We were taking a walk when my good friend (Auwal Salga) asked me how many verses of the Qur’an I was memorizing daily.
I told him one ayah (verse) a day.
“Ha! That’s not much!” He said.
So I asked him how many he was memorizing. The answer was zero, zilch, nada.
(Although my friend meant well.)
Yes, I memorize only one ayah a day and I’m old enough to ignore those who want me to memorize more because it doesn’t work, at least, it doesn’t work for me.
You need a lot of discipline to do it, and I lack that kind of discipline.
I’ve tried a page a day before. It didn’t work. I even tried three verses a day. It didn’t work.
However, I enjoy one ayah a day. Sometimes, when a verse is too long, I break it up and tackle it in two days.
Some days, I don’t even memorize at all. I just try to lock in the ones that I’ve memorized before.
Non-Muslims may not understand why I’m writing this or why anyone would take a book of 114 chapters and more than 6000 verses and try to memorize it.
But Qur’an memorization is a form of worship. As a Muslim, the more of it you memorize, the better.
So how do I enjoy memorizing one ayah a day?
- I choose the chapters I enjoy listening to and which are not too long. That is, for my own motivation, I can finish it in a reasonable time, say one month. This means the chapter would be under 30 verses. Example, chapter 71 only has 28 verses with beautiful cadence when recited.
- I ask my mobile app to recite the ayah of the day 100 times. It is better you listen to how the experts recite it. You can choose your favourite reciter, there are many who come with the app I use. Saad El Ghamidi is my favourite.
- After listening, I repeat it to myself 100 times.
- I use it throughout the day in my prayers and sometimes even in conversations.
- You would also memorize it faster if you reflect on the meaning. The app comes with an English translation.
Want to try? Why don’t you start today? No, not tomorrow.
In fact, I just finished a chapter and want to start a new one. Do you want us to do it together?
I’m starting Chapter 72 (Jinn). Also 28 verses.
The app I use is called Ayat. It’s from a university in Saudi Arabia. Search your AppStore or PlayStore, it’s free.
PS:
I wrote this a few years ago. I like to share it at the beginning of every Ramadan – because it is the month of the Qur’an. May Allah accept our ibadah.
- Ibraheem Dooba is a newspaper columnist
