The Qur’an is the most precious gift that the Creator of the universe, Allah the Almighty, has granted humanity. It is the everlasting miracle.

As the Book containing clear signs, the Guidance with distinct proofs, the Criterion, the Light, and the life-giving Message—all at once—the Qur’an should be approached and dealt with mindfully.

The methods for doing so must be diverse and complement each other, in proportion to the multidimensional nature of the Qur’an. Neither rigid approaches nor those that stray from the Qur’an's self-declarations should be accepted.

After all, the Qur’an is only what the Revealer of the Qur’an has declared it to be—neither more nor less. People should adjust their thinking and behavior to align with these affirmations, rather than attempting to impose their own desires on the Qur’an.

Needless to say, there is much at stake, both in terms of doing justice to the Qur’an—which has been revealed to transform and guide humanity—and in presenting human nature and intellect with the right choices that lead to valuable outcomes.

The Qur’an is a gift that keeps on giving. It never disappoints, as long as people are prepared for it. It is rightly said that one aspect of the Qur’anic miraculous nature is that it offers only as much as a person, with his spiritual, moral, and intellectual readiness, is willing to receive.

Engaging with the Qur’an as a paramount act of virtue

Due to all this, accompanying and befriending the Qur’an is one of the most virtuous acts in Islam. This involves consistently and systematically reading, understanding, contemplating, internalizing, and acting upon the infinite meanings and morals of the Qur’anic texts.

The more one dedicates himself to these activities, the better and more rewarding it becomes. As expected, because the Qur’an is the last Testament to humanity, the rewards are remarkably generous; sometimes, even a small effort can lead to an incredible abundance of recompense.

However, at the top of the hierarchy of activities and their associated rewards related to the Qur’an is its memorization (hifz al-Qur’an). Everything the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) has conveyed about the importance of caring for the Qur’an—spiritually, intellectually, and morally—applies to specific and often fragmented aspects of comprehending and applying it.

However, the concept and true purpose of memorizing the Qur’an is so broad that it encompasses all its dimensions in both theory and practice.

It goes without saying that memorization entails, first, the culmination of the processes of becoming familiar with and connecting to the Qur’an, and, second, the combination of the ongoing efforts of reciting, understanding, and implementing the Qur’an. Memorization brings all aspects of the Qur’an together and streamlines the paths that at once lead from life to the Qur’an and from the Qur’an to life.

Additionally, the act of memorization should be undertaken with the intention of pleasing Allah and to enhance one's spiritual journey through prescribed acts of worship. It is essential to avoid engaging in memorization solely for the pursuit of worldly recognition, financial gain, or accolades. Furthermore, one must steer clear of memorizing the Qur’an in a manner that is incorrect, superficial, or ritualistic, as this undermines the true purpose of the practice.

Spiritual advantages linked to the Qur’an memorization

Of the advantages connected with the Qur’an, those most applicable to its memorization are as follows. The hafiz of the Qur’an (the one who memorizes it) is honored greatly in the sight of Allah and will be raised in status in Paradise (Jannah) commensurately with what he has memorized. He will be presented with a crown of honor to wear (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawud).

His parents too will be honored on the Judgment Day and will be given a crown to wear whose light will be like the light of the sun, and will likewise be given garments which will far surpass in quality and beauty everything to be found in this world (al-Hakim and al-Tabarani).

Also, a hafiz who truly masters the Qur’an will be with the noble righteous scribes in heaven, while he who exerts himself to learn the Qur’an by heart and recites it with great difficulty will have a double reward (Sahih al-Bukhari).

The Qur’an in addition will intercede for a hafiz on the Day of Judgement, telling Allah that it deprived a person of his sleep at night, so his dedication of his very self and life to the Qur’an warranted intercession (Musnad Ahmad).

According to a weak hadith narrated by al-Bayhaqi, a hafiz who considers what the Qur’an allows as permissible and what it prohibits as forbidden – in other words, someone who lives by the Qur’an – will intercede for ten of his family members on the Day of Judgment, all of whom deserved to enter Hell.

Though weak (da’if), the hadith is still consistent with the content of the sound (sahih) hadiths, reflecting the significant importance of memorizing and living by the Qur’an, albeit in a somewhat exaggerated manner. The hadith is extravagant and flowery, rather than anomalous. It should not be rejected, but instead considered in light of the body of sound hadiths and sensibly interpreted as such.

Finally, even in this world, a hafiz takes precedence over ordinary people in leading prayers and in general leadership if he can meet its demands. If it is necessary for a hafiz to be buried in a shared grave, he will be placed in front of others, closer to the qiblah. This way, just as he often was their spiritual leader in life, he will be their “leader” in a common grave as well (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Additional worldly and otherworldly benefits

There are several extra benefits pertaining exclusively to the memorization of the Qur’an. 

First: Those who memorize the Qur’an with the aim of internalizing and fully adhering to its messages participate to some extent in a divine enterprise. According to the fundamental principles of Islam, it is Allah who has revealed the Qur’an, and it is only He who will protect it, so that the distortions and corruptions that affected earlier revealed scriptures do not befall the Qur’an too (al-Hijr 9).

The key word used in the above Qur’anic verse is the active participle “hafizun” (those who guard, protect, or preserve). Allah used the plural form for Himself to indicate His absolute and infinite glory, greatness, and authority.

The hafiz of the Qur’an is called so because by memorizing the Qur’an, he participates in safeguarding and preserving it. Initially, when writing and reading were not common, memorizing the Qur’an was essential for its hifz (preservation and protection). 

It follows that through his calling, each hafiz, worthy of his extraordinary commitment and devotion, takes part, even if only symbolically, in what is exclusively Allah’s vow. More precisely, those who memorize the Qur’an represent the instruments of Allah's vow and His plans for creation. They are also the terrestrial manifestations of a divine will, Allah’s signs in their own right.

Second: The memorization of the Qur’an represents an aspect of the Qur’an as an eternal and boundless miracle. There is no other book in the world that can be so easily and flawlessly memorized by young and old, educated and uneducated, and by Arabic and non-Arabic speaking individuals.

The Qur’an is Allah’s speech meant for His creation and vicegerent on earth. They constantly seek and move towards each other, and when they ultimately meet and start operating on the same frequency, the sky is the limit for both the realization of the Qur’an’s latent potentials and the personal, together with collective, fulfillment of humanity in its ongoing cultural and civilizational journeys.

Hence, the hafiz of the Qur’an should be happy, grateful, and proud. He should be happy because his role represents a facet of the miracle of the Qur’an. He should be grateful because, through the hifz undertaking, Allah has showered him with countless blessings and rewards. And finally, he should be proud because his status reflects the relationship between the earth and heaven, as well as the dynamics between creation and the Creator. 

Indeed, the world of Qur’an memorization reveals much about the uniqueness of existence and how it should be lived.

Third: The hafiz of the Qur'an is often ahead of others in following the Prophet. It is well-known that the Prophet's character reflected the Qur'an (Sahih Muslim). That means that the Prophet was a living and walking Qur’an. He was the most perfect embodiment of its teachings, demonstrating how to approach and interact with the Qur’an.

By memorizing the Qur’an, a hafiz follows in the footsteps of the Prophet, who was the hafiz of all hafizs. While others spend a lot of time learning what is in the pages of the Qur’an, which can hinder and delay implementation, a hafiz has everything in his head and heart. 

This is certainly more immediate and accessible than having something merely "at hand" or "at one’s disposal".

As such, it is much easier for a hafiz to put everything into practice and become a walking Qur’an than for those who are not. All propositions are in place, requiring only a pure intention, strong will, and a working blueprint.

It stands to reason that when the Prophet said that scholars are the heirs of prophets (Sunan Abi Dawud), he also included the Qur’an memorizers. The reason for this is that they not only know the Qur’an, the source of all authentic knowledge and wisdom, but also guard it deep within their very being.

By being living and walking repositories of knowledge, those who memorize the Qur’an are greatly enabled to become living and walking Qur’ans as well. The two roles work together to enhance each other’s abilities and support their respective ontological goals.

Fourth: A hafiz is one of the wealthiest people in the truest sense of the word. To be wealthy means to possess many valuable assets that will never cease to exist and will accompany a person, continually enriching his journey towards true happiness in this world and the hereafter. That said, material possessions should not be considered true wealth, as they can leave people at any time and will provide nothing when real wealth is needed most, especially when final verdicts are passed on the Day of Judgment. The only thing of value and the only currency recognized will be good deeds.

In as much as the Qur’an denotes the fulcrum of virtue and goodness, those who memorize and apply it are likely to be far ahead of others. They do not just know, recite, and live by the Qur’an, but also take ownership of it and feel a responsibility to safeguard it.

Nobody can deny that the Qur’an is the greatest asset, enriching more than anything else. It is the only asset that is allowed to own a person after he “owns” it. For that reason, a hafiz is as much an owner as someone who is owned. He is constantly engaged in the nuances of intertwining the processes of enriching and being enriched.

A hafiz, in consequence, is an epitome of affluence and success. He should be a source of inspiration and guidance for anyone embarking on a journey to discover genuine riches and the accompanying happiness. Given that not everyone can be a hafiz, the intended message is that the more one befriends the Qur’an and benefits from it, the happier and better off he becomes.

Let's take as an example the words of the Prophet that whoever recites a single letter from the Qur’an will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward (Jami’ al- Tirmidhi). Now, if the Qur’an contains approximately 327,000 letters, reciting it only once will result in 3,270,000 good deeds.

That means that only Allah knows how many times a hafiz has recited the Qur’an before memorizing it and how many times he must recite it to function as its guardian and prevent forgetting it. It is no exaggeration to state that these activities lead to countless good deeds credited to a hafiz’s spiritual account. A hafiz should truly be envied by all types of ostensible elites: the rich, the famous, and the powerful.

There is neither bona fide prosperity, nor reputation, nor power except with the Qur’an as the Word, Will, and Guidance of the Creator of the universe. A true seeker of knowledge, contentment, and direction can never have enough of it. 

Fifth: A hafiz stands at the intersection of a critical axis connecting truth and history. It cannot be emphasized enough that the Qur’an was revealed at a time when truth was nonexistent and when history was manipulated more than anything else to distort or twist the truth beyond recognition.

Such a circumstance resulted in the Qur’an presenting itself as the ultimate source of history, where past records needed to be set straight and the way for inscribing a new, truthful history could be paved. This made the Qur’an a fascinating, challenging, and even intriguing book not just for many Muslims, but also for non-Muslims.

The Qur’an therefore is the criterion, yet the measure of all things, rendering the case of a hafiz further absorbing. In a postmodern age where ignorance is often depicted as knowledge and falsehood as truth, the community of huffaz (Qur’an memorizers) should be seen as shining examples of enlightenment and virtue. They remind us that there is still hope and light at the end of the suffocating tunnel of postmodern relativism.

As receptacles of authentic knowledge and objective truth, the memorizers of the Qur’an radiate a soothing aura of positivity that transcends the boundaries of religions, ideologies, and artificial life systems. The memorizers are towers of strength for the lost sheep of the (post)modern age. They are almost like shepherds. Some may even be tempted to see them as angels in human form.