WHY TO MEMORIZE QUR’AN
It has been said here and there, ‘why should we memorize Qur’an?’ Those who address this question differ in their way of thinking and even in their goals.
Some of them are earnestly saying, ‘Qur’an is for understanding and acting, not for memorizing!’. So they think that memorizing Qur’an is useless.
Others ironically say, ‘A tape recorder can recite Qur’an by heart too, so what urges us to try the difficulty of memorizing Qur’an.’
Knowing that some of our blossoms have memorized Qur’an, another group say, ‘That lays pressure on kids’ minds.’ So this group think that memorizing Qur’an makes children’s minds tired, and hence they object it seriously.
However, these questions are still addressed and looking for reasonable answers.
* It is definite that Qur’an is for understanding and acting, and none of the memorizers can reject that. But reading Qur’an and even looking at its words and lines are recommended in several traditions and have a lot of spiritual effects.
Hence this question is delivered, ‘If just looking at the lines of Qur’an is considered a kind of worshiping with a lot of spiritual advantages, so what about those who try to memorize Qur’an with difficulty sometimes?’
Imam Sadiq (as) says, ‘Who tries to memorize Qur’an with difficulty and lack of memorizing-ability is going to have double rewards.’ (2)
Memorizing Qur’an was honored by the Prophet (sw) and the infallible Imams (as), and memorizers were respected and highly regarded by them to the extent that the Prophet appointed, once, the one who had memorized more verses of the Qur’an as a commander in one of his wars. (3)
Qur’an memorizer has a very high divine rank that is unconceivable and indescribable.
The Prophet (sw) said, “The number of the steps of Paradise is equal to the number of the verses of the Qur’an, so when the memorizer of the Qur’an enters Paradise, he will be told, ‘Go up and read’, as for each verse one step, thus there will never be a step higher than that of the Qur’an memorizer.”
Considering these sayings, we find that although understanding Qur’an and following its teachings, and consequently mounting the highest tops of humanity are the central goals, but religious figures and leaders highly regarded the memorization of the Qur’an due to its infinite advantages.
** Comparing Qur’an memorizer to a recorder tape is not correct, because Qur’an memorizers are moving on a learning path in which memorizing Qur’an is just a start and first step on this difficult way.
So having this knowledge is the first step which is going to be followed by understanding, acting, analyzing and so on, and that is what can not be done by a tape or a recorder. Besides a tape recorder or even a computer are not always available and satisfying, but when the Qur’an is inside a creative human mind, then it could be used everywhere and anytime. It is the human being who can process the information in seconds to bring tens of verses to the mind and help the memorizer and the others in the right moment.
Informatics scientists have acknowledged that even a developed super computer system cannot be compared to a small piece of the complex structure of the human brain:
“فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين”
“So blessed be Allah, the best of creators.” (4)
But the most important thing is the feature of the Qur’an itself when it emphasizes on thinking, reasoning and knowledge-importance that prevents the memorizer from staying just like a tape recorder, rather each time the memorizer repeats the verses and finds himself in front of a book calling him to knowing and thinking, he will go on this way far from parrot-mimicking.
Professor Henry Corbon, the French scholar, says:
If the ideas of Muhammad are mythological and his Qur’an is not a divine revelation, then he will never dare to call humanity for knowledge. No man or ideology has ever called to knowledge to the extent Muhammad and the Qur’an have done, to the degree that talking about knowledge, thinking and mind have been repeated in the Qur’an 905 times.
*** ‘Learning in youngness is like engraving on stones’ because it settles and never leaves. This view reflects the importance of learning in childhood. Certainly overloading children’s minds is wrong and no body can approve it. Actually teaching children requires special skills, and every body wants to teach children and youth should have a complete knowledge concerning the correct methods of teaching this age group, along with a complete awareness of the intellectual and mental abilities of these gentle blossoms. Here we emphasize again that in case of using incorrect teaching method and working with the child more than his or her abilities, this will definitely lead to the child’s exhaustion and weariness. In addition we should not compare, here, any child with another in any way.
As for Ali Reza-Zada Jouybari, we should say that his father used the best possible methods in teaching him, and in accordance with Ali’s abilities and intense desire, his father started teaching him while he is playing, and in such a way that in the early days the teaching process was talking place five or six times a day with appropriate intervals and for just few minuets each time.
Teaching accompanied by playing and entertainment is a method supported by eminent researchers. John Amos Comenius, the father of modern teaching and educating, says:
“I did my best to change the hard work of the school into pleasure and entertainment. The method used before with children, even noble’s children, in the school was as if they are slaves. Teachers were finding their respect in frowning faces, harsh words and beating. What they want is that the students be afraid of them, not liking them. I have said many times, secretly and openly, we have to launch exhibitions, because I have experimentally concluded that there is no way to get rid of laziness and agitating intelligence better than this. But they told me that we have brought you for serious jobs, not for such entertainments and funny exhibitions. My response was it is these entertainments that lead to serious goals.” (5)
Within six months, Ali’s father taught his son the last part of the Qur’an and then the first one, taking into account his ability and doing that gently and gradually. It was word by word with a lot of repetition, then by making use of recorded tapes, until his abilities blossomed after these six months step by step. After learning to read from the Qur’an, Ali was able to memorize each day more than the day before and had better benefits from the recorded tapes and verses-repetition. Certainly, it was the first six months that prepared the grounds of these abilities. Perhaps many people might think that Ali is a genius and extraordinary child that he was able to memorize the Qur’an and Nahj al-Balagha, but Ali and his father deny this idea completely!
Ali’s father always says, ‘Ali’s intelligence is medium’ and others can also reach such success by relying on God, having practical method, following that method, timekeeping, hard working, patience and stability on this Holy way. Of course it is clear that having an experienced teacher in memorizing Qur’an who is aware of Qur’anic concepts, along with supporting family, are others reasons for Ali Reza-Zada’s success.
Memorizing Qur’an not only did not lead to Ali’s weariness and exhaustion, but it also had a deep affect on his intellectual growth. He passes educational grades by spending just few weeks and taking the final exams only, away from any kind of stress and with more ease and confidence than other students.
What is attentive here is to know that Ali has never been separated from children. In another words he has never been away from his age group children because of being a Qur’an memorizer. In grade one, he learned with other students in ‘Nuzdahe Day’ (19th of Day) primary school and end that grade successfully. In grade two, he was not able to go to school regularly because of his Qur’anic travels… however he passed that year with an average mark of 100. In grade three, he was busy memorizing Nahj al-Balagha which was taking a lot of his time, so he was able to take only the third term exam and passed that grade with an average mark of 100… in grade five, when final exams were approaching, Ali started studying just few weeks before that and was able to pass that grade with an excellent average. Few weeks before the exams, the mathematics teacher was surprised when he was asked to teach Ali, saying that it is not possible, but later on when he taught him and saw his abilities, he changed his mind.
No doubt that Ali’s ability in understanding mathematics problems is due to his analytic memorization of the Qur’an and Nahj al-Balagha.
At the end of this chapter we should say that memorizing Qur’an and Nahj al-Balagha not only did not make Ali tired, but also gave him an additional energy and increasing activity, so that practicing sports with his fellows became one of his regular and essential activities, to the extent that he plays even during his Qur’anic travels whenever he finds an opportunity to do so.
In one of Ali’s provincial travels with a group of Qur’an young learners, he began playing with other children after having finished his Qur’anic program. So it was interesting for others to see that young master, who holds Qur’an, Nahj al-Balagha and divine knowledge inside him, playing with other children.
Ali is very interested in intellectual games, football (soccer) and other games, and he plays the game he likes with his younger brother at home.
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(2) Thawab al-aamal, 102
(3) Majmaa al-bayan, the virtue of Al-Baqara chapter
(4) Al-Mumenoon chapter, verse 14
(5) Falsafeye A’moozesh va Parwaresh (The Philosophy of Teaching and Educating), Dr. Mir A’bdil-Husayn Naqib-Zada