Isn't the human brain an absolute marvel among Allah’s creations? The immense capacity it has to absorb and then hold phenomenal amounts of knowledge is incredible.

Throughout history, many individuals have challenged the potential of their brains even more to accomplish remarkable feats. Among them, the huffaz stand out as shining examples of those who have pushed the boundaries even further by memorizing the Quran.

What Allah Says About Memorizing the Quran

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ ١٧

“And We have certainly made the Quran easy to remember. So, is there anyone who will be mindful?” (54:40)

In this ayat from Surah-e-Qamar, Allah has clearly stated that He has “made the Quran easy to remember,” underscoring the fact that this Divine text is memorizable by all. Memorizing the Quran is not only encouraged but also highly rewarded. 

The memorization of the entire Quran has not been made incumbent upon us, but learning a few surahs at least is essential as without them, salah will not be possible. 

Then there are those who take it upon themselves to commit it all to memory. We cannot help but envy them as our hearts swell with reverence for them. They are the ones who will not only attain success in the Hereafter but will reap countless benefits in this world, too. 

The foremost worldly benefit of undertaking Hifz-e-Quran is an improvement in their memory capacity. 

In this article, we will discuss how learning the Quran helps this process.

Neuroplasticity Discussed

Neuroplasticity, simply put, is a phenomenon where our brains adapt to constant stimulation by reorganizing and forming new neural connections. This helps enhance memory and cognition.

Memorizing the Quran is like challenging the brain on a daily basis. We stimulate our minds with new ayats and new surahs daily, making our brains work harder and push the limit.

This way, when the brain is stimulated on a regular basis and when it is made to work harder, it changes to adapt to this new activity.

This is further proven by a study conducted to review the impact of memorisation of Quran on the brain. This study proves that reciting and listening to the Quran not only brings inner peace to the individual but the learning of the verses improves the intelligence quotient of the individual. 

The Brain Needs to be Trained

For an individual to have a healthy, active mind and a sharp memory, his brain needs to be trained. According to Dr. John N Morris at the Harvard-affiliated Institute for Aging Research, "Embracing a new activity that also forces you to think and learn and requires ongoing practice can be one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy."

What Dr Morris has emphasized here has a striking similarity to the practice of memorization of the Quran. This activity requires constant mental engagement and committing new information to memory. It is an ongoing practice that requires constant involvement and a long-term commitment. This directly results in an improved memory of the individual. 

Hence, Dr Morris’ advice aligns perfectly with the overall benefits that can be reaped by memorizing the Quran.

Various other studies have been conducted that prove without a doubt that hifz methods have had vast improvements in the mental capacities of the subjects. It is known to help patients with Alzheimer's as this mental exercise provides them with the kind of stimulation needed to improve the performance of their brains.

Language, Cognition, and Memory Stimulated

Quran memorization techniques are known to significantly enhance the language ability, cognitive functions, and memory of the person. When an individual memorizes the verses of the Quran, he comes across a wide range of new words and phrases. This improves the language, comprehension, and vocabulary. 

Hifz methods also act as a mental workout for the person. Once a verse is memorized, it needs to be recalled from memory and retained over time. This practice enhances the memory capacity even further.

Memorization of the Quran also requires immense focus and concentration, which serves as another mental workout. As a result, the person can pay better attention, not just during memorization but in all other aspects of his life.

Short-term and Long-term Memory Discussed 

Quran memorization can help enhance not just short-term and long-term memories but also their working memories. 

When an individual memorizes the Quran, he has to learn and then hold those verses in his short-term memory. Continued memorization of the Quran, revision, and retention help strengthen the STM of such a person. 

Since this is a long-term commitment and these verses must be retained for an extended period, the individual’s long-term memory also comes into play. This is where the information, namely the verses of the Quran, is encoded and stored to be retrieved later. The Quran memorization techniques help consolidate the LTM, improving the overall memory of the learner.

When learning the Quran, the working memory also comes into play as this is where the information is held while in use. Hifz methods make sure that the working memory is enhanced and its capacity and efficiency are increased. 

An enhancement in all these memory capacities of the person memorizing the Quran results in his performing better at all his other activities. 

And isn’t that a huge blessing by Allah? For when we devote ourselves to His service, He makes sure that our other affairs are taken care of. 

Quran Memorization Tips

The profound advantages of memorizing the Quran both in this world and the hereafter have motivated countless Muslims throughout history to embark on this sacred journey. This undertaking does not only bring spiritual growth but also equips Huffaz with the tools that help them succeed in this world. 

Many time-tested methods help in this process, and here we have discussed a few.

• Make a clear and sincere niyah of memorizing the Quran and make dua that Allah makes you successful in this sacred task.
  
  

• Decide upon a schedule or a daily goal and make sure to meet it regardless of everything.
  
  

• Get your tajweed and pronunciations corrected by a qari or an ustad before you begin.
  
  

• If you are memorizing the Quran on your own, make use of a Quran app such as Quranly. This will allow you to listen to and then repeat after a skilled qari. You can try to copy his style to beautify your tilawah.
  
  

• Try to understand what you are reading. Reading the translation of the verses on Quranly will assist in the learning process and help you speed up.
  
  

• Practise all the verses you have learned in your salah every day. This will help as a regular enforced revision so that you keep reinforcing all the ayats you have already memorized.

  
  

• Always get your recitation checked. Recite to a qari or ustad to make sure you have done everything correctly. If there are any errors, it is better to get them corrected as early as possible.
  
  

Final Word

The Quran memorization techniques are blessed practices that not only enrich us spiritually but help us improve all our mental faculties. The benefits of Hifz go way beyond our spiritual growth and extend into our worldly affairs, too. The holy verses are not just preserved in the hearts of the believers but are also etched on their minds. This, in turn, dramatically reinforces the memory and its capacity to hold even more.

The memorization of the Quran is a testament to the incredible potential and capacity of our minds. It helps us realize that we are capable of so much more than we believe ourselves to be.

So let us be thankful to Allah for bestowing upon us this great opportunity to not just elevate our ranks in the hereafter but also to discover the limitless potential of our minds.

Vocabulary List

Hifz: Memorizing the Quran

Tajweed: Rules of the correct pronunciation of the Quran

Qari: Reciter

Huffaz: Memorisers of the Quran