Islam 102

Lesson 1: The Divine Book Of Allah

Memorizing Quran (Hifz-e-Quran)

Memorizing Quran simply means learning it by heart. At the time of Prophet (peace be upon him), writing was an uncommon style of storing matters; thus, memorization and oral transmission were the most effective modes of preserving information.

The first to memorize Quran was The honorable Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) to whom Quran was revealed. The Prophet (P.B.U.H) was given by Allah the strength for memorizing the fresh revelations brought to him through the Angel Gabriel. Every year in the month of Ramadan, the Angel Gabriel revisited the Quranic verses with the Prophet. This revisiting was done twice in the year the prophet died.

Quran – A living miracle!

Quran was preserved by different ways and means; one of the most wonderful was the way of memorizing (Hifz-e-Quran) It seems very difficult, perhaps even impossible for an individual to learn a whole book by heart. Yet, Quran being the living miracle of Allah, it has supernatural qualities in its words. Millions of Muslims all around the world memorize the whole Quran. Additionally, it is a reality that 85% of Muslims world wide are non-Arabs. Quran in the original Arabic language is easily memorized by a 9-10 year old; non-Arab children whose native language is not Arabic, memorize Quran word to word; such is the way that Quran is preserved 100% in the hearts and minds of the Muslims till the Day of Judgment.

1,400 hundred years after its revelation, Quran remains the exceptional book of God on earth, which is comprehensive and unassailable (that is to say it has been impossible to make any amendments and alterations to the words, text or meaning of Quran so far). It is a firm belief of Muslims that there will not be a change in even the sound of Quran till the Day of the Resurrection. In the words of Quran regarding its authenticity for all times to come:

"Those who disbelieve in the Reminder when it comes unto them (are guilty), for indeed it is an unassailable Scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or behind it. (It is) a revelation from the Wise, the Owner of Praise" (Quran 41 :41-42). (Further details about miracles of Quran will discussed in forthcoming chapters).

According to the traditions (sayings of the Prophet) it is stated by Imam Bukhari that there were seven prominent companions of the Prophet who had memorized Quran during his lifetime.

Quran is the only Book which is learnt and memorized with great accuracy of accent and sound marks by the Muslims. There will be no difference between the recitation by a Muslim from the east or the west. It is rightly believed that if all the copies of Quran were destroyed, Quran will still remain here on earth in its perfect, complete and accurate form.

After the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H), during the caliphate of Abu Bakar, a great number of “memorizers” of Quran were martyred in the battle of Yamama. This put at a great risk the preservation of Quran, which later on sparked the idea of preserving Quran in writing (Book form). After the time of the Prophet and his companions, the practice of learning and memorizing Quran continued for centuries and it is still exercised.

  1  2  3  4  5