I want to start a hifz course but I want to have the right intention for it. I keep thinking of how people will talk good about me. How do I get rid of this intention?
Allah Most High says: “And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember?”
[Qur’an 54:17]
Indeed the memorisation of the Qur’an is a great action which Allah rewards in great abundance. And whom Allah wishes good for He would grant him the opportunity of memorising the Qur’an. A person, by thinking of the worldly benefits, can easily fall into the trap of having the wrong intention for memorising the Qur’an.
The Suffiya (people of tasawwuf) such Hazrat Sultan ul Arifeen Sultan Bahu (رحمة الله عليه) state that when a person begins the recitation and memorisation of the Holy Qur’an due to its blessings; Allah removes any diseases a person may have in his heart. Subhan Allah, I would suggest that instead of becoming a Hafiz-e-Quran with the worldly benefits in mind, one should contemplate on the blessings Allah would bestow upon him for such a pious action.
The best of creation and the teacher of all teachers, the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) said:
“Whoever reads the Qur’an and memorises it, while he regards what it makes lawful as lawful and its unlawful as forbidden (i.e. he practises according to it), Allah Ta’ala will admit him into Jannah (Paradise) and will accept his intercession on behalf of ten such persons of his family who were doomed to the fire of Jahannam.”
[Hadith-Tirmidhi]
He (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) also stated:
“He who learns the Qur’an and practices upon it, his parents will be made to wear a crown on the day of Qiyamah, the brilliance of which will excel that of the sun if the same were within your worldly houses. Hence, what do you think about the person who himself acts upon it?”
[Hadith-Abu Dawood]
In another hadith we are told that “Actions are by intentions.” If your intention to memorise the Qur’an is so that people will praise you, then you will not bear the fruits of your action. If one was to look at the reward which awaits him from his Lord azzawajal, then his intentions surely would not be for worldy benefits. May Allah Almighty give all the Muslims the right intentions to perform good deeds – ameen bi jahin nabiyyil kareem (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم).
Allāh knows best.
Answered by Mawlana Mohammad Nabeel Afzal
