Today we’ll be covering two points; consolidating and reviewing what you have memorised.
Let’s assume you created a timetable for memorising Juz ‘Amma (the thirtieth Juz) and you have met your target for day 1. The next day you are ready to move on to the next set of Aayaat you have set for yourself. Before starting to memorise any new section, make sure you are 110% solid on your previous day’s section. And as you go along, you will need to regularly review everything you have memorised previously. The importance of reviewing (regularly) cannot be stressed enough. It is easier to memorise the Qur’aan than it is to retain it. This may sound ridiculous to some of you but ask any Haafidh and they will agree with this statement. For this reason, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, was reported to have said:
“Secure your memorisation of the Qur’aan, for it escapes more quickly than a camel does from its fetter.” [Saheel al-Bukhaari, #5033, and Saheeh Muslim, #791]
And he also said:
“The likeness of the one who memorizes the Qur’aan is that of the owner of a hobbled camel. If he tends to it regularly, he will keep it, but if he lets it go, he will lose it.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaari, #5031]
Don’t neglect the Qur’aan and slack in constantly reviewing and keeping watch over however much of it you have stored in your heart. The more you do this in the early stages, the stronger you will be as you reach towards completing the Qur’aan. This is very important because as you acquire more of the Qur’aan, the easier it will be for you to be made to forget if you do not review regularly. Its worthwhile having a review timetable just the same way you have a memorisation timetable. InshaaAllaah in a later post, we’ll cover different ways in which you can review your hifdh and why its important to incorporate the different methods in order to make your memorisation more solid.
So, as a final reminder, do not, no matter how tempted you are, move on to memorising a new portion of the Qur’aan if you are weak in the previous section/s you have memorised. This is a rule you should discipline yourself to abide by because if you don’t, you will only find yourself paying the price for it later on down the road. Impatience, hastiness and over-zealousness will only cause you to have to spend time re-memorising previous sections and set you back on your memorisation targets. Nor is it a good sign of your motivation, attentiveness, dedication and respect for Allaah’s Book.