The Rewards for Memorizing the Qur'an

The Rewards for those who recite and practise the Qur'aan

Aboo Moosaa al-Ash'aree reported that the Prophet
said, "Part of Showing glory to Allaah is to show respect to a
white-haired Muslim, and a carrier of the Qur'aan who does not
exaggerate in it (i.e., overstep its bounds) nor ignore it (i.e., leave
it), and a just ruler" (Aboo Dawoood)

'Aa'ishah reported that the Prophet
said, "The person who reads the Qur'aan fluently is with the honourable
and obedient scribes (i.e. angels), and he who reads it with
difficulty, (even) he shall get (at least) a double reward" (Aboo
Dawood)

Ibn Mas'ood reported that the Prophet said, "Whoever wishes to love Allaah and His Messenger, let him read the mus-haf" (Ibn Nu'aym in his Hilya).

Ibn 'Amr reported that the Prophet
said, "There is no cause to be envious except in two cases: (the first
is of a) person whom Allaah has taught the Qur'aan, and he recites it
in the day and night, and one of his neighbours hears him and says,
'Woe to me! I wish I had been given what he has been given, then I
would do what he is doing! (The second is of a) person whom Allah has
blessed with wealth, and he spends it in good causes, so a person (who
sees him) says, 'Woe to me! I wish I had been given what he has been
given, then I would do what he is doing!" (al-Bukhaaree)

Aboo Hurayrah reported that the Prophet
said, "The Qur'aan will be brought on the Day of Judgement, and it will
say, 'O My Lord! Adorn him (the one who read and practised it)!' So he
will be adorned with the crown of glory and honour . It will then say,
'O My Lord! Increase this!' So he will be clothed with the clothes of
glory and honour. Then it will say, 'O My Lord! Be pleased with Him! So
He (Allaah) will be pleased with him. It will be said, 'Recite! And
rise!' and every verse he recites will bless him with a good deed"
(at-Tirmidhee)

Ibn 'Amr reported that the Prophet
said, "It will be said to the companion of the Qur'aan after he has
entered Paradise, 'Recite, and rise!' For every verse he recites he
will rise one level (in Paradise), until he recites the last verse with
him (i.e., in his memory)." (Aboo Dawood)

Ibn Mas'ood reported that the Prophet
said, "Recite the Qur'aan, for verily you will be rewarded for it. I am
not saying that Alif-Laam-Meem will count as a word, but rather that
Alif has ten (rewards), Laam has ten (rewards), and Meem has ten
(rewards), so this is thirty (rewards)" (Khateeb al-Baghdaadee)

'Ismah Ibn Maalik reported that the Prophet
said "If the Qur'aan is enclosed by skin (i.e., if a person memorises
the entire Qur'aan), then Allaah will never burn it in the Fire (of
Hell) (al-Bayhaqee)

Aboo Hurayrah reported that the Prophet
said, "Never do a group of people gather together in one of the houses
of Allaah, reciting the Book of Allaah and pondering over it, except
that peace descends upon them, and mercy surrounds them, and the angels
encircle them, and Allaah remembers them in His gathering" (Aboo
Daawood)

Aboo Moosaa al-Asha'aree reported that the Prophet
said, "The believer who recites the Qur'aan is like a citrus fruit -
its fragrance is pleasing and its taste is sweet. The believer who does
not recite the Qur'aan is like a dry date - it has no fragrance but its
taste is sweet. The hypocrite who recites the Qur'aan is like a basil -
its fragrance is sweet, but its taste is bitter. The hypocrite who does
not recite the Qur'aan is like a colocynth - it has no smell, and its
taste is bitter" (Muslim)

Question :

What are the benefits that a Hafiz gets in this life and the next.

And what about his relatives and offspring?

What about the genereations before and after him.

Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.


Firstly:

Memorizing
the Qur’aan is an act of worship through which one seeks the Face of
Allaah and reward in the Hereafter. Without this intention, he will
never have any reward, rather he will be punished for doing this act of
worship for someone or something other than Allaah.

The
haafiz (the person who has memorized the Qur’aan) should not have any
intention of gaining worldly benefits by memorizing the Qur’aan,
because his memorization thereof is not a product to be traded with in
this world, rather it is an act of worship which is done for the sake
of his Lord.

Allaah has
given special privileges to the one who memorizes the Qur’aan in a
number of ways in this world and in the Hereafter, for example:

1 – He takes precedence over others in leading the prayer.
It was narrated that Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari said: “The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
‘The people should be led in prayer by the one among them who has the
most knowledge of the Book of Allaah; if they are equal in knowledge of
the Qur’aan, then by the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah; if
they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then by the one who migrated
(made hijrah) first; if they are equal in terms of hijrah, then by the
one who became Muslim first. No man should lead another in prayer in
his domain of authority, or sit in his place in his house, except with
his permission.”
(Narrated by Muslim, 673)

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: “When
the first muhaajiroon (emigrants) came to Quba’, before the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came (to
Madeenah), Saalim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah used to lead them in
prayer, and he was the one who knew the most Qur’aan.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 660)

2 – He is placed in front of others in a common grave, closer to the qiblah, if it is essential to bury him with others.
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The
Prophet would wrap two of the men slain at Uhud in a single cloth, then
he would ask, ‘Which of them knew more Qur’aan?’ If one of them was
pointed out to him, he would put that one in the lahd (niche in the
side of the grave) first. And he said, ‘I will be a witness over these
people on the Day of Resurrection.’ He commanded that they should be
buried with their blood, without being washed, and that no funeral
prayer should be offered for them.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1278)

3 – He takes precedence in leadership if he able to bear that
It
was narrated from ‘Aamir ibn Waathilah that Naafi’ ibn ‘Abd al-Haarith
met ‘Umar in ‘Usfaan, and ‘Umar had appointed him as governor of
Makkah. ‘Umar said, “Who have you appointed in
charge of the people of the valley?” He said, “Ibn Abza.” ‘Umar asked,
“Who is Ibn Abza?” He said, “One of our freed slaves.” Umar said, “Have
you appointed over them a freed slave?!” He said, “He is well-versed in
the Book of Allaah and he has knowledge of the laws of inheritance.”
‘Umar said: “Your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: ‘Indeed, by this Book, Allaah would exalt some people and degrade
others.’”
(Narrated by Muslim, 817)

With regard to the Hereafter:

4 – The status of the one who memorizes Qur’aan will be commensurate with the last aayah he memorized.
It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It
will be said to the companion of the Qur’aan (i.e., the one who
memorized and studied it): ‘Read, advance in status and recite as you
used to do in the world, for your status will be commensurate with the
last aayah that you recite.’”
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2914; he said this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, no. 2329, it is hasan saheeh. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 1464).

What is meant by reciting here is memorizing.

5 – He will be with the angels, accompanying them.
It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The one who recites the Qur’aan and learns it by heart, will be with
the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven) and the one who exerts himself
to learn the Qur’aan by heart and recites it with great difficulty,
will have a double reward.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4653; Muslim, 798)

6 – He will be given a crown of honour and a garment of honour to wear.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The
Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord,
adorn him.’ So he will be given a crown of honour to wear. Then it will
say, ‘O Lord, give him more.’ So he will be given a garment of honour.’
Then it will say, ‘O Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allaah will be
pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Recite and advance in
status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for
good deed).”
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2915. He said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2328, this is hasan).

7 – The Qur’aan will intercede for him with his Lord.
It was narrated that Abu Umaamah al-Baahili said: “I
heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) say, ‘Recite the Qur’aan, for it will come on the Day of
Resurrection to intercede for its companions. Recite the two bright
ones, al-Baqarah and Soorat Aal ‘Imraan, for they will come on the Day
of Resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in
ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Soorat al-Baqarah for
to take recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of
grief, and the magicians cannot confront it.”
(Narrated by Muslim, 804, and by al-Bukhaari in a mu’allaq report).



Secondly:

With
regard to his relatives and descendents, there is evidence concerning
his parents that they will be clothed with garments which far surpass
everything to be found in this world, and that will only be because
they took care of and taught their child. Even if they themselves were
ignorant, Allaah will honour them because of their child. But the one
who prevented his child from learning the Qur’aan, he will be one of
those who are deprived.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: ‘The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection like a pale man
saying to its companion, “Do you recognize me? I am the one who made
you stay up at night and made you thirsty during the day…” Then
he will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left,
and a crown of dignity will be placed upon his head, and his parents
will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found
in this world. They will say, “O Lord, how did we earn this.” It will
be said to them, “Because you taught your child the Qur’aan.”’”
(Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, 6/51).

It was narrated that Buraydah said: “The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
‘Whoever reads the Qur’aan, learns it and acts in accordance with it,
on the Day of Resurrection his parents will be given a crown to wear
whose light will be like the light of the sun, and his parents will be
given garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world.
They will say, “Why have we been given this to wear?” It will be said,
“Because your child learned the Qur’aan.”’”
(Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/756)

These two hadeeth support one another. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2829.

And Allaah knows best.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)