Ruling regarding the one who memorizes a portion of the

Quraan then forgets it

Regarding this matter, the Permanent Council of Scholarly Research in Saudi
Arabia said: It is not appropriate for the one who memorised the Quraan to be
derelict in reciting and maintaining it; instead he should revise a set amount
daily, to help him maintain the Quraan and to prevent him from forgetting it;
furthermore, he should do so, hoping for reward and seeking to benefit from
its commands and rulings, both in belief and action. But if one memorises a
portion of the Quraan then forgets it because he is careless or because he
became busy, he is not sinning. All ahaadeeth that mention punishment of any
kind for the one who memorises the Quraan then forgets, are not
authentically related from the Prophet r for example the report that Anas ibn
Maalik said that the Messenger of Allh r said: The sins of my ummah were
shown to me and there is no sin greater than that of a man who was given
or was helped to memorize a chapter or a verse of the Quraan and then he
forgot it.
This is a weak (daeef) hadeeth which was classed as such by Al-Bukhaari and
At-Tirmidhi. (Takhreej Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh by Al-Albaani, no. 720)
Imaam Ibn Al-Munaadi said in Mutashaabih Al-Quraan (p. 52): "The Salaf were
always afraid of forgetting a portion from the Qur'aan after they had
memorized it, because this was a shortcoming."
As-Suyooti said in Al-Itqaan (1/106): "Forgetting it is a major sin, as was stated
by An-Nawawi in Al-Rawdah and others, because of the hadeeth I was shown
the sins of my ummah.
In conclusion, it can be said that for the one who strives to review and revise
the Qur'aan regularly, there is no sin upon them when they do forget a portion
of the Quraan. However, censure is on those who neglect it and fail to review
it and read it regularly.

The ruling of reciting the Quraan whilst standing, sitting,

walking, riding or lying down
The permissibility of reciting the Quraan in all of the aforementioned
conditions is found in the verse of Allh I:

o n m l k j i h g f eM
L y x wv ut s r q p
{Those who remember Allh (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying
down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth,
(saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, Glory to You!
(Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us
salvation from the torment of the Fire.} [Aal-`Imraan 3:191]
And in the verse of Allh I,

F E D C B A @ ? > = < ;M
L N MLK JI HG
{In order that you may mount firmly on their backs, and then may remember the
Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: "Glory to Him who has
subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts)."} [Az-Zukhruf 43:13]
From the Sunnah, we learn that the Prophet r would recite the Quraan in
various positions - even when riding or resting on something. Abdullaah ibn
Mughaffal said: I saw the Messenger of Allh reciting Soorah al-Fath while he
was riding his camel. (Bukhaari 5034 and Muslim 794)
Aishah said: While I would be menstruating the Prophet would recline in my
lap and recite the Quraan.
Scholars have inferred from the Hadeeth which describes that the Prophet r
recited the Quraan while riding the mount that it is permissible to recite the
Quraan whilst walking, for there is no significant difference between the two
states as would make each one deserving of its own ruling.
2

Deliberation and contemplation over the verses of the Quraan

A person should recite the Quraan while thinking and pondering over the
meaning of the verses, with due respect and presence of mind, in order to
understand its meaning and purport.
The true nature and purpose of the Quraan can be derived from the Quraan
itself:

L M
{Here is a Message for mankind: Let them take warning from it, and let them know
that He is no other than the One Allh: let men of understanding take heed.}
[Ibraaheem 14:52]

L D C B A @ ? >M
{And We have indeed made the Quraan easy to understand and remember: but will
any take heed?} [Al-Qamar 54:32]

M
L
{There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding. It is not a
tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it, a detailed exposition of all
things, and a guide and a mercy to any such as believe.} [Yoosuf 12:111]

L + * )( '& % $ # M
{This is the Book; in it is certain and unmistakable guidance for those who fear
Allh.} [Al-Baqarah 2:2]
These verses and many others emphasize that the real purpose of the
revelation of the Quraan is to encourage people to ponder on crucial issues
such as the creation and purpose of life, in order to make them know about
Allh the One who created them, and to guide them to the right way.
3

The Arabic term used in these verses is Tadabbur ( )which has the following
meanings:
Pondering over something while giving careful consideration to its
consequences.
Pondering over (a plan) considering the state of affairs that it would
achieve.
Allh has emphasized a lot in the Quraan to exercise Tadabbur regarding the
Quraan i.e. to ponder over it while giving careful consideration to the
consequences and results that ensue following its principles, precepts and
commandments.
Ibn As-Sa`dee explained that contemplating the Quraan means to
contemplate its meaning, to reflect on its teachings, aims, and wisdoms.
Contemplating the Quraan is the key to, and fountainhead of all knowledge. It
is through contemplation of the Quraan that one's faith (Eemaan) increases in
the heart. In contemplating the Quraan, one becomes acquainted with his
Lord, His perfect qualities, and those qualities of imperfection that He is far
above from having; furthermore, one learns the way to worship Allh and
becomes able to distinguish between the people of righteousness and the
people of evil. The more one reflects on the Quraan, the more will his
knowledge, foresight, and practical application of the religion increase. Allh
did not only encourage us to deliberate upon the verses of the Quraan, but
informed us that it is the purpose behind the Quraan being revealed; He I
said:

LJ I H G F E D C B M
{(This is) a Book (the Qur'n) which we have sent down to you, full of Blessings that
they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember.}
[Saad 38:29]

This was also the way of the companions; they would take ten verses from the
Messenger of Allh r and they would not move onto the next ten until they
learned the knowledge and application of the ten they had with them. They
said: And so we learned knowledge and action. (Al-Musnad 22971)

Yahyaa Ibn Sa`eed related that once he was sitting with Muhammad Ibn
Yahyaa and Muhammad called out to a man and said "Relate to me what you
heard from your father." The man said, "My father informed me that he once
went to Zaid Ibn Thaabit and said, What is your view on reading the (entire)
Quraan in seven (nights)? Zaid answered, That is good, but for me to read the
(entire) Quraan in half a month or ten (nights) is more beloved to me - but ask
me why? My father said, Then, I ask you why? Zaid said, So that I may
contemplate it, and stop at (different verses, to reflect on them, and the
profound wisdoms and teachings contained in them). (Muwatta Maalik 320,
1/136)
Many ahaadeeth and verses reiterate that it is required of us to ponder over
the verses of the Quraan. The Quraan is a source of guidance for every human
being, a teacher and a mentor. Therefore merely reciting it is not sufficient understanding it is vital; otherwise it will remain no more than a sacrament.