Approach the Quran
1- Frequent Reading and Listening to the Qur'an
The one who learns the Qur'an by heart should frequently read and listen to it so that he can retain it in his heart. In this context, ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
"The example of the person who knows the Qur'an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away. "[1]
In the narration of Muslim, however, it is added,
"If the one who learns the Qur'an by heart awakens to read the Qur'an by day and night, he will remember it; whereas if he does not awaken (to recite it), he will forget it. "
`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
"It is a bad thing that some of you say, 'I have forgotten such-and-such verse of the Qur'an, 'for indeed, he has been caused (by Allah) to forget it. So you must keep on reciting the Qur'an because it escapes from the hearts of men faster than camels that are released from their lead ropes. "[2]
According to the above hadith, Allah, Most High, may cause a person to forget some of what he memorizes because of committing sins.
Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
"Keep on reciting the Qur'an, for by Him in Whose Hand my life is, the Qur'an runs away (is forgotten ) faster than camels that are released from their lead ropes. "[3]
The one who memorizes the Glorious Qur'an should make the Mus-haf his companion in loneliness and his close friend in times of alienation in order to retain it. In this connection, Al-Qasim ibn `Abdur-Rahman said, "I asked a devout man, 'Do you not have a close friend (in this wilderness)? Whereupon, he replied, 'This is my close friend,' pointing to a Mus-haf Explaining the Islamic ruling regarding forgetting the Glorious Qur'an, As-Suyuti pointed out that forgetting the Glorious Qur`an after memorizing it is a major sin. To support his point of view, As-Suyuti quoted the following hadiths:
"The faults of my people are shown to me. Yet, I do not see a more grievous fault than that of a mart who memorizes a surah or an ayah of the Glorious Qur'an and then forgets it" [4]
"Whoever recites (memorizes) the Quran arid then forgets it, will meet Allah on the Day of Judgment as a leper."[5]
Also, he quoted the aforementioned two hadiths narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas`ud and Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with them both).
In fact, the hadiths which indicate that forgetting what one memorizes of the Glorious _Qur'an is a major sin are proven to be da'if (weak), i.e., unauthentic, according to the sayings of the Scholars of Hadith. Therefore, we can say that forgetting the Glorious Qur`an after memorizing it is condemned and disliked, not prohibited or regarded as a major sin by the Shari`ahl.[6]
I fear that people would refrain from memorizing the Glorious Qur`an owing to the grievous sin they would commit in case of forgetting it. So, I admitted that forgetting the Qur'an after memorizing it is disliked, not prohibited.
[1] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[3] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
[4] Reported by Abu Dawud.
[5] Reported by Abu Dawud.
[6] Sharfah is the Islamic Law. Which contains all ordinances that Allah, Most High, has
prescribed for Muslims.