I read in one of the books of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) a mention of the story of a young student of knowledge who looked at something, and the Shaykh said to him, "By Allah, you will find the effect of that, even if it is after a long time."
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The questioner : Honorable Shaykh, this is a questioner from al-Qasim. He says: I read in one of the books of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) a mention of the story of a young student of knowledge who looked at something, and the Shaykh said to him, "By Allah, you will find the effect of that, even if it is after a long time." And after twenty years, he got up one night from his sleep and found that he had forgotten the Qur'an. What is your comment on that, O honorable Shaykh? And is it possible for a memorizer to forget the Qur'an all at once? I hope for your guidance on this?
The Shaykh : I say that such stories that are mentioned in books
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : need a valid chain of narration from the one from whom they were transmitted, because every report must have a chain, and a report that comes without a chain
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : is not accepted. Did Ibn al-Qayyim say in the book he mentioned, or the one, yes, did he say in the book from which the questioner quoted this story that he witnessed it himself and knew it himself, or did he say "it is reported" or something similar?
And in any case, if the matter is authentic, it appears that there is an error in the question, because he says "he looked at a matter," and perhaps he means "he looked at a woman," and you have here "woman" or otherwise "matter"?
The questioner : At a matter.
The Shaykh : In any case, it appears that he looked at a woman, because looking at women brings about affliction, and how many a person looked with a single glance and it placed in his heart something he cannot repel.
As for the fact that Allah the Exalted might make him forget the Qur'an all at once, Allah is capable of all things. He may erase this Qur'an from the memory of a memorizer, and other things he has memorized. It has been reported in some narrations that the Qur'an is lifted from the earth, erased from the mushafs, and forgotten from the pages. Do not be surprised, O human being, by what occurs of the divine decree and destiny, for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is capable of all things. The One who makes one forget a part is capable of making one forget the whole.
And my advice on this occasion is that a person should adhere to the obedience of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, in secret and in public, and that he should fulfill what Allah has obligated upon him of the rights of Allah and the rights of His servants, for that is among the causes of the strength of memory and the reduction of forgetfulness, as Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said:[Muhammad 47:17] And it is narrated from al-Shafi'i that he said: "I complained to Waki' of my poor memory, so he directed me to abandon sins. He said: Know that knowledge is light, and the light of Allah is not given to a sinner." Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I say that such stories that are mentioned in books
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : need a valid chain of narration from the one from whom they were transmitted, because every report must have a chain, and a report that comes without a chain
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : is not accepted. Did Ibn al-Qayyim say in the book he mentioned, or the one, yes, did he say in the book from which the questioner quoted this story that he witnessed it himself and knew it himself, or did he say "it is reported" or something similar?
And in any case, if the matter is authentic, it appears that there is an error in the question, because he says "he looked at a matter," and perhaps he means "he looked at a woman," and you have here "woman" or otherwise "matter"?
The questioner : At a matter.
The Shaykh : In any case, it appears that he looked at a woman, because looking at women brings about affliction, and how many a person looked with a single glance and it placed in his heart something he cannot repel.
As for the fact that Allah the Exalted might make him forget the Qur'an all at once, Allah is capable of all things. He may erase this Qur'an from the memory of a memorizer, and other things he has memorized. It has been reported in some narrations that the Qur'an is lifted from the earth, erased from the mushafs, and forgotten from the pages. Do not be surprised, O human being, by what occurs of the divine decree and destiny, for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is capable of all things. The One who makes one forget a part is capable of making one forget the whole.
And my advice on this occasion is that a person should adhere to the obedience of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, in secret and in public, and that he should fulfill what Allah has obligated upon him of the rights of Allah and the rights of His servants, for that is among the causes of the strength of memory and the reduction of forgetfulness, as Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said:
And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.
والذين اهتدوا زادهم هدى وءاتاهم تقواهمThe questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.