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Wasfeeya Altalib

~ Welcome to my blog, where I'll be sharing diary posts, bios, motivation & resources. | For hifdh mentorship, contact me on 0793500024 or email wasfeeya@gmail.com.

Wasfeeya Altalib

Category Archives: Motivation

8 years since day 1

03 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by Wasfeeya in Hifdh Diary, Inspiration, Motivation, Reflections

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Haafidha, haafizah, hafidhah, Hifdh, Hifth, Hifz, Islam, memorising Qur'an, Qur'an memorisation, Quran, Qurʾān

Bismillah

All praises and thanks be to Allah SWT. Abundant salutations be upon His beloved Messenger SAW.

Why me?⁣⁣

People usually ask that when something bad happens to them, but this was the most blessed thing anyone could ask for. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

I couldn’t accept the fact that Allah chose me. Why me? Why not my brother with the impressive memory?⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

“Rather, it [the Qur’an] is distinct verses [preserved] in the chests of those who have been given knowledge…” (Qur’an, 29:49)⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Allah says they have been *given* knowledge. Which means He granted me this gift; so I should appreciate it. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

It was not, however, handed to me on a silver platter. It was actually the most difficult thing I’ve done. I couldn’t even imagine completing and knowing the whole Qur’an at once. It seemed impossible. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

But I went to hifdh school day in, day out. I begged Him to get me though each and every day. I implored Him for sincerity constantly. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

“Then we caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants…” (Qur’an, 35:32).⁣⁣⁣⁣

Alhamdulillah. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

May Allah SWT accept from me and you, and make us true people of the Qur’an, so that on the day it is said to us “Recite and ascend, and recite as you used to recite in the [previous] world…” we will be able to do so effortlessly🤲🏻 Āmīn⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

3 March 2019⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

8 years since my first Hifdh lesson, 3 March 2011. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣

⁣#hifth #quran #hifdh #quranmemorisation #motivation #islam #alhamdulillah #inspiration #goals #aakhirah

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Egypt Student life Update

27 Saturday Oct 2018

Posted by Wasfeeya in Motivation, Reflections

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Alhamdulillah, Arabic, Cairo, Egypt, Quran, student life

Bismillah

All praises and thanks are due to Allah SWT. Abundant salutations be upon His beloved Nabi Muhammad SAW.

Yesterday I had to bid farewell to two friends who are leaving back to their home countries of Sweden and Holland. We met in Level 1 of Arabic classes at Fajr Centre for the Arabic Language. Our class started on the 14th of February this year. They both intended to stay here at least until they finish the 14-level course. But Allah SWT decided that their time here in Egypt is up. Life here in Egypt is not for everyone. And it is difficult if you have children and are studying. One of my friends felt as though she wasn’t giving her child his due right and she was struggling with her studies, and her husband couldn’t spend as much time as he wanted to on his studies because he had to spend more time with his wife and son than before. Mothers miss the support structures and social circles that they previously had. Many ladies have said that they wish they came here before they had children.

During level 4, the institute moved location. It was a bit of an inconvenience because we had moved flats for me to be closer to the Arabic centre, and now I had to travel by Uber to class every day. After level 4, I decided to leave Fajr Centre to instead get a private tutor to focus on my speaking. It was really good and I improved, Alhamdulillah. However, I knew it was time to go back to a centre when I started feeling lethargic due to just being at home. So I did. I had to retake the entrance exam and was placed in level 5.

I’m currently level 7. I’m really happy this level because I got my favourite teacher, Ustadha Yasmin, and my favourite time-slot: 11am!😁. And even better, the centre decided to open up another branch close to home, so tomorrow I get to walk to class again. The Arabic is finally getting exciting for me as it’s getting more challenging. We’re starting balāghah tomorrow. Studying Arabic in Cape Town gave me a good foundation to build on.

We have a private Qur’an teacher who comes to us twice a week. We’ve had lots of breaks due to my husband’s exams and traveling etc. But I can’t blame that for my slow Qur’an progress. I really should have been finished with my Shu’bah khatm by now but I’m about half-way through it. I didn’t want to push myself and do it just for the sake of it. I really struggle with my Qur’an – not in terms of the actual recitation, but in being sincere. May Allah SWT grant me sincerity. Āmīn.

Advice for studying abroad:

1. Ideally do it while you’re single or married without kids. It’s the best ever!

2. Study in your homeland or online before travelling abroad to save time abroad.

3. Financially prepare before you come and have back-up finance in place. You will need it at some point.

With best of du’as for your worldly and Hereafter success,

Wasfeeya

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I’m still struggling 

19 Sunday Feb 2017

Posted by Wasfeeya in Motivation, Reflections

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Qur'an; Qur'an translation; hifdh; hifz

Bismillah 

Did you know that not all parents instantly fall in love with their newborn baby? 

The new parent must feel really horrible, and guilty about it. Especially when there’s a hype from everyone else and every other new parent seems to experience this immediate connection with their baby. 

I feel similarly with Qur’an. I think there’s an unrealistic expectation that you’ll experience this overwhelming emotional connection to it. When we first started translating Surah Baqarah I felt annoyed to be honest; annoyed that the Yahūd were mentioned so much in our Qur’an.  

I was told I’ll cry everyday. I didn’t. I cried once in class – for the whole year. That was it.  

Someone once likened it to meeting a new person, with some people you feel an instant connection yet with others it takes a while, maybe a good couple of meetings, to get to know them before you form a bond. If you found an instant connection with Qur’an, say Alhamdulillah to the nth degree. But this post goes out to those who haven’t quite felt it. Yet. Especially to those who feel guilty or feel like there’s something wrong with them. Don’t give up. Keep going back. Again and again. 

I went to class every day regardless. And then one day, smack bam! This one ayah just hit me. I said I only cried once in class. But once was all I needed. It was a life-defining moment. 

I yearn for every ayah to feel like that. Like Allah is speaking directly to me. Like every ayah was revealed just for me. But it doesn’t. Not yet anyway. 

Memorising and review (what I’m currently in the midst of) can become monotonous. 

30 ajzaa later, I’m still struggling. 

So I advise myself, before anyone else, once again: don’t give up. Ever. 

I pray that Allah SWT softens our hearts and grants us to truly experience His āyāt to the core of beings and into the depths of our lives. May we one day enter Jannatul Firdous and experience Allah SWT telling us:

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Vision, Mission, Go!

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Motivation, Reflections

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Bismillāhir-Rahmānir-Raheem. In the Name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allāh (SWT), who blessed us with the Glorious Qur’ān. Abundant salutations be upon our beloved teacher and role model, the first haafidh, Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

My mind was abuzz this morning. I didn’t know what I was going to say. I was wondering what was going to slip out of my mouth when I stepped on stage. As a “graduate”, I was invited to speak at Jam ‘Eyyatul Qurra (JEQ)’s Winter Snowflake Gala today. I had prepared a speech, only because I had to send it to its administrator. But I knew I was not going to stick to it. 

Whenever you give a speech, they say it’s actually three speeches:  the speech you prepare, the speech you give and the speech you wish you gave.

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Here’s the speech I prepared:

In order to be successful, one has to have a vision and mission in life. And not an airy fairy “I just wanna be happy” or “I just wanna be successful.” Having a thought-out vision statement is so important that Allah documents the vision statement of Iblees, and isn’t he incredibly successful? Well, in this world, at least.

Iblees in detail explains “I will sit in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will come to them from in front of them and from behind them and on their right and on their left and you will not find most of them grateful.” In another place Iblees further clarifies his vision into a mission statement when he says, “I will surely take from among your servants a specific portion. And I will mislead them and I will arouse them in [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.” If Iblees has such a detailed vision and mission, what about us? What about you and me? What is your personal vision and mission? Have you ever given it any thought? Or do you go through life just trying to get through the day? Never stopping to think, isn’t there more to life than this rat race? What would it feel like to wake up feeling alive, excited to start your day?

Well, Allah didn’t create us without a vision for us. A very beautiful, vivid vision. A vision of palaces and gardens beneath which rivers flow, servants at our beck and call, wait we don’t even have to ask for what we want. This vision is our ultimate reward, the highest levels of Jannah. Our palaces are already built for us, but we refuse them every time we don’t wake up for Fajr, neglect our other salaat, every time we forget about Allah. Beyond our vision, Allah didn’t leave us to figure out what our mission on this earth is. You all know the ayah off the top of your head “And I have not created Jinn and mankind expect to worship Me.”

Many of us think of worship as limited to the masjid, salaah, fasting, maybe thikr. But our entire lives can be an act of worship with the right intention. An intention is all it takes. An accepted intention that I made 5 years ago was all it took to get me where I am today, Alhamdulillah. An intention to memorise the Qur’an.

Memorising the Qur’an was challenging. No one told me how complex it is. And to the hifth students present, renew your intention every single day, persevere, put in the extra effort required. Persevere through your difficulties. It is worth your while. I remember Sheikh Suleiman telling me something to the effect that you may regret it now, but the day that you close your eyes, meaning when you die, you will be happy. The date you will complete was written before you were even born, but it’s up to you to work hard and trust in Allah. Recognize that you may need support, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. When I was learning I saw a counselor, a hypnotherapist, a doctor, an energy healer and whoever else I could get help and support from. But beyond the memorization, have a greater purpose, a greater motivation for memorising the Qur’an. The world needs you. “Allah put you on this earth for a reason. Allah wants you to do something for Him.” [Nouman Ali Khan]   

You know, I used to say while I was learning that if I knew how difficult it is, I wouldn’t have started. But having completed I say that if I knew how challenging it is, I would’ve done things differently. I now have the opportunity to inform others to do things differently. Alhamdulillah, I conducted a free hifth workshop about a month ago and I go to hifth schools to conduct free workshops. I enjoyed doing radio programs on VOC and Halqatul Qur’an on Radio 786. I’m passionate about mentoring hifth students, with the aim of getting people back on track and achieving their goals. I’m also part of a youth group that is running a series of workshops for girls and the Muslim Students’ Association who’s having a youth conference next weekend inShaAllah. I’m not the most capable person to be doing these things, but I will do them until those qualified fill this gap in our community, inShaAllah.

I’m not speaking about myself and what I do for the sake of it, but to highlight the fact that there is so much work to be done. We’re seeing our Huffaath and haafithaat losing themselves, because we think them having memorized the Quran is enough for them in this life and the hereafter. It’s not. I hardly know the Quran, but I know for a fact, that unless you implement what you know by first understanding it, it may not come in use. We need to invest time, money and energy into building these youth, not glorifying their achievement.

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With best wishes for your hifdh success,

Wasfeeya

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Hifdh Diary (2)

23 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Hifdh Diary, Motivation

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Tags

Haafidha, hafidhah, Hifdh, Hifz, Qur'an memorisation

Bismillāhir-Rahmānir-Raheem

All praise and thanks are due to Allāh (SWT), who blessed us with the Glorious Qur’ān. Abundant salutations be upon our beloved teacher and role model, the first haafidh, Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

I apparently got my “jeems” right! I should’ve been ecstatic! But I didn’t believe my Mu’allimah this morning. I still don’t believe her. Last week I was contemplating giving up this whole reciting for sanad business. I even told my mu’allimah, “I don’t know if I should be doing this.” And then today, look.10353120_1007829825939266_5075930821533682018_n.jpg

 Sometimes you have to give yourself the pep talk, like,

“Hello you amazing human being. Don’t give up so easily. You’re doing great. Keep going!”  12742366_853079798154098_2711994799690933226_n.jpg

So to all the hifdh students out there, moms of hifdh students and to you, whatever you’re doing, keep at it! Just keep going. Put one foot in front of the other. Breathe. Take it a day at a time. 1795518_715329305165375_791364063_nWith best wishes for your hifdh success,

Wasfeeya

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Qur’an Goals

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Inspiration, Motivation

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Haafidha, Hifdh, Hifz, Qur'an memorisation

Bismillāh
All praise and thanks are due to Allāh (SWT), who blessed us with the Glorious Qur’ān. Abundant salutations be upon our beloved teacher and role model, the first haafidh, Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

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As I renew my life goals tonight, I thought I’d share some with you to inspire you to write your own. Especially with the month of Qur’an coming up, first up should (ideally) be Qur’an goals, followed by spiritual goals. These are lifetime goals which should be broken up according to one’s ability and preference.

General Qur’an Goals

  • Learn to recite with tajweed (correct pronunciation)
  • Ensure your children or family recites with tajweed
  • Recite the entire Qur’an
  • Understand the Qur’an
  • Read tafseer of the entire Qur’an
  • Memorise suwar Mulk, Waaqi’ah, Sajda, Yaaseen etc. 
  • Memorise the entire Qur’an

Qur’an Goals for Huffaadh

  • Attain sanad & ijaaza in some or all of the 10 qira-aat (from memory)
  • Recite the whole Qur’an in one sitting (from memory)
  • Recite the complete Qur’an in salaah in one night (from memory)
  • Write down the entire Qur’an (from memory) 

Impossible? Actually, I personally know and have read or heard of people who have accomplished these goals, subhanAllah! May Allah preserve, reward and grant them the highest level of Jannah! And may Allah grant us tawfeeq (the ability and opportunity) to follow suit. Aameen!

Simultaneously work on life goals in other areas of your life.

Categories include:

  • Spiritual goals e.g. go on hajj
  • Skill-set goals e.g. public speaking
  • Physical goals e.g. exercise
  • Family goals e.g. get married 
  • Influence goals e.g. mentor others
  • Giving goals e.g. charity in cash or kind
  • Travel Goals e.g. all the continents
  • Financial Goals e.g. owning a successful business
  • Experience goals e.g. Mount Kilimanjaro

Once you’ve written these down, read them daily. This is a reminder to myself first. 

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with best wishes for your hifdh success,

Wasfeeya

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A Haafidha’s Advice: Towards a fulfilling hifdh experience

03 Sunday Apr 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Advice, Motivation

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Inspiration for Qur'an Memorization

:::Guest BlogPost:::

Dear Fee Qalbee reader,

Greetings from sunny South Africa! My name is Sadiyya Randeree & I am a mum to 2 energetic kids! I am an adventurous Haafidha and an avid reader who has an artistic side to her talents, Alhamdulillah.

My journey of Hifdh was a long and very inspiring one in which I had the
privilege of studying under many Asaatidha & Huffaadh.

I was fortunate enough to receive their love, guidance and most importantly, tips & valuable advice!

The Qur’aan is our guide, our light in this dark world that we live in and
as such, we need to internalize its messages & to reflect on its deeper
meanings.

A few words of advice:

Q– Quality, not quantity!
Its not about how much you recite, but how you recite! اللَّه says: “And
recite the Quraan in slow, measured tones. “- Surah Muzzammil

U

View original post 157 more words

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Hifdh Workshop [Course Book]

25 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Advice, Motivation

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Hifdh, Hifth, Hifz, huffath, Qur'an memorisation, Qurʾān

Bismillāh
All praise and thanks are due to Allāh (SWT), who blessed us with the Glorious Qur’ān. Abundant salutations be upon our beloved teacher and role model, the first haafidh, Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

This post is a sneak peek into my course book for my upcoming hifdh workshop. Here’s the intro plus section one.

I write this course book with the intention of pleasing Allah by benefitting those who intend to memorise the Qur’an, those who are learning as well as parents of hifdh students.

I feel that hifdh has been glamourised. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I made the intention to memorise the Qur’an. While I was learning, I always thought to myself, if I had known, I would never have started. Now that I’ve completed, I always think, if I had known, I would have thought about and done things differently.

It is my sincere intention to help others think about hifdh differently and do things differently, bi-ith-nillah (with the permission of Allah). With this in mind, this course book is written in the format of my thoughts, followed by what I should have done differently. It also integrates many of the resources I was fortunate to have access to while I was learning. This course book affords me the opportunity to compile and pass on these wonderful aids. I also aim to cover the “technical” aspect of hifdh such as correcting old mistakes and mutashabihat and the “other” side of hifdh: mental/emotional/spiritual etc.

I hope this compilation proves to be useful in-sha-Allah. I pray Allah grants us all tawfiq (opportunity and ability) to fulfill all that He loves. May Allah accept from me. All mistakes are from me and all that is good is from Him, Most Generous.

Section One

Mindset: “Box” vs “Journey”

My hifdh completion ceremony was perfect, Alhamdulillah. I looked like a bride and the ceremony looked like a small wedding. My mother and I had planned every detail, right down to the serviettes (for the cake ‘n tea afterwards).

My hifdh “journey” however, was the furthest as can be from perfection, glamour and beauty.

I put this word “journey” in inverted commas because I disagree with hifdh being a journey. Every journey has a destination, and with Qur’an memorisation, the supposed destination is completion. So being on the other side of completion, why do I feel like I’ve been fooled? Completion is supposedly an accomplishment, but how can it be when it’s still a work in progress? When every single day one still has to conscientiously revise, otherwise the memorisation will be forgotten. Forgotten in a flash, might I add.

When one is memorising, people ask, “How far are you?” but once one’s completed, nothing. Maybe one will get a “ma-sha-Allah” now and again. This proves people’s perception is all about reaching the finish-line.

I found memorising the Qur’an so difficult that I saw completion as the light at the end of the tunnel. In reality, the Qur’an was supposed to be the light. So what was I missing?

What I identify is that I had the “memorisation box” mindset as opposed to the “memorisation journey” mindset. I learned this from an awesome blog post by Qari Mubashir Anwar over at www.howtomemorisethequran.com. Here’s the post:

why-memorise-the-quran-1080x628.jpgWe need to start thinking beyond the ‘memorisation box’ and align our objectives to the Qur’an itself.

Why are you memorising the Qur’an?

When you ask people why they’re memorising the Qur’an or why they did so, you get typical responses.

– My mum or dad wanted me to do it;
– I did it for Allah;
– I wanted to gain the rewards for memorisation like the crown, the promise of ten and other things.

If I asked some of them whether they would have memorised if the case were different, I’d get a resounding no. No matter how worrying that might be, you can’t say the same for many hundreds of people. Many sacrifice everything to memorise and have clear intentions.

This is the matter I want to touch today: ‘mindset’.

There is a great truth that I have got to mention. We become too obsessed with ‘memorisation’. We become agitated and impatient for the finishing line. Parents get carried away with the desire for their children to memorise the Qur’an. Their thoughts get clouded by the great rewards in the hereafter and much more. Anyone would love to have a crown placed on their head on the Day of Judgment but, there’s a bigger picture to think about. Not for our sake but the sake of the memoriser.

What is it that people are missing?

There are two types of mindsets you can adopt:

(a) The Memorisation Box Mindset
(b) The Memorisation Journey Mindset

The Memorisation Box Mindset

This is looking at memorisation within the context of the Qur’an. The things mentioned above are examples. People concentrating on memorisation, the process, technique and completion. A focus on the mechanics but ignoring the dynamics. It’s a memorisation race mindset.

Frankly, it is a battle to move out of it.

You might change your mindset yourself but others around you might not. Your parents or your teachers may still have the same mindset. So you find yourself continually bombarded with questions and statements like:

– “How much have you memorised now?”
– “Why is memorisation taking you long for?”
– “You should be finishing within x number of years – what’s the matter?”
– “You should eat y and z, and recite a and b to boost your memory.”

Some of you may be thinking at this point, “Hey wait a minute, isn’t the work you do all about the memorisation box mindset?”

The content of what I advocate is that you should memorise the Qur’an with productivity. Which is why I concentrate on methods and practical advice. What I don’t do is advocate a sole concentration on ‘memorisation’. This is important. So in many ways it’s the memorisation journey that I explore, which is what we’ll look at now.

The Memorisation Journey Mindset

This is what you need to aim for. This is looking at memorisation in the context of Islam. In the context of Din: your transactional life with Allah. It’s about looking at memorisation as a journey of life as opposed to a journey to finish memorisation. And when that’s done, you’re done.

A shift from saying:

“What is my purpose in becoming a Hafidh?”

to

“What are my objectives for memorising in Islam, Din and life?”

This will work wonders for you.

Becoming a Hafidh is one thing, and memorising the Qur’an as a Muslim is another. If you make becoming “Hafidh” the end-goal of your mission there’s nothing wrong with that. It was my mission and it is likely to be or had been yours too. The thing is that it needs more depth. It needs context, it needs a step by step goal orientated journey.

For example, if it were a blanket statement: “I want to become a Hafidh in x number of days” what happens if you fail? You’ll make anew or you’ll think you’re a failure (maybe not).

If you said instead, “I’m going to start memorising the Qur’an because as a Muslim I believe that I have to do such and such a thing. And my first goal is to memorise the 30th chapter which I can then use to such and such a thing.” Like this you’re more likely to progress with better focus. You make small goals along the way that slowly build up to the finishing line.

Remember, memorisation is not a race or a marathon but it is a journey for life.

So what are some of the objectives of memorising the Qur’an under this mindset?

1. Seeking the acceptance and pleasure of Allah

This is without doubt amongst the most supreme intentions for memorising the Qur’an. Make this your aim. Remember these are the Words of Allah. You might tell me you are memorising because of your parents just like I might have. Perhaps instead say, “I seek the pleasure of Allah by fulfilling my duty to my parents.”

2. Seeking proximity with Allah and His Messenger

The Beloved of Allah, our master Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as narrated by ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:

“Actions are valued according to the intentions, and every man is credited with what he intended. If someone’s emigration was to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his emigration was therefore to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And if someone’s emigration was to acquire worldly benefit or to take a woman in marriage, his emigration was to that which he emigrated.”

You may say I’m memorising because it is a dream of mine to be able to say “I have committed to memory 600+ pages containing the Words of Allah.” You should instead say, “I seek the pleasure and acceptance of Allah through aiming to protect His Words by Hifdh.”

One of the quickest ways to become close to Allah is to become closer to His Beloved (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). One of the prime methods to do so is through the Qur’an itself. So make proximity part of your mindset.

3. To improve your prayer and enjoy it

This is a basic thing, but it’s something that we’ve forgotten these days. Many Huffadh race to finish reading just like those who haven’t memorised. They always read the same verses when leading the prayer on rotate. Why would you memorise the Qur’an if you are just going to read certain chapters or portions all the time. There might be a genuine reason you’d do it like the Ansari mentioned in the Hadith of Anas, who used to recite Surah Ikhlas in every rak’ah. His reason was his love for the Surah because it speaks about Allah, upon which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said he would enter into Paradise.

But your memorisation should be a means to make your prayer better. You can recite long passages and short, you can recite from different places, or you can recite the whole Qur’an – why not.

This is something I never appreciated. My dad always told me to recite the Qur’an as revision in the daily prayers. He always told me to stop reading the smaller Suwar and recite other verses (when leading the prayer). I didn’t do it. Most people don’t do it. My reason for not doing so was in light of those praying behind me. I could easily start reading Surah Baqarah but you have to take into account others. There could be people who can’t stand for long and others who have to leave. Most people have to realise this through experience. I am no different. Start to recite the Qur’an as revision in the prayer. Just try it. Reciting in the prayer will make your memorisation stronger.

Remember a lot of people may only know between one to four chapters by heart, if not up to ten. Their prayers are on the same routine all the time. Pencil in your prayers as a goal.

A point related to this, and one that I find annoying is that memorisation has become about leading the Tarawih night prayers in Ramadan. As if memorisation is centred around it. I’ve found this to be the case in certain circles. Again this is all to do with mindset. This is wrong on so many levels. It illustrates one thing – people need to think more long term and adopt a broader mentality.

4. Enjoying recitation

The more you memorise the more you should enjoy it.

When memorising, you make so much repetition. Through that repetition, you make corrections and through that you improve your recitation. You should make the sweetness and enjoyment of the recitation of the Qur’an a goal. Memorising with this in your mindset makes listening to the Qur’an an enjoyment too. Don’t underestimate listening.

5. To inspire action according to the Qur’an

The Hadith which I discussed talks about the Sahib al Qur’an. As pointed out the word ‘Sahib’ can mean companion, friend, holder, keeper, or authority. Although I like to translate it as ‘reciter’, in the literal sense it is companionship. Here’s the Hadith:

‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“It will be said [on the Day of Judgement] to the reciter* of the Qur’an: ‘Recite and be uplifted [in your rank]! And recite in the distinct manner (Tartil) as you used to recite in the world. For indeed your rank [in Paradise] will be according to the last verse you recite.’”
– Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Al-Hakim, Bayhaqi, Ibn Abi Shaybah.

A companion holds a sense of friendship, loyalty, and most importantly – a continuum. If we took this Hadith to mean those who memorised the Qur’an, we can’t say so as a fact. But one thing for certain is the word ‘Sahib’. Memorisation itself is not the most spectacular thing according to this Hadith. It’s a means to an end.

Did you know that there are non-Muslims who read and memorise the Qur’an? What would make you different? – The emphasis on practice.

This is what the Hadith is indicating by the word ‘Sahib’. Some scholars have even said this reciter will only be able to recite those verses he or she had practised. The companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and may Allah be pleased with them) had this mindset. They would memorise something new until they’d put into implementation what they already had memorised. This is why this is a must in the memorisation journey mindset.

6. To become a guardian preserver of the Qur’an

Islam has always had an incredible oral tradition. Remember that we’re looking at goals within the context of Islam. The transmission of Islamic sciences has been through chains of authority. Hadith went through a rigorous transmission process and the principles then made solid. Likewise, the Qur’an is impossible to distort due to millions adhering to the same oral tradition.

Imam Muslim quotes from ‘Abdu’llah ibn al-Mubarak, who states: “The Isnad (chain of authority) is a necessary part of Din. If there was no chain of authority then everyone would have said whatever he wanted to say.”

So remembering this, no matter how much you memorise you are contributing to the preservation of the Qur’an.

7. Memorise as preparation for further studies

Knowing the Qur’an by heart creates a strong foundation for studying further and makes it easier. There are many traditional schools that make it a prerequisite that you are a Hafidh before you can study under them. Many great scholars also had and have the same policy.

Say you don’t intend to memorise the whole Qur’an, you can one day take what you’ve memorised to understand it, and act upon it. If you wanted to memorise the whole Qur’an but never made it there – you can use that memorisation to drive further study.

8. To inculcate a life-long love and engagement with the Quran

This process should already have begun before you learnt how to read the Qur’an. We learn, recited, and completed the Qur’an in the mosque but then left it. The reason is that there was no engagement. There was no love. I refuse to teach children aged 5 or 6 and have managed to do so 99% of the time. I prefer that they play and hear stories from the Qur’an instead. In this way, they grow up listening to the Qur’an knowing it as a story book from God! Following that they immerse themselves into the Arabic textual universe, all excited.

It seems, however, our aims are for children to despise the Qur’an. We have engineered everything in a way which it is void of any fun or meaning. In the context of memorisation, far too often we place we pressurise on ourselves or our children. The pressure is often the race to complete it. Despite wanting good, this results in the opposite.

When you’re memorising, you’re not doing it for the now but you’re going to be doing it for the rest of your life.

Those who find themselves pressurised either (1) quit (2) want to finish immediately or (3) finish and then never come back to it. When you sell a product or service and you do a great job, the customers remember it well but they won’t boast about it. If you got on their bad side, they’ll want to tell the whole world. Likewise, when you memorise under pressure you remember those days more than the good days.

9. Making engagement with the Qur’an easier

Engagement with the Qur’an centres around three things: (1) recitation, (2) study, and (3) reflection.

Recitation.

Memorising makes recitation easier. As a memoriser or someone who has memorised you are bound to recite more. Revision, prayers, invites, and wherever you may be. A Hafidh can make the simple plan of covering the revision via prayer – this is easy to do. You can cover at least a third of the Qur’an, so why read the last 20 surah all the time?

Study/Reflection.

Thousands of Huffadh do not study the translation of the Quran (if they have no understanding) even once ever.

After an amazing effort, they’ve done nothing. You have ample opportunity to do so. An opportunity far greater than those who haven’t memorised. Studying and reflecting over the Qur’an is for all mankind. Not just for scholars. Yes, perhaps there are a small number of verses to do with law that scholars attention is most needed, but the Qur’an is for us all to think over. Allah commands so. We just leave matters of derivative jurisprudence to the inheritors of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Thinking along in these three stages will improve your memorisation journey.

10. Making a life-long commitment to studying Islamic knowledge

If a child or adult has memorised the Qur’an, they’ve proven something: they can memorise, they are good at it. That means you can memorise anything else like the core texts of the Qur’an. So make it a goal when you memorise looking ahead whether that be texts of Tajwid or Hadith.

11. Gain the virtues of the Qur’an

You read and hear about many virtues from the salvation of the self and family members to the company of the elite angels and prophets. Notice that practice comes first, followed by virtue. Many of us make the rewards or virtues our sole goal. It should be within the mindset but in the end. The reason to include it in your mindset is that it allows you to contemplate over the hereafter and the rewards therein.

That’s it from me today.

Hope this is useful.

I pray Allah grants us all Tawfiq for all that He loves. All mistakes are from me and all that is good is from Him, Most Generous.

 

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Upcoming Hifdh Workshop

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Hifdh Diary, Inspiration, Motivation

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Tags

hafidhah, Hifdh, Hifth, Hifz, memorising Qur'an, Qur'an memorisation

Bismillāh
All praise and thanks are due to Allāh (SWT), who blessed us with the Glorious Qur’ān. Abundant salutations be upon our beloved teacher and role model, the first haafidh, Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

I hate holidays! Okay maybe “hate” is too strong a word. Who hates holidays?!  It’s just that holidays are truly a test of self-discipline. I just want to read #dearfuturehusband quotes all day, but I’ve got reciting, academic readings and studying to do. I tend to waste a lot of time (embarrassed face). Astaghfirullah.

That’s why I decided to host my hifdh workshop this holiday. I chose a random date and put the word out, and then started preparing days later. That’s just how I roll. And I won’t apologise for it.

It’s a bit of a daunting task. There are so many videos, blog posts and hifdh guides to sift through. There is that hifdh workshop I attended as well, which I’d like to share, but I don’t want to copy anyone’s work. Blogging myself for the past year is definitely part of my prep, ’cause I’d like to share my journey. That way I definitely won’t be copying anyone’s work or sharing stuff that people can read on their own.

I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time now, and I’m looking forward to it in-sha-Allah. So if you’re in Cape Town and are a hifdh student, a prospective student or a mom of a student, then please come over and meet me in-sha-Allah! (Sisters-Only).

 

The Pursuit of Awesomeness (1)

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A Haafidh in Two Months?!

04 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by Wasfeeya in Inspiration, Motivation

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Tags

Hifdh, Hifth, Hifz, Qur'an memorisation

Bismillāh
All praise and thanks are due to Allāh (SWT), who blessed us with the Glorious Qur’ān. Abundant salutations be upon our beloved teacher and role model, the first haafidh, Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

This story has been on the internet for a while on many websites, but I found that some people still haven’t read it or come across it, so if you haven’t, read this inspirational story and note some of the lessons afterwards.

“I recently heard an incredibly amazing account told by Shaykh Yasir Salamah, one of the leading Imams and recitors of Egypt. In his audio tape ‘When will I see you as a Haafidh?’ he speaks of the true account of Muhammad, a brother who after attending a workshop on memorising Qur’aan and utilising all the available mediums, went on to memorise the entire Qur’aan within just 50 days (i.e 2 months)

Within 2 months?!

Yes. Within 2 months. This is his account and he says:

“I declared a state of Jihad upon my soul and put death before my eyes. I made an intention to memorise the Noble Qur’aan. So I abandoned telephone calls and unnecessary visits, and I changed all the negative thoughts associated with hifdh (memorisation) to positive and practical ones e.g. When a thought came to me saying ‘I can’t do it!’ I’d say, ‘I can do it.’ If it said, ‘My memory is weak!’ I’d say ‘I take pleasure in having a great memory.’

I chose the masjid as the place of my hifdh as it preserves three:

1. The eyes
2. The ears
3. The tongue

I followed a specific dietary program consisting of eating dates, fruits and honey – and fasting helped me a great deal in that. I used to wake up before salaat al-Fajr by 2 and a half hours and I slept 2 hours after ‘Isha. I used to wake up for Tahajjud (the night prayer), prolonging my sujood wherein I would call upon Allaah ta’alaa to ease for me my affair. I would also seek forgiveness 100 times.

I began to memorise 5 pages and would recite them in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr. After salaat al-Fajr, I would begin the memorisation of 5 new pages and at the end, I would recite them in the 2 raka’ahs of salaat al-Duhaa, all the time thanking Allaah for easing the memorisation.

I would perfect the recitation of what I had memorised by listening to tapes of one of the recitors. I would read about the qiraa’ah in books or via the Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah (poem on the ahkam of tajweed).

After salaat al-Dhuhr, I would repeat everything that I had memorised previously beginning from the 1st Juz, until salaat al-’Asr. After the ‘Asr prayer, I would repeat the new portion of hifdh and the juz before. After the Maghrib prayer, I would prepare the recitation of 10 new pages and it was only after salaat al-’Isha that I’d review the Qur’aan with my teacher, may Allaah reward him well.

Before retiring to bed, I would listen to all that I memorised in the day from cassettes and I would be sitting for 6 continuous hours, without any boredom or feeling tired. In the 1st week, I would sit for 6 hours, memorising and revising. In the 2nd week, I would sit for 8 hours. In the 3rd week, it was 10 hours and in the 4th week, it was 12 hours. In the last 10 days, I was sitting for 14 hours memorising and revising.

The hardest times for me were when it came to sleeping and eating. I ardently wished that the period of sleep would end quickly so that I could start my hifdh of the Noble of Qur’aan. Everytime I began to read the Qur’aan and memorise, I felt such delight and enjoyment that I had never felt before. Du’a was an important factor for me before and after hifdh. I would memorise a page whilst sitting down and then repeat it whilst walking. My teacher played an important role in encouraging me, in revision, in correcting me and benefiting me in terms of Tajweed.

In the last week, on the night of 20th Ramadan, only 4 and a half juz remained until completion of hifdh. So I turned to Allaah to open up my way and ease it for me. I went on to memorise it in 6 days with the Help of Allaah.

Laylatul-Qadr came, the night of delight and happiness – it was like a wedding night to me. My completion of hifdh took place between Maghrib and ‘Isha in the masjid with the Imam and those in I’tikaaf. We began the khatma (reciting from beginning till end of the Book). In the end, during the du’aa, my heart opened up greatly and I began to weep like never before. It was the most beautiful hour of my life. Allaah had honoured me with the memorisation of His Book.

During the du’aa, I remembered a dream I had more than 10 years ago… I was a Mu’adhin of a mosque and after Fajr salaah, I sat remembering Allaah in the mosque. I felt sleepy so I took a nap in the middle of the mosque, and behold! I found myself amidst a gathering. A powerful ray of light descended from the sky down to the middle of the masjid. From that light came many angels and between them were 2 big Angels. One of them turned towards me and took me to the light. I entered along with the 2 angels. I then found myself on top of a large green tree – I began to climb it in the companionship of the 2 angels. We found angels standing by the door of the 1st heaven. They said to me ‘Where are you going?’ They opened up a book and said, ‘We don’t have your name with us, so climb onwards to the top.’ And likewise, all the time (through each heaven), they said the same thing to me.

Upon arriving at the 7th heaven, we reached the end of the tree. I found angels standing at the door and they said, ‘Are you Muhammad?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Enter, for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) wants you.’ I said to the 2 angels that were with me ‘Come in with me.’ They said, ‘We can’t enter. But we will wait for you.’ So I entered Jannah and behold, I saw therein what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and had never entered in the heart of Man. Angels were surrounding me and there was a door, on top of it was written لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله. جنة الفردوس (There is no God but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger. Al-Firdaws Paradise).

The Angels opened the door and I entered. Before me was the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) sitting at the top end and beside him were men, some that I recognised and some that I didn’t. In front of him were a very large group of men, women and children. They wore white clothes, and they were so many that they had a beginning but no end. All of them were reciting Qur’aan. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) called me and I went up to him. He got up and made some space for me. I kissed him and he sat me down besides him. I asked him ‘Who are these people O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘These are the people who have memorised the Book of Allaah `azza wa jall.’

Inshaa’Allaah ta’ala, the dream ended in truth. I never spoke to anyone about it until the night that I completed the memorisation of the Qur’aan.””

Lessons:

  • He made a firm intention
  • He remained positive
  • He sacrificed
  • He put in a lot of time
  • He changed his diet
  • He made istighfar (asked for foriveness)
  • He had tawakkul, (he relied on Allah (SWT))

If you’d like more tips to stay on track, tools to keep motivated or be mentored along your hifdh journey, you’re most welcome to contact me.

With best wishes for your hifdh success,

Wasfeeya

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