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Alhamdulillahi rabbil aalameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ala ashraful mursaleen sayyidina Muhammadi wa ala aali sayyidina Muhammadi wa ashaabihi ajma’een.
I’ve seen a lot of articles on the net about tips on how to become a Hafiz. But I’ve yet to come across any which deals with what to do after one has attained that – how does one thereafter adequately maintain one’s Hifz? Because that is really the hard part. Becoming a Hafiz is challenging enough, but the prospect of retaining the Quran in ones heart for the rest of ones life – that is the real difficulty. So insha Allah, this will be of some help in that regard.
Adopting the Correct Attitude
Becoming a Hafiz is unlike attaining any other degree or diploma. In high school or university, it’s all about passing the exams. Then once that is done and graduation is complete one can relax and forget about all the things learnt before. You’ve got the degree so what do you have to worry about now? No one really cares if you actually remember anything of what you’ve learnt. The piece of paper which says that you’ve learnt it is all that people care about. Unfortunately, it seems that some people have taken this same attitude with regards to Hifz. A lot of emphasis is placed on completing the Hifz and not enough attention is placed on what happens after that. And this is a disastrous step to take because in Hifz there is no let up. There is no relaxation. One has to constantly be revising. If you think that after you complete your Hifz, that you can take it easy and relax a bit, then you would be surprised at how easy everything you’ve memorised can be forgotten. The years and years spent in memorising can all be undone in a matter of months, if not weeks. The Prophet (saw) is reported to have said: “Make a habit of reciting the Qur’an. By the One who has my soul in His hand, it slips away free quicker than a camel gets loose from its hobble” (Sahih Bukhari). So this is the attitude one needs to have: if a camel is let loose you would constantly need to keep a watchful eye on it to see that it does not run away. In the same way, you should always be fearful that the Quran could escape from your heart if you do not constantly pay attention to it.
Love for the Quran
You should allow the love for the Quran to enter and settle in your heart. This is done by listening attentively to it and pondering and reflecting deeply on its meanings. Both of these actions are commanded in the Quran itself (7: 204 & 47: 24). You should also reflect upon the beauty of the Quran. Merely claiming to love the Quran does not make it true. Every Muslim would say that he loves the Quran but this claim would only be true if the evidence for it is to be found. One of these signs is that one loves to listen to the recital of the Holy Quran. Its recitation should bring joy and tranquility to your heart. Reciting the Quran should also have the same effect. Your heart should be restless and uneasy should a day go by without having recited at least a little bit of the Quran. But merely listening and reciting the Quran is not enough. One should also ponder over its meanings. How can one say that he loves the Quran whilst he remains ignorant of what it contains? This is like one who claims to love a woman but he does not know anything of her personality, her likes and dislikes, and so forth. This then is mere superficiality. So it becomes necessary to also acquire a desire to learn the Arabic language. This is the language of the Quran and is the key to understanding it. There are translations available but these cannot act as a substitute for the original. They may and should be used by those who don’t know any Arabic, but this should not cause one to feel that there is no need to learn Arabic. Without Arabic one cannot truly appreciate the beauty of the language, style and rhetoric of the Holy Quran. One also will not be able to fully grasp the meanings it conveys.
Abstaining from Sin
Knowledge, especially of the Quran, is a light which Allah (swt) places in the heart of those whom He chooses. And this light may be dimmed by the perpetration of sins. Sinfulness is a cause of forgetfulness. There is a famous verse of poetry from Imam al-Shafi’i which reads:
شكوت الى وكيع سوء حفظى . فأرشدنى الى ترك المعاصى
وأخبرنى بـأن العلـم نــور . ونور الله لا يهدى لعاصى
I complained to Wakee’ about my poor memory
So he advised me to leave off sinning
And informed me that knowledge is a light
And that the light of Allah is not bestowed upon a sinner
It is said that the cause for Imam al-Shafi’is forgetfulness was that he happened to see the ankles of some strange woman. Subhanallah. How much worse things don’t we see on a daily basis? So it may be derived from this that it is especially important to guard the gaze from looking at evil things. The knowledge of the Quran is a great bounty from Allah (swt). It is a Light, a Guide and a Mercy. Don’t you then see that it is unworthy of being preserved in the heart of one who is a sinner? So you should always be seeking forgiveness for your sins, lest the knowledge of Quran be taken away from you.
Allah! Don’t cause us to lose the Quran on account of our sins.
Getting Into a Routine
It is necessary to get into a routine of daily recitation of the Holy Quran. Without this, there can be no hope of maintaining the Hifz of the Quran. This is the most obvious thing but it is also one of the hardest. Whilst one is busy learning Hifz there are other people – ones teachers or ones parents – who will see to it that you learn your work. There are people checking up on you, standing behind you and encouraging you. Your day would revolve around the Quran. But after you complete your Hifz you won’t have all of that anymore. There won’t be anyone who will ensure that you keep on revising – it will now be up to you. There will also be many more distractions facing you, such as school or work. And that is what makes it so difficult. It requires self-discipline. So it is essential that you get into a routine and stick to it. You should have a target, a set amount of days, for which it will take you to complete a recital of the entire Quran. If it so happens that you fall short on one particular day then you have to make up the shortfall during the rest of the days. But you should always see to it that you complete the whole khatm in the time that you have allocated for it. It is no use in mentioning any particular numbers here for how long this should take you. This is up to you to decide but obviously, the more you recite per day the better.
Make Use of Spare Time / Listening to Quran Recitation
How much time of one’s day is not wasted in commuting? In traveling to and from work? Instead of being idle during this time, one could use it to listen to recitations of the Quran. Nowadays everyone has a cellphone and they always keep it by their side. So put the Quran on your phone and whenever you have a spare moment then listen to its recitation. This is also a great way of strengthening ones revision. Just by listening to the Quran it becomes so much more firmly entrenched in ones memory. It is important to choose a reciter who has good tajweed. But more important than that is to choose someone who you like listening to, so that you would look forward to being able to listen to his recitation.
Reciting Quran in Salah
Reciting Quran is itself a great act of ibadah. So too is performing Salah. So how much better then to combine these two deeds? And there is no better time or situation in which to recite Quran than whilst engaged in making Salah. If you recite only a half a page to a page during each raka’ah of Salah, then you could easily complete an entire Juz during the course of the day.
Ramadan / Taraweeh
Ramadan is the month of the Quran so you should use it to greatly increase your recitation of the Quran and to improve your Hifz. It is said that Imam al-Shafi’i used to complete two recitations of the entire Quran every day during this month – one during the day and one during the night. This just goes to show how much attachment our pious predecessors had towards the Quran and we should strive to emulate them by also increasing how much of the Quran we recite in this month. You should also see to it that you lead the Taraweeh Salah during this month. No ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ about it. Having to recite in front of a congregation of people will force you to make sure that you know your Hifz well, since no one would like to be embarrassed by making constant mistakes during the Salah. It is a good indication for you how well you know your Hifz and also the reward for it with Allah (swt) is very great.
Allahmma nawwir quloobanaa bil Quran, wa zayyin akhlaaqanaa bil Quran, wa najjinaa min al-naari bil Quran, wa adkhilnaa fil jannati bil Quran
Allah! Fill our hearts with light through the Quran, beautify our character through the Quran, save us from the Fire through the Quran and enter us into Jannah through the Quran.
Ameen
the middle road 
Subhanallah…. it’s a great reader for us thank’s
Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakahtu
SubhaanAllaah, this is an amazing article, with some really deep quotes that make you think. Jazaak Allaah Khayr for writing this and sharing it, may Allaah grant you Jannat Ul Firdous and give you the best in this world and the Aakhirah, Ameen.
Fi Iman Allaah
As-salaamu ‘alaykum warahmatullaah,
This is a well awaited article and you have highlighted important actions that should be done to ensure a student of Qur’aan remains steadfast on their hifdh. Another thing I noticed is that those who teach Qur’aan don’t forget it, you can be a Qur’aan assistant so to speak and you listen to little kids and as a result the teacher listens a hizb or more from you on a regular basis.
Jazaakallaah khayran!
Wannabe Hafidha: Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Ameen to your dua, wa iyyakum. Insha Allah, I hope that soon you’ll be able to drop the “wannabe” from your name! 🙂
Ahlaam: Jazakallahu khairan for your comments. What you say is most likely true, but it’s not really something that everyone who completes hifz would get a chance to do though, I think.
Assalamawa alaikum,
I am a Haafiz for almost 9 years and although I, with Allah’s help, remember my Quraan. I don’t make regular revision of it except in Ramadaan. This article has really helped.
Please make dua for me to be more consistent in the recitation of my Quraan.
Shukran.
Wa alaikum salaam
Allahumma dhakkirnaa minhu maa naseenaa; wa ‘allimnaa minhu maa jahilnaa; warzuqnaa tilaawatahu anaa al laili wa atraafan nahaar.
O Allah, remind us of what we have forgotten from it; teach us what we are ignorant of about it; and grant us its recitation during the night and at the ends of the day.
Assalaamu alaykum, does anyone know any where I can go for the whole month of Ramadhan just to do Hifz revision? I am a haafiz for 11 years but desperately need to get away from my home environment. UK
Walaikum Salaam muslim brother,
Where about in the UK are you?
As-salam-ualikum
Alhamdulilah I must say that this is article is very valuable. I wish that every person that is a hafiz or becoming a hafiz can read this post.
I finished my hifz about 15 years ago, but I have forgotten my quraan. In the last few years I have started reading quraan more regularly. This ramadaan I have decided to start learning everything again. Alhamudullilah I have managed to learn 5 juz so far.
I wish I had read this article when I completed my hifz.
I please request you make dua for me, that Allah makes it easy and I remember all of it again. Can you also maybe give me some duas through which I can ask Allah to make it easy for me.
Wa alaikum salaam
May Allah ta’ala make it easy for you, allow you to perfect the memorisation of His Book, and cause you to recite it in the Hereafter and ascend the ranks of Paradise, Ameen.
See my previous comment for a dua that you could make.
Asalaamualaikum
jazakallah khair for your inspiring article, so true about the importance of revision.
Please post duas for memorising or benefitting from the Quran in Arabic so i can utilise them better.
Umm Ibraheem
Wa alaikum salaam
اللهم ذكرنا منه ما نسينا; و علمنا منه ما جهلنا; وارزقنا تلاوته اناء الليل و أطرافاً نهار.
Allahumma dhakkirnaa minhu maa nusseenaa; wa ‘allimnaa minhu maa jahilnaa; warzuqnaa tilaawatahu anaa al laili wa atraafan nahaar.
O Allah, remind us of what we have forgotten from it; teach us what we are ignorant of about it; and grant us its recitation during the night and at the ends of the day.
~~~~~~~
اللهم إنفعنا بما علمتنا ؛ وعلمنا ما ينفعنا
Allahummanfa’naa bimaa ‘allamatanaa; wa ‘allimnaa maa yanfa3unaa
O Allah! Benefit us from that which You taught us; and teach us that which benefits us.
Assalaamualaikum, firstly , beautiful article.
Learnt a lot from it. However, I have 2 comments.
1) Tajweed is really important and is lacking in a lot of hufaaz today.
I have been reading taraaweeh for about 5 years and the most upsetting
“Habit” in a few huffaaz is the lack of T ajweed. Most of all, you get a lot of sin for not reading with tajweed.
2)When a hafiz or haafizah looks for a spouse, make sure it is a hafiz as well. In that way your’ll both can revise the quraan together and support one another.
Shukran
Wa alaikum salaam
1) Agree completely.
2) Yeah, that would be nice, but I don’t think they ought to make that a condition on their potential spouse. I don’t think that would be a good reason to reject someone, just because he or she isn’t a hafiz. It’s a lot harder for women to become hafiz, and there are more men than women huffaz.
Barakallahu feek for your inspiring posts, but what I love even more than the articles is the duaas you post at the bottom, alhamdulillah.
‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]
I pray we shall all make the most of the days leading up to Ramadaan, and that we are blessed with our recitation/hifdhul Qur’aan within its beloved days, and nights in qiyaam, Aameen.
Fee Amanillah, with love and duaas, Sister Ayaah.
MashAllah …..!!
Great Work…!!
ASSALAMUALAIKUM! subhanallah i am hafiz for almost 12 years.i am revicing quran but not daily so iam worried about my quran .This is an amazing article my many questions has solved in this .inshaallah i will try to read regularly .plz plz pray for me.
ma sha’ Allah
mashallah broeder,
het was heel duidelijk uitgelegt wat u zei.
en ik hoop ook hafiez te worden ,mashallah ik hoop
dat het me lukt.
Jazzakallaah Khair. A very important dua ends like this: Allahummaj’alil qur-aana rabee’a quloobinaa wa noora sudoorinaa wa jalaa-a ahzaaninaa wa dhahaaba humoominaa. Kindly give us the exact full composition of the dua, please, shukran.
Assalamu alaikum
You can listen to it here.
Asalamu ‘alaikum wr wb
Jazakallah Khair for your posts.
Can you please make dua that Allah guides me and makes me understand, love and act upon the Qur’aan and start (and hopefully complete) it’s memorisation in a way that He will be pleased with. Please invoke Allah for my family too.
May Allah make the maintenance of hifdh easy for those who have memorised the Qur’an and may He accept your efforts and grant you abundant good in this life and the next. Ameen.
Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
May Allah ta’ala grant you and your family the memorisation, understanding and implementation of the Noble Qur’an, ameen.
JazakAllah a beautiful counsel.
There are some good dua’s on this site before memorising Quran which Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi recites before teaching.
I benefited well from them.
JazakaAllah for the very valuable advice. For everybody who reads this please make dua that my quran becomes very strong and the same for the other huffaadh who are trying to find time and effort in revising there quran.
May Allah ta’ala perfect your hifz for you, and for all the rest of us as well, ameen.
ASALAMUALAYKUM,CAN SOME1 PLZ HELP ME I AM A HAFIZ FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW BUT NOW I GI TI HIGHSCHOOL AND I BARLEY HAVE TIME TO READ THE QURAN CAN SOME1 PLZ GIVE ME SOME ADVICE…………………..JAZAKALLAH KHAIR
I NEED HELP I MA A HAFIZ AND ALSO A HIGHSCHOOL STUDENT SOME1 PLZ GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON HOW I CAN MAINTAIN MY HIFZ…………..JAZAKALLAH KHAIR
Assalamu alaikum
You have to make the time – it’s as simple as that. Look at all your activities for the day and see where you can find time to spend with the Qur’an. If necessary cut out some other things from your life that are not as important. You have to make the Qur’an your first priority, even above your school work. First things first, and Qur’an always comes first.
May Allah ta’ala make it easy for you and for all the rest of us, ameen.
Salams, My son is studying to become a hafiz. He is 14 years old. He has done 7 paras so far. But he is talking about quitting. He has been talking of giving up over the last year of so! Do you have any advice on how to motivate him to carry on. I hope you could give me some advise. Jzk
Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullah
Please see this link.
Another point I would add is to educate yourself about the benefits and rewards one gets for memorising the Noble Qur’an, and then to remind him of these things a continual basis. This resource might be helpful in doing that.
You can also try searching for or asking your question on this site if you require further advice.
May Allah ta’ala grant your son love for the Qur’an and love for memorising and reciting it, ameen.
Reblogged this on minadhulumatiilannoor.
Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh..reblogged ur posts without seeking yr permission..ps tell me if its ok..Baarak Allahu feekum
Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
It’s fine, no need to ask for permission.
Jazakillahu khair.
Asalamualaikum! dear brother
me to a hafiz. But I have a problem . when I recite the quran without seeing to my friend. I recite well. But when I recite in taraweeh I forget in between loss of memory.
Help me in this situation.
Assalamu Alaikum,
I am a young man in college who finished my Hifdh about 6 years ago. Unfortunately, as high school went on, I regretfully got pulled away from the Quran and stopped revising. My grasp of the Quran when I finished Hifdh was okay, but after this period, I forgot a lot of it. At this point, I probably have to redo half of my Hifdh, maybe more. And this is incredibly frustrating, embarrassing, disappointing, and even legitimately depressing. When all my friends who finished with me are leading Taraweeh this year, here I am, a hopeless reject who practically put to waste the years it took for me to memorize the Quran in the first place. Whenever someone calls me “Hafiz ____,” I look away in shame, knowing very well how much I have forgotten. Alhamdulilah, I have managed to 100% abstain from major sins that are common among Muslims my age (drinking, drugs, zinaa, etc) but I feel what I have done in forgetting the Quran is a much greater sin than all of that combined. I have started going back to Madrasah in hopes of recapturing the amount that I have lost, but even this is very difficult. In fact, I feel as if it is harder for me to rememorize the Quran now than it was for me to memorize the same portion when I was doing Hifdh. I feel lost, as if I am drowning in guilt and sometimes doubt if I can ever rememorize the entire Quran again. Any advice in the form of tips, Duas, etc would be GREATLY appreciated.
Jazakallahu Khair,
A Lost Brother who Hopes to truly be a Hafidh of the Quran once agaain
Don’t worry. Allah will help you InshAllah. At least Allah has allowed that love to be in your heart once again for the Quran as theyre are many who have memorised but don’t even consider it as an option going back to re revise it.
Asalaamu Alaakum
Ustadh, I need your contact for a boy (9yrs) from UK whose father want to connect with you regarding sending him to the institute there for Hifz. Thanks
Wa alaikum salaam
Which institute are you referring to?
I remember you mentioned you are teacher in a Hifz school. Wondering if it has boarding as well. Trying to help these parents to find a good institute for Hifz for a 9yr old c. And I remembered your conversation. So I thought to ask you for information and any recommendation? thanks
No, unfortunately I don’t teach at a Hifz school. Also, I am not from the UK.
Hope you are able to find a good school in sha Allah.