Memorize the Qur’an? “Meh, not for Me” Said U.
“Meh, not for Me” Said U. “I’m too old.” Said V. “I’m not good at memorizing” said W. “I don’t have time,” said X. This article will change everything, inshaAllah. “It shall be said — meaning to the companion of the Quran — ‘Recite, and rise up, recite (melodiously) as you would recite in the world. For indeed your rank shall be at the last verse you recite.’” (Tirmizi, 45:40, who said it is Hasan Sahih)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful Allah.
Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah who has sent down a book that guides to a straight path.
وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ
And that this is My Path, straight ; so follow it and do not follow the (other) ways, then they would separate you from His way. (Surah An’am, 6:153)
A book that cannot be washed away by water.
وَأَنْزَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ كِتَابًا لاَ يَغْسِلُهُ الْمَاءُ تَقْرَؤُهُ نَائِمًا وَيَقْظَانَ
And I sent down the Book to you which cannot be washed away by water, which you recite while in sleep and wakefulness. (Sahih Muslim, 2865a)
It is preserved in the chests of the knowledgeable, recited in the day and night.
بَلْ هُوَ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ فِي صُدُورِ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الظَّالِمُونَ
Nay, it is clear signs (verses), within the chests of those who have been given knowledge. (Surah Al Ankabut, 29:49)
It brings healing and mercy, and guidance and purity, and reminder and lessons.
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارً
And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.(Surah Al Isra, 17:82)
The wretched will turn away from it, and the blessed will hold fast to it. The sincere will seek admonition from it, and the intelligent will ponder on it. The worshipper of Allah will recite it and the preservers of Quran will memorize it.
فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِيٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ
So (some) of them are wretched, and (some) happy. (Surah Hud, 11:105)
The Rising of the Companion of the Qur’an
The companions of the Qur’an will recite and rise in degrees.
As they were favored, blessed and honored in the worldly life, so shall they be raised in the next. Let us look at the hadiths:
Tirmizi
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ يُقَالُ يَعْنِي لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْتَقِ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَتَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَأُ بِهَا ”
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “It shall be said — meaning to the companion of the Quran — ‘Recite, and rise up, recite (melodiously) as you would recite in the world. For indeed your rank shall be at the last verse you recite.’” (Tirmizi, 45:40, who said it is Hasan Sahih)
Abu Dawud
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ يُقَالُ لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْتَقِ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَؤُهَا ” .
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “It shall be said to the companion of the Quran — ‘Recite, and rise up, recite (melodiously) as you would recite in the world. For indeed your home shall be at the last verse you recite.’” (Abu Dawud 1464, Hasan Sahih — Al Albani)
Ibn Majah
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ يُقَالُ لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ اقْرَأْ وَاصْعَدْ . فَيَقْرَأُ وَيَصْعَدُ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ دَرَجَةً حَتَّى يَقْرَأَ آخِرَ شَىْءٍ مَعَهُ ” .
Narrated from Abu Sa`eed Al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an, when he enters Paradise: ‘Recite and rise.” So he recites and ascends, with every verse a degree, until he recites the last thing that is with him”. (Ibn Majah, 3780, Hasan — Darussalam)
Shaykh Albani comments on the “companion of the Qur’an” saying:
Note that 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 hafiz 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 recited (Islamqa interprets: “have memorized”) it.” (Islamqa 20803)
If we understood the meaning of this hadith, we would crawl to memorize the Qur’an. We would put our heart and soul in it.
So take a lesson, people of vision!
The Kid who Passed Away with the Qur’an in His heart
Anwar Mubashir, the author of the book “The Promise of Ten” records the story of how his friend who used to go to the mosque with him to memorize the Qur’an passed away.
Read this story with a receptive heart.
“I was sitting at my desk, it was a bright day and I’m suddenly told he’s died. [Speechless]. I couldn’t do anything but say “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.
The cancer had spread throughout his body and it was too late. Sadly I never made it to his funeral, I never saw his since that day I met him outside his house on his crutches. Again I wasn’t allowed to go due to school.
But the truth is that he had never stopped his pursuit for memorization despite his absence from the mosque. Despite his illness he was still seeking, despite being on deathbed, he was still at it. When I went to visit the family after he passed away, his dad spoke to me about what he got up to. He’d tell me how he never gave up on memorizing, at the hospital he would always be reading, and make mention of me and his other friends. In fact, he always had a desire to die with the Qur’an and in Ramadan. That wish came true. We were both 15, but he passed away. It was in November 2002 (Ramadan, the days of forgiveness).
This changed everything.
I now recognized and remembered we all have a purpose in life. Time is against us. Out of loss, we gain clarity. When he left us, something deep within me fought back.
Why was it that he left? Why was it him and not me? Clearly I was here for a reason. I remember going back to the mosque from that day on reading with a sense of doing things right.
If you want to memorize the Qur’an — what’s stopping you? There are people who are blind, impaired, or facing death doing it.
The Qur’an and the walking Qur’an (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are our means to the Creator. Our ultimate purpose. But in reaching that purpose we also have our duties on earth, its inhabitants and its future. I started thinking ahead of what might be in 10,20, 30 years. Recognizing you have a purpose and remembering why you are memorizing will be important. Keep the intentions for Allah.
The Final Words
To end, I advice you with three things.
- Make an intention to memorize the Qur’an.
- Start your journey.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step ~ Chinese Proverb.
3. Join a circle, program, group of friends, hujur, local mosque — anything, that will keep you on track and bring you accountability and create a group environment and team spirit. Some online programs include Quranic Ascent and my own Quran Memorization program.
Peace be upon the Messengers. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.