My husband emailed me this wonderful story about a man memorizing the Quran in less than two months. Yes, you read that correctly, less than two months! It is truly an encouraging and inspiring story for those of us who long to memorize the Book of Allah. This story was so good it was worth sharing…Enjoy.
When will I see you as a Haafidh?
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Shaykh Yasir Salamah
I recently heard an incredibly amazing account told by Shaykh Yasir Salamah, one of the leading Imams and recitors of Egypt. In his audio tape ‘When will I see you as a Haafidh?’ he speaks of the true account of Muhammad, a brother who after attending a workshop on memorising Qur’aan and utilising all the available mediums, went on to memorise the entire Qur’aan within just 50 days (i.e 2 months)
Within 2 months?!
Yes. Within 2 months. This is his account and he says:
“I declared a state of Jihad upon my soul and put death before my eyes. I made an intention to memorise the Noble Qur’aan. So I abandoned telephone calls and unnecessary visits, and I changed all the negative thoughts associated with hifdh (memorisation) to positive and practical ones e.g. When a thought came to me saying ‘I can’t do it!’ I’d say, ‘I can do it.’ If it said, ‘My memory is weak!’ I’d say ‘I take pleasure in having a great memory.’
I chose the masjid as the place of my hifdh as it preserves three:
1. The eyes
2. The ears
3. The tongue
I followed a specific dietary program consisting of eating dates, fruits and honey - and fasting helped me a great deal in that. I used to wake up before salaat al-Fajr by 2 and a half hours and I slept 2 hours after ‘Isha. I used to wake up for Tahajjud (the night prayer), prolonging my sujood wherein I would call upon Allaah ta’alaa to ease for me my affair. I would also seek forgiveness 100 times.
I began to memorise 5 pages and would recite them in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr. After salaat al-Fajr, I would begin the memorisation of 5 new pages and at the end, I would recite them in the 2 raka’ahs of salaat al-Duhaa, all the time thanking Allaah for easing the memorisation.
I would perfect the recitation of what I had memorised by listening to tapes of one of the recitors. I would read about the qiraa’ah in books or via the Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah (poem on the ahkam of tajweed).
After salaat al-Dhuhr, I would repeat everything that I had memorised previously beginning from the 1st Juz, until salaat al-’Asr. After the ‘Asr prayer, I would repeat the new portion of hifdh and the juz before. After the Maghrib prayer, I would prepare the recitation of 10 new pages and it was only after salaat al-’Isha that I’d review the Qur’aan with my teacher, may Allaah reward him well.
Before retiring to bed, I would listen to all that I memorised in the day from cassettes and I would be sitting for 6 continuous hours, without any boredom or feeling tired. In the 1st week, I would sit for 6 hours, memorising and revising. In the 2nd week, I would sit for 8 hours. In the 3rd week, it was 10 hours and in the 4th week, it was 12 hours. In the last 10 days, I was sitting for 14 hours memorising and revising.
The hardest times for me were when it came to sleeping and eating. I ardently wished that the period of sleep would end quickly so that I could start my hifdh of the Noble of Qur’aan. Everytime I began to read the Qur’aan and memorise, I felt such delight and enjoyment that I had never felt before. Du’a was an important factor for me before and after hifdh. I would memorise a page whilst sitting down and then repeat it whilst walking. My teacher played an important role in encouraging me, in revision, in correcting me and benefiting me in terms of Tajweed.
In the last week, on the night of 20th Ramadan, only 4 and a half juz remained until completion of hifdh. So I turned to Allaah to open up my way and ease it for me. I went on to memorise it in 6 days with the Help of Allaah.
Laylatul-Qadr came, the night of delight and happiness - it was like a wedding night to me. My completion of hifdh took place between Maghrib and ‘Isha in the masjid with the Imam and those in I’tikaaf. We began the khatma (reciting from beginning till end of the Book). In the end, during the du’aa, my heart opened up greatly and I began to weep like never before. It was the most beautiful hour of my life. Allaah had honoured me with the memorisation of His Book.
During the du’aa, I remembered a dream I had more than 10 years ago… I was a Mu’adhin of a mosque and after Fajr salaah, I sat remembering Allaah in the mosque. I felt sleepy so I took a nap in the middle of the mosque, and behold! I found myself amidst a gathering. A powerful ray of light descended from the sky down to the middle of the masjid. From that light came many angels and between them were 2 big Angels. One of them turned towards me and took me to the light. I entered along with the 2 angels. I then found myself on top of a large green tree - I began to climb it in the companionship of the 2 angels. We found angels standing by the door of the 1st heaven. They said to me ‘Where are you going?’ They opened up a book and said, ‘We don’t have your name with us, so climb onwards to the top.’ And likewise, all the time (through each heaven), they said the same thing to me.
Upon arriving at the 7th heaven, we reached the end of the tree. I found angels standing at the door and they said, ‘Are you Muhammad?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Enter, for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) wants you.’ I said to the 2 angels that were with me ‘Come in with me.’ They said, ‘We can’t enter. But we will wait for you.’ So I entered Jannah and behold, I saw therein what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and had never entered in the heart of Man. Angels were surrounding me and there was a door, on top of it was written (There is no God but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger. Al-Firdaws Paradise).
The Angels opened the door and I entered. Before me was the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) sitting at the top end and beside him were men, some that I recognised and some that I didn’t. In front of him were a very large group of men, women and children. They wore white clothes, and they were so many that they had a beginning but no end. All of them were reciting Qur’aan.
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) called me and I went up to him. He got up and made some space for me. I kissed him and he sat me down besides him. I asked him ‘Who are these people O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘These are the people who have memorised the Book of Allaah `azza wa jall.’
Inshaa’Allaah ta’ala, the dream ended in truth. I never spoke to anyone about it until the night that I completed the memorisation of the Qur’aan.”
Allahu Akbar, if this is not tawfeeq from Allaah and determination… I don’t know what is!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
you know, upon further introspection, i have to be honest as a “houswife” about how that story of the hafidh made me feel.
it made me feel depressed. and i’ll tell you why.
sometimes i have these flashbacks of my life before i was a housewife. before never-ending chores and ever-present children. i remember all the free time that i had, that i didn’t know was so precious.
now, the general idea of “where there is a will, there is a way” is motivating. however if you read his story more closely you’ll find that he spent all day alone memorizing with his phone shut off in the masjid.
as housewives, we don’t have that luxury. we can’t shut off our duties to memorize Qur’an. even some married men and fathers can do this but women can’t. we can’t leave their homes and children. we have to find a way to make it all work together. so, to be honest reading that story made me think’ Masha’Allah that’s amazing but impossible for me.”
now, Shaikh Isam told me the story of a woman who memorized the Qur’an in her kitchen! Now, that’s a story I find inspiring!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I can understand what you are saying. We as housewives do not have the same luxury as men do in the case of this story. But, where there is a will there is a way!
We may not be able to seclude ourselves as this man did, but the lesson to take from this story for us housewives is that if we truly wanted to memorize we could do it. Maybe not at such a fast pace, but through good time management and realizing that it’s ok if certain “household” things are not done. We need to learn to prioritize the things we do and make memorizing a top priority.
The core message of this story or the story of the woman who memorized in her kitchen is not the method they used to memorize but the zeal of determination they had.
Another thing we should remember is that the more struggle a person goes through the more reward!
April 16th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Masha’Allah, what an inspiring story.
I agree with both Liv and you, Farah. I agree with Liv in when I read the story I thought, “Great, that’s awesome. But when I can lock myself in a masjid?”
But, I agree with you in that I realized if I really wanted to memorize the Qur’an, I’d find my own way of “locking myself in a masjid.” Whether that’s taking out atleast fifteen minutes a day, or two hours. Whatever it is, if I wanted it, I could get it. Maybe not the same way as him, but in my own way that Allah makes easier for me.
Good story.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
This was incredibly inspirational, it’s so easy to lose hope when taking on this goal.
When it comes to circumstances, we all have them–I try to remember that Allah has placed me in the position to test my will. Whether it is in comfort or distress, I think it’s always a mental battle.
Mashallah, amazing story.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Like Farah said where there is a will there is a way. If you make duaa I guarantee you Allah will give you barak in your time. I am doing that which I thought was impossible myself. I have a full time job and is a housewife. I have added my comment of my daily routine as a mother you can read it if you like.. Sisters I tell I am telling you that you can do it. I myself is not in a race to memorize the Quaran. I would like to teach it to my children. I usually do this in the evening before I hubby comes home so I will be home is time for Ashr Salah with my children, play with them have something to eat and after Magrib Salah. My daughter and I would Memorize 1 or 2 ayat a day. My little 3 year old Son also is there in the room and you should hear him reciting. If I see my daughter is frustrated we stop. I then have a digital recorder and practise in the car back and fort from work. This does not even take 10 mins. The next day we meet again and alhamdullah I tell you,,my daughter is the one remembered her ayat without mistakes. This is my own personal story..May Allah Reward all of us mothers for trying.