SURPRISING HEALTH BENEFITS OF MEMORIZING THE QURAN

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Memorizing the Quran

We already know that there are many spiritual benefits and rewards that Allah SWT has promised those who memorize the Quran. These rewards have been related in numerous hadiths, such as:

Narrated Aisha: The Prophet (saw) said, “Such a person as recites the Quran and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” ~ Sahih al-Bukhari

In addition to spiritual benefits and rewards, memorizing the Quran can also bring many other health benefits from mental health to physical health. Here’s a list of five health benefits you can experience, Insha’Allah, on your Quran memorization journey.

#1: Memorizing can help increase your memory space

Memorizing is like mental gymnastics. The more you repeat the thing you want to learn, the stronger the connection between neurons and the brain become. In turn, your brain increases its memory capacity, taking it beyond its previous capacity and duration to remember. Think of it like upgrading your memory chip from 16GB to 128GB just by memorizing the Quran.
So as you memorize the Quran, you’re actually increasing your brain’s capacity to memorize even more!. Regular memorization will also strengthens your memory muscle in general, so maybe next time you won’t forget where you left your keys

#2: Memorizing can make you smarter

A lot of people mistakenly think that memorizing is not ‘real learning’ as they believe learning should encompass more than just what you can remember and regurgitate. While it is true that learning should also include understanding and context, it does not mean that memorizing doesn’t have a place in the learning process.
Neurobiologists believe remembering facts or texts can make your brain more quick and agile. This helps us to build the foundations of higher thought because we more quickly able to recall facts required for complex thought or problem solving.

#3: Building a working memory helps us learn new things and stimulates creativity

Memorizing builds a ‘working memory’ that helps us hold enough information in our mind to make sense of new information coming in. A research by Weber State University found that students with underdeveloped short-term memory struggled to master concepts in math and reading.
A working memory is important for creativity. Dutch researchers found people with a higher working memory capacity could perform more creatively. However, under cognitive load that decreases working memory, they performed worse on a creative insight task.

#4: Memory training can help slow down mental deterioration

Progressive mental deterioration such as Alzheimer’s or disorders of mental processes such as dementia can occur in middle or old. In early stages, memory loss is mild. As memory declines further, it can impact thinking skills with the effects ranging from losing the ability to hold a conversation or respond to the environment.
Memorizing the Quran and regularly revising it can be a form of memory training as a healthy lifelong habit. Researchers from the National Institute on Health and Aging have found that practicing memorization allows the elderly adults to delay typical cognitive decline by seven to 14 years and potentially prevent cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Youths who start practicing memory training now can stay sharp in years to come.

#5: Memorizing can reduce stress and improve health

A lack of memory and organization can create a hectic life, whether in your studies, at work or at home. Since memorizing trains your brain to increase your memory capacity, this can help you become better organized in your life and lower stress levels.
As we know, stress is related to many health afflictions such as heart disease, obesity, anxiety and depression. Lowering our stress can thus lead to improving our health. Concurrently, simply lowering your stress levels actually improves your memory further and accelerates the positive benefits with a cascading effect.
Masha’Allah, these are some of the additional benefits that memorizing the Quran can bring. Of course, the ultimate benefit is the reward from Allah SWT in the hereafter.

By Quran Academy

HOW SHIRK (POLYTHEISM) FOUND ITS WAY INTO THE LIFE OF MANKIND

The Beginning of Shirk (Polytheism)

Ibn Masood asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): "What is the greatest sin?", he replied "To take along side Allah a partner (nidd) even though it was He (Allah) that created you" (Bukhari and Muslim).

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described in vivid detail exactly how polytheism first found its way among mankind after eons of monotheism, which began with the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). The Prophet’s Companions related the picture to us in their explanation (tafsir) of verse 23 of Surah Nooh, where Allah described the reaction of Prophet Nooh’s (Noah) people when he invited them to the worship of only one God: 

“They said to each other: ‘Do not leave your gods! Do not give up Wadd and Suwa, nor Yaghooth, Ya’ooq and Nasr!” Q71:23

Ibn Abbas said the following in his commentary on this Quranic verse:

“These were idols of Prophet Noah’s nation which in time ended up among the Arabs. Wadd became the tribal god of the Kalb tribe in the region of Dawmatul-Jandal, Suwa was adopted by the Hudhayl tribe, Yaghooth bythe tribe of Ghutayf at Jurf near Saba, Ya’ooq by the Hamdan tribe and Nasr became the god of Dhul-Kala clan of the Himyar tribe. These idols were named after some righteous men among Noah’s people. When these righteous men died, Satan inspired the people to make statues of them bearing their names. These statues were placed in their favorite meeting places as reminder of righteousness and no on one of that generation worshiped them. However, when the generation died off, and the purpose of the statues were forgotten, Satan came to their descendants and told them that their predecessors used to worship the statues, because it was due to them that it rained.  The descendants were fooled and began to worship them as idols. The following generations continued to worship them.

The tafsir of the verse given by the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), paints clear picture of the process by which idolatry and polytheism found its way into the pure monotheism system of beliefs held by our ancestors . It confirms the degeneration model, identifies the historical origin of ancestor worship, and explains why Islam is so firmly opposed to the depiction of human and animal forms of statues or painting.

References

The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism). page 206.  Dr . Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips.                                                                         

Saheeh Bukhari, volume 6, Hadith 442.

TIPS FOR MAKING A POWERFUL DUA (SUPPLICATION)

Virtues of Dua

Dua (supplication) is the very essence of worship, as indicated in the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (Musnad Ahmed & Tirmidhi). It is a way by which a servant connects to his Lord in humility, trust and full hope of acceptance in times of pleasure and distress. Allah has commanded His servants to call upon Him and assured them of His acceptance.

            “And your Lord said: Invoke Me, (i.e. believe in My Oneness and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your invocation. Verily! Those who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me and do not believe in My Oneness), they will surely enter Hell in humiliation. Q40: 60

And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them by My knowledge) : I respond to the invocations of the suppliant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercession). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that may be led aright. Q2: 186

The above Quranic injunctions show how Allah loves the one who call upon Him and how ready He is to respond. Dua is very important in the life of believer, it is a great weapon. A believer turns to Allah in dua in times of difficulty and ease – he does not make dua only in difficulty times and forgets Allah when things are good for him.

The prophet said: “Remember Allah during times of ease and He will remember you during times of difficulty” (Tirmidhi)

Some guides in making a powerful dua

1.    BELIEVE AND CONVICTION: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “You should ask Allah for all of your needs, even if the strap of your sandal breaks” (Tirmidhi).

 “And your Lord says ‘call upon me (ask me)’ I will respond to you” (Ghafir: 60).

When we are making Dua, we should not limit our dua, we should acknowledge the fact that we are talking to The One who created the seven heavens and the earths, He is capable of doing everything and anything we request as long what we are requesting for is Halal. When we raise our hands to Allah, let’s have the certainty that He will respond. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Verily Allah is Al-Hayee (The Shy). He is shy to let His slave return empty- handed if he outstretches his hands to Him.

2.    MAKE YOUR DUA  LIST ACCORDING TO PREFRENCE, AND MEMORISE IT

3.    STATE OF PURITY: Islam is a religion of purity and Allah loves purification.

“…………Verily! Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and those who purify themselves”. Q2:222

4.    START YOUR DUA BY PRAISING ALLAH, THANKING HIM, AND SENDING SALUTAIONS UPON THE PROPHET: “Fudalah ibn Ubaid reported that the prophet heard a man supplicating during prayer. He did not glorify Allah, nor invoke blessing on the prophet. The prophet said; He has been hasty, then called the man and said either to him or to someone else “When anyone of you prays, he should begin by glorifying and praising his Lord and then he should invoke blessings on the prophet, after he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes”. ( Figh-us-Sunnah, vol 4: 111c)

5.    SEEK ALLAH’S FORGIVENESS: Don’t let your sins prevent you from making dua, for this is plan of Shaytan. Turn in sincere repentance to Allah for He is The Most Merciful and All Forgiving.

6.    ASK ALLAH BY HIS BEATIFUL NAMES: “The most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call Him by them” Q7: 180

7.    MAKE DUA WHILE ON SAJDA (POSTRATION): “Abu Hurayrah reported, the prophet said, “The servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating to Him, so make supplication in this state” (Muslim)

8.    BE PATIENT: Allah says; “O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-salat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient)” Q2: 153

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah that the prophet said: “The servant’s dua will be answered provided he does not ask for what is sinful or breaking off relations, and also he does not show impatience”. He was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah’ what is impatience? And he replied, “That the servant says: I invoked, but I do not think it was answered, and he becomes disappointed and abandon dua.” (Muslim)

9.    ALLAH RESPONDS TO DUA IN ONE OF THREE WAYS: 1. Allah might grant one’s desires immediately 2. He might delay the acceptance 3. And He might exchange one’s desire with something better in this dunya or hereafter.

10. FOLLOW YOUR DUA WITH GOOD DEEDS

11. MAKE DUA FOR OTHERS: This is very beneficial. The prophet said “The supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: ‘Ameen! May it be for you too’”. (Muslim)

References

Fiqh-us-Sunnah

Sahih Bukhari and Muslim

Visionaire: Sandal Strap to Jannah. Six step guide to making powerful dua.

THE BEAUTIFUL HADITH OF THE THREE MEN

Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu) narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) saying:

"Allah willed to test three Israelis who were a leper, a blind man and a bald headed man. So, He sent them an angel who came to the leper and said, 'What thing do you like most? He replied, 'Good color and good skin, for the people have a strong aversion to me.' The angel touched him, and his illness was cured, and he was given a good color and beautiful skin. The angel asked him, 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Camels'. So he (i.e. the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said, 'May Allah bless you in it.'
The angel then went to the bald headed man and said, 'What thing do you like most?' He said, 'I like good hair and wish to be cured of this disease, for the people feel repulsion for me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given good hair. The angel asked (him), 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Cows.' The angel gave him a pregnant cow and said, 'May Allah bless you in it.'
The angel went to the blind man and asked, 'What thing do you like best?' He said, '(I like) that Allah may restore my eyesight so that I may see the people.' The angel touched his eyes and Allah gave him back his eyesight. The angel asked him, 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Sheep.' The angel gave him a pregnant sheep. Afterwards, all the three pregnant animals gave birth to young ones, and multiplied and brought forth so much that one of the (three) men had a herd of camels filling a valley, and one had a herd of cows filling a valley, and one had a flock of sheep filling a valley.
Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a leper, went to the leper and said, 'I am a poor man who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the name of Him who has given you such nice color and beautiful skin and so much property, I ask you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination'. The man replied, 'I have many obligations (so I cannot give you).' The angel said, 'I think I know you. Were you not a leper to whom the people had a strong aversion? Weren't you a poor man, and then Allah gave you (all this property).' He replied, '(This is all wrong), I got this property through inheritance from my forefathers.' The angel said, 'If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.'
Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a bald man, went to the bald man and said to him the same as he told the first one, and he too answered the same as the first one did. The angel said, 'If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.' The angel, disguised in the shape of a blind man, went to the blind man and said, 'I am a poor man and a traveler, whose means of livelihood have been exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and after Him, you, yourself. I ask you in the name of Him who has given you back your eyesight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may complete my journey'. The man said, 'No doubt, I was blind and Allah gave me back my eyesight; I was poor and Allah made me rich; so take anything you wish from my property. By Allah, I will not stop you for taking anything (you need) of my property which you may take for Allah's sake.' The angel replied, 'Keep your property with you. You (i.e. three men) have been tested and Allah is pleased with you and is angry with your two companions.'

[Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 56 Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) and his Companions, Number 670]

Lesson:
1. Allah is pleased with the blind man because he is appreciative, charitable, honest, and God fearing.
2. The leper and bald headed man earned Allah's anger because they forgot Allah's favor upon them, they were arrogant, and selfish.