Met a very elderly villager recently (الله يجزاهم خير), who spoke in a dialect of my native language that I have trouble understanding. We attempted to converse with difficulty (due to my slow understanding of the dialect) here and there over the days we spent around each other. At one point, they asked me, “How much Qur’ān have you memorized thus far?” I hesitated, as I wanted to maintain the secrecy of the deed, and responded with a general truth.

“Probably somewhat more than [insert amount] Ajzā’.”

They responded, “Oh Masha’Allah.” And then, after a pause, continued saying, “You will have to lessen your sleep soon.”

“Sleep??” I inquired, confused at the sudden switch of topics. Perhaps I was misunderstanding again.

“Sleep!” they responded, as if it was obvious. “You know, once one becomes a Hāfidh, they can’t sleep a lot anymore, they have to sleep less at night because of the Qur’ān they know.” They were referring to Qiyām Al-Layl.

The answer struck me in the heart like a ton of bricks. I was shaken at the reminder. I spent hours awake that night thinking about their statement. They didn’t know my answer had been a deliberate understatement, nor were they anything near a Hāfidh or person of knowledge themselves, but they understood the responsibility of Hifdh better than me.

How can I sleep? How can I smile? How has the worldly life beguiled me so? If a human expects my worship to be increased merely due to what they think they know of my Hifdh, then what are the expectations of the One who surely knows the reality of the amount of my Hifdh of His Words?!

Perhaps I have failed the test and only gained the Qur’ān as a witness against me on Yawm Al-Qiyāmah! Allāh Allāh! What has become of my state!

During the most difficult days of my life, I was coincidentally memorizing Sūrat Yusūf. The Sūrah was revealed to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ as a consolation after some very difficult period of his life and messagehood, and it served as the greatest consolation to me, to an extent that I can’t describe.

After that season passed, Allāh سبحانه وتعالى granted me double the amount of happiness and good news as the hardship I had endured — an unwavering promise. During that time, I was reviewing my memorization and I reached the Āyah,

وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومٌۭ كَفَّارٌۭ

And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor [i.e., blessings] of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful. [Ibrāhīm:34]

An Āyah that has quickly become one of my favorites and echoes in my head upon realization of every blessing. It’s amazing how the Qur’ān has consolation for every difficulty and reminders for every moment of ease. No matter what one is going through, there is always a benefit to be extracted for his situation and pondered upon.

Even more of a blessing and benefit is when one can understand the Qur’ān as he recites it. Those who neglect to learn the language are only missing out on something indescribable. May Allāh سبحانه وتعالى enable us.

Upon nearing the destination, the traveler usually begins to hasten towards the end of his journey with anticipation and longing.

But what can I tell you about a journey so beautiful that the traveler cannot bring himself to end it? He hesitates and slackens his pace, lingering reluctantly around the finish line, knowing that once he crosses it, the most dearest days of his life and a most magnificent journey will come to a close.

That’s Hifdh without a doubt.

Sihr, Jinn, and ‘Ayn (evil eye)

My family seems to have some type of effects from all three, much of which has been confirmed. To be brief, some of the issues are generational (when a parent has an issue, it’s usually effects the children and so forth) and some are inflicted upon us by enemies (like Sihr and ‘Ayn), and Alhamdulillāh for all of it.

In fact, I know without doubt that the severity of the things that our enemies attempted to inflict upon us is great, but Allāh سبحانه وتعالى protected us from a lot and the bit that reached us is not half as severe nor as harmful as it was intended to be. I believe this is from the Fadhl of Allāh alone.

However, I vividly remember that as a child, I frequently suffered from nightmares and general fear and paranoia without reason. Not just any type of nightmares, but Jinn nightmares, and those make up most of my first memories. I had just accepted these nightmares as part of my life and nobody ever gave it much thought. They continued into my pre-teen years, and I would jolt awake many nights in sweat, paralyzed with fear, unable to move or make a sound for hours.

But once I started memorizing the Qur’ān, everything changed. I no longer suffered from nightmares miraculously, and I no longer felt that type of fear.

As the years passed and the enemies increased their efforts against us, many of my siblings began to experience issues related to the unseen, but SubhānAllāh, I never suffered a single day. Some days it got so bad that every single person would wake up with something uncanny having occurred with them the night before, yet I never had any experiences to contribute to the discussion ولله الحمد. Aside from a few rare instances, it’s almost as if everything would skip over me SubhānAllāh. If this is the effect of the Qur’ān without the intention of Ruqyah (as I had not intended it as Ruqyah when I first started memorizing), then imagine the effect with the intention for Ruqyah!

A common theme in all my nightmares would be that when I would face any creature or Jinn attempting to harm me, I would immediately recite from the Āyāt of the Qur’ān and they would quite literally disintegrate before my eyes while being in visible pain. This is something that many of my relatives have seen in their own dreams and wakeful experiences as well. SubhānAllāh, at times I would recite verses in my dreams relating to Shayātīn and Jinn that I had never even memorized in real life, and I would wake up having forgotten them again, only remembering them generally.

The verses protected me from the evil of the unseen world in my dreams and in my wakefulness, and I ask Allāh that they come to protect me and you from the heat of the sun on Yawm Al-Qiyāmah, as clouds or flocks of birds (as mentioned in the Hadīth), and that they intercede for us when we stand to be judged before Him.

Some trials, along with the damage they caused, remain fresh in your mind for years. Sometimes, you relive small moments and experiences that remind you of those difficult tests you endured. Tests that broke every ounce of strength you had within you, except that small bit which Allāh سبحانه وتعالى allowed to persevere.

The memories and feelings come rushing back. The anxiety begins to heighten. The tears begin to well up. The wounds that had just began to heal start to bleed again. And just as the page began to get blurry and my racing thoughts caused me to lose any Khushū’ I may have had, my mind snapped back, and all the fear and anguish came to a halt as my worries clashed with the Āyāt:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,

ٱلَّذِى يَرَىٰكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ

Who sees you when you arise (alone at night for Tahajjud prayers).

وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ

And your movement among those who prostrate.

إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Such magnificent Words — are my eyes even worthy to behold them? Is my heart even eligible to preserve them?

The Qur’ān got me through it before, it will get me through it again.

and again.

and again.

Beautiful coincidence that I made a post regarding this very issue just yesterday, elaborating on the same quotes that the Shaykh حفظه الله mentioned, and focusing on the same lesson SubhānAllāh.

A beautifully beneficial lecture with the lesson delivered better than that post or myself ever could. Be sure to watch and share. May Allāh سبحانه وتعالى bless our Imām and protect him!

#NEW | Tips for Lowering the Gaze | (25) Ramadān 1445 Q&A

Hifdh of the Qur’ān is an experience whose beauty cannot be expressed in words. A love story that is not told — only felt — because even if books were written on it, none would understand except those who traverse the journey…