‘Hafiz’ is an Arabic word that means ‘the one who remembers’ or ‘the one who protects.’ In Islam, a hafiz is a noun used to refer to a male who has memorized the entire Quran by heart. The opposite of the word ‘hafiz’ is known as ‘hafiza,’ which refers to a female who has memorized the Quran by heart.
Is It Obligatory To Memorize The Entire Quran?
Memorization of the Quran is a highly encouraged and rewarding action in Islam. All Muslims are encouraged to memorize the Quran with sincere intentions. However, it is not an obligation. Islam recognizes the various capacities and circumstances of Muslims and enforces its obligations according to them.
How Does One Become a Hafiz?
Sincerity
“Surely pure religion is for Allah only.”
[Surah Zumar, Verse 2]
Islam emphasizes on various occasions how important it is to have sincere and clean intentions while doing an action. There is a literal hadith that mentions how the reward of an action depends on the intention itself. Hifz (memorization of the Quran) is no different. It must be done with a pure intention of gaining the pleasure of Allah SWT and attaining paradise. If it is done with the intention of gaining worldly pleasures, such as praise from people, it is an intention that won’t do a person any good.
Pronunciation And Reading
Learning the Quran with correct pronunciation and reading is the only way to ensure maximum blessings while doing hifz. Therefore, correctly learning the Quran can only be done with the help of a Quran teacher. The evidence of this is found in the history of Islam itself, where the Prophet PBUH learned the Quran from Jibreel AS, then the companions of the Prophet PBUH learned it from him, and in this manner, it was passed down from generation to generation.
Repeating And Revising
Deciding how much Quran one needs to learn in a day while keeping their capabilities at the forefront is the fastest way to achieve the goal of hifz. Repeating each verse until it is remembered perfectly with correct pronunciation should be the end goal of every hifz session. After one is confident that they have memorized a certain portion, they can use the technique of active recall to ensure the verses remain in long-term memory. Moreover, repeating and revising the Quran not only makes the memorization more solid, but it also brings good deeds.
Reciting The Verses
Continually reciting the verses to a Quran teacher is beneficial because it helps to point out any mistakes while also adding rhythm and fluency to one’s pronunciation. This is because sometimes a person may recite a surah by themselves and not even notice the mistake they are making. Moreover, reciting the verses not only solidifies the memory but also brings immense reward.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Whoever recites a single letter from the Book of Allah, he will be rewarded with one good deed, and each good deed is multiplied tenfold. I am not saying that ‘Alif-Lam-Mim’ is one letter, but rather, Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter.”
[Riyad as-Salihin 999]
Benefits Of Becoming A Hafiz
Doing hifz and completely memorizing the Quran has numerous benefits in both this world and the hereafter.
Benefits In This World
Precedence In Leading The Prayers
Since the hafiz has memorized the Quran by heart, he is preferred over others who haven’t in leading the prayer. The evidence of this is found in several hadiths, such as,
Abu Masud reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “The person with the most knowledge of the Qur’an should lead the prayer. If there is a tie in Qur’anic knowledge, then the one who emigrated first should lead. If they are still equal in terms of emigration, then the person with greater familiarity with the Sunnah should lead. If they remain equal in Sunnah knowledge, the older individual should take the lead.”
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 780]
When the first group of emigrants arrived at Al-`Usba — a location in’ Quba’—before the Prophet’s arrival, Salim, the slave of Abu Hudhaifa, who had a better knowledge of the Qur’an than others, led them in prayer.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 692]
Placement In The Grave
The hafiz is placed in a common grave that is closer to the qibla if it is essential to bury him with other people.
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: The Prophet (PBUH) gathered every two martyrs of Uhud together in a single piece of cloth. He then asked, “Which of them knew more of the Qur’an?” When someone indicated a particular martyr, the Prophet would place that person at the forefront of the grave and say, “I will be a witness for these on the Day of Resurrection.” He commanded that they be buried with their blood still on their bodies, and neither were they washed nor was any funeral prayer performed for them.
Benefits In The Hereafter
Status Increased By Recitation
It is stated in several hadiths that the status of the hafiz will keep on increasing as long as he keeps reciting the verses of the Quran from his memory.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, It will be announced to the one who has memorized the Qur’an, “Recite and ascend in ranks; recite melodiously just as you did while in the world. Indeed, your rank will be determined by the last verse you recite.”
Note: In this hadith, the word ‘recite’ actually means ‘memorize.’
Company Of The Angels
The one who memorizes the Quran will be with the angels, accompanying them.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Those who master the Qur’an will be alongside the noble and righteous angels. Meanwhile, those who recite it but struggle to do so will receive double the reward.”
[Sunan Ibn Majah 3779]
A Garment And Crown Of Honor
It is stated in the hadiths that a person who does hifz will be given a crown and a garment of honor to wear from Allah SWT.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The person who memorizes the Qur’an will be brought on the Day of Judgment, and the reward for his recitation will speak: ‘O Lord! adorn him.’ As a result, he will be adorned with a crown of honor. Then it will say, ‘O Lord! Grant him more!’ and he will be dressed in a garment of nobility. Afterwards, it will be said, ‘O Lord! Be pleased with him,’ and Allah will be pleased with him.
[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2915]
Intervention Of The Quran
The Quran will intercede on behalf of the reciter on the day of judgment.
“Recite the Qur’an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will serve as an intercessor for those who recite it. Read the two bright chapters, Al-Baqara and Surah Al ‘Imran, because on that day they will appear as two clouds, two shades, or two flocks of birds in formation, pleading on behalf of those who recite them.”
[Sahih Muslim 804a]
Reward For The Parents
Not only do hafiz or hafiza attain blessings and rewards for themselves, but they also attain rewards for their parents. The parents of the child will be rewarded because they took care of the child and guided them towards the right path. Even if the parents were ignorant and didn’t care what the child did, Allah will still honor them because of their child.