understand and remember, but is there any that
will remember?” [al-Qamar: 17]
◊ 13 – Adhere to a proficient Shaykh with whom you memorise
This is an extremely important matter, so that you can memorise Qur’aan without mistakes. Were you to memorise the Qur’an on your own then perhaps you might err in the recitation of some verses and were you to memorise it like that (with those mistakes), then it’s difficult to correct them.
◊ 14 – Adhering to one mushaf (copy of the Qur’aan)
From the things that will aid you in hifdh is sticking to one specific copy of the Qur’an that you read and memorise from until you remember the position of the verses and chapters.
◊ 15 – Persisting in the Adhkar (supplications)
Also from the aiding causes in hifdh is that you persist in the morning and evening adhkar and that you read the supplications that Allah has made a cause to protect you from the plots of the shaytan (devil) for example: when the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) would
enter the mosque, he’s say, ‘I seek refuge in Allah the Most Great in His Noble Face and lasting authority from the wretched shaytan.’ And he said, ‘If he says that, then he’ll be protected for the rest of the day.’ (Reported by Abu Dawud from Ibn ‘Amr – Sahih al-Jami’ (4715)) i.e. whoever says that, Allah will protect him from the shaytan for the entire day.
◊ 16 – Pray with what you have memorised
It is upon you to strive with your utmost to pray the sunan and nawafil (superogatory) prayers with what you’ve memorised on that day and what a delight it would be were you to also pray the mandatory prayers with it, so that you can give ground to your hifdh.
◊ 17 – Qiyam al-Lail (the Night Prayer)
The night prayer, particularly in the last third of the night, is at a blessed time wherein Allah `azza wa jall, descends to the lower heaven in a manner befitting His Majesty and He calls to His slaves – as is reported in the Sahihayn – ‘Who will call upon Me so I can answer him? Who will ask Me so I can give him? Who will seek My forgiveness so I can forgive him?’
So ask your Lord, `azza wa jall, to forgive your sins and to honour you with memorisation of His Book.
◊ 18 – Do not prioritise anything over the Qur’an
If you embark on seeking knowledge, start first of all by reviewing the portion of Qur’an which you’ve memorised, then after that, busy yourself with the rest of the sciences so that you do not prioritise the sciences of the Deen (Islam) over the most noble of sciences which is the sciences of the Qur’an.
◊ 19 – Penalise yourself for shortcomings
If you fall short from your memorisation or daily recitation of Qur’an, then penalise yourself with something from the mubahaat (permissible) for example by fasting, night prayer and charity.
◊ 20 – Do not start memorisation except after learning the rules of recitation
Never embark on memorisation of the Qur’an until you have proficiency in recitation and perfection in the rules of tajweed (art of recitation) so that when you do memorise, your memorisation will be free from mistakes.
◊ 21 – Know that hifdh al-Qur’an is the first step to seeking knowledge
A Muslim can never attain knowledge of any science from the sciences of the Shari’ah without Qur’an, for the Qur’an opens up for you the doors to knowledge – indeed it opens up for you the doors to all goodness in this world and the Next.
◊ 22 – Beware of arrogance and deception
Arrogance and deception will at times come upon the heart of the slave when he memorises the Qur’an, and this is the beginning of failure so beware dear brothers and sisters from
arrogance and delusion, and strive to attain the blessing of humbleness for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) has informed us that ‘Whoever humbles themselves to Allah, then Allah will raise him.’ (Reported by Abu Nu’aym in al-Hilyah – Sahih al-Jami’ (6162))
‘Allamah al-Manawi said, ‘Truly, knowledge is not attained except through humbleness and through listening. Humbleness of a student to his teacher is an honour, humility to him is a mark of respect and lowering of a student to his teacher brings pride and glory.’ And al-Habr – i.e. the Imam – ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radhiallahu `anhuma) with his honourable link to the
Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) took hold of Zaid ibn Thabit’s riding animal and said, ‘Thus we were commanded to treat our scholars.’ So Zaid kissed the hand of Ibn ‘Abbas and said, ‘Thus we were commanded to treat the household of our Prophet.’ Al-Sulaymi said, ‘No-one used to approach Ibn Musayyib to ask him a question until they
sought his permission just as they’d seek the ruler’s permission.
Al-Shafi’i said, ‘I used to turn the pages gently in front of Imam Malik so that he wouldn’t hear it shuffling.’ And Rabee’ (student of Imam al-Shafi’i) said, ‘By Allah, I never attempted to drink water whilst al-Shafi’i was looking.’ (Faydh al-Qadeer by al-Manawi (3/253))
◊ 23 – Preserving wudhu (ablution) with Ihsan
What is meant that Ihsan here is following the guidance of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) in wudhu.
It is narrated from a companion of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) lead the morning prayer and read in it Soorah al-Roum but he hesitated. So when finished, he said ‘The Qur’an becomes obscure to
us because a people from amongst you pray with us but they have not perfected ablution. So whoever attempts to pray with us, let him perfect his ablution.’ (Reported by Ahmad and al-Nasa’i with a good chain of narration – as clarified by al-Arna’out)
Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) said after mentioning this at the end of tafseer Soorah al-Roum: ‘This has a good chain (of narration) and a good matn (text), and it contains an amazing secret and remarkable news – that is, the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) felt the lack of proper wudhu of whoever prayed behind him, and this indicates that there is a link between the prayer of the Imam and the prayer of the ma’moom (congregation).’
◊ 24 – Strive to attain a good end
Indeed, whoever dies upon something is only raised upon it, and this should make strive hard to live with the verses of the Qur’an with your heart, tongue and limbs so that you may die upon that and be raised with the people of the Qur’an who are the people of Allah and His Specialties.
◊ 25 – Envision the delights of Paradise and the Punishment of the Hellfire
If you knew that the Qur’an is a cause for your salvation from the punishment of the grave and a cause for your salvation from the punishment of the Hellfire… rather if you knew that on the Day of Judgment you will rise and ascend through the ranks of Paradise with the
Qur’an, then this should urge you to memorise the Qur’an from start to finish so that you may reach the highest levels of Paradise. May Allah make us and you from the people of Qur’an.
Extracted from "Al-Asbaab-Al-Mueena Alal Hifdh" by Sheikh Mahmood Al-Misri (Abu 'Ammar).
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