Memorizing the Quran - Guidelines

yassarnalquran.wordpress.com 1

الرحيم الرحمن الله الرحيم بسم الرحمن الله بسم In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Mercy-givingIn the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Mercy-giving


Let’s Let’s Memorize Memorize the qur’anthe qur’an


PRESENTINGPRESENTING

THE GOLDEN RULESTHE GOLDEN RULES FOR MEMORIZING THE QUR’ANFOR MEMORIZING THE QUR’AN

This presentation willThis presentation will Insha’Allah Insha’Allah motivate me and you to:motivate me and you to:

MemorizeMemorize the Glorious Qur’an UnderstandUnderstand it Live byLive by its Guidance


The Qur’an hasThe Qur’an has114 Suwar *114 Suwar *

How many SuwarHow many SuwarDo You KnowDo You Know

By Heart?By Heart?** Chapters = Suwar (Singular, Surah) Chapters = Suwar (Singular, Surah)


AdvantagesAdvantages & & BenefitsBenefitsofof

Memorizing the Qur’anMemorizing the Qur’anandand

Being a HafizBeing a Hafiz


Respect and Honour in this world - A Hafiz is given Precedence Precedence in leading the Prayers(Ref: Sahih Muslim)

He or she will be given high Statushigh Status in the Hereafter

(Ref: Tirmidhi & Abu Dawood)

Will enjoy the company of distinguished angelscompany of distinguished angels(Ref: Bukhari & Muslim)

He/She will be given a Crown of Honour and a Garment of Honour to wear in the Day of Judgement(Ref: Tirmidhi)

Qur’an willQur’an will intercedeintercede for him/her with Allah(Ref: Muslim & Bukhari)

ParentsParents of an Hafiz will be crownedcrowned in the Day of Judgement (Ref: Al Tabarani & Al Haakim)


Our beloved Prophet Our beloved Prophet عليه الله صل/ى وسل/م

made made thisthis beautifulbeautiful du’aa du’aa

القرآن اجعل القرآن اللهم/ اجعل قلبي قلبي ربيعربيعاللهم/

“O Allah! Make the Qur’an the spring of my heart”


“If indeed the Qur’an was the Spring of our hearts:* Our hearts would be in bloom always with the freshness of nature's newness & nature's order;* the green that cools our eyes; * the fragrances that perfume our scent; * the fruits that delight our taste & nurture our bodies; and * the flowers that remind us of life's bounty and delicacy.” (Written by Hamza Yusuf in one of his articles)


So, let us begin with this du’aa:So, let us begin with this du’aa:

قلوبناقلوبنا ربيعربيعالقرآن القرآن اجعلاجعلاللهم/ اللهم/

O Allah! Make the Qur’an the spring of our hearts

Aameen


First Thing First!First Thing First!

1. Make your intention pure and 1. Make your intention pure and sincere. sincere.

It should be only to seek the It should be only to seek the Pleasure Pleasure of Allahof Allah and none else! and none else!

You should NOT have the motive to You should NOT have the motive to seek name, fame or money.seek name, fame or money.

REMEMBER one of the three people REMEMBER one of the three people who will become who will become FUEL TO THE FIREFUEL TO THE FIRE OF JAHANNUM, according to a hadith, OF JAHANNUM, according to a hadith, are the Islamic scholars with are the Islamic scholars with badbad intention!intention!


22. After making your intention pure, . After making your intention pure, make Du’aa to Allah. make Du’aa to Allah. WITHOUT the help WITHOUT the help of Allah you can’t do anything!of Allah you can’t do anything!

BELIEVE in the power of Du’aa.BELIEVE in the power of Du’aa.Allah Knows the secrets of our hearts. Allah Knows the secrets of our hearts. If If you sincerely seek Allah’s help, He will you sincerely seek Allah’s help, He will definitely open ways and make things definitely open ways and make things easy for you.easy for you.

This is in fact a Promise of Allah and This is in fact a Promise of Allah and He He never lets His Seekers down!never lets His Seekers down!


3. Get a good Mus’haf, a good copy of 3. Get a good Mus’haf, a good copy of the Qur’an.the Qur’an.

The Arabic Script must be clear and you The Arabic Script must be clear and you must be comfortable reading it. must be comfortable reading it.

4. 4. Ensure that you keep this Mus’haf till Ensure that you keep this Mus’haf till the end.the end. Changing the Mus’hafChanging the Mus’haf especially especially when you are determined to memorize when you are determined to memorize is is a bad idea!a bad idea!


5. DO NOT START memorizing without 5. DO NOT START memorizing without getting to know the getting to know the Rules of Recitation Rules of Recitation and Pronunciation.and Pronunciation.

(Remember (Remember it is easy to memorize but it is easy to memorize but difficult to forget.difficult to forget. If you memorize an If you memorize an ayah and later you come to know that it ayah and later you come to know that it was a wrong pronunciation then learning was a wrong pronunciation then learning the right pronunciation and the right waythe right pronunciation and the right waywill be difficult)will be difficult)


YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR WAY OF YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR WAY OF RECITATIONRECITATION & PRONUNCIATION& PRONUNCIATION in front in front of a scholar who is well-versed in the art of a scholar who is well-versed in the art of Qur’anic Recitation.of Qur’anic Recitation.

EVEN WHENEVEN WHEN you want to memorize on you want to memorize on your own through audio/internet, you your own through audio/internet, you STILLSTILL NEED TO CHECKNEED TO CHECK and cross-check and cross-check your way of Recitation. This is your way of Recitation. This is veryvery important!important!


6. Wudoo (ie. Ablution) and complete 6. Wudoo (ie. Ablution) and complete purity is necessary as you are going to purity is necessary as you are going to memorize memorize the Glorious Bookthe Glorious Book of Allah. of Allah.

Your Your ATTITUDE & APPROACHATTITUDE & APPROACH to the to the Qur’an must be Qur’an must be entirely differententirely different from the from the approach you adopt towards other approach you adopt towards other books!books!


7. 7. Place has its own impact on the mind.Place has its own impact on the mind. Select a comfortable place Select a comfortable place where there is where there is no distractionno distraction so that you can so that you can focusfocus on on memorization with utmost memorization with utmost care and care and concentration. concentration.


8. 8. Allot a particular time.Allot a particular time. SSelect a time elect a time which suits you the mostwhich suits you the most. It is . It is better to earmark early morning time as mind is better to earmark early morning time as mind is fresh and receptive. Moreover, the Qur’an fresh and receptive. Moreover, the Qur’an recited during Fajr is ‘witnessed’ by the recited during Fajr is ‘witnessed’ by the Angels!Angels!

Don’t do any work other than memorization Don’t do any work other than memorization during this time.during this time.

Strictly and sincerely stick on to your daily Strictly and sincerely stick on to your daily time schedule! time schedule! This is a secret behind effective This is a secret behind effective memorization. memorization.


9. Apportion the daily number of9. Apportion the daily number ofverses to memorizeverses to memorize

You should specify the amount you can bear You should specify the amount you can bear daily, be it a given number of verses, one or two daily, be it a given number of verses, one or two pages, or a quarter juz. pages, or a quarter juz.

After deciding the target, try your utmost to After deciding the target, try your utmost to achieve the target.achieve the target.

Due to some genuine reason if you are not able Due to some genuine reason if you are not able to achieve the target, don’t get upset. Instead try to achieve the target, don’t get upset. Instead try

to make it up the following day along with the to make it up the following day along with the day’s quota.day’s quota.


10. Recite loudly 10. Recite loudly

You should recite aloud,You should recite aloud, first to first to follow the follow the Prophetic SunnahProphetic Sunnah and second and second to perfect to perfect your memorizationyour memorization. Intoning the Qur’an is . Intoning the Qur’an is endeared to the hearing and helps in endeared to the hearing and helps in memorizing, as it gets the tongue familiar memorizing, as it gets the tongue familiar with a given tune and with a given tune and an error is easily an error is easily identified when the usual tune variesidentified when the usual tune varies in one in one way or another. When this happens, the way or another. When this happens, the tongue feels the variation and stops to tongue feels the variation and stops to correct the recitation. correct the recitation.


11. Do Not Move to the Next Portion Till Do Not Move to the Next Portion Till You Master the Present OneYou Master the Present One

You should not move to the next portion You should not move to the next portion till you mastertill you master the previous one. the previous one.

One way to perfect your portion is to make One way to perfect your portion is to make a habit to recite it during your daily Salah a habit to recite it during your daily Salah (Prayers).(Prayers).

In this way, memorizing the Qur’an will In this way, memorizing the Qur’an will be easy and possible for everyone, be easy and possible for everyone, even if one seems busy. even if one seems busy.


12. Connect its Beginning to its End12. Connect its Beginning to its End

You should connect a Surah from its beginning You should connect a Surah from its beginning to its end, and your tongue should move with it to its end, and your tongue should move with it smoothly and easily without exerting your mind smoothly and easily without exerting your mind in remembering the verses and continuing the in remembering the verses and continuing the recitation. recitation. Rather, your memorization should be Rather, your memorization should be as smooth as water and you should recite it as smooth as water and you should recite it without any faltering whatever. without any faltering whatever. It should be like It should be like the case when one recites Al-Fatihah without the case when one recites Al-Fatihah without any effortany effort, and this, of course, is due to its , and this, of course, is due to its being frequently repeated and recited. being frequently repeated and recited.

The point is that you should try to fix the whole Surah The point is that you should try to fix the whole Surah in your mind, connected and smooth, and in your mind, connected and smooth, and not to move not to move to the next till you have memorized it perfectly.to the next till you have memorized it perfectly.


13. Pay Attention to Similarities13. Pay Attention to Similarities

The Qur’an has 6236 verses, The Qur’an has 6236 verses, around 2000 of which are similar in one around 2000 of which are similar in one way or another. way or another. In some locations the In some locations the similarity is exact, while in others there similarity is exact, while in others there may be a may be a differencedifference of of just one letterjust one letter or or one or a few words.one or a few words.


Two examples of similaritiesTwo examples of similaritiesOne must be One must be very carefulvery careful in noticing the words in noticing the words beginning with beginning with ‘waw’ and ‘fa’.‘waw’ and ‘fa’. Note the Note the difference in two consecutive verses of difference in two consecutive verses of

الضحى الضحى سورة سورة

OَفOَف Qر Oه QقOَت َفOال OيمTِتOيQال ا VَّمOَأ Qر Oه QقOَت َفOال OيمTِتOيQال ا VَّمOَأ

OوOو Qر OهQنOَت ال Oَف OلTاِئ Vالَّس ا VَّمOَأ Qر OهQنOَت ال Oَف OلTاِئ Vالَّس ا VَّمOَأ

Note the systematic Note the systematic addition of wordsaddition of words in in three different verses of three different verses of الكهف الكهف سورة سورة

Oاَل Oق Oاَل Oق QْنOل OَكVَّنT لOْنQ ِإ OَكVَّنT ا ِإ cرQب Oص OيTع Oَّم OيعTِطOِت QَّسOا َت cرQب Oص OيTع Oَّم OيعTِطOِت QَّسOَت Oاَل Oق Oاَل Oق Qل eقOَأ QمOلO لQ َأ eقOَأ QمOلO ا َأ cرQب Oص OيTع Oَّم OيعTِطOِت QَّسOَت QْنOل OَكVَّنT ا ِإ cرQب Oص OيTع Oَّم OيعTِطOِت QَّسOَت QْنOل OَكVَّنT ِإ

QمOلO َأ Oاَل Oق QمOلO َأ Oاَل Oق Qل eقOَأQل eقOَأ OَكOل OَكOل OيTع Oَّم OيعTِطOِت QَّسOَت QْنOل OَكVَّنT عTيO ِإ Oَّم OيعTِطOِت QَّسOَت QْنOل OَكVَّنT ِإا cرQب Oاص cرQب Oص


Hence, one who memorizes the Qur’an Hence, one who memorizes the Qur’an should should pay great attentionpay great attention to the similar to the similar verses. verses.

The more one pays attention to these The more one pays attention to these similarities, the firmer his memorization similarities, the firmer his memorization gets.gets.


14. Follow Up Frequently14. Follow Up Frequently

After memorizing the Qur’an, if you leave it without revising and keeping in touch, it will flee from you and you’ll rapidly forget it. So, one must follow up frequently and So, one must follow up frequently and continuously persevere in revising and continuously persevere in revising and recalling in order to preserve in one’s recalling in order to preserve in one’s memory.memory. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The example “The example of the person who knows the Qur’an by of the person who knows the Qur’an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away.”if he releases them, they will run away.”


The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also said, also said, “Keep on reciting the Qur’an, for, by “Keep on reciting the Qur’an, for, by Him in Whose Hand my life is, the Qur’an runs Him in Whose Hand my life is, the Qur’an runs away (is forgotten) faster than camels that are away (is forgotten) faster than camels that are released from their tying ropes.”released from their tying ropes.” (Narrated by (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

This means that one who memorizes the whole This means that one who memorizes the whole Qur’an should read Qur’an should read at leastat least a whole juz’ per a whole juz’ per day.day.


15. Understand What You Memorize15. Understand What You Memorize

One of the greatest aides in memorizing is to One of the greatest aides in memorizing is to understand understand the versesthe verses and recognize the and recognize the relationship between them.relationship between them.

CAUTION:CAUTION: However, you However, you Must NotMust Not give give more emphasis on understanding during the more emphasis on understanding during the course of memorization. The one who depends course of memorization. The one who depends mostly on understanding is mostly on understanding is liable to forgetliable to forget and and stop stop as soon as his mind is not attentive. This as soon as his mind is not attentive. This happens mostly during long recitations.happens mostly during long recitations.


16. Try your utmost to put into practice16. Try your utmost to put into practice

What you study and memorize of the What you study and memorize of the Qur’an, try to practice it in your life. Qur’an, try to practice it in your life.

The Qur’an is The Qur’an is Guidance par excellence.Guidance par excellence.The The real meaningsreal meanings of the Qur’an come to of the Qur’an come to fore fore only only when the believer implements when the believer implements the teachings in one’s life.the teachings in one’s life.


To summarize:

1. Purity of motive 2. Sincere Du’aa 3. Have a Mus’haf with clear script 4. Keep the same Mus’haf till the end 5. Know the Rules of Recitation &

Pronunciation 6. Be with Wudhu 7. Select the right place 8. Allot daily time schedule


9. Specify the daily quantum 10. Read aloud 11. Don’t proceed without mastering 12. Connect from beginning to end 12. Connect from beginning to end 13. Pay attention to similarities13. Pay attention to similarities 14. Keep in touch lest you forget14. Keep in touch lest you forget 15. Understand15. Understand 16. Practice 16. Practice


May Allah Guide us to learn His Book by heart in the finest manner.

Aameen.


Presented byPresented byMUQITH MUJTABA ALIMUQITH MUJTABA ALI

For Qur’an resources, visit:http://yassarnalquran.wordpress.com/

For Hadith/Seerah resources, visit:http://islamcalling.wordpress.com/

http://yassarnalquran.wordpress.com/

Spiritual

Memorizing the Quran - Guidelines