Quran Memorization is one of the most honourable activities. When we hear or read about the achievements of people memorizing the Quran at all ages, we are encouraged and the task appears doable. Though the story becomes different when we actually think about it by looking at all 114 surahs and more than 6000 verses, the task appears as daunting as climbing Mount Everest.
There was the journey of a brother who memorized the Quran in nearly 7 months. It all happened one day when he was sitting in the masjid after salah where he saw a group of men getting together with the Sheikh to begin their memorization. He was so mesmerized by the sight that he asked them to include him in their group. From then on, he never looked back. It took him 7 months to memorize the Quran, subhanAllah!
Is Quran memorization difficult or easy? The truth is, that neither is it difficult nor is it easy. It is simply a task. To succeed at a task on hand, what we desperately need is the help of Allah (SWT), for without His help, indeed nothing is possible. As Allah (SWT) says, “ …Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves…” [ Surah Ra’d : 11]
So let’s look at some tips to get Allah (SWT)’s help in Quran Memorization:
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Intentions — Set them and Set them Right:
According to productivity gurus, one of the key ways to achieve your goals is to set your intentions before you begin a task. Pen down your intentions, and keep visiting them before you begin, or when you feel demotivated. This would be really helpful to ask yourself why you want to memorize Quran. You can glue it to your mushaf that you are memorizing from, or make it a bookmark.
In addition to helping you to be more productive, it will also help you to attain reward for your good intentions.
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Cleanse Your Lifestyle:
We all have habits and people who clog our lives, steal our time and leave us feeling stressful. Quran Memorization is the right time to cleanse your lifestyle of such habits. If you are serious about Quran Memorization, take a closer look at your daily habits and get rid of the ones that are wasteful and not adding any value in your life such as: aimless internet surfing, or spending too much time on Facebook or Twitter. Similarly, distance yourself from friends and people in general who pull you towards activities which are a waste of time like watching Netflix, strolling in the malls, or talking for hours on the phone.
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Break into Small Goals:
Set a date by which you want to complete your memorization. Break it down into yearly, monthly, weekly and daily memorization goals. If you take longer than you planned for to memorize a certain portion, don’t fret. You will find that you will be able to make it up in other parts where you will memorize in lesser time.
Side note: it’s good to have only one copy of the mushaf and one reciter to memorize from.
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Reward Yourself:
When you achieve your goals, reward yourself. Have your favourite drink or food, relax, visit the library or go and shoot some basketball hoops.
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Stay Healthy:
It’s very essential that you eat, sleep and exercise well during this time. A healthy mind and body will be more open to the rigorous routine of Quran Memorization.
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Find a Quran Buddy:
It is highly recommended to have a Quran buddy who is on the same journey of memorizing the Quran. You can listen to each other’s recitation, and be a motivation for one another.
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Start from the Shorter Surahs:
To keep yourself motivated, it’s important to begin small and go big. As you finish memorizing the shorter surahs, your sense of achievement will increase and you will feel more motivated.
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Read the Quran Tafsir:
Another practice that we highly recommended is to read the tafsir or at least the translation of the portion that you are memorizing. This helps in building a deeper relationship with the Quran.
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Revise Your Quran in Fajr
Recitation of the Quran in Fajr is witnessed by the angels. This is the best time to revise what you have memorized. Recite purely for the pleasure of recitation of the beautiful words of Allah (SWT).
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Surround Yourself with Quran:
When you set your eyes on an object, have you noticed that after some time, all you can see is that object only? This is the strategy that you need to adopt for Quran memorization. Make Quran the focus of your life. Surround yourself with it. Listen to it while you are driving or commuting on buses or trains. Discuss its tafsir with your friends. Make it your companion.
And when you feel that it’s getting tough, just close your eyes. Take a deep breath: breathe in, breathe out; and remind yourself of the immense reward that you have set out to achieve.
The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said, “It will be said to the companion of the Quran: Recite and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last verse that you recite.” [Al Albaani]
Do you have any other tips that you would like to share on Quran Memorization? Let us know in the comments below!
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