Dear student,
You have been especially chosen by Allah and granted the success to begin memorizing His Book. You must realize that in the beginning this task will not be easy. It will require you to be patient and make sacrifices in order for you to achieve reward and honor in this life, as well as happiness and elevation in the next. As you prepare yourself in your daily struggle to to memorize the Glorious Qur’an, you will find many of your friends and classmates playing and spending their time in unbeneficial activities. Do not let this distract you. Instead, continue your struggle and rest assured that, in the end, success will be given to those mature individuals who worked hard and knew how to spend their lives in a profitable trade with Allah.
Every Muslim must do something beneficial for the sake of his religion. Your memorization of the Qur’an is a protection of Islam and a cause for its continuation on this earth. This is because the success of Islam depends on the success of its sons and daughters in carrying its knowledge and acting upon it. On the other hand, its downfall will be a result of their downfall – may Allah forbid.
Once you realize the importance of what you are about to engage in, you will find it a great incentive to increase in patience and determination.
O student! you are now experiencing one of the most important stages of your life. Its significance is indicated by the fact that on the Day of Judgment, no slave will move forward until Allah the Most High asks him what he has done with his youth.
It was narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The son of Adam will not be dismissed from before his Lord on the Day of Resurrection until he has been questioned about five things: his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how he earned it and how he disposed of it, and how he acted upon what he acquired of knowledge.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi)
So you should prepare yourself from now as to how you will answer this question. You should also realize that through learning the Glorious Qur’an, you will attain happiness in this world and the next. As for this life, it suffices us to mention the hadith reported by Umar bin Al-Khattab:
The Prophet (sallahu alahi wassalam) said, “Verily, Allah elevates some people with this Qur’an and abases others.” (Sahih Muslim)
As for the life in the grave, the first stage of the next life, then the Qur’an will greet its people with glad tidings, comfort, and intercession.
A poet summed it as:
“If the reciter of the Qur’an fears the darkness of his grave, the Qur’an will greet him with a bright and shining face.
In it, he will enjoy a rest area and a beautiful garden, and due to (the Qur’an), he will be elevated to the height of honor.
(The Qur’an) will implore his Lord to grant his beloved (i.e. the reciter) what pleases him.
And what a well-deserved request he will receive!”
(These are the verses from well-known poem which gathers the seven modes of recitation, entitled “hirz al-amaanee was Wajhut-Tahaanee” by Imaam ash shaatibi)
Also, it has been narrated in a hadith that one of the Companions placed his tent on a grave, not knowing that it was a grave. He soon realized that it was a grave: and in it was a person reciting Soorat al-Mulk until he completed it. He informed the Prophet of the incident and the Prophet said:
“It is the prevention, it is the savior. It saves him from the punishment of the grave.” (Reported by Tirmidhi)
Furthermore, on the Day of Judgement, it will be said to the one who memorized the Qur’an:
“Read and elevate. Recite as you used to recite in the worldly life, for your level (in paradise) will be at the last verse you recite.” (Reported by Abu dawood)
This will not be said to anyone else, regardless of how great his status or power was in this world. Rather, Allah has specifically chosen this merit for the People of the Qur’an alone, for they are “the special people of Allah.”
Once you reach that lofty status, the gates of Paradise will be opened for you. You will be surrounded by the people of Paradise. All your sorrows and hardships will disappear, as well as your struggles and exhaustion. At that moment, as all your worries, problems, and tribulations come to an end, you will suddenly feel that the days have passed by in a blink of an eye. The most appropriate thing for you to do then would be to turn to the Creator of mankind, sincerely saying, “0 Allah you are my Lord! To You belongs all praise, befitting Your glorious face and great dominion.”