Should the Qur'an be memorised without understanding?

format_quote Originally Posted by Arwa

wa alaikum assalam

I feel the Qur'an should be memorised with understanding.. what's the point of memorising anything you don't understand?

The Qur'an should be read with understanding too, not just for memorisation.

yes I agree with you Arwa... If you memorised it then it would be nice to know the meaning of it too. And even if it takes alot longer to learn the whole Quran, it sure is nice when you understand the Quran in all its glory. Then when you learn the whole Quran and then you begin again to get a clear view on it, better to do both at the same time, remembering and understanding.

format_quote Originally Posted by Shukri

Asallama Alaikum well,I say reading the Quran requires understanding the Glorious Quran.What's the point of just reading the Quran without knowing it's meaning.We're supposed to read the Quran then apply it to ourselves.The hounarable Sahaba's use to implement what they learned from the Quran on themselves before moving on to another chapter.

Salam
I agree with you sister. My opinion is that it is more important to understand the Quran that memorize it. I agree that memorizing it when you are young is easier, but you also are teaching you children the right way also. I reverted just over a year ago. I do not plan on memorizing the Quran for awhile yet, I will work on understanding it completely before I try and memorize it. I believe that we need to know what the Quran say with understanding it more than we need to memorize. What point is it to memorize in when you don't understand? I think it will be easier and more valuable to understand what you are memorizing.

Firstly, JazakAllah Khair for your opinions.

I agree with zAk's view that it can be memorised and understood simultaneously. During the day, you can have a fixed time for memorising so it doesn't have to be an either/or situation. You know, the following verse comes to mind:

Surah Al-Qamar verse 40

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ
And indeed, We have made the Qur'ân easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)?

It is also said that the companions of the messenger of Allah (SAWS) would learn only ten verses at a time and they would not attempt to memorise anymore until they had understood and implemented what was in those ten verses. This is the best method in my opinion. SubhanAllah, what better example to take than the people who breathed the same air as our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)? There is further a hadith from Bukhari and Muslim that goes as follows:

Retain and safeguard the Qur’an. By the One in whose Hand Muhammad’s soul is, it escapes sooner from memory than a camel does from its tying ropes.

Remember also the words of Imaam Shafi'i:

Knowledge is not what is memorised.
Knowledge is what benefits ~ Imam Shafi'i

Any more comments?

I voted for the last option. It is essential for us to understand the message of the Qur'an, but one should not use this as an excuse to delay memorization, if one does indeed intend to be come Hafidhul-Qur'an.

JazakAllah Khayr Ansar.

So do you think that reading tafsir and commentary is enough or do you think knowledge of arabic is necessary?

i think its really imprtant to understand it infact its our duty the quran is here for a reason its our guide n how can we giude ouselves withought knowing its meaning.i think scho,ers parents should place a it to thier chilldern n students the importance of understanding the quraan as well as memorizing it

format_quote Originally Posted by TEH

Perhaps, but you know, some Arabic, you ust cant explain into English, and it is better understood in Arabic...

I agree.

Thank you for your post Abu-Dalha. What are your views concerning the necessity of learning Arabic? Do you deem it necessary or is reading tafsir and commentary enough?

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا

Do they not then reflect on the Quran? Nay, on the hearts there are locks.

Wow, i never noticed this thread.

The beuty of memorizing the Quran is that, understanding comes with it. To be honest, when i started my hifz i didnt understand a word of arabic except a few simple. As i prgresses i was able to understand the Quran and what it was saying without looking at the translation, like i was able to get the gist of the ayat.

If you are talking about the basic literal understanding then i believe that it comes with memorization.
If you mean a more deep understanding, then i have to agree with brother zAk. The Quran can be memorized both ways. Deep understadning can be left for later, but i believe that the person memorizing should at least have a general idea of what he is memorizing.
Overall, if the person intends to understand in deep later after he is done memorzing then i say its fine if he memorizes without understanding as long as he does the understanding later.