understand and remember, but is there any that
will remember?” [al-Qamar: 17]
◊ 1 – Establishing the Tawheed of Allaah (`azza wa jall)
Whoever establishes the tawheed of Allaah, then He opens for him all doors of goodness – & the greatest of those doors is Hifdh al-Qur’aan. That is because tawheed is the foundation of all principles because of which Allaah created the heavens and the earth, revealed the
Scriptures, sent the Messengers and made people on the Day of Judgement into 2 parties – a party in Paradise and a party in Hellfire.
◊ 2 – Sincerity in Intention
Indeed actions are by intentions… every deed without a good intention is like a bird without a head, so it is upon whoever wants to memorise the Book of Allaah `azza wa jall, to purify their heart from evil and make his intention sincerely for the Lord of the heavens and the earth, so that he may open up for him all the doors to goodness and ease for him the memorisation of the Noble Verses.
The first that will be devoured by the Hellfire on the Day of Judgement Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) has informed us of the punishment awaiting the one who did not have sincerity and intend by his hifdh the Face of Allah ta’aala, but rather he wished for riyaa’ (to show off) and sum’ah (to spread his mention among the people). He (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said – as is in the Sahihayn – “Indeed, the first of the people to be judged on the Day of Judgement is – and he mentioned from amongst them – a man who studied knowledge, taught it and recited Qur’an. He (Allah) will bring him and make him recognise His blessings and say, ‘What have you done with it?’ He will say, ‘I learnt knowledge, taught it and I recited Qur’an for your Sake.’ He (Allah) will say, “You have lied.
Rather you learnt knowledge so it can be said that you’re a scholar and you recited Qur’an so it can be said that you’re a recitor and indeed it was said.’ Then he’ll be ordered away with his face on the ground until he is cast into the Fire.
◊ 3 – Du’aa
Du’aa is from the greatest causes that will aid you in memorisation because as the beloved, the chosen one (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) has said, “Du’aa is worship.” (Reported by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi – Sahih al-Jami’ (3407))
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) ordered us to have yaqeen (certainty) that the du’aa will be
answered. He said, “Call unto Allaah in certainty and know that Allaah does not answer the heedless and inattentive heart.”
So increase in du’aa – that Allaah `azza wa jall makes you from the people of Qur’aan, because as it is said, ‘whoever persists knocking at the door, it’s bound to open for him.’ (Reported by al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim from Abu Huraira – Sahih al-Jami’ (245))
◊ 4 - Seeking Forgiveness
A person forgets all that he has memorised due to his sins and for that reason he should increase in istighfaar (seeking forgiveness). Ibn Mas’ood (radhiallaahu `anhu) said, ‘I reckon a man forgets knowledge that he has learnt due to a sin that he has earned.’ And if a mas’ala (matter) became ambiguous for Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullaah), he would say to his
companions, ‘This is not except due to a sin I have commited’ and he would seek forgiveness and perhaps even pray, then the mas’ala would become clear to him.
◊ 5 - Cleansing of the soul from bad akhlaaq
Learning the Qur’aan is worship of the heart, prayer in secret and drawing closer to Allaah `azza wa jall, and just like the fact that the prayer is not valid except with outward tahaarah (purity) of the body, clothes and place of prayer… the inner acts of worship - of the heart - are not valid except with the purification of the heart from hypocrisy, deception, filth, malice
and envy, enmity and hatred - and those are the impurities of the heart, soul and inner being.
The Noble Qur’aan is like a crop/plantation, it does not grow except in good, fertile soil. As for land that is salty or deprived, then no produce will come forth and if some things do come out, then they will not grow and if they do grow, they will not produce fruit and even if they do produce fruit, it will not be of good quality. So the Qur’aan will not grow or produce fruit except in a good, pure and righteous heart. Due to this, it is incumbant upon the student of Qur’aan that he should be clean and pure from these bad characteristics and adorn himself with good, honourable and generous characteristics like truthfulness, honesty, sincerity, and in a nutshell, all that faith requires.
◊ 6 - That he intends to adorn his heart and clean his soul by his learning
It is incumbent upon the student of Qur’aan that he intends by his learning to adorn his heart, clean his soul, purify his inner being and that he intends to draw closer to Allaah, ascend to be with the Noble Angels and join the rows of the Angels, as Umm al-Mu’mineen, ‘Aisha (radhiallaahu `anhaa) informed us of that when she said, “The Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.” And we all know that the Angels descended to listen to Usaid ibn Hudhayr (Samat Talib Halaqat al-Qur’an by Ramadhan Muhammad Hasan al-Samdisi (pg. 23-25))
◊ 7 - Dedicating a specific time for Hifdh
From the things that will aid you in the memorisation of Qur’aan is that you dedicate a specific time towards hifdh and you inform your brothers/sisters that you will be busy during this time so that no-one can preoccupy you from your hifdh.
◊ 8 – Have a companion to assist you in continuing the hifdh
It is upon you to choose a righteous companion to help you in memorising the Qur’aan and create an honourable competition in hifdh between you and him until your goals reach a high rank and you start to feel that there is someone competing and preceding you in this good act.
◊ 9 – Do not become over preoccupied with memorisation that it leads you away from recitation. Be weary that memorisation does not keep you busy from actually reciting from the mushaf (Qur’an) because recitation is the fuel for hifdh. Looking into the mushaf confirms the correctness of your hifdh for you and allows you to read the Qur’an with contemplation and
thought until your heart and limbs live with every verse.
◊ 10 – Salah al-Haajah
I advice you to pray 2 units of ‘Salah al-Haajah’ (prayer of need) wherein you ask Allah for aid, precision and sincerity. Oh and how delightful it would be were you to also pray Salah al-Tawbah (prayer of Repentance) so that your sins do not come in between you and memorising the Book of Allah.
◊ 11 – Reading the Tafseer (explanation) of the verses you wish to memorise
From the things which assist you in hifdh is that you read the tafseer (exegesis) of the verses that you want to memorise because understanding its meaning will give concrete to it in the mind.
◊ 12 – Gradual progression in hifdh
You must have gradual progression in hifdh al-Qur’aan, and not to hasten in memorisation until you are able to do so – so do not burden your soul with more than it can take. Rather you must choose a portion which you are able to memorise every day and do not go over that limit.
Extracted from "Al-Asbaab-Al-Mueena Alal Hifdh" by Sheikh Mahmood Al-Misri (Abu 'Ammar).
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