Can I Memorize a Sura by Doing It Verse by Verse?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

If I want to learn the Quran verse by verse, can I then stop at signs like the Lam-Alif? For example, I want to learn Sura ‘Adiyat. But at the end of each of the first five verses, there is a Lam-Alif. Can I stop after each aya, memorize it, and then continue to the second aya and so on?

Answer

Thank you for your question. Yes, you may memorize the surahs verse by verse. This is traditionally how it is done, despite the Lam-Alif that you might see at the end of a verse. May Allah help you memorize the Quran, apply the meanings, and embody it in your character.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Whoever recites the Quran and memorizes it, making lawful what it makes lawful, and unlawful what it makes unlawful, Allah will admit him to Paradise due to it, and grant him intercession for ten of his family members who were to be consigned to the Fire.” [Tirmidhi]

Please see these links as well:

• The Secret to Memorising the Qur’an
• Day 25: Learn a Short Surah–30 Deeds 30 Days
• Motivation to Memorize Qur’an

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.