It is a tradition in the Muslim world that some people memorize the Quran by heart. A person’s becoming a hafiz is considered to be a sign of deep devotion to the holy book, deserving of admiration by people and rewards by God. Because the text is sacred it has to be recalled by the memorizer in precisely the correct manner every time, and this requires a life long commitment to rehearsing and practice.
Why is memorizing the Quran held in high regard?
Memorization of the whole book with all the details of syntax and punctuation is extremely difficult for adults. It is easier for children and most people memorize the Quran in a madrassa at a young age. With enough encouragement and cajoling by the family, many pre-teen children are able to accomplish the feat in one or two years. The achievement is usually followed by a family celebration.
Is it a must to memorize the Quran?
No, in fact this practice of memorizing the Quran is harmful. It contributed to the decay of Muslim society in at least two ways. First, there is the damage to the individual lives because rote- memorization of the voluminous text deadens the mind of the hafiz, and internalizes in him the belief that the words themselves are holy and just repeating them in a rote fashion produces benefit or sawab. Second, veneration of the practice of memorization by people perpetuates thoughtlessness and literalness in their approach to the Quran, which keeps its wisdom inaccessible to them.
Memorization has not been recommended anywhere in the Quran. On the other hand, a frequent theme in it is to ask people to think and to reflect on its message. The following verses in Sura Ar-Rum can serve as an example.
The last few words of each aya are bolded to bring attention to the point:
And among His wonders is this: He creates for you spouses from among yourselves, so that you might incline towards them, and He creates love and tenderness between you: in this behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!
And among His wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and colors: for in this there are signs for those who have knowledge!
And among His wonders is your sleep, at night and in daytime, and your ability to seek livelihood from His bounties: in this there are signs indeed for people who listen!
And among His wonders is this: He created lightning, and it causes both fear and hope, and brings with it water from the skies, giving life to the earth after it has been lifeless: in this behold, there are signs indeed for people who use their reason!
(30:21-24).
Thinking, learning, willingness to listen to others, using one’s reason are the attributes recommended here to understand the messages of God, not memorization.
The validity of this approach to knowledge is not so strange if you have attended college. If you want to learn about economics, chemistry, literature or philosophy from a book, you do it by thinking about the material, you listen to its different interpretations from your teacher and fellow students and you use your reason to decide how it makes sense to you. You will not gain an understanding of the subject if you forgo these methods and instead memorize the book.
Spiritual growth occurs when we grow in our perceptions and in our capacities. This can happen when we can look critically at our conditioning from past experiences and by our environment and develop the ability to shed that conditioning and grow beyond it.
What did the Prophet Say About Memorizing the Quran
Our ulema promote the idea of memorization with the argument that Prophet Muhammad and many of his companions had memorized the Quran and we should follow the example of these illustrious people. There are several problems with this logic. First, the prophet and his companions lived in a culture where pen and paper were not available. They wanted to preserve the text and their only choice was memorization. Secondly, the Prophet and his companions made the choice to memorize as adults. They memorized it gradually as the Quran was revealed over twenty-two years, and they had the opportunity to learn and think about the different passages over time. There is no historical evidence that they induced their children to memorize the Quran.
Also, although narrations from the history of early Islam suggest that many of the companions of the Prophet had memorized the Quranic passages, there is no evidence that they memorized the whole book. An illustration of this is provided by the sequence of events that are reported to have taken place after the passing of the prophet. Prophet Muhammad was ill for several days and the news that he had died spread in Medina and many people came to the Prophet’s mosque to know more of what had happened. The following account is from Ishaq’s biography of the prophet:
“Umar got up and said ‘Some of the disaffected will allege that the apostle is dead, but by God he is not dead: he has gone to his Lord as Moses went and was hidden from his people for forty days, returning to them after it was said that he had died. By God, the apostle will return as Moses returned and will cut off the hands and feet of men who allege that the apostle is dead’. When Abu Bakr heard what was happening he came to the door of the mosque as Umar was speaking to the people……………………………..He said gently, ‘Umar, be quiet.’ But Umar refused and went on talking, and when Abu Bakr saw that he would not be silent he went forward to the people who, when they heard his words, came to him and left Umar. Giving thanks and praise to God he said: ’O men, if anyone worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead: if anyone worships God, God is alive, immortal.’ Then he recited this verse:
’Muhammad is nothing but an apostle. Apostles have passed away before him. Can it be that if he were to die or be killed you will turn back on your heels? He who turns back does no harm to God and God will reward the grateful.’ (3:144).
By God, it was as though the people did not know this verse had come down until Abu Bakr recited it that day. The people took it from him and it was (constantly) in their mouths. Umar said, ‘ By God, when I heard Abu Bakr recite these words I was dumbfounded so that my legs would not bear me and I fell to the ground knowing that the apostle was indeed dead.”[1]
The relevant point in this passage is that Umar, who was one of the closest companions of the prophet, did not know the verse (3:144). Neither did the people who had assembled in the mosque. Although the narration does not identify them, it would make sense to assume, in view of the news of the prophet’s death, that many of the close companions of the prophet were among them. This event clearly shows that memorizing the Quran was not a practice among the prophet’s companions.
Are you saying one should not memorize the Quran at all?
No we are not saying that. Everyone who studies the Quran comes to passages that he or she finds inspiring and particularly insightful (we have collected several that have such an effect on us in our book the Quran & the Life of Excellence).
It can be very useful to memorize such passages of the Quran. You can then dwell on them at will and also recall them in prayer. The key is to find sections that appeal to your heart. It is then easy to remember them, and when recalled in prayer they can make your prayers meaningful. As your insight grows the passages that appeal to you will change. The deeper meanings of additional passages will unfold for you, and the repertoire of your favorite passages will grow. This, however, is a gradual and lifelong process.
Quran is a Divine revelation and as such is a source of wisdom. The only way to benefit from the Quran is to ponder over its passages and discuss them with other students of the Quran. The purpose is to understand its wisdom and insights and figure out how they can be applied to make life better for ourselves and others. This requires critical thinking and awareness of the factors that motivate personal and social change. This way of engaging the Quran is a slow and deliberate process. It is greatly helped as a group study where you have an opportunity to exchange perspectives with others.
“Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Quran, or are their hearts locked up by them?”
(47:24).
Mindless memorization, repetition of the words without pausing to think of their significance are ways of locking up one’s heart. Muslim culture will begin to improve when our religious schools will shift their teaching technique from memorization to critical thinking and analysis.
Wrap up & Next Steps
You have now learned:
- Why many people mistakenly believe they should memorize the Quran
- Two reasons why memorizing the Quran can actually be harmful
- Why you should think and reflect on the Quranic messages instead
If you are looking for a place to get started with thinking and reflecting on the Quranic message we recommend you start with Surah Fateha. Here is a quick video that shows you how to benefit from Surah Fateha.