The Ruling on Memorizing the Noble Qur'an and the Prophetic Hadiths
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
He also asks and says: When a Muslim reads any surah from the Qur'an, or from the noble Prophetic hadiths, is he required to memorize it? And is one who memorizes and then forgets sinful? May Allah reward you with good and do you well.
Answer:
He is not required to memorize it; rather, he should reflect upon the Qur'an and increase its recitation so that he benefits, for reading the Qur'an contains great good. Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Isra: 9], and He the Exalted says: [Fussilat: 44]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [Sad: 29].
So what is prescribed for both men and women, for every Muslim, is to study this Noble Qur'an, reflect upon it, increase its recitation, act upon what is in it, and ask the scholars about what is difficult for him. He should ask the scholars about what is difficult for him by telephone, by correspondence, or by face-to-face conversation. This is what is prescribed for every Muslim.
However, he is not required to memorize it. If he memorizes it, that is better; if he memorizes it, it is a great good. But he is not required to memorize it; rather, he should strive to increase recitation, reflection, and action. For the purpose of recitation is action: performing the obligatory duties and leaving the forbidden. And in reading the Qur'an, one is reminded of Paradise and the Fire, and learns about the conditions of those who came before and takes a lesson from what happened to them. All of this is present in the Noble Qur'an.
And likewise with the hadiths, the believing man and woman should strive to review them, read them, and benefit from them, such as the two Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and such as the books of the four Sunan, such as Riyad al-Salihin, such as al-Muntaqa, such as Bulugh al-Maram, such as 'Umdat al-Hadith, and Jami' al-Usul.
If the believing man and woman are students of knowledge, they benefit from these books. And if memorization is facilitated, it is good for him to memorize what is facilitated of the hadiths, such as Bulugh al-Maram, such as 'Umdat al-Hadith, such as the Forty Hadiths of al-Nawawi and its completion by Ibn Rajab. These contain a great and significant benefit. But in any case, whenever one increases review and reading, he will benefit and will memorize some of it, and this is a great good. It is necessary for every male and female student of knowledge to take care of this matter, both from the side of the Qur'an and from the side of the Sunnah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
He also asks and says: When a Muslim reads any surah from the Qur'an, or from the noble Prophetic hadiths, is he required to memorize it? And is one who memorizes and then forgets sinful? May Allah reward you with good and do you well.
Answer:
He is not required to memorize it; rather, he should reflect upon the Qur'an and increase its recitation so that he benefits, for reading the Qur'an contains great good. Allah the Exalted says:
Indeed, this Qur'an guides to that which is most suitable
إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُSay, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure."
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الأَلْبَابِSo what is prescribed for both men and women, for every Muslim, is to study this Noble Qur'an, reflect upon it, increase its recitation, act upon what is in it, and ask the scholars about what is difficult for him. He should ask the scholars about what is difficult for him by telephone, by correspondence, or by face-to-face conversation. This is what is prescribed for every Muslim.
However, he is not required to memorize it. If he memorizes it, that is better; if he memorizes it, it is a great good. But he is not required to memorize it; rather, he should strive to increase recitation, reflection, and action. For the purpose of recitation is action: performing the obligatory duties and leaving the forbidden. And in reading the Qur'an, one is reminded of Paradise and the Fire, and learns about the conditions of those who came before and takes a lesson from what happened to them. All of this is present in the Noble Qur'an.
And likewise with the hadiths, the believing man and woman should strive to review them, read them, and benefit from them, such as the two Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and such as the books of the four Sunan, such as Riyad al-Salihin, such as al-Muntaqa, such as Bulugh al-Maram, such as 'Umdat al-Hadith, and Jami' al-Usul.
If the believing man and woman are students of knowledge, they benefit from these books. And if memorization is facilitated, it is good for him to memorize what is facilitated of the hadiths, such as Bulugh al-Maram, such as 'Umdat al-Hadith, such as the Forty Hadiths of al-Nawawi and its completion by Ibn Rajab. These contain a great and significant benefit. But in any case, whenever one increases review and reading, he will benefit and will memorize some of it, and this is a great good. It is necessary for every male and female student of knowledge to take care of this matter, both from the side of the Qur'an and from the side of the Sunnah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.