There are many hadiths which emphasis many fruits (benefits and blessings) for memorizing Al Qur’an. Especially for parents out here it is tremendously important to keep the tradition of Qur’an memorization for our children alive . As one of the greatest of Allah blessings is children.
Qur’an tells us
لْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
“Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world” (18:46)
From the blessings of Allah upon us is that he made the Magnificent Qur’an easy to memorize in the schools for Qur’an memorization.
Here we present an interview with preserver/Hafidh Muhammad Annas, a wonderful example of a boy who have successfully completed the memorization of the whole Qur’an. We hope this can benefit to our own children.
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.
Wa’alaikum Assalaam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.
Mabrook, dear Annas. I am so happy as it is pleasant to know that you have finished the Hifdhul Qur’an, Mashaa’Allah. Congratulations to you and your parents for achieving such a great thing, alhamdulillah.
Thank you, Sir.
It is really the blessing of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala that you were able to complete the Hifdh in such a young age.
How old are you?
15
How it feels to be a hafidh at this age?
It feels great to realize that I have overcome something that people older than me wish to!
What was your parents’ reaction on the completion of the Hifdhul Qur’an?
They were very happy, when I entered home the day I completed the Qur’an memorisation, my mother was almost in tears. My father hugged me and patted me on my back. It was a memorable moment for me.
Do you feel age is important in doing hifdhul Qur’an?
My ustadh always used to tell me to complete hifdh fast because I was on the border age! He used to tell me that for someone to do hifdh, he must be not older than 16 because one you cross 16, you are basically halfway adult! When you step into the adulthood, it’s very hard to give more time and concentration as it is required for hifdh. The universal hifdh age is from 4 to 16. People can do hifdh after, 16 and I know a few who did, but it is very difficult. So the younger, the better!
Difficult, but not impossible?
Of course, yes.
Tell us about your Ustadh.
My Ustadh was a fine gentleman and a good teacher. He used to explain the tajweed rules in such a way that it made tajweed look as easy as ABC. When I was feeling difficulty in learning, he used to tell me to relax and would narrate about how the great Sahabah also faced problems learning. He used to tell me certain Azkaar to help. His name is Ustadh Kaleemullah. In a way, he was much like you.
What was your feeling when you left school to join full time Qur’an Centre?
I was a little excited, a little nervous and a lot scared. I was scared because I would’ve wasted my time if I wasn’t able to complete the hifdh.
In which Qur’an Centre you took up your mission to memorize the Qur’an?
Abdullah bin Masood Qur’an Keeping Centre, Sharjah.
What was the timings of the Madarsa, that is study time, rest time etc.?
We used to study from 6.30 to 9.00 am/10. 00 a.m (depends on the class; different classes had different break time in order to maintain calmness and serenity) Then 20 minutes break was given to ease ourselves. From 10.30 to 12.00 noon it was study time again. 12.00 to 1.00 p.m. Zuhr and lunch break. Rest time was between 1 and 3.00 p.m. Then from 3.15 till Asr prayer, it was study time. After Asr prayer till Maghrib, it was again study time and we used to leave our madarsa after performing Maghrib prayers.
Hmmm, it should have been hectic time Subhanallaah. How long did it take for you to complete the full Qur’an memorization?
About 2 years. 10th August 2013 to 2nd September 2015.
Can you tell us when and how all it began?
It all began when I went for Umrah in April 2013. As soon as I came back, there was something inside me, something telling me that I had to do something. It was then that we were studying the lesson about hufaadh in school. The lesson was “Mission Possible: Memorizing the Qur’an”. I can still remember that day sir when you were explaining about the rewards for memorizing the Qur’an both in this world and in the Hereafter. You taught me that huffaadh are the protectors of the Qur’an. That motivated me; I wanted to do something for my religion and what better way to do it than protecting the book of Allah in my memory.
What was your motivation to become the Hafidh?
Actually you were my motivation, sir!
I am humbled at this.
You were indeed the cause of my motivation.
Alhamdulillaah. As you know, Tajweed is very important to read the Qur’an in proper and correct method. How much time you spent with your Ustadh to learn Tajweed?
I spent 30 days, one full month, in order to grasp the full method/technique for tajweed
What methods did your Ustadh adopt in order to make you learn tajweed?
Tajweed is actually the basics of doing hifdh. My ustadh displayed diagrams to explain from which part of the mouth the huroof come out. For Example, Aa’in from the middle of the throat while Gha’in from the upper part of the throat.
What method you adopted to grasp the techniques of Tajweed and the art of Qur’anic recitation?
I started listening to the tilaawaah online. Well your blog helped me a lot in that matter and I started using tajweed-type-huroof in normal language.
Can you define or elaborate what do you mean by ‘Tajweed-type huroof in normal language’?
Tajweed type huroof in normal language is nothing but the use of the specific letters such as Aa’in to say the word Sana’iaah which means industrial area in my mother tongue (Urdu) as well as in Arabic.
How did you proceed from one Juz to another?
Well, at first it took time, the first & second Juz were completed in 28 days each and then it decreased accordingly.
From Juz 1 to Juz 30 or Juz 30 to Juz 1?
From last Juz to first Juz. As last Juz has small Surahs, it is easier to learn Tajweed and perfect one’s pronunciation.
You had any specific plan on a daily basis?
I started with half a page a day and increased it by one page, two pages and eventually finished it with six a day.
MashaaAllah. How fast was your Hifdh progress?
Well, I wanted to finish in a year or at least in 18 months, but it took me two years so I guess I progressed slower than I expected.
Did you get struck up at any place and because of that your speed got slowed down?
Yes, actually I did get stuck up thrice when I was doing hifdh while I was in Grade 8. You know, I used to come to school on special permission to take up Term exams. If I was taking 2 pages, it got reduced to one page.
That means, aspiring huffadh should take up full time hifdh in order to avoid this problem, right?
Yes sir, it is better and advisable too. When I discontinued school and took to full time memorisation in my second year of hifdh journey, things got very easy alhamdulillaah as I was relieved of the stress of academic studies.
Did you face laziness or some mental block during your hifdh journey? If yes, how did you overcome that problem?
If I had any mental block, I would forget all about learning during my class, go and talk to my ustadh about the problem. He would help me overcome it by motivating and making me feel at ease.
Any specific problem you faced during the process of memorization?
Nothing specific, you know just family issues and stuff, sometimes it happens!
Any competition the Qur’an Centre used to organise among those doing hifdh in order to motivate or boast up students’ energy?
Yes, every Saturday there used to be a Tilaawah competition among 6 different students. First and Second prizes were given. Every day after/before Zuhr prayer (depending upon the class; for me it was before Zuhr salah) there used to be Islamic lectures to motivate students to become good Muslims. That was the motivation for students to boost up their energy in Tilaawah as well as completing the hifdh.
Memorising and remembering the Mutashabihaat aayaat is so difficult and challenging as well, right? How did you meet this challenge? Did your Ustadh tell you any specific method to follow with regard to the Mutashabihaat verses?
It was not very challenging at first, but then when I started to memorize more and more, I faced problems at the Mutashabihaat, but the my ustadh told me to learn both the Mutashabihaat ayaats with their respective meanings so I could know in which ayah Allah (S.W.T.) is focusing on what and what particular command He is giving us to do.
You must be aware that in both Boys’ as well as Girls’ Sections in our school, there are some huffadh who have already completed, some are undergoing hifdh. Any message or advice you wish to tell them?
The ones who are undergoing hifdh I would like to tell them to do a lot of hard work and focus on the target because completing hifdh is not an easy task.
What is your plan/target to do the revision/review of the Qur’an on daily basis? How are you revising the Qur’an?
I still go to the madrasah (3 to 7 pm) I have to give my awqaf exams so I revise 2 or 3 Juz daily.
You know very well that we have to understand the glorious Qur’an. As a hafidh, what is your plan with regard to this?
As I am preparing for my awqaf exams, I will try to revise it, InshaaAllah, with meaning as I know that is very important.
May Allah help you pass your exams in flying colours. Aameen. It is nice talking to you, dear. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Jazakallaahu Khayra. May Allah bless you immensely both in this world and in the Hereafter. Aameen.
Baarakallaahu Feekum.
Source: Memorizing the Qur’an: Interview with Grade 9 student
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