Simple Way To Memorize The Qur'aan

[Shehzad Sattar]

SIMPLE WAY TO MEMORIZE THE QUR’AN, which originally written by Sheikh Abdul Muhsin al-Qasim, Imam and Khateeb of Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, Saudi Arabia. We hope that this article will be useful for all muslim, and boost their spirit and enthusiasm to complete their memorization of The Noble Qur’an. Have a nice try!

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على نبينا محمد ، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

The following is one method to memorize The Qur’an, which particularly differ than the other methods, in term of the strength of memory, and the short time to memorize. We will explain this method by taking an example from a page of soorah Al Jumu’ah (The Congregation, Friday).

1. Read the first ayah for 20 times.

يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ

2. Read the second ayah for 20 times.

هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آَيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ

3. Read the third ayah for 20 times.

وَآَخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

4. Read the fourth ayah for 20 times.

ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

5. Read all of the four ayaat from the beginning until the end for 20 times, in order to strengthen the correlation between those ayaat.

6. Read the fifth ayah for 20 times.

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآَيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

7. Read the sixth times for 20 times.

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ هَادُوا إِنْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ لِلَّهِ مِنْ دُونِ النَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

8. Read the seventh ayah for 20 times.

وَلَا يَتَمَنَّوْنَهُ أَبَدًا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ

9. Read the eighth ayah for 20 times.

قُلْ إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ الَّذِي تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مُلَاقِيكُمْ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَى عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

10. Read the fifth until the eighth ayah for 20 times to strengthen the correlation between the ayaat.

11. Read the first ayah until the eighth for 20 times to strengthen the memorization of this page.

Use this method in memorizing every page of The Qur’an. Do not try to memorize more then one-eighth length of juz (parts) each day, to make it easier to keep the memory.


How to combine between the addition of memorization and repetition of the previous memory?

Do not try to memorize The Qur’an without the process of repeating the memorized ayaat, because if you keep adding your memorization pages after pages until you've completed them all, then you expect to recall the memories from the beginning, you’ll find it hard and you’ll find yourself forgetting the previous memories. Hence, the best way to add the memorization is by combining the addition and recalling process.

Divide The Qur’an into 3 parts, each consists of 10 juz. If you memorize 1 page every day, recall the previous 4 pages (every single day either), until you've completed memorizing 10 juz. If so, stop memorizing for a month to recall the memorizations by repeating 8 pages every day.

After a month of recalling, start to add your memorization, one or two pages every day, depends on your ability to memorize, together with recalling 8 pages a day, every day, until you’ve completed 20 juz. After that, stop adding the memory for 2 months, to recall the 20 juz you’ve memorized. It is supposed to be done by repeating 8 pages every day.

After 2 months, start to memorize one or two more pages, together with repetition of 8 pages every day until you’ve finished the whole Qur’an.

If you’ve completed memorizing the whole Qur’an, repeat the first 10 juz for a month, by repeating half of the juz every day. Then repeat the second 10 juz with the similar method as the first ten, together with repetition of 8 pages from the first 10 juz every single day. After that, repeat the last 10 juz for a month, with the similar method as previous juz, together with repetition of 8 pages from the first 10 juz and 8 pages from the second 10 juz every day


How to recall/repeat the Whole Qur’an if I have completed the recalling system as mentioned above?

Start with recalling The Qur’an every day by reciting 2 juz every day. Repeat it for 3 times every day, thus you will be able to finish the whole Qur’an every 2 weeks. By practicing the method for a year-full, inshaa’ Allah, you will have a strong and perfect memorization.


What should we do after completing the memorization of The Qur’an in a year?

After a year-full strengthening the memorization of Qur’an and repeating it, use the Qur’an as your daily remembrance until the end of your life, just as The Messenger of Allah -Shallallaahu’alayh wa Sallam (blessing and peace be upon him) used to use it as his daily remembrance. He used to divided the Qur’an into 7 parts, thus he could complete his recitation every 7 days. Aus Ibn Hudaifa -may Allah have mercy on him- said: I asked the Companions of Allah’s Messenger -Shallallaahu’alayh wa Sallam about how do they divide the Qur’an (for daily remembrance). They said: 3 soorah, 5 soorah, 7 soorah, 9 soorah, 11 soorah, and from the soorah Qaf until the end. (Narrated by Ahmad). Which means that they divided the recitation of The Qur’an as follow:

– The first day: Reciting soorah ‘Al Fatihah’ until the end of soorah ‘An Nisaa'”
– The second day: Reciting soorah “Al Maida” until the end of soorah “At Tawba”
– Third day: Reciting soorah ‘Yunus’ until the end of soorah “An Nahl”
– The fourth day: Reciting soorah “Al Isra’ until the end of soorah “Al Furqan”
– The fifth day: Reciting soorah “Ash Shuara” until the end of soorah “Yaasin”
– The sixth day: Reciting soorah “Ash Shaffat” until the end of soorah “Al Hujurat”
– The seventh day: Reciting soorah “Qaf” until the end of soorah “An Naas”

This remembrance of Allah’s Messenger Shallallaahu’alayh wa Sallam was abbreviated by the scholars with the saying: فمي بشوق (famii bisyauqi). Where each alphabet of these words represents the initial soorah from the several soorah to be read each day.


How to differentiate between the ayaat that resembles one another in the Qur’an?

The best way to differentiate 2 ayaat that look alike, is by referring to the mushaf of Qur’an at the time you find it, to pay attention upon the difference between them, and to mark that difference so that you could remind it, Then, when you recall the recitation, pay attention to the difference you’ve marked before for several times, until you can steadily memorize the resemblance and the difference between those ayaat.


Principles and Confinements In Memorizing The Qur’an

o It is a must for you to memorize the Qur’an with the help from an ustadz (religious teacher) or a sheikh, to correct your recitation.

o Try to Memorize 2 pages every day, 1 page memorized after the Fajr prayer, and the other page after the Ashr or Maghrib prayer. By this method, you’ll be able to memorize the whole Qur’an firmly within a year. If you try to add more than that, you’ll memory will be weak due to the numerous ayaat to recall.

o Try to memorize from soorah An Naas until soorah Al Baqara, since it will be easier that way. But after you’ve finished memorizing the whole Qur’an, start the repetition from soorah Al Baqara until soorah An Naas.

o Memorize the whole Qur’an by using one version of mushaf at a time, to help you in strengthening your memory and increasing your speed in remembering the postion of the ayaat, and the initial and the last part of every page of The Qur’an.

o Every one who memorize the Qur’an at his or her first 2 years usually easily loose their memory. This phase is termed the collecting phase (Marhalah Tajmi’). Do not be sad for the loss of memory or the mistakes you made, since it is a difficult and full of test- phase. And beware of Satan, since he will use the chance to tempt you to stop memorizing the Qur’an. Neglect that worry and temptation, and keep memorizing the Qur’an, since it is a worthy treasure not all people could have.

Source: http://www.sahab.net/forums/