The Student of Knowledge: Should He Begin by Memorizing the Qur'an or by Reading Books of Knowledge?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you. This questioner asks: Should the student of knowledge begin by memorizing the Noble Qur'an or by reading books of knowledge?
The Shaykh : No, by Allah, he begins by memorizing the Qur'an. Memorizing the Qur'an takes precedence over anything else a person memorizes, because the Qur'an is the speech of Allah, and its recitation is worship, its reflection is worship, acting upon what it indicates is worship, and believing its news is worship. It is the best of the books revealed by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and the best of the books composed by people; they are not equal. So a person should begin by memorizing the Noble Qur'an, then by what is authentic of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), such as *Umdat al-Ahkam* by al-Hafiz 'Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him), for it is a concise book that is the essence of rulings. Then he should proceed with what is available to him from the books of the scholars in creed and other matters.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. A person intended... the questioner from Jeddah, 'A 'A B, says.
The Shaykh : No, by Allah, he begins by memorizing the Qur'an. Memorizing the Qur'an takes precedence over anything else a person memorizes, because the Qur'an is the speech of Allah, and its recitation is worship, its reflection is worship, acting upon what it indicates is worship, and believing its news is worship. It is the best of the books revealed by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and the best of the books composed by people; they are not equal. So a person should begin by memorizing the Noble Qur'an, then by what is authentic of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), such as *Umdat al-Ahkam* by al-Hafiz 'Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him), for it is a concise book that is the essence of rulings. Then he should proceed with what is available to him from the books of the scholars in creed and other matters.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. A person intended... the questioner from Jeddah, 'A 'A B, says.