Question:
I once heard there is a hadith of the Prophet PBUH that states there is no greater sin than the sin of forgetting one’s memorization of the Quran. Is this true? Is it sinful to forget one’s memorization of the Quran?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Originally, the ruling of memorizing the whole Quran is fardhu kifayah and sunat ‘ain, which means Sunnah for every Muslim. (Refer Radd al-Muhkhtar wa Hasyiyah Ibn Abidin 1/538)
In this issue, we are reminded of a hadith from Abdullah RA:
بِئْسَمَا لأَحَدِهِمْ يَقُولُ نَسِيتُ آيَةَ كَيْتَ وَكَيْتَ بَلْ هُوَ نُسِّيَ اسْتَذْكِرُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَلَهُوَ أَشَدُّ تَفَصِّيًا مِنْ صُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النَّعَمِ بِعُقُلِهَا
“What a wretched person is he amongst them who says: I have forgotten such and such a verse. (He should instead of using this expression say): I have been made to forget it. Try to remember the Qur'an for it is more apt to escape from men's minds than a hobbled camel.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (5032) and Sahih Muslim (790)
According to Imam Khatib Syarbini, based on the above hadith, it is Sunnah for us to say I have been made to forget it rather than saying I have forgotten the Quran. (Refer Mughni al-Muhtaj 1/39)
The Ruling of Forgetting One’s Memorization of the Quran
There are several hadiths that narrated from the Prophet PBUH regarding this issue, among them are:
مَا مِنِ امْرِئٍ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ يَنْسَاهُ إِلاَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَجْذَمَ
“No man recites the Qur'an, then forgets it, but will meet Allah on the Day of Judgment in a maimed condition (or empty-handed, or with no excuse).”
Sunan Abi Daud (1474)
Al-Munziri said, for the above hadith, one of the narrators is Yazid bin Abi Ziyad where his hadiths cannot be made in an argument. (Refer ‘Aun al-Ma’bud 4/242)
The same is stated in a hadith from Anas bin Malik RA:
عُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ أُجُورُ أُمَّتِي حَتَّى الْقَذَاةِ يُخْرِجُهَا الرَّجُلُ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَعُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ ذُنُوبُ أَمَّتِي فَلَمْ أَرَ ذَنْبًا أَعْظَمَ مِنْ سُورَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْ آيَةٍ أُوتِيهَا رَجُلٌ ثُمَّ نَسِيَهَا
“The sins of my Ummah were displayed before me, and I have not seen a sin worse than a Surah or Ayah of the Qur'an which a man learned and then forgot."
Sunan Tirmizi (2916) and Sunan Abi Daud (461)
Imam al-Tirmizi himself stated that the above hadith is gharib, while al-Munziri state it is dhaif (weak) for one of its narrators is Abd Majid bin Abd Aziz. (Refer Tuhfatul Ahwazi 8/188). Furthermore, Ali bin al-Madini said that Mutthalib bin Abdillah who narrated the hadith from Anas bin Malik RA actually has never heard this hadith from Anas. (Refer Mir’at al-Mafatih Syarh Misykat al-Masabih 2/429)
Here, we found that the authenticity of the hadiths that warn against those who forget their memorization is doubted by some scholars. However, there are also numerous scholars who used the hadiths as supporting evidence which shows that they considered them as authentic.
Opinions and Discussion of Scholars
According to Syeikh Zakariyya al-Ansari, it is prohibited to purposely forget one’s memorization of the Quran according to the above hadiths and according to Imam al-Ramli, it is prohibited if it is due to one’s negligence and laziness and is considered as a major sin. (Refer Asna al-Mathalib 1/64 and Fatawa al-Ramli 4/376)
Imam Ibn Hajar stated several narrations from the salaf, where they consider it a major sin such as al-Dhahhak and Abu al-‘Aliyah and it is agreed by scholars of madhab Syafi’e such as Imam Khatib Syarbini, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haitami, al-Ruyani and al-Qurthubi. Other than that, there are scholars who ruled it makruh (undesirable) such as Ibn Sirin. (Refer Fath al-Bari Syarh Sahih al-Bukhari 9/86, Mughni al-Muhtaj 1/39 and Al-Zawajir ‘an Iqtiraf al-Kaba’ir 1/201)
While according to Imam al-Syaukani, forgetting one’s memorization of the Quran is a greatest sin among the minor sins if it is without the intention of belittling the honour of the Quran. (Refer Nail al-Authar 2/178)
According to Ibn Husamuddin al-Rahmani, the warning against those who forget their memorization of the Quran for the Quran is the centre of the teachings of Islam and sharia’. Forgetting it means destroying the sharia’ itself. Being able to memorize the Quran is one of the blessings of Allah SWT, thus, forgetting it is a form of ungratefulness for the blessing given. (Refer Mir’at al-Mafatih Syarh Misykat al-Masabih 2/429)
Furthermore, Ibn Rusyd cited the consensus of scholars (ijma’) which states if a person forgets his memorization of the Quran for he is so busy learning other obligatory knowledge and Sunnah, he is not sinful. (Refer Mathalib Uli Nuha 1/605)
Meanwhile, Abu Syammah, the teacher of Imam al-Nawawi commented of the meaning of the word نسيان with the meaning of neglecting and abandoning the worship, not in the term of forgetting it in the form of memorization. (Refer Al-Zawajir ‘an Iqtiraf al-Kaba’ir 1/201)
As for forgetfulness, it is natural for humans to forget, which is not considered as a sin for the Prophet PBUH himself forgets some verses of the Quran. From ‘Aisyah R.Anha:
سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يَقْرَأُ فِي سُورَةٍ بِاللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ " يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ لَقَدْ أَذْكَرَنِي كَذَا وَكَذَا آيَةً كُنْتُ أُنْسِيتُهَا مِنْ سُورَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا
"May Allah bestow His Mercy on him, as he has reminded me of such-and-such Verses of such-and-such Surahs, which I was caused to forget."
Sahih al-Bukhari (5038) and Sahih Muslim (788)
Hence, the Prophet PBUH advised us by giving the tips on how to maintain our memorization of the Quran, saying:
وَإِذَا قَامَ صَاحِبُ الْقُرْآنِ فَقَرَأَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ ذَكَرَهُ وَإِذَا لَمْ يَقُمْ بِهِ نَسِيَهُ
" When one who had committed the Qur'an to memory (or who is familiar with it) gets up (for night prayer) and recites it night and day, it remains fresh in his mind, but if he does not get up (for prayer and thus does not recite it) he forgets it."
Sahih Muslim (789)
Conclusion
To conclude, if one forgets his memorization of the Quran due to laziness and negligence and busy with worldly affairs, then he is sinful according to the above hadiths stating the prohibition of forgetting the advice in the Quran, warnings against those who forget the Quran and hadiths that encourage memorising it as well as the opinions of scholars.
As for those who tried their best to maintain their memory but forget due to their weak memory which is a nature for humans, then he is not sinful.
Wallahua’lam.