What Methods Do Scholars Recommend for Memorizing the Quran?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What methods do scholars recommend for memorizing the Quran?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
There is no doubt that memorizing the Quran is a virtuous and blessed deed. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The one who does not have anything of the Quran in his heart is like a ruined house.” [Ahmad]
The Quran is the word of Allah (Most High), and by His grace and mercy, He has made it easy for remembrance and memorization, as He says:
“And We have certainly made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will be mindful?” [Quran, 54:17]
It is also evident that people vary in their ability to comprehend and memorize, each according to their capacity, circumstances, and life commitments. However, for those who wish to memorize the Quran, it is important not to succumb to procrastination. Life passes quickly, and death can come unexpectedly, causing regret for missed opportunities to gain goodness.
Regarding the most suitable method for memorizing the Book of Allah, there are many techniques. Every person who has memorized the Quran has used a method that might not exactly fit another person’s situation. Nonetheless, there are common points among all who have memorized the Quran. Here are some of them, which may assist you in your memorization, by Allah’s will:
1. Start with Sincere Intention and Determination
Do not hesitate or interrupt your efforts. Be patient, consistent, and persistent, even if it is little by little. With Allah’s will, you will achieve your goal, for a little that is continuous is better than much that is interrupted. As it is wisely said:
“If the paths are closed, patience opens every blocked way. Do not despair if your demands are prolonged; with patience, you will see relief. The one who persists in knocking at the door will achieve his need.”
2. Daily Recitation and Memorization
The more you keep up with memorization, the easier it becomes for you.
3. Accompany a Skilled Shaykh in the Quran
Read to him what you memorize regularly throughout the week.
4. Memorize with a Brother or Group of Brothers
This helps to strengthen each other’s resolve and creates a sense of competition among you. If this is not the arena for the competition that pleases Allah, then what is?
5. Regularly Review What You Have Memorized Every Day
As long as your memorized portions are few, review them daily. Once they increase, allocate specific portions to read each day. It is preferable to review during the night prayer; review what you memorized during the day in your night prayer, as this time has its own special significance. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Maintain your relationship with this Quran, for by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, it is more intense in escaping than a camel in its reins.” [Muslim]
6. Read Hadiths on the Virtues of Quran Bearers
This motivates perseverance and dedication. For example, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The noblest of my nation are the bearers of the Quran.” [Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir]
He also said:
“Allah has His own people among mankind.” They asked: “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “The people of the Quran, they are the people of Allah and His chosen ones.” [Ahmad]
7. Sincerity to Allah (Most High)
Ensure that your intention and goal in memorizing are to draw closer to Him.
8. Fear of Allah (Most High)
Avoid sins and transgressions, as they affect the heart where the Quran is preserved. It is attributed to Imam Shafi‘i (Allah have mercy on him) that he said:
“I complained to Waki‘ about my poor memory, so he advised me to abandon sins. And he said, ‘Know that knowledge is light, and the light of Allah is not given to a sinner.’”
Tips
There are some helpful tips for focusing and reinforcing memorization:
- Choose a suitable place for memorization: It is preferable to use the same place each time and, if possible, at the same time. This helps to prepare your mind for memorization as soon as you enter that place and time.
- Use a dedicated edition of the Mushaf: Do not memorize from different copies. It is preferable to use one that starts and ends each page with a complete verse.
- Link the memorized parts together: Whether between verses or between suras, ensure that your memorization is connected. When you memorize a verse, link it with the previous one, and continue this way until you finish a page. Afterward, connect all the verses before moving to the next page. Similarly, do not start a new sura until you have repeatedly revised and confirmed the previous one.
- Connect similar verses in different suras: It is helpful to use books that highlight these similarities to recall them during review. An example is the book “Mawsu‘at al-Mutashabihat” by Dr. Yasir Mohammed Morsi Bayoumi.
- Use a divided Mushaf: This keeps your motivation high by giving a sense of accomplishment as you finish each part and start a new one, making you feel that you are making progress.
- Refer to concise tafsir books before memorizing: Understanding what you intend to memorize has a significant impact on retention.
- Nothing reinforces memorization like repetition: Keep repeating, then repeating, then repeating.
Advice
I remind you that the Quran is precious and honorable, as Allah (Most High) says:
“It is truly a mighty Book.” [Quran, 41:41]
The Quran will leave the heart of one who neglects it; it does not remain in the heart of someone who ignores it. It is like an honored guest—if you neglect it, it will leave. If you return to it, it will return to you, but remember that returning is not easy. May Allah make us and you among the people of the Quran and its keepers. Indeed, He is the Guardian and Capable of that. Amin.
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
