah]

What a special gift to you O Muslimah… if you memorize the Qur’aan. Don’t lose out on this chance, a chance to become from the People of Allaah, from the People of the Qur’aan and from His Special Ones! Indeed, if Allaah (`azza wa jall) gave every servant a value and a rank, then the people of Qur’aan are the best of people in rank, for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “The best of you is the one who learns Qur’aan and teaches it.” (Bukhaari)

Therefore, my dear Sister, you must now be honest and ask yourself the following:

• Don’t you want to have the honor of being from Allaah’s Special Ones?

• Don’t you want to be from HIS People?

• Don’t YOU want to be from the People of the Qur’aan?

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3. A cure for the hardness of the heart

It’s really heartbreaking, devastating and astounding to see the sort of crimes perpetrated by hard-hearted criminals. Sentencing and imprisoning such people is not the only solution to stopping such problems all together as some are never caught or convicted at all. The root reason behind these crimes is the hardness of the heart and being estranged from Allah’s Words. Allah Almighty has said, “Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness.” [Al-Baqarah 2:74]

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) has eloquently written in this regard:

“The servant is not afflicted with a punishment greater in severity than the hardening of the heart and its being distant from Allaah. The Fire was created to melt the hardened heart, this heart which is the most distant of hearts from Allaah. If the heart becomes hardened the eye becomes dry.” [Al-Fawaa’id]

By the grace of Allah we find that many of our respected scholars have outlined the various causes that bring about the hardness of the heart and the remedies for it. Some of the reasons which bring about the hardness of the heart are: being away from the remembrance of Allah, sins, laughing a lot, talking too much, excessive eating and illicit sexual behavior.

Many continue on transgressing in this regard till the whole heart is engulfed in darkness even though such mistakes shouldn’t and must not be taken lightly as it’s a slippery slope and a deep dark black hole which if not treated with caution may turn things from bad to worse. The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “When the believer commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the raan which Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Raan (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [At-Tirmidhi said that it is sahih (authentic)]

As Muslims we should know better. We need to learn to take our spirituality from the Qur’aan, the cure for all the hardness and diseases of the heart. Allah Almighty questions: “Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah’s Reminder (this Qur’aan), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened?” [Al-Hadeed 57:16]

So dear sister, by becoming a Haafidhah of the Qur’aan, Allah Willing, your heart too will change for the better: “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'an) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone).” [Al-Anfâl 8:2]

4. The Solution to the World’s Problems, the Road to Prosperity and Happiness, a Great Tool for Da’wah

The Qur’aan is the solution to the crisis and falsehood the world is drowning in today. As history testifies, the people who took this book and wholeheartedly dived into its ocean of guidance became from the lowest to the highest, from no-bodies to somebodies, from bedouins and shepherds to leaders. If we undertake its journey it will steer us to a gain, never to be regretted. Everyone has problems, but few indeed are those who know where to find the solutions. The Haafidhah, by having memorized the Qur’aan, will be able to excel in helping other women around the globe using the Words of her Lord as her greatest asset in this endeavor. For example, today in Britain, mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental disorder.{footnote}Mental health foundation (http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-statistics/){/footnote}  In truth, the solution for this, and other such disorders, is the remembrance of Allah Almighty, as the Qur’aan clearly announces: “Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” [Ar-Ra’d 13: 28]

For the Haafidhatul-Qur’aan, if she were to one day stand and deliver a reminder to the people or deliver a study circle, her evidences from the Qur’aan will be in her heart and in this way whenever she’ll intend to speak on a specific subject, her Hifdh will help her find the evidences from the Qur’aan and they will flow from her mouth to the hearts of the people straight away. Allah Almighty has stated: “…(This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness into light by their Lord’s Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise.” [Ibraaheem 14:1]

5. You will be Mentioned by Allah to the Angels

Another way by which the Muslimah can strengthen her Hifdh is by attending a Halaqah (Circle) for sisters by sisters, especially geared towards memorizing and understanding the Book of Allah. I used to live near a Masjid which holds memorization circles for sisters, and they were quite successful. Sisters who don’t have such a facility near them should aspire to start up something similar in their locality in the near future.

The Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "No people gather in one of the Houses of Allah [i.e. the Masjids] reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, but tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will envelop them, the angels will surround them, and Allah will make mention of them amongst those who are with Him. Whoever is slowed down by his actions will not be hastened forward by his lineage." [Sahîh Muslim, Hadîth no.2699]

6. The Banquet of Allah, the Most High and Mighty

How do you feel when you are invited to a banquet, a get-together by loved ones or dear sisters? Do you get excited? Do you feel something warm take over your heart? Remember the last time you were invited to a feast. How long did you take getting ready? How long did it take to get there? How long did you spend there? All together how many hours did you spend there? What made you take out so much time for it?

Now, let’s think about how we would feel if we were invited to Allah’s banquet! How would you feel? How much time would you take out for it? It is narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (radhiallaahu `anhu) that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “Indeed this Qur’aan is the banquet of Allaah, so learn as much as you can from the banquet of Allaah. Indeed this Qur’aan is the strong rope of Allaah and it is the clear guidance and it is a beautiful cure, a protection for those who cling to it and a salvation for those who follow it. Nothing is bent or corrupted except that the Qur’aan rectifies it, nor deviated but that it reprimands them. Its marvels do not fade nor is the sweetness of it decreased by the frequency of those who recite it. So recite it, for indeed Allaah will bestow upon you ten times the single reward for your recitation of each letter. I do not say Alif Laam Meem is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter.” [Reported by al-Hakim, declared sahih by al-Albani in al-silsilah al-sahihah, 660]

It’s your chance NOW to partake in a banquet you’ve never experienced before.

An unimaginable experience, never to be forgotten.

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“And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember?” [al-Qamar [54]:17]

There is always an underlying reason as to why a sister has failed to memorize or failed to continue to memorize the Qur’aan. Some sisters may have stopped because they feel that they don’t have good memory; others did memorize but forgot what they memorized because of a lack of time and commitment, or a distraction that resulted in a permanent diversion. Whatever the case, the person who has left memorizing the Qur’aan has really not come to terms with the greatness and magnitude of what they are missing out on... For, quite simply if they had, they wouldn’t let go of this monumental task.

The cure for this predicament is to first willingly and with strong determination begin the journey back to memorizing the Qur’aan by first seeking Allah’s Help, as without strong determination a person is certainly doomed to failure. Secondly, the sister must retrace her steps and thoroughly investigate the reason(s) as to why she left memorizing the Qur’aan, or in case of another scenario, hasn’t begun memorizing it at all. Thirdly, she must further rejuvenate and restore her stance and clear her mind and refocus herself by reading up on the many rewards awaiting the Haafidhah, something that we’ll shortly cover in this article. It is highly recommended and stressed that a sister who intends to memorize or revise her memorization of the Qur’aan should repeatedly revise the rewards mentioned below so as to keep strong and focused while traversing this difficult yet incredibly rewarding journey in this life and the next. What follows are just a few of the rewards that I was able to gather; therefore, it should be kept in mind that only Allah Almighty alone truly knows the true extent of the rewards that await the Haafidhah in this domain and the next.

As a final point before we begin this journey, sisters are advised to try and memorize these rewards so as to be able to enumerate them to their children and families with the intention to also urge them towards memorizing the Noble Qur’aan.

1. The Qur’aan Outlines Man’s Purpose Here and is A Cure for Weak Eemaan (Faith)

Today we find that many people are devoid of the basic understanding of WHY they exist, even with the many functions that Allah Almighty has so graciously bestowed us with. For all those who care to reflect, the Noble Qur’aan gives a clear and precise explanation of our purpose here. It clearly explains to us Who created this universe and how to please its Creator IN HIS OWN WORDS. Therefore, the first and foremost benefit which the believing woman will achieve and acquire by becoming a Haafidhah of the Qur’aan, a Haafidhah that understands the Words of Allah Almighty, is that the Qur’aan will be a light for her within the dark murky confusions of this life and will help her clarify and determine her purpose, roles and functions within the limited life-span granted and gifted to her here by Allah Almighty. In this way Allah Willing, she’ll then be able to succeed in this life and the next as the Qur’aan is a pure spring from which the Haafidhah can quench her innate thirst of establishing a Slave-relationship with the Creator.

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).” [Al-Dhaariyaat [51]:56]

In this way her Eemaan (faith) will become deeply rooted and firmly fixed into her heart with every word that she will read and memorize from the Qur’aan, with every sentence that passes her eyes, and with every page that her hand turns from the Mushaf. She’ll then be able to successfully re-evaluate her aims in life to naturally sync in with her purpose in life of being an Amatullah (Slave of Allah), as described in the Qur’aan.

A sister who sincerely wishes to inscribe the Words of her Lord onto the slate of her heart will most definitely not allow a day to pass by her without picking up the Qur’aan and memorizing from it. So, while other Muslim women allow days to pass by without allowing their vocal cords to be blessed by the recitation of the Qur’aan, the Haafidhah unceasingly continues on through the Mushaf, her eyes twinkling with flashes of eemaan, her heart alight with enlightenment and her being encompassed with tranquility. How true are the Words of our Lord:

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses are recited unto them, they increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone).” [Al-Anfaal [8]:2]

Jundub (radhiAllaahu `anhu) said:

“We were young youth with the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him), so we learnt Eemaan before we learnt Qur’aan, then we learnt Qur’aan and it increased our Eemaan.” (Nuzhat al-Fudhalaa (383/1))

2. The Qur’aan is your syllabus guaranteeing you success

Dear sisters, success is the opposite of failure. It is to see the achievement of one’s objective in the next life and it is a level of social status in the hereafter, and few are those who will succeed. All those who wish to succeed must purify themselves by turning to the Qur’aan, the syllabus guaranteeing 100% success in both this world and the next. By memorizing it and its meaning, it becomes easier for the Haafidhah to function according to it.

As women, we are always rotating between different roles, functions and responsibilities during the day; sometimes we feel mellow, sometimes high, and sometimes low. By memorizing the Qur’aan the Haafidhah has the words of the Almighty in her heart, guiding her through her trial-and-error processes and saving her from pitfalls.

A writer so eloquently once expressed:

“As you stand in the check-out lanes in grocery stores, you are sure to be barraged by glossy magazines that tell you 5-ways to earn extra money or 7-ways to lose extra weight. If you are a student, you have books that tell specific steps to score higher in your tests. Players are instructed specific steps that guarantee a better score. If you watch TV on a Saturday morning, you will get simple, specific steps to make your home beautiful, or to do a weekend project.
If you follow the instructions in these glossy magazines, most likely you will shed some weight or gain some money. Maybe you can learn a software in 7 days if you follow the step-by-step directions from some 'dummy' books.
It is fine to learn some techniques to enhance our worldly life. That helps our life in this world. We can do things little more efficiently, we may look little better, and we can decorate our homes nicely with few steps.
Would it not be nice to find some instructions, which will make our Hereafter successful? Instead of the advice coming from some writers of glossy magazines, if the instructions came from the Expert, should we not follow it? Of course we should. However, none of the glossy magazines deals with the life Hereafter. How do we find the Expert who can give tips for a guaranteed success in the Hereafter?
Finding the Expert is simple... In addition, the instructions are rather simple... Obviously, the Expert is Allah (swt) Himself.”

So dear sisters, let’s purify ourselves by allowing the verses of Allah to clean our hearts from filth and debris and by polishing it with His Words. Allah Almighty Himself says:

“Successful indeed is the one who purifies his whole self.” [Ash-Shams [91]:9]

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It is a fact that just as was the case in the past, today also many disbelievers are levying great efforts in trying to take the message of the Qur’aan away from the hearts of the Muslims. This is evident not only from the fact that people have been incited to burn the Qur’aan, as mentioned in the previous article, but by many other cases, such as the suggestion that the verses which mention Jihaad in the Qur’aan be taken out and a new version of the Qur’aan be introduced in its place.

Such attempts come about due to ignorance over the fact that the Qur’aan has no ‘versions’, unlike the Bible. They fail to realize that the Qur’aan can’t be adulterated, as history clearly attests from the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, right up till this day. That’s why projects such as “The True Furqan”, which was an attempt by Christian missioners to confuse ignorant people by portraying the Christian Gospel message by way of the Qur’anic style, was doomed to fail miserably, as was certainly the case, even if great manpower and thousands were spared and spent in efforts to make it successful. How unwise a move, how unproductive and unrealistic an attempt! This is because it is a fact that the Qur’aan is the unaltered word of Allah Almighty and that it is the greatest of miracles in the hands of the Muslims today. Any attempt to change the Words of Allah will be unaccepted, as the Muslim Ummah will never and can never accept such absurdity, for Allah Almighty has unequivocally declared in the Qur’aan:

One of the reasons that such attempts have failed and will fail miserably is because thousands of Muslims around the globe memorize the Qur’aan by heart, as did many before them. Yes, we are a nation that does not solely depend on the copies (Masaahif) of the Qur’aan. Rather, for many of us the illuminated verses of the Qur’aan shine and glow within our hearts and on our tongues, without our eyes having to look upon sheets of paper created by man. This is the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who was Unlettered (Ummi), the way of his Companions and the way of the blessed Muslims who followed in their footsteps.

But not only were men blessed to complete this momentous task, women in the past also didn’t, and even today don’t, lag behind in undertaking this arduous, yet honorable task. Their heart-felt drive, deep love and attachment as Muslim women for the Qur’aan, the very Words of their Creator, was and is enough of an incentive for them to wholeheartedly take on this noble task, regardless of the difficulty and time that must be invested in its pursuit.

On the other hand, it’s worrying that many of our sisters today are easily swayed by the influences of the disbelievers, and worse still, many others are weak in front of the doubts put forth by them. But the Muslim woman who has memorized the Qur’aan sincerely, the Haafidhah, has no one to truly fear, love and place hope in but her Lord. This is because she has been endowed with knowledge of the Qur’aan, hence she acts as a soldier guarding the words of her Lord by her heart and by way of her tongue. You will find her amidst the hustle and bustle of her day-to-day chores and busy routine reciting the words of her Lord from the slate of her heart while she aims to lead a meek life as a slave totally submersed in the ocean of remembrance of the Divine, her guide being the Qur’aan, her destination paradise.

So we must ask ourselves the question: In the midst of all this confusion and turmoil, what is our role, as Muslim women, towards the Qur’aan? What is our responsibility and how do we effectuate that responsibility within the limited lifespan designated for us by Allah Almighty in the life of this world?

Dear Sisters, let’s arise to be women who guard the Qur’aan with our hearts, deeds and tongues, as did the women before us. Let’s become women who are not solely in need of paper with verses of the Qur’an written on it, let’s become women who work hard to imprint its verses on our heart, let’s purify our hearts for this mission. Let’s allow the Qur’aan to let us envision the world for what it truly is as the Noble Qur’aan, the Criterion, brings faith upon faith and light upon light, allowing and giving the chance to each individual to reach spiritual heights. Yes, it spreads its illumination into the dark and gloomy difficulties of this life, as it provides solutions and much needed comfort.

The following information is for every sister who has either memorized the Book of Allah, and even more so for the one who sincerely wants to or has already commenced this spectacular journey. This is because for one to undertake the long and difficult journey of memorizing the Qur’aan one needs to have provisions, which will act as a support and motivation on this journey. These provisions are:

1) Where the destination lies.

2) The understanding and realization of the mighty task one is going to undertake.

3) What impediments lie on the path.

4) The available shortcuts to reach one’s destination swiftly and efficiently.

And as a final reminder, truly this life is only a place of delusion and deceit. Its days are short-lived; yet, the deeds lastingly weigh heavy on the scale. Let’s use our time wisely and efficiently; let’s not waste a second that reaches us; let’s become companions of the Qur’aan, never forsaking it, always referring back to it. Let’s memorize its verses and firmly imprint them in these hearts that are design to imprint. Let’s use the energy Allah has bestowed upon us to run through the valleys and paths that lay within the secret folds of the pages we so seldom turn to. For, it doesn’t matter how much time we invest into it, it will never be enough; you will always be in need of more, as long as you continue to breathe and as long as your heart continues to beat by the permission of Allah.

Let’s ensconce the verses of Allah into our beings, allowing them to flow through our veins and become deep rooted within our thought patterns. Let’s dive into the ocean of knowledge, let’s learn the verses of Allah so that in times of need we can hear Allah’s speech when we need counsel and reconciliation – for surely no one can advise as your Creator can, who knows every thought that runs through your mind, every emotion that clouds your judgment and every weakness that you so cleverly conceal from the eyes of men.

The fact remains that although many of our hearts are not as pure as the hearts of the righteous that preceded us, we must hope in Allah that He eases our affairs and guides us to that which He loves so that we can be from the Haafidhaat. Let’s supplicate to the Almighty Allah:

‘O Allah bless us all with the title of “Haafidhah”, a title of honor and respect, that encompasses all those women who responded to Your verse,

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In Arabic the term for a woman who has memorized the Qur’aan is 'Haafidhah' and its plural is 'Haafidhaat'. It’s a prestigious title of honor unlike any other, it’s a blessing which is indescribable and it’s a title for one who has been blessed to travel a journey and tread a path only undertaken by a few out of the majority of Allah’s creation.

For the real Haafidhah, every page glows forth right into her heart, taking away and washing the dirt and accumulated filth, rubble and debris therein. Every letter sparkles, twinkles and glitters eemaan-boosts that emanate and seep into her heart and into her very essence and being. For the Haafidhah, every Surah creates, instills and infuses a unique, healthy and life transforming relationship into every aspect and facet of her life.

She no longer feels alone, she no longer thinks like others. She stands in front of her Lord without needing a copy of the Qur’aan in her hands and says “Allahu Akbar” and then disconnects from the world for a while and enjoys her sojourn to find tranquility and spiritual peace through the soothing words of Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem, Allah the Almighty. It is then that she experiences help, comfort and consolation unfound and unexplainable through the mediums of this worldly life. She isn’t in need of any other therapy; she isn’t in need of counseling by people who are themselves lost and in need of Allah. She isn’t in need of anti-depressants, which only further mess up her mind, pushing people towards moments of insanity and further despair. She isn’t in need of others performing Ruqyah on her, for she has turned towards her Lord herself and is constantly working on being a meek slave in front of the Omnipotent, yet Forgiving and Merciful Lord. Yes, she is a Haafidhah, she is truly blessed; she is human, yet carries the words of her Creator in her heart. Her heart has been chosen by Allah Himself, for nothing in this creation can come about except by the idhn (permission) of Allah. This Muslimah, this Haafidhah who takes the Qur’aan as her guide, can gain proximity and spirituality without leaving the boundaries of the Canons of Islamic Law, and without falling into innovation. For how can one claim spirituality and truth by going away from the way of the truthful one (Muhammad, peace be upon him) and by leading a life away from the words of Allah, Almighty? No. It can never happen. The Qur’aan will continue to be a blessing for her, it continues to elevate her rank until and unless she stops acting upon its words and injunctions, which we pray never happens, as then, for such a person, the end is feared and the punishment severe.

Today it is truly tragic that many women have allowed their whole lives to pass by them but haven’t still finished memorizing the 30th and 29th Juzz of the Qur’aan, while the rest of the Noble Qur’aan stays untouched. If you ask them to recite from that which they do know, some shy away due to their Tajweed (recitation) being rusty or due to weak memorization. It’s true that the Sahaabah would only memorize ten verses, practice them, and then continue on in their journey of memorizing the Qur’aan. But many of us are on an indefinite halt, a continuous stop; we just can’t seem to carry on and are really lagging behind big time when it comes to our relationship with the verses of Allah, the Mighty Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. We find ourselves being similar to the one who sits in a train station, unaware and careless of the many trains that halt and then continue on, which could have taken us to our destination. Similarly, we remain too, idly sitting by without taking the effort to continue on. And then later, when regret hits us, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Especially in today’s world, when satan is in a constant battle against the Qur’aan; be that directly, such as attempts to burn the Qur’aan (N.B. the failed attempt of ‘Burn a Quran’ day), or indirectly, by mocking, ridiculing and belying its very message.

As daughters, sisters, mothers and wives we have a huge responsibility to try and instill the love of Allah’s words into the hearts of our loved ones and the generations to come. Our homes should be surrounded by the protecting Words of the Almighty, its peace emanating within our homes. But how can we achieve this when we ourselves have not achieved this connection, when we ourselves don’t have its message in our hearts and minds?

Before we dive into other sciences, we should learn the Qur’aan. Traditionally, and even today in countries such as Mauritania, some scholars and institutions of Islamic learning make it a condition that the enrolling student knows the whole Qur’aan by heart or a significant portion of it. This is because it is the foundation of knowledge, the sea from which lakes of knowledge flow and the seed from which sprout the fruits of knowledge. Shk. Mohammad Akram Nadwi writes:

“After or alongside acquiring language skills, the girls would turn their attention to the Qur’aan, learning how to recite and memorize it, and understand its meaning. Only then would they start learning hadeeths by memorizing and then narrating them. Those with more aptitude would go on to learn how to think about the ‘scholarly apparatus’ of the hadeeths – their occasions and their narrators – how to distinguish among narrators and chains of narrators, and learn the sunnahs that derive from the hadeeth and how to implement them…From my study of biographies of the women scholars of this period I can affirm that girls usually began their studies with Arabic language and developed reading, speaking and writing skills. At the same time they would learn Qur’aan, reciting and memorizing it. Some learnt the whole of it by heart at a remarkable young age.”{footnote}Al-Muhaddithaat: the women scholars of Islam by Mohammad Akram Nadwi, pages 110 and 111.{/footnote}

He also wrote:

“All the major jurists in the history of Islam began their education by memorizing the Qur’aan, learning its different recitations, and gaining expertise in its interpretation. Women have also built this strong relationship with the Book, the fruit of which is that it is fully internalized, and they become fluent in it, speaking from it like a mother tongue.”{footnote}Al-Muhaddithaat: the women scholars of Islam by Mohammad Akram Nadwi, page 275.{/footnote}

Dear Sisters, I want you to consider and compare the knowledge and memorization of the Haafidhaat I will shortly mention, to your own. You can do this as you sit reading these words on your laptop, computer or mobile or you can take out some special time this week to take it a step further and organize and (re-)plan your journey through the Qur’aan, even if completing your hifdh will take you absolute years. We shouldn’t forget that one of the questions that we will be asked in the grave is regarding the Qu’raan, which may come as a surprise to some. For, it has been proven authentically in narrations that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that Al-Munkar and An-Nakeer (two angels) will come to the person in the grave and ask, ‘What did you do?’ S/he will say,

‘I read (or recited) the Book of Allah. And I believed in it.’{footnote}This lengthy hadith narrated by al-Baraa ibn Aazib is reported by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, at-Tayalisi, and al-Hakim who said it is according to the standards of Bukhari and Muslim.{/footnote}

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During one of his seminar about the Sciences of the Qur’an, Sh. Yasir Qadhi shared with us some practical steps that helped him memorize the Qur’an during his teenage years.

Realize it’s a spiritual AND physical project. It’s a miracle and blessing from Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) that you’re able to absorb the Qur’an. If you want to take advantage of this blessing, you should be in a position to receive it and strive physically to achieve it and strive spiritually to gain the maximum benefit.

1. Sincerity. The first matter you have to pay attention to is your intention (if you intend good you will get good). Make sure that the intention you are making is only for the sake of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), to seek His Pleasure so that inshaa'Allah, with His Mercy, we will be rewarded in the Aakhirah. It is not to show off in front of others that you have memorized a lot. Sincerity is not a one time factor rather it’s a continual battle that you always have to renew.

2. Consistency. The more frequently you memorize, the easier it becomes. It is very essential to be consistent, and not to skip even one day. The bare minimum that one should memorize is at least 3 lines, 5 is more ideal. If you are consistent, inshaa'Allah, you will be able to be a Haafidh in 5-6 years.

3. Timing. The first thing you should do in the day is memorize – even if that means before breakfast, because this is your spiritual breakfast. The best time to memorize is right after Fajr... (Shk. Yasir used to take one hour to memorize a page in the beginning, and eventually came down to 15-20 minutes!).

4. Atmosphere. Have a secluded place to go to and memorize in a place that is quiet. You just can’t memorize properly with distractions, so turn off all your devices (like cell phones).

5. Familiarity: start at the same time, at the same place and use the same mushaf every day. You need to have your own copy of the Mushaf (the Madani Mushaf is highly recommended), it will later become so dear to you.

6. No Magic trick: repeat, repeat, repeat, over and over again. It is just repetitive recitation and/or listening that will help to memorize.

7. Memorize with the meaning: read the translation before you start and try to match the Arabic words with their meanings.

8. Surround yourself with recitation: listen to the Qur’ana. Before you start to memorize, listen to what you are about to memorize. Shk. Husary is highly recommended.

9. Find a recitation buddy: get a friend, a family member or someone you know who will listen to your recitation every day. Ideally, get someone who is also memorizing to create a peer pressure system.

10. Recite daily in your salaat what you have memorized. If you forget one portion, you will immediately rush towards the Qur’an and correct your mistake and inshaa' Allah you will never do this mistake again.

11. Triple daily dose:

a) New memorization at your assigned time of the day

b) Revision of the previous 7 days, just before you start the new memorization: This is because the fastest thing you forget is the new memorization. And doing so, will also build the connector between the old ones and the new portion you are going to memorize. Plus, it will be a good warm up for the brain when you recall from your memory and recite, before you go into the real exercise of doing the new memorization.

c) At a later/another time of the day, revise those before the recent 7 days. The bare minimum should be 4-5 pages.

12. Do not jump around. Be consistent. Don’t try to go to another Surah if you find it difficult, but stick to the order. In this way you will have the satisfaction of having completed a Juzz rather than leaving some portions here and there.

13. The three chunks. Start from the back. Shorter surahs will bring you a big boost. You should divide the memorization of the Qur’an in three parts:

a) Juz 28, 29, 30 or just Juz 29, 30

b) Surah Al-Kahf till Juz 28

c) Surah Al-Baqara to Surah Al-Kahf

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Praise be to Allaah by Whose Grace all good things may be achieved and by Whose Blessing and Mercy a group of sisters and good women have been able to memorize His Book. We see in them the fulfilment of Allaah’s promise to make the Qur’aan easy to memorize and remember, as Allaah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We have indeed made the Qur’aan easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)?” [al-Qamar 54:22]

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, congratulations!

Allaah has used you to preserve His Book on earth. You are one of those through whom Allaah has kept the promise He made when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it.” [al-Hijr 15:9]

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, do not underestimate the worth of what you have done.

What is in your heart is knowledge. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Nay, but they, the clear aayaat, are preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge…” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:49]

In your heart is a Book which cannot be washed away with water. It was said in the sacred Scriptures concerning this ummah that “their gospel is in their hearts.”

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, you are indeed envied by people.

This envy is the kind of envy that is permissible. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“You should not envy anybody except for two: a man to whom Allaah has given the Qur’aan, so he recites it night and day, so that another man says, ‘If I were given what he has been given I would so the same as he does’; and a man to whom Allaah has given wealth, so he spends it appropriately, and another man says, ‘If I were given what he has been given I would so the same as he does’.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6974)

The permissible kind of envy is al-ghibtah, which means wishing for what another person has, without wishing for him to lose that blessing.

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, O citron-blossom of this world!

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believer who reads the Qur’aan is like the citron, whose fragrance is good and whose taste is good.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 5007; Muslim, 1328. Muslim entitled the chapter in which this report is found, Baab Fadeelat Haafiz al-Qur’aan – the virtue of the one who memorizes the Qur’aan).

The phrase “its fragrance is good and its taste is good” attributes the quality of taste to eemaan (faith) and the quality of fragrance to recitation of the Qur’aan (because taste is more tangible and longer lasting than fragrance). The wisdom behind using the citron as a metaphor rather than any other fruit that also has both a good taste and a good fragrance is because the peel of the citron is used as medicine and the oil that is extracted from its seeds has a number of benefits. It was said that the jinn do not approach a house in which there are citrons, which is an appropriate analogy to the Qur’aan, which the shayaateen (devils) do not approach. The outside of its seeds is white, which is an appropriate analogy for the heart of the believer, and it has other qualities: it is big, it looks nice, it may be of different colours, it is soft to the touch, it is delicious to eat, it has a pleasant flavour, it aids digestion and it is good for the stomach.

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, do you know the status you have reached?

Your mother ‘Aa’ishah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who reads the Qur’aan when he has already learned it by heart is with the righteous, noble travellers (safarah).” (al-Bukhaari, 4556).

The “travellers” are the angels, because they travel to Prophets with messages from Allaah. Or it was said that the safarah are the scribes who write down deeds. The righteous are the obedient who obey Allaah, and the proficient is the one who reads well and has memorized perfectly, who does not hesitate when reading or find reading difficult, because he has memorized it well and reads it proficiently. Al-Qaadi said:

"Saying that he is with the angels could mean that in the Hereafter he will have a position close to that of the travelling or recording angels, because he shares their attribute of carrying the Book of Allaah. Or it could mean that he does what they do and follows the same path as them."

The proficient reader is of a higher status and will receive a greater reward, because he is with the travelling or recording angels, and it was not reported anywhere that this reward and high status will be given to anybody else. How can one who does not pay attention to the Book of Allaah, memorizing it, reciting it properly and often, and conveying it to others, catch up with one who does pay attention to it until he becomes proficient? And Allaah knows best.

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companions of the Qur’aan, ‘Read and increase in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last aayah you recite.’” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2838. He said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth).

“It will be said” refers to the time when the person enters Paradise. “The companion of the Qur’aan” means the one who persistently recited it and acted in accordance with it. “Increase in status” means ascend through the levels of Paradise. “Recite” means read with tarteel (slowly and precisely), and do not rush in reading. “As you used to recite in the world” means with proper pronunciation (tajweed) of the letters and pausing where one should pause. “Your status will be at the last aayah you recite” – al-Khattaabi said:

"It was reported that the number of aayaat of the Qur’aan will be like the number of levels in Paradise in the Hereafter, and it will be said to the reader, 'Go up as many levels as the aayaat of the Qur’aan that you recited.' So whoever recited the entire Qur’aan will reach the highest level in Paradise in the Hereafter, and whoever recited a part of it will reach a level commensurate with what he read. The extent of the reward will depend on the amount of Qur’aan read."

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, congratulations! You have filled your heart with the words of Allaah and have responded to His invitation.

‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

“This Qur’aan is a banquet from Allaah, so take as much of it as you can. I know of nothing more devoid of goodness than a house in which there is nothing of the Book of Allaah. The heart in which there is nothing of the Book of Allaah is as desolate as a house in which nobody lives.” (Reported by al-Daarimi, 3173).

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, blessings and congratulations be upon you! If you are sincere now, you will be saved from the punishment of Hell.

Abu Umaamah (rahimahullah) used to say:

“Read the Qur’aan and do not be content merely to have these Masaahif (copies of the Qur’aan) hanging up. Allaah will not punish a heart that has memorized and understood the Qur’aan.” (Reported by al-Daarimi, 3185).

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, congratulations! For the Book of Allaah will intercede for you and will be your adornment on the Day of Resurrection, and if you remain steadfast it will be greater than the adornment you wear now.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord! Adorn him’, so he will be given a crown of honour to wear. Then it will say, ‘O Lord! Increase it’, so he will be given a garment of honour, then it will say, ‘O Lord! Be pleased with him,’ so Allaah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Read and increase in status,’ and for every aayah his reward will increase.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2839. He said, This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth).

O mother of the daughter who has memorized the Qur’aan, congratulations to you for your daughter!

Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I was sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and I heard him say:

‘Learn Soorat al-Baqarah, for learning it is a blessing and neglecting it is regret, and the magicians cannot contend with it.’

Then he kept quiet for a while, then he said,

‘Learn Soorat al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imran, for they are the zahraawaan which will shade the one who learns them on the Day of Resurrection, as if they are two clouds, or two rows of birds spreading their wings. The Qur’aan will meet its companion on the Day of Resurrection when his grave is opened for him, looking like a pale man, and it will say to him, ‘Do you know who I am?’ He will say, I do not know you.’ It will say to him, ‘Do you know who I am?’ He will say, I do not know you.’ It will say, ‘I am your companion the Qur’aan, who made you thirsty on hot days and kept you awake at night. Every merchant will benefit from his trade, and today you will benefit too.’ He will be given power in his right hand and immortality in his left, and on his head will be placed a crown of dignity. His parents will be given two garments the like of which could never be made by the people of this world and they will say, ‘How did we earn these?’ It will be said, ‘Because your child learned the Qur’aan.’ Then it will be said to him, ‘Read and go up through the levels and rooms of Paradise. He will keep on ascending as long as he reads or recites.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 21892; classed as hasan by Ibn Katheer; see also al-Silsilat al-Saheehah by al-Albaani, 2829).

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, staying at the top is harder than getting there.

Abu Moosa reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Keep checking your knowledge of the Qur’aan, for by the One in Whose hand is my soul, it is more easily lost than a camel that is hobbled.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4645).

The phrase translated as “keep checking your knowledge” means reviewing the Qur’aan regularly and reading it constantly, making oneself review it and not falling short… It is in the nature of camels to try as much as possible to break loose, so if one does not take care to keep them tied, they will run away. Similarly the one who has memorized Qur’aan will lose it if he does not take care of it, and this tendency is worse than the tendency of camels to break free. Ibn Battaal said:

"This hadeeth is in accordance with the two aayaat (interpretation of the meanings): ‘Verily, We shall send down to you a weighty Word' [al-Muzzammil 74:5] and: ‘And We have indeed made the Qur’aan easy to understand and remember…’ [al-Qamar 54:22]. So whoever focuses on the Qur’aan and tries to memorize and review it, it will be made easy for him, but whoever neglects the Qur’aan, will lose whatever he has learned of it.” (Fath al-Baari).

Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

‘The Qur’aan is like a camel that is hobbled. If its owner (or companion) takes care of it he will keep it with him, but if he slackens, it will run away from him.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4643).

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’an, do not give up this high status after attaining it.

Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fath:

“The salaf differed concerning the issue of forgetting the Qur’aan. Some of them said that this is a major sin. Al-Dahhaak ibn Muzaahim said: ‘There is no one who learns the Qur’aan and then forgets it, but it is because of a sin that he committed, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned…” [al-Shoora 42:30], and forgetting the Qur’aan is one of the greatest misfortunes that can happen…’”

It was reported that Abu ‘Aaliyah said:

“We used to think that one of the greatest sins was for a man to learn the Qur’aan then neglect it until he forgets it.” (Its isnaad is jaayid.)

It was reported via Ibn Seereen with a saheeh isnaad that they used to dislike the one who forgot the Qur’aan and spoke against him in the strongest terms… Neglecting to recite Qur’aan results in forgetting the Qur’aan, and forgetting it indicates that one does not take care of it and that one is neglecting it… Neglecting the Qur’aan leads to one returning to ignorance and returning to ignorance after gaining knowledge is a terrible thing indeed. Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh said:

“It is disliked (makrooh) for a man to go more than forty days without reading the Qur’aan.”

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, study it much and live according to it.

Al-Dhahabi said in al-Siyar: 'Abu ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Bishr said:

"I have never seen anyone who was better at recalling whatever he wanted of the aayaat of the Qur’aan than Abu Sahl ibn Ziyaad. He was our neighbour and he would always pray and read Qur’aan at night. Because he studied the Qur’aan so much, it is as if it was before his eyes.”'

O Sister who has memorized the Qur’aan, so long as you have learned it by heart, let it protect all your faculties from committing sin.

Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer:

“The bearer of the Qur’aan and seeker of knowledge must fear Allaah with regard to himself and be sincere towards Allaah in his deeds. If he does anything that is disliked, he must hasten to repent and return to Allaah. Let him start to be sincere in his pursuit of knowledge and in his deeds, for the reserve and caution required of the bearer of the Qur’aan is greater than that which is required of others, just as he will have a reward that is greater than that of others.”

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, do not let the fact that you have memorized the Qur’aan tempt you to forget about your actions.

It was reported by Shu’bah from Qutaadah that:

“The believer who reads the Qur’aan and acts in accordance with it will be with the righteous honourable travellers.” This addition (to the Hadeeth) explains the meaning, and the analogy applies to the one who reads the Qur’aan and does not go against its commands and prohibitions, not the one who merely recites it.”

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, appreciate the value of what is in your heart and give it its due. As you have been elevated to this high status by memorizing the Qur’aan, you have duties and responsibilities commensurate with this status. Memorizing the Qur’aan is not a trophy to be hung up or a certificate to be decorated, nor is it a prize to be given out. It is a trust which must be fulfilled.

The bearer of the Qur’aan should have the best of attributes and characteristics.

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Ayyaad said:

“The bearer of the Qur’aan is the bearer of the banner of Islaam. He should not pass time in idle pursuits with those who pass their time in this way, he should not be negligent with those who are negligent, and he should not indulge in foolish talk with those who talk foolishness, out of respect for the rights of the Qur’aan.”

He should be strong at heart, steadfast in his adherence to the truth. When the Muslims fought the liar Musaylimah and their standard-bearer Zayd ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) was killed, Saalim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah came forward to carry the flag. The Muslims said, “O Saalim, we are scared lest we are defeated because of you.” He said,

“What a bad bearer of the Qur’aan I would be if you were to be defeated because of me.”

When his right hand was cut off, he carried the banner in his left. When his left hand was cut off, he held the banner in his arms, saying, “Muhammad is no more than a Messenger!” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:144 – interpretation of the meaning] and: “And many a Prophet fought (in Allaah’s Cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:146 – interpretation of the meaning]. (Al-Jihaad by Ibn al-Mubaarak)

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, beware of looking down on those who have not memorized the Qur’aan, for maybe the one who does little but has a valid excuse will succeed (attain Paradise), whilst the one who memorized the Qur’aan but became proud will be a loser.

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said: “A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: ‘Teach me what to recite, O Messenger of Allaah.’ He told him,

‘Recite three of the soorahs that start with Alif, Laam, Ra’.’

The man said, ‘I am old, my heart is tired and my tongue is heavy.’ He said,

‘Then recite from the soorah that starts with Ha’-Meem.’

The man said the same as he said before. He said,

‘Recite three of the soorahs that start with the word sabbih (glorify).’

The man said the same as he said before. Then the man said, ‘But teach me, O Messenger of Allaah, a comprehensive soorah.’ So he taught him to recite Idha zulzilat al-ard (Soorah al-Zalzalah, #99). When he had finished, the man said, ‘By the One Who sent you with the truth, I shall never do more than that,’ then he went away. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,

‘The man has succeeded, the man has succeeded.’”

(Reported by Abu Dawood, 1191. The men of its isnaad are thiqaat and ‘Eesa ibn Hilaal al-Sadafi was classed as thiqah by Ibn Hibbaan. Al-Haafiz said in al-Taqreeb: sudooq. Al-Bukhaari and Abu Haatim said: his hadeeth is not saheeh, so perhaps because of this al-Albaani reported this hadeeth in Da’eef Sunan Abi Dawood, 300).

O (female) bearer of the Qur’aan, do not expect praise and appreciation from people.

Try not to let their praise and adulation influence you, and always be sincere towards Allaah.

Yes, they should respect the bearer of the Qur’aan, because she has the words of Allaah in her heart, and it is a part of glorifying Allaah to respect the bearer of the Qur’aan, who neither goes to extremes nor neglects the Qur’aan. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

“The bearers of the Qur’aan are surrounded by the mercy of Allaah, honoured with the words of Allaah and clothed with the Light of Allaah. Whoever supports them supports Allaah, and whoever is aggressive towards them disrespects the rights of Allaah, may He be exalted.

The author of al-Fawaakih al-Dawaani quoted the words of the scholars:

‘Backbiting about a scholar or a bearer of the Qur’aan is more serious than backbiting about anyone else.’”

At the same time, the bearer of the Qur’aan should not feel too proud about her memorization of the Book, for her lack of sincerity may mean that she is no longer counted as one of them.

A Du’aa’ (Supplication) For You

O Allaah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Owner of Majesty and Honour and Glory that never fade away, we ask You, O Allaah, O Most Merciful, by Your Glory and the Light of Your Countenance, to guide these women who have memorized the Qur’aan and to make their hearts always remember Your Book, as You have taught them.

Help them to recite it in a manner that will earn them Your pleasure. O Allaah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Owner of Majesty and Honour and Glory that never fade away, we ask You, O Allaah, O Most Merciful, by Your Glory and the Light of Your Countenance, we ask You to light their way with the light of Your Book, to make their tongues recite its words, to purify their hearts and expand their hearts with it, to help them ease their distress and the distress of all the Muslims, male and female, through it. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Aameen.

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As a belated part-two to our Seeking Knowledge series, sister Mariam E. and I conducted an interview with Ustadhah Kareema Czerepinski on memorizing the Book of Allah as a follow-up to our advice on the proper methods of pursuing sacred knowledge. It is the perfect time for students to start or renew their memorization now that the summer break is upon us and Ramadan is right around the corner inshaAllah. We hope that these answers are beneficial to you and us. May Allah make us from the Companions of His Book and unite us with His righteous slaves in the highest gardens of Paradise. Ameen.

Ustadhah Kareema Czerepinski, author of the three part book series: Tajweed Rules of the Qur’an, memorized the Quran and went on to receive an ijaazah in the way of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, by the way of Shatibiyyah, and another ijaazah by the way of Tayyibat Al-Nashr. She then continued and received an ijaazah in the ten qira’aat min tareeq Ash-Shaaitibiyyah and Ad-Durrah. She is in charge of the non-Arab division at Dar Al-Huda Qur’an school for ladies.

What is your advice for the one who has embarked on the journey to memorize the Quran?

“Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.” Assalaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. First of all, I thank you for the good supposition you have about me, pray that this is for the benefit of the Muslims, and ask Allah to guide me in my answers to that which is best and helpful to the Muslims who wish to learn and memorize the Words of Allah. This question alone is one that books could be written on. I will try not to, but it is hard. The main three points of advice surround intention, schedule, and being tested.

Intention

Of course the first step is to make one’s intention solely for the pleasure of Allah and not for any earthly gain. I say “of course” thinking that it is hardly possible for one to embark on this journey without pure intentions, as it is one that requires great amounts of time, patience, and perseverance, continual supplication to Allah for success, and deep from the gut determination. Then again, lately there has been a rise in Muslims forging documents, claiming to have a certificate they don’t, or a chain of transmission that they don’t, all to charge others great amounts of money for the chance to recite to them. The stories get more and more amazing as the years go by and some Muslims lose track of the fact that Allah is always monitoring, watching our every move and knows what is in our hearts. For that reason, I feel like it is still the number one thing to say, even though it is obvious. The Muslim brothers or sisters who have embarked on or are going to embark on this journey need to be honest with themselves and clear up any kind of waswaas (satanic whispers) that may occur in their intentions.

The student may want to research the sound ahaadeeth on the benefits of memorizing the Qur’an and the honor those who have memorized receive on the Day of Resurrection. One may put posters up in different part of the house with some of the ahaadeeth, then change them every week or so, to help refresh the intentions and feel motivated.

Schedule

The next is to set up a reasonable schedule, one including daily memorization and review. It is of the upmost importance that this schedule is neither too ambitious, so the student of memorization doesn’t get frustrated and give up, nor too easy so the student feels unchallenged and loses interest. It is always best that the memorization and review are sequential and not random. This helps give the memorizer a clear picture of where he/she is and where he/she is going.

The best way for most is to be in an organized group with a set curriculum, time and days of class. This helps keep motivation up, as no one likes to be behind the class, and also formulates bonds of brotherhood/sisterhood between the students for mutual cooperation and assistance. There are some who do better on an individualized program, but with a group where each person recites what he/she has memorized to the teacher or individually has a set date for reciting his/her memorization to a teacher. Still others have the patience, perseverance, and self motivation and control to do the memorization by their selves. On the whole, this form takes the most struggle as it is easy to get distracted and fall out of the daily routine when there is no appointed time to recite to a teacher and no group for extra motivation.

It is important to set apart a specific time of day to memorize and review, the time of day when there is the least amount of noise, and least amount of chance of being bothered or distracted. This time is set by the individual circumstances, but if possible right after Fajr is what I would recommend.

Review/Testing

Don’t be in a hurry to finish memorizing and whiz through it without the memorization being firm.The student should be able to close the mushaf (copy of the Quran) and recite what he/she memorized completely without a mistake, then that same section should be repeated during the day. It is very important, no, imperative, that someone who is proficient in the Qur’an listens to what has been memorized and checks it. It is also crucial to be tested on a whole juz’ when finished, and then on groups of ajzaa, such as 3, 5, or 10 at a time as the memorizer progresses through the stages of putting the Qur’an in their memory.

The review part of the daily section is just as important as the new memorization. One cannot call himself or herself a haafidh when in fact he/she memorized piece by piece and never put it together or reviewed intensely.

How does one face a period of laziness that might attack in the middle of this journey?

The student of the Qur’an needs to realize before they start that shaytaan is going to come to them and try to dissuade them from their noble goal. The waswaas (satanic whispers) can be in the form of making one feel like it is never going to end, or seeing others having “fun” while the student is struggling forth, or any other sort of tool. Knowing this should keep the student on guard and help recognize the cause of the laziness or feeling of wanting to stop. The worst thing to do at this time is take a break from memorizing. This will make returning to the memorization more difficult and usually one will feel like the task has become harder. The best thing to do is make dua’, renew one’s intentions, change the hadeeth on the wall to a new one and read all the previously hung hadeeth. Reading other’s stories of struggle can also help.

What is the best way to schedule memorization around work, school, and/or other responsibilities? Or is it recommended to take time off and devote oneself completely for it, for better results?

As previously mentioned, the student of memorization needs to find a quiet, consistent time where he/she can memorize and review. Memorization should have first priority in the day, and insha’Allah there will be barakah in the remaining activities. It is hard to say whether it is better to take time off from studies and work to memorize or not. Oftentimes with a tight schedule and well planned time control one can do more than freeing oneself completely to devote all one’s time to memorization. For many, taking time off is not an option. Others do better in a classroom situation with a set curriculum and complete devotion to memorization.

Any tips on the best way to memorize the Mutashabihaat verses? (i.e. those verses that are repeated, similar, etc.)

Memorizing them isn’t nearly as difficult as keeping them straight when reviewing. Since memorizing is a slow build up, the first few mutashaabihaat are not too difficult to keep straight. It is later when firming up memorization and reviewing that it can become difficult. One tool is writing down the different stories of the same content or groups of aayaat and comparing them. As the same story comes up in different surahs, the memorizer can add the new aayaat to his/her comparative list and study them and review them all at the same time, finding the similarities and differences. The stories of the Prophets is one area in which this is especially needed. There are numerous books in Arabic which help with the mutashaabihaat and there are poems. One specific poem which helped me personally was As-Sakhkhaawiyyah. I didn’t memorize the whole poem, but learned some parts and read through it and that helped keep many things straight. For example the lines outlining the places in the Qur’an which have abadan after khaalideen feeha really helped. Some Muslims just can keep them straight by themselves, though, masha’ Allah and don’t need mnemonic devices to keep them straight.

Many Muslims feel that learning tajweed is not necessary; can you shed some light on why it is a critical part of learning the Qur’an?

The Qur’an was revealed in the Arabic language and was recited by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, and the Sahabah with tajweed. Why would one want to recite it another way? The Arabs at the time of revelation spoke with idhgaam, ikhfa’, etc, all the rules we now study to be able to read the Qur’an with tajweed. There are parts of tajweed which were not in the normal Arab speech such as the lengthening of the sounds in the mudood, and this was then passed down in authentic chains of transmission to us and documented in the old books on tajweed. There are parts of tajweed which are vital to know, since without applying them the actual letters can change in sound and a major mistake is made. This is the basic tajweed knowledge that all Muslims should apply in their reading, whether they are memorizing the whole Qur’an, or just memorizing a few for their prayers.

What level of tajweed does one need to possess before embarking on the journey to memorize Quran?

This would depend on one’s ultimate goal. If one is memorizing with the intention of never teaching anyone else and just to get the honor and reward, then it would be enough to know the basic rules such as the laam saakinah, mudood, noon saakinah, makhraj, and meem saakinah. I would caution however, that many times Muslims memorize, then later decide they want to teach or find themselves in a situation in which they are the only ones around who knows any amount of Qur’an, or change their mind and want an ijaazah, and then have to go back and learn everything in detail. This can be quite difficult. For most Muslims I would say that they should learn the above, plus all the rest of detailed tajweed because those who have memorized are usually called upon to teach and have a duty to help other Muslims. One cannot teach properly without having a strong basis of knowledge themselves. One can start memorizing at a slow level while learning the tajweed rules and being corrected on its application in recitation, and later after learning the required tajweed step up the memorization quantity.

Is it possible for one to perfect their tajweed and pronunciation without a teacher, perhaps through listening to recorded recitations only?

It is possible, but not very likely. The way the Qur’an has been taught from the early days of this nation and will continue to be taught is by oral transmission, being taught and listened to and corrected by a trained, mastered Qur’an teacher. There are a few who are very good at imitating sounds and have the ear to pick up the small minute changes in sound heard from recordings and produce them with their own mouth, but this is not the average person, not even some, instead it is a rare case. Again, it can happen, but the general rule for the vast majority is that it is extremely important that one is corrected by a trained teacher.

Is it required to memorize the last harakah of each ayah if one does not have a solid background in Arabic grammar?

One doesn’t need to have a solid background in Arabic grammar to memorize the last harakah of the aayah. One needs to have a solid Arabic grammar background to explain the reason for the harakah. When we memorize the Qur’an we should pay attention to the last harakah and try to memorize it with the rest of the aayah. Many shuyookh giving ijazaah request the student of the ijaazah to join aayaat together particularly in the shorter surahs to make sure the student knows the vowel on the last letter of an aayah. Knowing the vowel on the last letter of the aayah becomes particularly important in learning and applying the different qira’aat.

Many people associate memorization with being young. Is it possible for someone to begin memorizing after the ‘golden years’ of memorization? And what is your advice for such a person?

Youth on the whole can memorize easier, but age should not stop anyone from memorizing. Sometimes Muslims have a mental picture of those over 40 or 50 not being able to memorize, but there are many stories of Muslims memorizing the Qur’an later in life, some even starting in their 60’s and succeeding in completion. With purity of intention, lots of dua’ asking Allah to make it simple, and determination, nothing is impossible with Allah’s help. I know of a sister in her 30s with 5 children who memorized the whole Qur’an in 3 years and went on to get an ijaazah. She had to sacrifice sleep and many other things we generally hold important, but she did it for Allah, and by His will, she accomplished her goal. My advice is to never give up.

What advice do you have for new Muslims and older Muslims who face difficulty with memorizing and pronunciation?

The same advice as above, do not give up. Turn to Allah, don’t be afraid of the struggle and devote yourself to the Qur’an. You do have to sacrifice, but the reward of Allah is great for all your efforts. Some give up too easily, but be stubborn in your pursuit of reading the words of Allah correctly and keep trying. Don’t make excuses for yourself and don’t let your ego get in your way. The students who do the best on the whole are those who are eager to be corrected, do not complain, and are not afraid to make a mistake.

What are some habits that a student of the Qur’an should implement?

You probably mean study habits, but more important is improving themselves as Muslims and making that a habit. Pray tahajjud, fast extra fasts, make sure you implement the aayaat of Qur’an in your life and are a shining example of those of the Qur’an. Stay away from sin, repent for all your sins and stop anything that is not suitable for “ahl al-Qur’an.” (the people of the Qur’an) Do not waste time, it is a precious commodity for the student of the Qur’an, so use it wisely and use it for the sake of Allah. This is something I can’t say enough. Many Muslims have lofty goals, but lose their precious time searching the Internet for different recordings of recitation from multiple shuyookh, looking up details of the qira’aat and other advanced details of tajweed when they themselves are relatively beginners or have not progressed far in their memorization. Focus on the task at hand, and listen to one of the masters of tajweed such as Sheikh Al-Husary or Sheikh Abdullah Basfar.

What should be the goal(s) of a student who has completed their memorization and what should they do after this?

This is really up to the student for most aspects, but the goal that should be shared by all after memorizing the Qur’an is to firm up the memorization and have a very strong review program to keep themself a haafidh. Once the memorization is complete it is not the end, it is just the beginning. If the student of the Qur’an would like to achieve an ijaazah of the Qur’an after memorizing and firming up the memorization, they should approach a sheikh or sheikhah with an ijaazah and be evaluated by them. If the student has not memorized the Jazariyyah poem, and wished to get an ijaazah in the Qur’an, he/she should memorize the Jazariyyah and study its meaning. After the evaluation, the sheikh or sheikhah might give them points to work on, or start an ijaazah with them. After an ijaazah in one riwaayah or qiraa’ah, the student can then pursue knowledge of the 10 qiraa’aat. There is much to learn and each step is more beautiful than the previous one.

In your opinion, what is the best method of reviewing the Book of Allah, so as not to lose it by Allah’s will?

The scholars say,

“[Review] five, you won’t forget”,

meaning if you review five ajzaa’ per day, you will not forget. This is a very true statement. If one cannot keep up reviewing 5 per day all the time, they should try to do this strong program of review for at least six months after completing memorization. After that the student who cannot keep up with five ajzaa’ per day can decrease the amount to 2 or 3 a day, or the very minum, one juz’ per day; any less than this will not keep the memorization strong.

How much repetition is required for one to completely solidify the hifdh? What has worked for you/your students?

It is hard to quantify and varies from individual to individual. Suffice it to be said that it requires a lot of repetition, and for six months the review should be quite intense with five ‘ajzaa per day reviewed, if at all possible. The school I studied at has special classes for tathbeet (firming up memorization). As a class we went through the Qur’an six times, the number of students in the class, and each day recited three ajzaa’ to the teacher as a class, but we didn’t know which section we were going to be asked to recite as individuals. We were required to recite at a quick pace, trying to keep our tajweed up as much as possible, so the memorization needed to be quite firm. The teacher would keep track of which sections we had recited to her and at the end of the year, each of us had recited the whole Qur’an to her, but in pieces. This was and is a very good program and I thank Allah for giving me the opportunity to be in this class.

Please recommend a Tafseer suitable for beginners. Which Tafseer did you benefit from the most?

The translations into English of the meaning of the Qur’an give only a general idea of the aayaat, and it is quite important that a deeper understanding of the Qur’an and the background for a surah or aayah be known, as well as any explanation given by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, and the Sahaabah. Ibn Kathir is a great tafseer and alhamdulillah it has been translated into English. May Allah reward those who did this with a great reward and make it of the deeds which continue accumulating for them after their deaths.

How important do you think it is to study Tafseer along with memorization? Does it aid in memorizing?

It is extremely important and yes it aids greatly in memorization, especially if word by word meaning is given to the students as they memorize. There needs to be study of vocabulary words along with the memorization and tests given on the vocabulary words.

How can we instill love for the Qur’an in our children and youth?

By showing them how much we love it and by employing the Qu’ran in our life in every aspect. Teaching them that Qur’an is first is something they will carry with them to adulthood. I heard a lecture once recommending that parents always start their children with Qur’an homework, then any other deen related subjects, then the other science, math and literature subjects. This will show the children the importance of Qur’an.

There is no doubt that one who carries the Book of Allah must also carry beautiful conduct and character.

Can you please shed light on some of the most important characteristics of Ahl-al-Quran?

There are so many, as “Ahl Al-Qur’an” should be examples of the best in character and conduct. We should aim to have our manners as [what is in] the Qur’an as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), described the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah upon him). Even though we are far from his example, we should try our utmost. I think the one encompassing characteristic is that of Taqwaa. If one has taqwaa, everything else will be correct, insha’a Allah. The following are what came to my mind, and are under the category of taqwaa:

• First and foremost, those who are “carriers” of the Qur’an should have truthfulness and honesty. It cannot be that ahl al-Qur’an tell lies or are dishonest.

• Another very important characteristic is standing up for the truth and not wronging anyone or allowing someone to be wronged.

• The inside of Ahl Al-Qur’an should be like their outward appearance, meaning there should be no hypocrisy.

• Patience is also a very important characteristic which those who are carriers of the Qur’an should have.

May Allah grant us the best of manners and characteristics, may He purify our intentions in all that we do, may Allah make us of “ahl al-Qur’an,” and give us the honors promised those who have memorized the Qur’an on the Day of Resurrection.

I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him alone.

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“Come in”, Shaykh Haroon Baqai said.

I walked in slowly, shaking from head to toe. I had only applied for the Hifzh School a few days ago, and now I found myself entering his office for a scheduled interview. Alhamdulillah, it went smooth and after answering a few questions and memorizing an Ayah from Surah Saad and reciting it to him, the interview came to a close and I quickly sprinted out of the office in relief.

By the grace of Allah, I was accepted.

For the next few years, I went through an indescribable experience with a close knit of friends. It was truly a time that clearly solidified my identity and clarified for me my purpose in life. In light of these  experiences, I have observed that there are certain qualities that are essential in one’s quest to memorize the Book of Allah:

H- Has a good intention at all times.

“Actions are (judged) by intentions, so each man will have what he intended.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Jannah is promised for the one who memorizes and acts upon the Qur’an. Crowns and coats of light are promised for the parents of those that memorized the Qur’an. In order to attain these high honors, one must make sure that their sole intention is to please Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and that their primary aim becomes Jannah. A lot of attractions and temptations will come in the way, but it’s important to sidestep them for Jannah, the highest attraction of all.

A – Always remembers Allah

“The people of the Qur’an are the people of Allah and His special servants.” (An-Nisa’i, Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim with a Hasan chain)

Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) holds the people of the Qur’an in special regard and they become equated, perhaps synonymous, with the people of Allah, as shown in the aforementioned Hadith. One of the many names of the Qur’an is 'Dhikr', a remembrance and reminder, and therefore, it’s essential that we remember Allah through our recitation and memorization of this Divine Book.

When I was getting close to finishing my Hifdh (memorization), I tripled my efforts and kept on reading and memorizing throughout the day and night, taking breaks only for eating and sleeping. SubhanAllah, I sincerely felt at that moment that the Qur’an was speaking directly to me; it was as if the events in the Qur’an were taking place right in front of me, and I found myself dually anticipating and trembling when Jannah and Jahannam were mentioned. It was a state of mind that heavily drained me physically, but it was one of the best times of my life as I felt very connected with the book of Allah.

F – Finds himself in the company of good Friends and with the support of his Family.

“A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend.” (reported by Abu Dawood & Tirmidhee).

The first time that I seriously thought of dedicating myself to memorizing the entire Qur’an was actually during an Arabic class. I had a friend in that class with whom I had some serious rivalry; we used to compete in essay competitions, debate tournaments, science fairs, and various other activities and Alhamdulillah, one year he would win first and the other year I would win first, and this continued for several years. So when he slipped in to the teacher, “You know, I think I might join the Hifzh School this summer”, I immediately exclaimed, “Yeah, I’m actually gonna do the same too Insha’Allah!” without a second’s thought. Only later did I fully realize that I had committed myself to a long journey in a split second, and that was due to a close friend. Alhamdulillah, to this day, we lead Taraweeh together in Masaajid during Ramadan, teach alongside at a weekend Qur’an school, and play on the same soccer team. It takes good friends to inspire you and push you to accomplish greater levels of achievement than you ever thought possible.

In addition to good friends, it’s very necessary to garner the support of your family. After I had suddenly committed myself to memorize the Qur’an, I sought to get the support of my family.

“Ammi, can I join Hifzh School?”, I eagerly asked.

“No. It’ll be too much work for you”.

Hmph. For me, I had to memorize the Qur’an because my friend was doing it (talk about positive peer pressure!) and because I had grown up hearing the various rewards of a Hafidh. My mother also wanted me to memorize the Qur’an but she also knew the amount of struggles that we’d have to go through, and she wanted to make sure I was firm in my decision.

“Please? Please? Pleeeeease?”, I begged her.

I guess that was enough for her.

“Fine. But I’m warning you; there’s a lot of work involved.”

Try explaining that to a 12-year-old.  I just excitedly nodded and dashed out, whooping loudly.

My mom turned out to be correct; it was a lot of work, but she was there for me every step of the way. Once she was on board with the idea, she was the one that used to test me on my homework, the one that had to politely decline dinner party invitations on my family’s behalf whenever I’d have a lot of homework or upcoming exams, and the one that was always there whenever I needed her. My father did no less; he used to have to drive 15 miles each way to work, but that doubled as we moved to a house near the Masjid. It used to be only about 20 minutes to drive to work, but it was now taking him almost 2-3 hours each way, but he never complained and made these sacrifice for the sake of Allah (May Allah reward them both with Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen).  Get your family to support you, and the path towards memorizing the Qur’an will become much smoother.

I – Is Involved in the community.

“Be pious scholars of the Lord because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied." (Surah Aali Imran, Ayah 79)

It takes a village to raise a child. Because of this, and because we have an obligation to help those that have raised us, it is important for all of us to give back to our communities. When you start reciting and memorizing the Qur’an, you will realize that your mission is to be a Khaleefah, one who concerns himself with providing help and support to all those around him, on this Earth. What better way to help others than to share the beauty of the Qur’an? The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ““The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” (Al-Bukhari). If we hope to attain the highest ranks of Paradise and to be among the best, it’s important that we follow the necessary steps in order to achieve that high honor.

D - Distinguishes himself with exemplary Discipline.

“O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger, and those entrusted with authority over you” (Surah Nisa, Ayah 59).

This must be the biggest excuse that I always hear when one shies away from devoting themselves to memorizing the Qur’an: “I don’t think I have the proper discipline. I don’t know how I’m going to memorize and also homeschool. I don’t have any support so it’s basically impossible.” The answer to this, and a huge chunk of our problems for that matter, is that we simply have to work on our discipline. Why do you think we go through more than 16 years of school? It’s because we don’t have the discipline to learn ourselves and we need all these years to merely gain an introduction, otherwise known as a Bachelor’s, in that respective field of study.

When I was first taking my college entrance exam, I was surprised that the exam, as well as the SAT, only comprises of three sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. I felt very sad as I realized that all those people that went to 12+ years of elementary, middle, and high school, spent all that time for just these three concepts. Sure, they may have taken high school classes in biology, physics, social sciences, humanities, calculus, and much more, but they were going to have to retake that material all over again for the next couple of years. If somebody went to school for that many years just to learn mathematics, reading, and writing, then the sad truth is, all of those years were wasted. One can easily accomplish much more, and all of this is possible with discipline. The difference between an A student and a F student, even in the secular academic field, is discipline; teachers recommend 3-4 hours of study for every hour that one is in school, and it is mainly those that are disciplined and abide by these guidelines that turn out to fare well in the class.

A great example of someone who had exemplary discipline while memorizing the Qur’an is none other than AbdulBasit Khan, a fellow MYM writer. We were classmates in Al-Huda School for a year and two years later, he started memorizing the Qur’an from home, while I began in the local Hifzh School. It was hard enough for us that were memorizing in a school setting, but Masha’Allah, he was able to memorize the whole Qur’an from home. He used to memorize at least two pages per day (his small ‘break’ on weekends consisted of memorizing one page), and on Sundays mornings, he used to recite what he memorized for the week to Br. Karim, a teacher of ours and a local Imam at that time. Alhamdulillah, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) blessed him with a lot of Ajr, and after memorizing the Qur’an and immersing himself with studying knowledge with a high level of discipline and dedication, he became the youngest Imam in the DC Metro Area, leading the congregation of PGMA at the age of 17 Masha’Allah. The giants of our Ummah also accomplished great feats in their early years, many memorizing the Qur’an and several thousand Ahadith before even becoming an adult, because they were focused and had great discipline on their part.

I firmly believe that every single Muslim has the potential to memorize the Qur’an. However, it is only those with discipline that will actually memorize the Qur’an.

H – Holds the Qur’an to be a part of their life.

“It will be said to the companion of the Qur’aan: Recite and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last verse that you recite.” (Classified as Saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 5/218, no. 2240)

Aisha (radhiAllahu anha) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam)’s character was that of the Qur’an; he fully lived out the commandments and teachings of the Qur’an. It is our role to follow in his footsteps and to also try making our characters that of the Qur’an. I once received one of those chain emails, and the title was like, “What were to happen if you treated the Qur’an like your cell phone?” and then went to describe how we’d always carry it with us and check it everyday. The fact that this was taken off of a Christian Bible site is besides the point; it should make all of us think on what is our relationship with the Qur’an. Rasulullah (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said,

““The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]“

Out of the six billion people in the world, only one and a half billion people were chosen to be Muslim. Out of that billion and a half, there are only millions that know how to fluently read the Qur’an. Out of those millions, there are only a select few that were destined to become Huffadh, to become protectors of the Qur’an. Will you make it your mission to be among the best?

I pray that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) accepts our good deeds, makes us among the Huffadh, and destines our final dwelling to be in the company of the Prophets in Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen…

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All praises are due to Allah and Salaat and Salaam be upon our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions. This method is excellent for the strength of memorization and its solidity (deep-rootedness) and the quick speed of memorization and quick completing the Quraan. And this is the method, taking the example of Sura Jumu'ah:

• Read the first verse 20 times
• Read the second verse 20 times
• Read the third verse 20 times
• Read the fourth verse 20 times
• Read these (above) four from the beginning to the end, to link them, 20 times.
• Read the fifth verse 20 times
• Read the sixth verse 20 times
• Read the seventh verse 20 times
• Read the eighth verse 20 times
• Read from the fifth verse to the eighth verse 20 times to consolidate between them
• Read from the first verse to the eighth verse 20 times to perfect this page.

And like this you persist with this method for every page of the Quraan and do not increase your daily portion exceeding more than one eighth (of a chapter) because the parts memorized will increase and the memorization will be ruined (i.e. it will be difficult to retain what you have memorized).

If I wish to memorize a new page tomorrow then how do I do it?

If you wish to memorize another page for the next day, then before you memorize the new page using the method I mentioned to you, read from the beginning of the page (you memorized yesterday) to the end of the page 20 times so that the previously memorized page becomes solid (in your memory). Then memorize the new page using the method I showed.

How do I combine between memorization and revision?

Do not memorize the Quraan without revision, (otherwise) if you memorize the Quraan, page by page until you complete the Quraan, and you wish to return to what you have memorized you would find that you have forgotten what you had memorized.

The correct way is to combine memorization with revision. Divide the Quraan into 3 divisions: every 10 parts (juz) is a division. Then if you memorize one page a day, then you should revise 4 pages a day until you have memorized 10 juz. Then when you have memorized 10 juz, stop for one whole month for revision, everyday revising 8 pages.

And after a month of revision, start memorizing the remainder, a page or two, according to your capabilities and revise 8 pages until you complete memorizing 20 juz. Then when you have memorized 20 juz, stop the memorization for 2 whole months for the revision of the 20 juz, everyday revising 8 pages. Then when the 2 months of revision have passed, start with the memorization, doing one or two pages everyday according to your capability, while revising 8 pages until you complete memorizing the entire Quraan.

When you have completed memorizing the entire Quraan, revise the first 10 juz alone for one month; everyday half a juz. Then you go to the second 10 juz for a month, everyday half a juz and you read 8 pages from the first 10 juz. Then you go to memorizing the last 10 juz for one month, everyday half a juz and 8 pages from the first 10 juz and 8 pages from the second 10 juz.

How do I revise the entire Quraan when I have completed this (above) revision?

Start with revising the entire Quraan: everyday 2 parts (juz), repeating them thrice everyday, thereby completing the revision of the entire Quraan every two weeks. And in this way, during one year you would memorize the entire Quraan with perfection while you use this method the whole year.

What do I do after one year of memorizing the Quraan?

After a year of perfecting the revision of the Quraan, then let your “Hizb” (portion) of the Quraan be that of the Prophets (s.a.w) until your death, for verily he divided the Quraan into seven “Hizbs” in this way  you complete the Quraan once every seven days.

Aus bin Hudhaifa (R.A) said: I asked the companions of the Messenger (S.A.W): How do you hizb (divide) the Quraan? They said: 3 Surahs, and 5 Surahs, and 7 Surahs, and 9 Surahs, and 11 Surahs, and the section of the “Mufassal” from Surah Qaaf until the end. (Narrated by Ahmad).

i.e.

• On the first day read from Sura Faatiha to the end of Sura Nisaa
• On the second day read Sura Ma’idah to the end of Sura Tawbah.
• On the third day read from Sura Yoonus to the end of Sura Nahl.
• On the fourth day read from Sura Israa to the end of Sura Furqaan.
• On the fifth day read from Sura Shu3araa to the end of Sura Yaaseen.
• On the sixth day read from Sura Saaffaat to the end of Sura Hujuraat.
• On the seventh day read from Sura Qaaf to the end of Sura Naas.

As for the Hizb of the Prophet (S.A.W), the Scholars have combined it in the saying:

Each letter in these 2 words represents the beginning of a “hizb” of the Prophet (S.A.W) that he completed in one day. So the letter  in the word:

represents Sura Faatiha indicating that the Hizb on the first day starts with Surah Faatihah.

And the letter in the word:

indicates that the beginning of the Hizb for the second day starts with Surah Maa’idah, and the letter in the word

indicates that the beginning of the Hizb for the third day starts with Surah Yoonus.

And the letter in the word:

indicates that the beginning of the Hizb for the fourth day starts with Surah Bani Israeel (which is also called Sura Israa).

And the letter  in the word:

indicates that the beginning of the Hizb for the fifth day starts with Surah Shu’araa.

The letter  in the word:

indicates that the beginning of the Hizb for the sixth day starts with Surah Wassaaffaat.

And the letter  in the word:

indicates that the beginning of the Hizb for the seventh day starts with Surah Qaaf until the end of Sura Naas.

As for the current division of the Quraan [into 30 juzz], this is from the actions of Hajjaaj bin Yoosuf.

How do I differentiate between the mutashaabihaat (verses that are similar) in the Quraan?

The best way is that when you come across two similar verses in the Quraan, then open the Quraan (Mushaf) to both these verses and look at the difference in the two verses and reflect over it, and set a rule for yourself, and during your memorization note the difference many times until you have perfected the similarities between the two of them.

Rules and disciplines in memorization:

1. It is necessary that you do your memorization by a Sheikh (teacher) (so that he may) correct the recitation.
2. Memorize two (sides of a) pages everyday, one after Fajr and one after Asr or Maghrib and in this way you will memorize the entire Quraan solidly during one year and your memorization will be perfect, but if you increase in memorization then that which you memorized will be weak.
3. The memorization should be from Sura Naas to Sura Faatihah because it is easier, and after your memorization of the Quraan, your revision should be from Sura Baqarah to Sura Naas.
4. The memorization should be from one printed copy so it helps the firm-rootedness of memorization and the quickness of remembering the places of the verses and the ending of pages and the beginning of them. Everyone memorizing in the first two years, that which is memorized slips away (he forgets easily that which has been memorized) and this is called “the assembly stage”  so do not feel sad that the Quraan is slipping away from you or your many mistakes. And this is a difficult phase with trials, because shaytaan has a part in stopping you from memorizing the Quraan. So turn down his whisperings and continue memorizing because it is a treasure not given to just anyone.

(Doctor Abdul Muhsin Al Qaasim, Imaam and Khateeb of Masjidun Nabawiyy wrote this article in Arabic. His whole recitation of the Qur'aan can be accessed here.)

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Memorizing the Qur’aan is an act of worship through which one seeks the Face of Allaah and reward in the Hereafter. Without this intention, he will have no reward; rather he will be punished for doing this act of worship for someone or something other than Allaah.

The haafidh (the person who has memorized the Qur’aan) should not have any intention of gaining worldly benefits by memorizing the Qur’aan, because his memorization thereof is not a product to be traded with in this world, rather it is an act of worship which is done for the sake of his Lord.

Allaah has given special privileges to the one who memorizes the Qur’aan in a number of ways in this world and in the Hereafter. Let’s start with:

IN THIS WORLD

1 – He takes precedence over others in leading the prayer.

It was narrated that Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The people should be led in prayer by the one among them who has the most knowledge of the Book of Allaah; if they are equal in knowledge of the Qur’aan, then by the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah (prophetic guidance); if they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then by the one who migrated (made hijrah) first; if they are equal in terms of hijrah, then by the one who became Muslim first. No man should lead another in prayer in his domain of authority, or sit in his place in his house, except with his permission.” (Narrated by Muslim, 673)

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: “When the first muhaajiroon (emigrants) came to Quba’, before the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came (to Madeenah), Saalim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah used to lead them in prayer, and he was the one who knew the most Qur’aan.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 660)

2 – He is placed in front of others in a common grave, closer to the qiblah (direction of prayer), if it is essential to bury him with others.

It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Prophet would wrap two of the men slain at Uhud in a single cloth, then he would ask, ‘Which of them knew more Qur’aan?’ If one of them was pointed out to him, he would put that one in the lahd (niche in the side of the grave) first. And he said, ‘I will be a witness over these people on the Day of Resurrection.’ He commanded that they should be buried with their blood, without being washed, and that no funeral prayer should be offered for them.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1278)

3 – He takes precedence in leadership if he able to bear that

It was narrated from ‘Aamir ibn Waathilah that Naafi’ ibn ‘Abd al-Haarith met ‘Umar in ‘Usfaan, and ‘Umar had appointed him as governor of Makkah. ‘Umar said, “Who have you appointed in charge of the people of the valley?” He said, “Ibn Abza.” ‘Umar asked, “Who is Ibn Abza?” He said, “One of our freed slaves.” Umar said, “Have you appointed over them a freed slave?!” He said, “He is well-versed in the Book of Allaah and he has knowledge of the laws of inheritance.” ‘Umar said: “Your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Indeed, by this Book, Allaah would exalt some people and degrade others.’” (Narrated by Muslim, 817)

4 – The status of the one who memorizes Qur’aan will be commensurate with the last aayah he memorized.

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’aan (i.e., the one who memorized and studied it): ‘Read, advance in status and recite as you used to do in the world, for your status will be commensurate with the last aayah that you recite.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2914; he said this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, no. 2329, it is hasan saheeh. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 1464).

*What is meant by reciting here is memorizing.

5 – He will be with the angels, accompanying them.

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who recites the Qur’aan and learns it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven) and the one who exerts himself to learn the Qur’aan by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4653; Muslim, 798)

6 – He will be given a crown of honour and a garment of honour to wear.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord, adorn him.’ So he will be given a crown of honour to wear. Then it will say, ‘O Lord, give him more.’ So he will be given a garment of honour.’ Then it will say, ‘O Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allaah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Recite and advance in status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for good deed).’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2915. He said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2328, this is hasan).

7 – The Qur’aan will intercede for him with his Lord.

It was narrated that Abu Umaamah al-Baahili said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, "Recite the Qur’aan, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection to intercede for its companions. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqarah and Soorat Aal ‘Imraan, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Soorat al-Baqarah for to take recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it.” (Narrated by Muslim, 804, and by al-Bukhaari in a mu’allaq report).

With regard to his relatives and descendents, there is evidence concerning his parents that they will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world, and that will only be because they took care of and taught their child. Even if they themselves were ignorant, Allaah will honour them because of their child. But the one who prevented his child from learning the Qur’aan, he will be one of those who are deprived.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection like a pale man saying to its companion, “Do you recognize me? I am the one who made you stay up at night and made you thirsty during the day…” Then he will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left, and a crown of dignity will be placed upon his head, and his parents will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “O Lord, how did we earn this?” It will be said to them, “Because you taught your child the Qur’aan.”’” (Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, 6/51).

It was narrated that Buraydah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads the Qur’aan, learns it and acts in accordance with it, on the Day of Resurrection his parents will be given a crown to wear whose light will be like the light of the sun, and his parents will be given garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “Why have we been given this to wear?” It will be said, “Because your child learnt the Qur’aan.”’ (These two hadeeth support one another. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2829. Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/756)

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I recently heard an incredibly amazing account told by Shaykh Yasir Salamah, one of the leading Imams and recitors of Egypt. In his audio tape ‘When will I see you as a Haafidh?’ he speaks of the true account of Muhammad, a brother who after attending a workshop on memorising Qur’aan and utilising all the available mediums, went on to memorise the entire Qur’aan within just 50 days (i.e 2 months)?!

Yes. Within 2 months. This is his account and he says:

“I declared a state of Jihad upon my soul and put death before my eyes. I made an intention to memorise the Noble Qur’aan. So I abandoned telephone calls and unnecessary visits, and I changed all the negative thoughts associated with hifdh (memorisation) to positive and practical ones e.g. When a thought came to me saying ‘I can’t do it!’ I’d say, ‘I can do it.’ If it said, ‘My memory is weak!’ I’d say ‘I take pleasure in having a great memory.’

I chose the masjid as the place of my hifdh as it preserves three:

1. The eyes

2. The ears

3. The tongue

I followed a specific dietary program consisting of eating dates, fruits and honey - and fasting helped me a great deal in that. I used to wake up before salaat al-Fajr by 2 and a half hours and I slept 2 hours after ‘Isha. I used to wake up for Tahajjud (the night prayer), prolonging my sujood wherein I would call upon Allaah ta’alaa to ease for me my affair. I would also seek forgiveness 100 times.

I began to memorise 5 pages and would recite them in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr. After salaat al-Fajr, I would begin the memorisation of 5 new pages and at the end, I would recite them in the 2 raka’ahs of salaat al-Duhaa, all the time thanking Allaah for easing the memorisation.

I would perfect the recitation of what I had memorised by listening to tapes of one of the recitors. I would read about the qiraa’ah in books or via the Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah (poem on the rules of tajweed).

After salaat al-Dhuhr, I would repeat everything that I had memorised previously beginning from the 1st Juz, until salaat al-’Asr. After the ‘Asr prayer, I would repeat the new portion of hifdh and the juz before. After the Maghrib prayer, I would prepare the recitation of 10 new pages and it was only after salaat al-’Isha that I’d review the Qur’aan with my teacher, may Allaah reward him well.

Before retiring to bed, I would listen to all that I memorised in the day from cassettes and I would be sitting for 6 continuous hours, without any boredom or feeling tired. In the 1st week, I would sit for 6 hours, memorising and revising. In the 2nd week, I would sit for 8 hours. In the 3rd week, it was 10 hours and in the 4th week, it was 12 hours. In the last 10 days, I was sitting for 14 hours memorising and revising.

The hardest times for me were when it came to sleeping and eating. I ardently wished that the period of sleep would end quickly so that I could start my hifdh of the Noble of Qur’aan. Everytime I began to read the Qur’aan and memorise, I felt such delight and enjoyment that I had never felt before. Du’a was an important factor for me before and after hifdh. I would memorise a page whilst sitting down and then repeat it whilst walking. My teacher played an important role in encouraging me, in revision, in correcting me and benefiting me in terms of Tajweed.

In the last week, on the night of 20th Ramadan, only 4 and a half juz remained until completion of hifdh. So I turned to Allaah to open up my way and ease it for me. I went on to memorise it in 6 days with the Help of Allaah.

Laylatul-Qadr came, the night of delight and happiness - it was like a wedding night to me. My completion of hifdh took place between Maghrib and ‘Isha in the masjid with the Imam and those in I’tikaaf. We began the khatma (reciting from beginning till end of the Book). In the end, during the du’aa, my heart opened up greatly and I began to weep like never before. It was the most beautiful hour of my life. Allaah had honoured me with the memorisation of His Book.

During the du’aa, I remembered a dream I had more than 10 years ago…

I was a Mu’adhin of a mosque and after Fajr salaah, I sat remembering Allaah in the mosque. I felt sleepy so I took a nap in the middle of the mosque, and behold! I found myself amidst a gathering. A powerful ray of light descended from the sky down to the middle of the masjid. From that light came many angels and between them were 2 big Angels. One of them turned towards me and took me to the light. I entered along with the 2 angels. I then found myself on top of a large green tree - I began to climb it in the companionship of the 2 angels. We found angels standing by the door of the 1st heaven. They said to me ‘Where are you going?’ They opened up a book and said, ‘We don’t have your name with us, so climb onwards to the top.’ And likewise, all the time (through each heaven), they said the same thing to me.

Upon arriving at the 7th heaven, we reached the end of the tree. I found angels standing at the door and they said, ‘Are you Muhammad?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Enter, for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) wants you.’ I said to the 2 angels that were with me ‘Come in with me.’ They said, ‘We can’t enter. But we will wait for you.’ So I entered Jannah and behold, I saw therein what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and had never entered in the heart of Man. Angels were surrounding me and there was a door, on top of it was written (There is no God but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger. Al-Firdaws Paradise).

The Angels opened the door and I entered. Before me was the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) sitting at the top end and beside him were men, some that I recognised and some that I didn’t. In front of him were a very large group of men, women and children. They wore white clothes, and they were so many that they had a beginning but no end. All of them were reciting Qur’aan.

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) called me and I went up to him. He got up and made some space for me. I kissed him and he sat me down besides him. I asked him ‘Who are these people O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘These are the people who have memorised the Book of Allaah `azza wa jall.’

Inshaa’Allaah ta’ala, the dream ended in truth. I never spoke to anyone about it until the night that I completed the memorisation of the Qur’aan.”

Allahu Akbar, if this is not tawfeeq from Allaah and determination… I don’t know what is!

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Whoever memorises Qur’aan and acts upon it, Allaah will reward him and honour him greatly for that, so that he will rise in status in Paradise to a level commensurate with what he memorized of the Book of Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’aan: Recite and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last verse that you recite.” (Al-Tirmidhi (2914) and Abu Dawood (1464))

What is meant by the “companion of the Qur’aan” is the one who memorizes it by heart, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The one who knows more Qur’aan should lead the people in prayer,” meaning the one who has memorized the most. The differentiation in status in Paradise will depend on how much was memorized in this world, not how much one will recite on that day as some people imagine. This clearly points to the virtue of the haafidh (who has memorized the Qur’aan), but that is subject to the condition that he memorizes it for the sake of Allaah, not for worldly purposes or financial gain. Otherwise the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Most of the hypocrites of my ummah are among those who have memorized Qur’aan.”

Concerning the virtue of the haafidh who memorizes the Qur’aan, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The likeness of the one who reads Qur’aan and memorizes it is that he is with the righteous honourable scribes. The likeness of the one who reads it and tries hard to memorize it even though it is difficult for him, he will have two rewards.” (Al-Bukhaari (4937))

For the haafidh who has memorized the Qur’aan, praying qiyaam al-layl (the night prayer) is easy and the Qur’aan will intercede for him on the Day of Resurrection, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting and the Qur’aan will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I deprived him of food and desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’aan will say, ‘O Lord I deprived him of his sleep at night, so let me intercede for him.’ Then they will both intercede for him.” (Narrated by Ahmad, al-Tabaraani and al-Haakim; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 3882.)

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Below are some quick tips that will help you in memorizing the Qur`ân:

1. You absolutely must have a teacher. Do NOT memorize on your own. You must have a teacher who you respect and whom you fear. Don't ask "how" to memorize the Qur`ân. Ask where you can find the best teacher. The teacher will then guide you on the "how."

2. Distractions. In memorizing the Qur`ân, you must free your mind and environment of distractions. Imagine trying to memorize at a football game? Tough, huh? How about a theme park, could you sit down and control yourself to memorize? Probably not. Getting into a Qur`ân Hifdh (memorization of Qur`ân) program with a teacher and discipline will assist you in creating the perfect atmosphere for memorization.

3. Memorize through Audio. A lot of people think they are memorizing the "look" of the Mushaf, but actually you are memorizing the "sound" of verses. When I review, I record my recitation on CD and listen to it again and again. The students that read the loudest in class are all the strongest students. Why? Because they can hear themselves the most?

When I was in Qur`ân school, the boy beside me read so loud. I asked the teacher to ask him to read more quietly. He said a most powerful statement that became my motto: "No, you read louder" I did and it benefited me unbelievably.

4. Location of the Mushaf. Your eyes follow a specific direction depending on what you are thinking or doing. If you are lying, your eyes go left. If you are remembering something visual, like where you left your keys, your eyes will look upwards.

When you memorize, the direction of memorization is right and left, not downwards. The mistake I see people make is that they put their mushaf low on the ground and then try to memorize. In order to fully harness the power of your mind, you must keep the mushaf at eye level, and not dip your head...

5. Eat brain food. We've all heard the advice of uncles that you have to eat Badams (almonds) to improve memory. Well, I'm here to tell you that the uncles were right! The food you eat, the drinks you drink, directly affect your ability to excel in memorization of the Qur`ân.

Do not eat fatty, unhealthy food. Do not drink soda. Eat a nutritious light breakfast, a nutritious light lunch, with almonds for snacks during the day. Subhan Allah, you will find you accomplish much more in your day.

6. Make everyday a victory. You can move a mountain rock by rock. Enjoy every page you memorize, every verse.

I am often asked about my secret to memorizing the Qur`ân. They are expecting me to teach them a special "south-beach-hifdh-diet" or something. (I call it tip shopping, they are expecting a specific tip). I say again and again, there is no doubt that there are three ingredients. If you have these three ingredients, you will accomplish what you set out for:

1. Du’a, supplication (you must always reflect your desire to Allah).

2. Sabr, patience (it will be a testing path, fill your bags with Sabr powerbars).

3. Taqwa, protecting yourself from sin.

If you do not remember anything from this article except these three ingredients (DST: Du’a, Sabr, Taqwa - DST) then, bi idhnillah, it will suffice.

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Dear Brothers and Sisters, there is no doubt that you know of excellence of memorising the Quran and the excellence of teaching it. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The best amongst you is the one who learns the Qur'aan and teaches it." [Reported by Bukhaaree] Presented to you are some rules which will assist in memorising the Qur'aan, may Allah (a'zza wa jall) benefit us by them.

1. Ikhlaas - (Sincerity)

The purification of ones intention and correcting ones desire is obligatory. It is likewise for making ones concern with and memorisation of the Quran for the sake of Allah, the Sublime and Exalted, and for gaining success with His Paradise and obtaining His pleasure.

Also for obtaining those mighty rewards which are reserved for those who recited the Quran and memorised it. Allah the Exalted said: {So worship Allah, making the Deen sincerely for Him. Is it not to Allah that sincere worship is due?} [Zumar 39:2-3]

He also said: {Say: I have been commanded that I worship Allah making the Deen sincerely for Him.} [Zumar 39:11]

And the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Allah the Exalted said: I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus, he who does an action for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

Therefore, there is no reward for the one who recited the Quran and memorised it to show off and to be heard of. There is also no doubt that the one who recited the Quran desiring by it the world and seeking some sort of worldy reward for it is sinful.

2. Correction of ones Pronunciation and Recitation

The first step in memorising the Quran after that of ikhlaas (sincerity) is the obligation of correcting the pronunciation of the Quran. This does not occur except by listening to a good reciter or a precise memoriser of the Quran. The Quran is not learned except by acquiring it (from another). Thus, the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) who is the most eloquent of the arabs in speech, took it from Jibreel (as) orally. The Messenger (sas) himself used to recited the Quran to Jibreel once in every year and in the year that he died he recited it to him twice. [Reported by Bukhaaree]

Likewise, the Messenger taught it to the Companions (radhiallahu `anhum) orally and those who came after them heard it from the Companions and so on for each generation after them.

Taking the Quran from a good reciter is obligatory. Likewise, correcting ones recitation firstly and not depending on oneself in its recitation even if one is knowledgeable of the Arabic language and of its principles, is also obligatory. This is because in the Quran there are many verses which occur in a way that is opposed to what is well known in the rules of the Arabic language.

3. Specifying a Daily Limit for Memorisation

It is necessary for the one desiring to memorise the Quran that he sets himself a daily limit for memorising a number of verses for example, perhaps a page or two pages or even an eighth of a juzz (one thirtieth of the Quran). So he begins, after he has corrected his recitation and set his daily limit, to learn by frequent repetition. It is also necessary that this repetition is done melodiously and this is so that a person follows the Sunnah firstly and that it the memorisation is made firm and secondly: strong. Melodious recitation is pleasing to ones hearing and also assists in memorisation. Furthermore, the tongue will always return to a specific tone (of voice) and as a result of this it will become familiar with any mistake whenever the balance in ones recitation and familiar tone becomes disordered or imbalanced. The reciter will know therefore, that his tongue will not comply with him when he makes a mistake and that if the tone is wrong or out of tune, his memorisation will return to him.

All of this is because reciting the Quran and beautifying it with ones voice is a matter which has been commanded. It is not permissible to oppose this command due to the saying of the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam): "Whoever does not beautify the Quran (recite it melodiously) he is not of us." [Bukhaaree]

4. Not Surpassing One's Daily Limit until You Have Perfected its Memorisation.

It is not permissible for the memoriser to move to a new portion of the Quran until after he has perfected the memorisation of his previous limit. This is so that whatever he has memorised is firmly established in his mind. There is no doubt that amongst those things which aid the memoriser is his occupation with what he has memorised through the hours of the day and night. This occurs by reciting it in the silent prayers, and if he is the imaam then in the loud prayers. Also in the superogatory prayers (nawaafil) and in the times when one is waiting for the obligatory prayers. By this method the memorisation will become a lot easier. In this way it is possible for a person to practise it even if he is occupied with other matters and this is because he does not simply sit at a specific time for memorising the Quran. Thus the night will not arrive except with those verses memorised and firmly established in the mind. And if there is something which has occupied the memoriser during this day, he should not move onto his next portion of the Quran, rather he should continue on the second day with what he had started with the day before until the memorisation becomes perfected.

5. Memorise Using the Same Copy (Mushaf) of the Quran

Among the things which aid the memorisation is that the memoriser should keep for himself a specific mushaf (copy of the Quran) which he should never change. This is because a person memorises using the sight just as he memorises using the hearing. The script and form of the verses and their places in the mushaf leave an imprint in the mind when they are recited and looked at frequently. If the memoriser was to change his mushaf from which he memorises or if he was to memorise from a number of different copies the places of the verses would be in different places and also the script may also be different. This makes the memorisation difficult for him. Therefore it is recommended for the one memorising the Quran that he does so from a single script and mushaf and he should never replace it.

6. Understanding is the Way to Memorising

Among the things which greatly aid the process of memorisation is understanding the verses that one has memorised and knowing their relationship and link, one to another. This is why it is necessary for the memoriser to read the tafseer (explanation) of those verses which he desires to memorise and that he knows their connection, one with another. Also, that he brings this to mind when he is reciting. This makes it easier for him to memorise the verses. Having said this, it is also necessary that he does not depend on knowing the meaning of the verses alone in memorising them. Rather the repetition of these verses should be the foundation. This should be done until the tongue can recite the verses even if the mind is occupied with other than the meaning of these verses. This is sign that the verses are firmly established in the mind. As for the one who relies upon the meaning alone then he will forget often and his recitation will be disjointed due to his mind being scattered and occupied with other things. This occurs frequently, especially when the recitation is long.

7. Do not move on from a Complete Surah until you have connected the first part of it to the last

After one surah from among the surahs of the Quran has been completed it is desirable for the memoriser that he does not move onto another surah except after having perfected its memorisation and connecting its first part to its last so that his tongue can flow in reciting it, from its beginning to its end. He should be able to recite it without having to think or go through trouble in remembering the verses. Rather it is a must that the memorisation (and recitation) of these verses is like (flowing) water and that the memoriser recites these verses without hesitation, even if his mind is occupied with more than one thing, away from the meaning of these verses. It should be as a person recites Surah Faatihah without any difficulty or having to think about it. This occurs by repeating these verses frequently and reciting them often. However the memorisation of every surah of the Quran will not be like that of Surah Faatihah except rarely but the intent and desire should be to try to make it as such. Therefore, it is necessary that when a surah is completed it is firmly established in the mind, with its beginning connected to its end and that the memoriser does not move onto another surah until he has memorised it with precision.

8. Reciting to Others

It is necessary for the memoriser not to depend on himself for his memorisation. Rather he should test his memorisation by reciting the verses or surah in question to somebody else, or he should recite them by following the mushaf. And how excellent this would be if a person had with him a precise memoriser (who would test his memorisation). This is so that the memoriser becomes aware of the possibility of his being forgetful or confused in his recitation (without knowing it). Many individuals amongst us who memorise a surah make mistakes and a person may not realise that until he looks into the mushaf. Furthermore, the one who desires to memorise may not realise by himself at which place he makes an error in his recitation despite the fact that he may be reciting from a mushaf. For this reason making others listen to his recitation of what he has memorised from the Quran is a means of perceiving and knowing these errors and being constantly aware of them.

9. Constantly Returning to what one has Memorised

The Quran is different from any other material that is memorised such as poetry and prose. And this is because the Quran is quickly lost from ones mind. In fact the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "By Him in whose Hand is my soul, it is faster in escaping than a tied camel." (Reported by Bukhaaree and Muslim.)

No sooner does the memoriser of the Quran leave it for a while until the Quran slips away from him and so he forgets it quickly. This is why it is necessary to constantly follow up what one has memorised and to be vigilant over it. Regarding this we have the saying of the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam): "Verily, the example of the owner of the Quran is like the example of the owner of the tied camel. If he keeps it tied (commits himself to it) he will hold it back and if he lets it loose it will escape from him."

And he also said: "Commit yourselves to the Quran, for by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, it is faster in slipping away than a tied camel." [Reported by Bukhaaree and Muslim]

This means that it is obligatory upon the memoriser of the Quran to continuously recite what he has memorised from the Quran. With this constant attention and returning to what has been memorised will the Quran remain in his mind and without it, it will escape.

10. Being Aware of the Resembling Parts of the Quran

The various parts of the Quran resemble each other with respect to the meaning, wording and (repetition of) verses. The Exalted said:
{Allah has sent down the most beautiful of speech, a Book, (parts of it) resembling (others) oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah.} [Zumar 39:23].

The Quran has approximately six and a half-thousand verses. And there are approximately a thousand verses in which there is a resemblance of some sort. Sometimes there is agreement or difference due to a single letter or a word or two or more. For this reason it is necessary for the good reciter of the Quran that he has special concern for the parts of the Quran that resemble each other in terms of their wording. The excellence of ones memorisation will be according to the extent that one has concern for these resembling parts. One of the ways to aid oneself in this matter is to study those books which deal with this topic of resembling verses in the Quran. Among the most famous of them are:

1. Durratul-Tanzeel wa Ghurratut-Ta'weel fee Bayaan il Aayaat al-Mutashaabihaat fee Kitaab il-Laahi il-Azeez by al-Khateeb al-Iskaafee
2. Asraar ut-Tukraar fil-Quran by Mahmood bin Hamzah ibn Nasr al-Kirmaanee.

11. Taking Advantage of the Golden Years of Memorising
The successful one, inevitably, is the one who takes advantage of the best years of memorisation and these are from the age of five to twenty-three approximately. A person's ability to memorise during these years is very good. In fact these are the golden years of memorising. Therefore, it is necessary for a person to keep himself occupied during these years of his life, memorising the Book of Allah as much as he can.

Committing things to memory at this age can be done very quickly and forgetting is not so easy. This is in opposition to what happens after this time when a person memorises with difficulty and forgets with great speed. He spoke the truth who said:

Memorising in youth is like engraving on stone and memorising when old is like engraving on water.

Thus, it is necessary for all of us to take advantage of the golden years of memorising. If we cannot then we should encourage our sons and daughters to do so.

And with Allah is success and may the prayers and peace be upon our Messenger Muhammad, upon his family and all of his Companions. Aameen

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1. Obtain a good mushaf

Try to obtain a good copy of the Quran whose size is according to your need and never ever replace it so that you will be strong in memorising the parts of the pages and the lines.

2. Set the scene

Setting the scene for memorization according to the following:-

i. Self-composure - Have the correct intention in mind and a desire for reward from Allah

ii. Wudhoo` (ablution) and complete purity - Do not take the easy option of those who give a fatwa (legal edict) for its opposite as that goes against what befits high regard of the Speech of Allah and good manners with it.

iii. Comfortable setting - Sitting in a place where you feel at ease, and there is no more sacred place than the mosque and place of prayer.

iv. Free of distractions - It is preferred that it is a place without many pictures, carvings, decorations and distractions. The more enclosed the place is - with all due regards to fresh air - the better, compared with open space, trees and gardens. Even if some may differ with me, but I say this based upon experience not from abstract thinking. The atmosphere for light reading is different from the atmosphere for focused memorization, as wide spaces, sceneries and trees distract the mind and focus. Whatever is suitable for light reading is not needed for genuine work and focus.

v. Face the Qiblah - (direction of prayer towards Mecca) and sit in a state of submission, tranquillity and respect.

3. “Warm up”

Begin the “warm up” process; the preparation where you read a few pages of the Quran before starting the memorization process, whether from memory or looking.

Recite nicely, listening to yourself without haste or delay.

This is a fundamental component in preparing the self. You will find many successful memorization teachers do not allow the student to memorize before getting them to revise the previous session and letting the sheikh hear. This is to prepare him psychologically and spiritually for memorization, whilst the student may be totally unaware of the teacher's aim.

4. Be controlled in recitation

Beware of your voice’s beauty from distracting you at this point. The sweetness of your tone encompasses you in the atmosphere of chanting. So you start thinking that you’re so-and-so, the famous reciter, then you assume his persona and start to recite with deliberation and perfecting the letters. You repeat it and recite it again like some of the reciters. Perhaps it all goes over the top and you bring out a microphone and recording equipment. Time will pass by whilst you are unaware, and you become like that young man who really wanted to memorize the Quran but every time he sat down to memorize, time passed him by and he memorized absolutely nothing.

5. “Feel that urge…”

About 10-15 minutes of the warm up exercise and personal preparation you will feel a strong desire in yourself to memorize, with that it is possible for you to start with a new page you want to memorize.

6. Focus

Here begins an important stage, you really have to doubly focus on the verses. Imagine that your eye is a camera lens, and that you want to film the page with sound and image. Be careful not to shake the camera.

7. “Action!”

Open your eyes well. Free your mind from any distraction. Read by looking at the first verse at the top of the page in an audible voice with tajweed [the correct rules of recitation]. Read correctly with concentration. Lets use an as example His statement, the Most High:

{The fools among the people will say, "What has turned them from their prayer direction to which they were used to face in prayer." Say, "To Allah belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a Straight Way.”} [2:142]

Read three or more times until your mind takes it all in, then close your eyes and picture in your mind the places of the words and read them. If you succeed in reading them completely without any mistake, don’t get excited but instead repeat two, three or five times.

8. Repeat

Then open your eyes a second time. Read the same verse from the book to confirm the correctness of your memorization. If you are certain that you’ve memorized it correctly, don’t get excited. Instead close your eyes and read another time. With this you have chiselled in your mind an engraving that is impossible to disappear with the permission of Allah, the Most High. Try the steps carefully, you will definitely find this approach sound.

Note: During the process of recall and repetition, be careful not to divert your gaze to the things around you such as written notices distributed upon walls, posters, artwork, or décor. Do not follow a whirling fan. Do not be concerned about the type of furniture or coverings you’re sitting on. Be careful of excessively looking out of the windows, perhaps your eyes will chance upon something that will not please you, or perhaps you will be distracted by the scene of people in the street, or the scene of cars as happens to students during their revision for their exams. One of them stands at the window with the excuse of getting fresh air, then there he takes a census of cars based upon make and model, and in this manner time passes him and is wasted whilst he hasn’t benefited a single thing.

You have no business with these distractions. You have put yourself forward as someone from the people of the Quran and from its memorizers, and that requires motivation, perseverance, focus and an absence of distractions.

9. Next verse

After that move to the verse immediately following it: {Thus we have made you a middle nation…} [2:143]

and begin with the same steps we outlined with the previous verse. If you think the verse is long, then divide it into several parts corresponding to correct and sound stops and normal meanings. Then repeat and repeat many times until it is engraved deeply in your memory.

10. Connection process

Begin now with the connection process which I mentioned in the eighth rule of memorization. That is by opening the book and focusing on the last part of the first verse and read it with an audible voice then connect it quickly without any stop with the first part of the second verse. Repeat this process many times but no less than five times.

After reading these steps – if you like them – begin implementing them straight away and record in a special notebook the date of beginning memorization. Contact someone you love and trust, and then tell them that you have found a technique in memorizing the Quran that you began applying today, so that you can be someone who guides to good.

One of the benefits of contacting someone like this is that it will be an encouragement for you in memorization and continuation, as it reflects an increased conviction in oneself with what you’ve read.

This is what is confirmed in psychology, if a person does something and he convinces someone else about it, then it is like taking a firm stance without retracting from it and his behaviour increases his conviction in what he does.

It is possible to summarize this method in the following steps:

1.Personal composure

2.Warm up

3.Concentration

4.Repetition

5.Connecting

Result = a strong memorization with the best method.

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An Interview with Umm Saalih: A Grandmother Who Completed Memorizing the Qur'an at Eighty-Two Years Old.

Al-Hamdulillaah (All Praise is due to Allah), the One Who said (what means): {And in truth We have made the Qur'aan easy to remember; but is there any that remembers?} [Surah 54: 32]

Many all over the world memorize the Qur'aan, and it is not strange to see the youth memorizing the Noble Qur'aan and an early age. Al-Hamdulillaah, the One who made the Qur'aan easy for remembrance, had made it easy for Umm Saalih age 82. In an interview with Umm Saalih, she was asked the following questions:

Q1: "What was the reason that drove you to memorize the Qur'aan after so many years?"

She said, "I always hoped to memorize the Qur'aan from the time I was young. My father always used to invoke Allaah for me to become one of the memorizers of the Qur'aan, like himself and like the elder brothers of my family who memorized it. So I memorized in the beginning about three parts and then after I completed the age of thirteen, I got married and became busy with the household and the children. After I had seven children, my husband died. They (the children) were all young so I took the time to raise them and educate them, and then after they grew up and got married, I had more time for myself. Therefore, the first thing I directed myself to focus upon was the Qur'aan."

Q2: "Tell us about your journey with the Noble Qur'aan."

She said, "My younger daughter was going to high school and she was the closest of my children to me and the most beloved, because she stayed with me after her older sisters got married and got busy with their lives, and because she was a quiet girl, upright, loving, and good. In addition, she was interested in learning the Noble Qur'aan, and her teachers encouraged her.

Furthermore, she was very enthusiastic and always told me of many women who were driven by this great motivation to memorize the Qur'aan, and this is where I started."

Q3: "Tell me about your way of memorization."

She said, "We assigned ten verses (meaning her and her daughter who was going to high school). So each day after Asr, we used to sit together. She reads and I repeat after her three times. Then she explains the meaning to me, and after a while, she repeats that three times. On the next morning, she repeats them to me before she goes to school.

She recorded also the recitations of Ash Shaykh al Husary, Rahimuhullaah, repeating each verse three times and thus I continued to listen most of the time. Therefore, the next day we would go to the next ten verses if my memorization was good. Otherwise, we would postpone taking additional verses until the day after. Moreover, we assigned the day of Friday to review the memorizations of the entire week. And this was the journey from the beginning."

Then she said, "Over four years and a half, I memorized twelve juz" according to the way I described to you. Then this young daughter got married. When her husband knew of our task concerning the memorization, he rented a house close to me, close to my house, so that he could allow the continuation of the memorization. In addition, he, May Allah reward him used to encourage us and sometimes sit with us listening, explaining and teaching.

Then after three years of her marriage, my daughter got busy with the children and the household and our schedule was interrupted, but that did not make her give up. To the contrary, she sensed that my eagerness for the memorization was still established so she looked for a special good teacher to continue the journey under her supervision. So, I completed the memorization by the success of Allaah and my daughter is still working to finish the memorization of the Glorious Qur'aan. She has a little left, In Shaa Allaah Ta'aala.”

Q4: "This motivation of yours, did it have an effect on other women around you?"

She said, "It really had a good strong effect. My daughters and stepdaughters were all encouraged and worked on learning and teaching the Qur'aan to their children and learning it themselves.”

Q5: "After finishing the Noble Qur'aan, don't you think about working on memorizing hadith?"

She said, "Now I have memorized ninety hadith and Inshaa' Allaah I will continue the journey. I depend, in my memorization, upon the tapes and upon the Qur'aan radio station. At the end of each week, my daughter comes and checks for me the memorization of three hadith, and I am trying now to memorize more.”

Q6: "Over this period of memorization of the Qur'aan, did your life change? Was it affected in one way or another?"

She said, "Yes, I went through a major change and I tried always, all praise is due to Allaah, to obey Allaah before I started the memorization. However, after I started the task of memorization, I began to feel a self-comfort, a great self-comfort and all worries began to move away from me. I even reached the stage of freeing myself from all these excessive worries concerning fearing for the children and their affairs, and my morale was boosted.

I had a noble objective to work for and this is a great ni'mah (Favour) from Allaah upon me, since we know that some women, when they get old and they do not have a husband, and their children got married, may be destroyed by the empty time, thoughts, worries, and so forth. But, Alhamdulillaah, I didn't go through this and I made myself busy with a great task and a great objective.”

Q7: "Didn't you think at one point, to join one of the circles focusing on teaching the Noble Qur'aan?"

The answer was, "Yes, some of the women suggested this to me, but I am a woman who got used to staying at home, and I don't like to go out everyday, and Al Hamdulillaah, my daughter sufficed me from all difficulty and I was so happy while I was learning from her. My daughter had set an example in goodness and righteousness which we rarely find in our days.

She started this task and journey with me while she was an adolescent and this is a critical age many people complain of. She used to pressure herself so that she could have spare time to teach me, and she used to teach me with kindness and wisdom. Her husband was a good help to her and he exerted a lot of effort. I ask Allaah to give them success and to bring their children up on uprightness."

Q8: "What do you say to a woman of your age who wishes to learn and memorize the Qur'aan yet she is worried about it and feeling unable to?"

She said, "I say to her that there shall be no despair with firm, sincere and truthful determination. Begin with sincerity, firm determination and dependence on Allaah at each time. And remember that at this age you should have the time for yourself. However, do not use your time to only go out or to sleep and so forth. Rather, busy yourself with righteous work.”

She, may Allaah preserve her, said: "Preserve Allaah and He will preserve you. Make use of the favour of Allaah bestowed upon you from health and ways and means of comfort. Use that to memorize the Book of Allaah. This is the light which enlivens your heart, your life and your grave after you die.

And if you have a mother then exert the effort to teach her, and there is no better favour upon a mother than one of her righteous children aiding her to be close to Allaah."

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Professeur Van Bersoud (Canada)

A professor of anatomy, pediatry, and obstetrics-gynaecology and sciences of the reproduction at the university Manitoba in Canada. He was there the president of the Department of anatomy during 16 years. He is very recognized in its field. He is the author or the editor of 22 handbooks and he published more than 181 scientific articles. In 1991, he received price more distinguished allotted in the field of the anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B., Great Price of the Canadian Association of the anatomists.

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Arthur John Arberry (Portsmouth, May 12, 1905 – Cambridge, October 2, 1969) was a respected British orientalist. A most prolific scholar of Arabic, Persian, and Islamic studies, he was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School and Pembroke College, Cambridge. His translation of the Qur'an into English, The Koran Interpreted, is one of the most prominent written by a non-Muslim scholar, and widely respected amongst academics.

Formerly Head of the Department of Classics at Cairo University in Egypt, Arberry returned home to become the Assistant Librarian at the Library of the India Office. During the war he was a Postal Censor in Liverpool and was then seconded to the Ministry of Information, London which was housed in the newly-constructed Senate House of the University of London. Arberry was appointed to the Chair of Persian at the School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS, University of London 1944–47.

He subsequently became the Sir Thomas Adams's Professor of Arabic at Cambridge University and a Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, his alma mater, from 1947 until his death in 1969.

''In making the present attempt to improve on the performance of my predecessors, and to produce something which might be accepted as echoing however faintly the sublime rhetoric of the Arabic Koran, I have been at pain to study the intricate and richly varied rhythms which - apart from the message itself- constitute the Koran's undeniable claim to rank amongst the greater literary masterpieces of mankind.

This very characteristic feature - that inimitable symphony', as the believing Pickthall described his Holy Book -- 'the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy' -- has been almost totally ignored by previous translators; it is therefore not surprising that what they have wrought sounds dull and flat indeed in comparison with the splendidly decorated original. ” (The Koran Interpreted, London: Oxford University Press, 1964, p. X.)

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Francis Joseph Steingass (March 16, 1825, Frankfurt am Main – January 1903) was a British linguist and orientalist of German Jewish descent. He completed his education, including the Ph.D., in Munich, Germany. Later he was professor of Modern Languages at Birmingham, Professor of Modern Languages and Resident Lecturer on Arabic Languages, Literature & Law at the Oriental Institute, Woking.

He knew 14 languages, including Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. He published a number of Persian-English, Arabic-English and English-Arabic dictionaries.

''A work, then, which calls forth so powerful and seemingly incompatible emotions even in the distant reader - distant as to time, and still more so as mental development - a work which not only conquers the repugnance which he may begin its perusal, but changes this adverse feeling into astonishment and admiration... indeed and a problem of the highest interest to every thoughtful observer of the destinies of mankind. ”

(Quoted in T.P. Hughes' Dictionary of Islam, pp. 526-7.)

''Here, therefore, its merits as a literary production should perhaps not be measured by some preconceived maxims of subjective and aesthetic taste, but by the effects which it produced in Muhammad's contemporaries and fellow countrymen. If it spoke so powerfully and convincingly to the hearts of his hearers as to weld hitherto centrifugal and antagonistic elements into one compact and well organised body, animated by ideas far beyond those which had until now ruled the Arabian mind, then its eloquence was perfect, simply because it created a civilised nation out of savage tribes, and shot a fresh woof into the old warp of history. ”

(Dr. Steingass, quoted in Hughes' Dictionary of Islam, p. 528.)

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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath.

He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science.

'However often we turn to it (the Quran) ... it soon attracts, astounds, and in the end enforces our reverence...

Its style, in accordance with its contents and aim is stern, grand, terrible - ever and anon truly sublime - thus this book will go an exercising through all ages a most potent influence.”

(Quoted in T.P. Hughes' Dictionary of Islam, p-526.)

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George Margoliouth, a nephew of Dr. Moses Margoliouth, was converted to Christianity at Strassburg. He studied philology at the University of Bonn, and theology at Cuddesdon College, was ordained in 1881–1883, held the curacy of St. Thomas', Leeds, when he was also missionary of the Parochial Missions to the Jews; then at Carleton, Yorks., 1883–84; then again missionary curate of Holy Trinity, Stepney, 1884–87; then at St. Mary the Less, Cambridge, 1887–89; St. Botolph, Cambridge, 1889–91, when he took his degree in Semitic languages, at Queen's College.

George Margoliouth wrote:

'The Koran admittedly occupies an important position among the great religious books of the world. Though the youngest of the epoch-making works belonging to this class of literature, it yields to hardly any in the wonderful effect which it has produced on large masses of men.

It has created an all but new phase of human thought and a fresh type of character.

It first transformed a number of heterogeneous desert tribes of the Arabian Peninsula into a nation of heroes, and then proceeded to create the vast politico-religious organisations of the “Muhammadan” world which are one of the great forces with which Europe and the East have to reckon today. ”

(Introduction to J.M. Rodwell's The Koran, New York: Everyman's Library, 1977, p. VII)

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Tony Blair made some comments about the Quran in a speech given to the Foreign Policy Centre and Reuters. Saying:

"The Qur’an is practical and way ahead of its time".

"The most remarkable thing about reading the Koran – in so far as it can be truly translated from the original Arabic - is to understand how progressive it is.

"I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements. But as an outsider, the Koran strikes me as a reforming book, trying to return Judaism and Christianity to their origins, rather as reformers attempted with the Christian Church centuries later. It is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance," he said.

He added that under the guidance of the Qur’an, the spread of Islam and its dominance over previously Christian or pagan lands was "breathtaking".

"Over centuries it founded an Empire, leading the world in discovery, art and culture. We look back to the early Middle Ages, the standard bearers of tolerance at that time were far more likely to be found in Muslim lands than in Christian," he declared

Source: The Muslim Weekly

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Hazleton was born in England, and became a United States citizen in 1994. She was based in Jerusalem from 1966 to 1979 and in New York City from 1979 to 1992, when she moved to her current home in Seattle WA, originally to get her pilot's license. She has two degrees in psychology (B.A. Manchester University, M.A. Hebrew University of Jerusalem).

She has described herself as "a Jew who once seriously considered becoming a rabbi, a former convent schoolgirl who daydreamed about being a nun, an agnostic with a deep sense of religious mystery though no affinity for organized religion".

In her luminous TEDxRainier talk, Lesley Hazleton, a writer and “accidental theologist,” described herself as “a tourist” in the Koran, and shared her discovery of the musicality, ambiguity, and depth of a text known by name to billions, but read intimately by far fewer.

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In this video leading scientists testify to scientific facts in the Qur'aan. The video is in Arabic but all interviews are in English.

This TV-Program (It is the Truth) was organized by the World Organization of Scientific Miracles in the Quran, and was broadcasted on The Qatari-Television for more than three consecutive hours. This Program was made during the Eighth international Medical Conference in Saudi Arabia.

In PDF Format With Illustrations and Explanations.

Download the E-Book: This is the Truth (right click & "save target as").

The Scientists who were interviewed during this conference are:

1) Professor Keith Moore (USA) - An eminent specialist in world fame in surgery and embryology. this professor wrote live named (the human development). this book was considered as a best work in the world, written by only one author.

2) Professor Van Bersoud (Canada) - A professor of anatomy, pediatry, and obstetrics-gynaecology and sciences of the reproduction at the university Manitoba in Canada. He was there the president of the Department of anatomy during 16 years. He is very recognized in its field. He is the author or the editor of 22 handbooks and he published more than 181 scientific articles. In 1991, he received price more distinguished allotted in the field of the anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B., Great Price of the Canadian Association of the anatomists.

3) Professor Joe Leigh Simpson (USA) is a president of the Department of obstetrics-gynaecology, professor of obstetrics-gynaecology, and professor of human and molecular genetics in Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas, the United States.

4) Professor Marshal Jhonson is a professor highly skilled of anatomy and biology related to the development at the university Thomas Jefferson on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States.

5) Professor Gerald C (USA) is a director of program and lecturer of medical embryology at the cellular Department of biology of the Medical school from the Georgetown University in Washington, the United States.

6) Professor Youchedi Kuzane (Japan) is a professor highly skilled at the University of Tokyo with Hongo, Tokyo, Japan, and he was already a director of the national astronomical Observatory with Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan.

7) Professor Tejatat Tejasen (Thailand) is president of Autopsy Department in the University Chiang Mai in Thailand.. he was a senior of the Faculty of Medicine of the same university. He embraced islam after reading the Quran

8) Professor William W. Hay (USA) is a very known maritime scientist. He is a professor of geological sciences at the University of Colorado with Boulder, Colorado, the United States. Previously, he was the senior of Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University from Miami in Miami, Florida, the United States.

9) Professor Alfred Kroner (Germany) is one of the world's renowned geologists. He is Professor of Geology and the Chairman of the Department of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.

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Professor Milan from Czech Republic embraced Islam after reading the Qur'aan.

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Born in 1920, former chief of the Surgical Clinic, University of Paris, Dr. Maurice Bucaille has for a long time deeply interested in the correspondences between the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and modern secular knowledge. 

He is the author of a best-seller, "The Bible, The Qur'an and Science" (1976). His classical studies of the scriptural languages, including Arabic, in association with his knowledge of hieroglyphics, have allowed him to hold a multidisciplinary inquiry, in which his personal contribution as a medical doctor has produced conclusive arguments. His work, "Mummies of the Pharaohs -Modern Medical Investigations" (St. Martins Press, 1990) won a History Prize from the Académie Française and another prize from the French National Academy of Medicine.

His other works include: "What is the Origin of Man" (Seghers, 1988), "Moses and Pharaoh, the Hebrews in Egypt", (NTT Mediascope Inc, 1994); and "Réflexions sur le Coran" (Mohamed Talbi & Maurice Bucaille, Seghers, 1989)

After a study, which lasted ten years, Dr. Maurice Bucaille addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 concerning the existence in the Qur'an of certain statements concerning physiology and reproduction. His reason for doing that was that: 

"...our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain how a text produced at the time of the Qur'an could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times."

"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature? 

How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human-being could possibly have developed at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?"

THE BOOK

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Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and is the former Dean of the faculty of Medicine, University of Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Professor Tejasen studied various articles concerning the Qur'an and modern embryology. He spent four days with several scholars, Muslims and non-Muslims, discussing this phenomenon in the Qur'an and Hadith. During the 8th Saudi Medical Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia he stood up and said:

"In the last three years, I became interested in the Qur'an... From my studies and what I have learned throughout this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Qur'an fourteen hundred years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scientific means.

Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad must be a Messenger who relayed this truth which was revealed to him as an enlightenment by the one who is eligible creator. This creator must be God, or Allah.

I think this is the time to say La ilaha illa Allah, there is no god to worship except Allah (God), Muhammad rasoolu Allah, Muhammad is Messenger of Allah...

The most precious thing I have gained from coming to this conference is La ilaha illa Allah, and to have become Muslim."