Essential Habits for Memorizing the Quran

memorizing the Quran is one of the things any Muslim dreams of achieving, is it hard? Can I do it on my own? Let’s find out.

Our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely he will be in the company of noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty stumbling (or stammering) through its verses, then he will be rewarded twice.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Quran memorization doesn’t just benefit us in this life but in the afterlife too, there are many rewards and benefits we gain when we seek to memorize the Quran, which we will learn about, in addition to some valuable tips and a step-by-step guide to how to memorize the Quran effectively on your own, let’s get started.

What is the Importance of Memorizing the Quran?

Why should I memorize the Quran? you might ask, and there are many reasons, here are some of them.

Memorizing the Quran helps us understand and learn from its verse. It brings us closer to Allah, guides us through life and hardships, teaches us how to respond and deal with what life brings to us, and helps us comprehend the goal of our lives and the reason for our existence.

There are many lessons and stories in the holy Quran for us to reflect upon and learn from, we shouldn’t waste this great opportunity. Here are just a few of the numerous advantages of memorizing the Quran:

The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: Recite and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last verse that you recite.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2914; he said this is a sahih hasan hadith. Al-Albani said in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, no. 2329, it is hasan sahih. Also narrated by Abu Dawud, 1464)

The Al-Albaani explained the part where our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “companion of the Qur’an” as the one who knows the Quran by heart.

It was also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “The one who knows more Qur’an should lead the people in prayer.”

Quran memorization helps us win a good place in this life and in the hereafter, as the verses of the Quran will intercede for us.  

Abu Umamah al-Bahili said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, ‘Recite the Quran, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection to intercede for its companions. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqarah and Surah Al ‘Imran, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Surah al-Baqarah for to take recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it.”  (Narrated by Muslim, 804, and by al-Bukhari in a mu’allaq report)

We seek to please Allah, and when memorizing the Quran and learning its interpretations we do it for Allah Almighty and to come closer to him.

The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) also said about the benefits of memorizing the Quran: “The likeness of the one who reads the Quran and memorizes it is that he is with the righteous and honorable scribes. The likeness of the one who reads it and tries hard to memorize it even though it is difficult for him, he will have two rewards.”

Aishah said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who recites the Quran and learns it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven) and the one who exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.”  (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4653; Muslim, 798)

Among the things that grant us a better place and intercede for us on the day of judgment are Quran memorization and fasting. Our beloved Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I deprived him of food and desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say, ‘O Lord I deprived him of his sleep at night, so let me intercede for him.’ Then they will both intercede for him.” [Narrated by Ahmad, al-Tabaraani and al-Haakim] 

How can I memorize the Quran in a short time?

You may be wondering, “Can I Memorize the Quran on My Own?” The answer is yes, you may easily learn and memorize the Holy Quran by yourself; simply follow the Quran memorizing strategies listed below. But before we begin, here’s a brief tip:

Before you begin memorizing the surah, read it through to comprehend it.

Memorize the verse by verse, not verse by verse, or it will be difficult to recall.

Understanding the meaning of the verses will make memorizing them easier.

Don’t forget what our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

 “Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I deprived him of food and desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say, ‘O Lord, I deprived him of his sleep at night, so let me intercede for him.’ Then they will both intercede for him.”

1. Prepare your learning plan for memorizing the Quran.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself when memorizing the Quran; instead, see how much you can memorize each day, possibly one or two pages. If you set an unrealistic goal, you will be dissatisfied if you do not attain it.

In order to learn properly, use the repetition method: keep reciting the verse until you memorize it, then move on to the next verse and repeat the process. After you’ve memorized the second verse, say the two verses aloud to make sure you’ve got it right, then move on to the next verse and continue the process.

2. Keep reciting and revising.

When memorizing the Quran verses, recite them at least ten times before attempting to recite them without looking. When you’ve gotten it right, move on to the next verse and do it again. The following day, before beginning to memorize the new verse, review what you learned the day before to ensure that you did not forget it. You should also review everything you’ve learned once a week.

Repeating is a wonderful method for increasing the effectiveness and speed with which you read the Quran. For example, if you opt to recite the Quran after isha and elect to read two pages every night as well as two pages after dhuhr in the morning, you will be reading four pages every night.

Instead of reading two pages in the morning and then two fresh pages at night, do the following:

On the first day, read page 1 in the morning, then again in the evening, and then again in the morning.

“This way, I’ll only finish one page?” you will say. That’s correct, but reading the same page four times will improve your reading speed. The first time you will struggle and be slow, the second time will be better, and the fourth time will be a lot faster and easier than the first.

Repeat the process the next day, but on page two, and continue in this manner for the next few days. Rep to the previous page four times. Maybe at the end of each week, you can even challenge yourself to read the seven pages you learned that week.

You might also do it with a teacher if you like so that the teacher can correct your mistakes and help you read accurately and smoothly. And it will be beneficial for you, allowing you to learn faster and become more proficient in reciting the Quran with tajweed. This is our goal when we read the Quran. And who knows? You’ll be fantastic in no time.

Why is repetition important when memorizing the Quran?

When it comes to remembering the Quran, repetition is crucial. When you repeat something over and again, it becomes ingrained in your mind and you will never forget it. Furthermore, it allows you to practice your recitation and learn from your mistakes. And here’s how you can use that to improve your Quran memorization: 

Recite each ayah or surah several times until you can do it without looking at the Quran. When you’ve learned a particular number of verses, go back and repeat them all together. Repetition will help you internalize the Quran’s words and make them easier to recall later.

3. Listen to your favorite Quran reciter.

Another way to help you when memorizing the Quran and enhancing your recitation is listening to a Quran reciter and repeating after him. Focus on the way he pronounces the letters, how he reads, and when he lowers and raises his voice. This will not only enhance your recitation but will also ease the process of learning and practicing the rules of tajweed.  

There are many reciters that you could choose from like Saad El Ghamidi, Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, Mishary Rashid Al-afasy, and Abdul Basit Abdus Samad.

4. Reciting what has been memorized when praying.

When memorizing the Quran and praying with the verses that you have memorized it will help you practice your memorization and you won’t forget them ever again. Plus, it helps you revise the verses and repeat them in every prayer, which is one of the best ways to memorize the Quran effectively.  

5. Review the memorized Qur’an before starting to memorize new verses.

It is essential when memorizing the Quran to review the part that you have memorized to ensure that you memorized it fully. At the end of each week try to recite all the verses that you have memorized by heart, if you stuttered or forgot a part or a verse revise it and repeat it until you are able to recite it by heart.      

If you didn’t learn the previous part, don’t move on to the next one; instead, go back and recite it until you have. It is a good idea to recite the bit you have memorized in prayer. You will never forget the verses if you do so.

6. Interpreting and understanding the verses helps in memorizing easily.

Understanding the meaning of each verse and word that you don’t comprehend is one of the best Quran memory techniques. When you reach a difficult verse, look up its tafsir, and after you fully comprehend it, move on to the next verse. Make sure you comprehend the verses you’re trying to memorize before moving on to the next one. Because you can’t remember something you don’t comprehend.

Why is it important to understand the meaning of the verses when memorizing the Quran?

Why is it important to understand the interpretation of the verses when memorizing the Quran? The answer is that understanding the meaning of the verses will help you memorize faster, understand the message behind the verses, understand the reason for revelation, and learn from it.

While reciting the Quran you will find many words or verses that you don’t understand, therefore you need to search for its Tafsir (meaning). You could also start by reading the English translation to understand and then read it in Arabic. And if you find anything that you don’t understand don’t hesitate to ask a trusted Quran scholar.

Consider this: can you memorize stuff that you don’t comprehend when studying? Of course not; you must first look it up in order to comprehend what it means, and then memorize it. The same is true for learning the Quran; you can’t remember what you don’t grasp.

So, if you don’t understand the meaning of a verse, read its Tafseer. And don’t move on to the next surah until you’ve fully comprehended the previous one. It will also make the process of memorizing the Quran much easier.

7. Learn Tajweed rules.

When memorizing the Quran, it is essential to learn the Quran Tajweed to enhance your recitation. What are tajweed rules? Tajweed rules are rules that assist us in reading the Quran correctly and without errors.

Our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Quran and teach it.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

You can Memorize Quran online and learn its tajweed rules easily, as there are numerous YouTube channels that can assist you in learning the different rules. If you still don’t comprehend the rule, watch another video. Furthermore, listening to and reciting after your favorite Quran reciter would greatly improve your recitation.

Learning Tajweed rules is one of the Quran Memorization Techniques that will help you Improve Your Recitation; nevertheless, you should not rush into learning all the rules at once; instead, learn a rule, practice it, and then move on to the next one.

It will be a disaster if you learn all of the Tajweed rules at the same time and then try to apply them. Allow time to study and apply each rule. Instead of rushing things out, you will give your brain the necessary time to digest and learn appropriately.

8. Memorizing the Quran by starting with short surahs.

Another method that would assist you in memorizing the Quran quickly is, to begin with short surahs or the surahs that you enjoy the most. This way, you’ll be motivated to keep memorizing and won’t feel discouraged. Because starting with a short surah allows you to finish it quickly and encourages you to memorize the following surah. Unlike extended surahs, which require practice. Furthermore, if you begin with a surah that is dear to you, you will be eager to memorize it.

So, begin with the last chapter of the Holy Quran and learn slowly and patiently; when you finish the short surahs and are able to read them correctly, you will be able to read the long surahs effortlessly.

9. Learn from the same Mushaf every time.

Keep the Mushaf you used to memorize the Quran with you at all times. Because you memorize by visual, and your mind prefers to adapt to what it sees frequently.

For example, if you regularly study from a book and forget to bring it with you one day, your friend will give you his book instead. Even if you are studying from the same book as your friend, your mind will take some time to adjust. Because that is how our minds work, always remember the same Mushaf to avoid complications.

10. It’s okay to make mistakes while reciting the Quran.

At the beginning of your Quran memorization, you will stutter, and misread words, but that’s completely fine, Allah almighty knows that you are doing your best and he will reward you for trying. As you keep going you will get better and learn faster, that’s what you should keep in mind, you won’t master the Quran from your first attempt you will stutter and stumble across the way and that’s alright, just keep going.

Our beloved prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him said):

“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have a double reward.”

11. Linking the Verses.

When memorizing the Quran, it is important to link its verses in order to comprehend the message of the surah, which makes it easier for you to recall the verses.

12. Reviewing the memorized Quran with group study and recitation sessions.

Reviewing the parts of the Quran that you memorize in a group study helps you practice your recitation and ensure that you memorize the verses completely. And if there are Quran teachers in the study group they will help you enhance your recitation and help you learn the parts that you get wrong.

The importance of knowing the reward of memorizing the Qur’an as an incentive.

When we learn about the rewards of memorizing the Quran it makes us eager to memorize and gives us the strength to keep going.

For instance, when you read the following hadith won’t it encourage you to start memorizing and do your best?

Aishah said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who recites the Quran and learns it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven) and the one who exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.”  (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4653; Muslim, 798)

We are rewarded for every letter we recite and every attempt we make to learn the verses of the Quran.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Whoever recites a letter of the book of Allah (Quran) will be credited with a good deed “Hasanah” and a good deed is multiplied into ten Hasanat. I do not say that the word: Alif Laam Meem is counted as a word letter. Rather, Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter.”

Allah Almighty said in the Holy Quran:

“O mankind! There hath come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts and for those who believe a Guidance and Mercy.” (Quran, 10:57)

The verses of the Quran don’t just guide us but it heals our hearts and minds from any diseases.

Now you know the rewards of memorizing the Quran, and how to do so on your own. I hope you found this article useful, and if you have any questions or need any help drop a comment below and we will be more than glad to help.