IT has long been your dream to memorize the Holy Qur'an. You have the desire and the motivation, but you just do not know how to start (let alone complete) the tremendous, yet enjoyable project. This article will walk you through some steps to help you stay firm on your path to memorizing the Qur'an, and as you will see it is a manageable task, maybe not easy, but definitely doable. The No. 1 condition before starting to memorize the Holy Qur'an is sincerity: to learn the Qur'an solely for the sake of Allah, to earn rewards from Allah – not so that you can have the reputation among your social circle and relatives that you have become a hafidh or to boast. With the intention of seeking Allah's pleasure and of becoming a better Muslim, Allah will bless your efforts, and will make the seemingly difficult task easier for you. Keep one particular book (mus-haf), your copy of the Holy Qur'an that you will always use when reciting, memorizing, and revising the Qur'an, for the entire duration of your learning process. Get accustomed to the way the words and verses look on the page. That way when you study, you have the audio input of hearing yourself recite the verses, and also the visual input of exactly how the page looks. These visual cues help you remember where you are on the page, in the beginning, middle, or at bottom of the page. Choose a quiet place to study, free of distractions. Study in a room alone, away from your cell phone, television, computer screen, noisy children, and other family members. Pick the right time to study; when your mental energy, focus, and concentration are highest. It differs from person to person, only you can tell which time is best for you. Many people prefer studying very early in the morning, right after the dawn prayer because Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that this a blessed time, meaning a Muslim is more productive at that time and can accomplish more in a shorter period of time. Did you ever hear the quote, ‘Repetition is the mother of learning'? Well, it is true. Before you begin memorizing you should first listen to, and then read the designated verses 5 to 10 times. Start memorizing the first verse, once that is completed move on to the next one. Repeat both the first and second verse until recited very well. Again, study the third verse and then recite the first, second, and third. If you follow this pattern continuously, you will maintain a very sharp memory for the sections of the Holy Qur'an, which you have learned. Set a schedule and be consistent. If you have planned to learn half a page, or one page, or only 3 lines per day, let's say 5 days a week, you should neither exceed nor come short of that amount. Once you have completed the assigned verses, go back and revise what you learned in the past week. Stick to the schedule you have placed for yourself, and do not skip your routine, even if it is a holiday or you are preparing for a business meeting or you have a party to go to. All you need is about 20 to 30 minutes to study so there are no excuses for procrastinating. Find a hafidh or teacher or shaikh to monitor your progress. Recite to that person the verses which you have learned by heart, on a regular basis. It could be someone you meet at the mosque, a neighbor, an elderly relative, or someone who leads an official class. You will be surprised how powerfully motivating such a partnership can be. It helps having someone listen to you because he/she can pinpoint some errors you may be making but were unaware of it. I know a cardiologist, who is a hafidha, and she encouraged and inspired fellow physicians, nurses, and staff members to begin their journey to memorizing the Qur'an. She allotted a time slot to meet in the staff lounge once a week and listen to whoever was ready to recite the verses that they had learned. This tactic will help prevent you from falling into the common trap of forgetting some of the verses that you have learned. In the five daily prayers, you should recite the verses which you have recently studied. That keeps your mind coming back to these verses throughout the day and will reinforce what you have memorized. Play a recitation of the verses of the Qur'an when driving, cooking, tidying up, checking e-mails, and when you doze off to bed; your subconscious mind can absorb a lot. Try to understand what you are memorizing. Read the meanings of the verses and reflect upon the lessons intended in those verses. Reading the meanings (tafseer) is important but is widely neglected. The Holy Qur'an is a guide, to make us refrain from doing what is unlawful, to perfect our behavior, to bring about reconciliation and love among Muslims rather than division, and to uphold human rights. Word for word memorization will not bring us the rewards we seek if these words do not affect our behavior and conduct towards others, making us kinder, more compassionate, caring, and constructive human beings. Supplicate; ask Allah to help you achieve this most noble of goals. The mystery in studying the Qur'an is that the more you memorize, the easier it will become, and the more you will yearn for it. Hang in there, what may be slow and bumpy at first will soon become faster and smoother. Please see the accompanying table, which illustrates how long it will take for you to realize your dream of memorizing the Holy Qur'an, depending on the amount you learn each day. Keep in mind that the table below is calculated based on studying seven days a week.
