You know 5-10 surahs. Maybe Al-Fatiha, Al-Ikhlas, the short ones you pray with. You think that’s enough. You think “at least I know something.”
But there are Muslims—right now, maybe your age, maybe younger—who have the entire Quran in their chest. All 114 surahs. All 6,236 verses. All 77,797 words in Classical Arabic. Memorized.
And on the Day of Judgment, you’ll watch them rise to heights in Paradise you’ll never reach. Not because they’re better than you. But because they carried something you didn’t.
They carried Allah’s words.
The Hadith That Should Make You Start Memorizing Today
Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, as recorded in Sunan Abu Dawood (1464) and Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (2914), authenticated as Hasan:
“It will be said to the companion of the Quran: ‘Recite and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last verse that you recite.'”
Imagine that scene. Judgment Day. Everyone’s standing. Terrified. Waiting.
Then Allah ﷻ calls the Hafiz. The one who memorized His Book. And commands:
“Recite.”
The Hafiz recites: “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem…”
One verse. One level up.
“Recite.”
Another verse. Another level.
“Recite.”
Another verse. Another level.
He keeps reciting. Keeps climbing. Rising through ranks of Paradise. Each level—according to scholars—is the distance between heaven and earth. Unimaginable heights. Unimaginable rewards.
And where does he stop? At the last verse he memorized.
If he memorized 10 surahs? He stops at 10 surahs’ worth of levels.
If he memorized half the Quran? He stops at half.
If he memorized all of it? He climbs all 6,236 levels.
You? You stop at Surah Al-Ikhlas. Maybe Ayatul Kursi. That’s it. That’s your rank. And the Hafiz? He’s already so high you can’t even see him anymore.
With the Angels – Not Near Them, WITH Them
Aishah رضي الله عنها reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (4937) and Sahih Muslim (798):
“The one who is proficient in reciting the Quran will be with the noble, righteous scribes (angels). And the one who recites the Quran with difficulty, stammering and finding it hard, will have two rewards.”
Read that carefully. The Hafiz—the one who mastered the Quran—will be WITH the angels. Not “near” them. Not “in the company of” them in some vague sense.
WITH them. In their ranks. In their status. Among them.
These are the angels who never disobey Allah ﷻ. Who write down your deeds. Who carry the Throne. Who praised Allah ﷻ before humans even existed.
And the Hafiz? He’ll be with them.
Because he became like them—a carrier of Allah’s revelation. A guardian of His words. A walking Quran on Earth. So in Paradise, he joins those who carried revelation from the heavens.
The Parents of the Hafiz – Crowned With Light
But it’s not just the Hafiz who benefits.
Mu’adh ibn Anas رضي الله عنه reported in Sunan Abu Dawood (1453) and Al-Mustadrak (authenticated by scholars):
“Whoever recites the Quran and acts upon it will have a crown of light placed on his parents on the Day of Resurrection. Its light will be like the light of the sun. And his parents will be clothed in two garments which cannot be valued by the entire world.”
Picture this. Judgment Day. Everyone terrified. Sun low above heads. Sweat drowning people. Chaos everywhere.
Then your parents—if you became a Hafiz—are brought forward. And they’re given:
- A crown made of pure light – brighter than the sun in this world
- Two garments – so valuable the entire Earth couldn’t buy them
Why? They’ll ask: “Why are we being honored?”
The answer: “Because your child memorized the Quran.”
They didn’t memorize it. You did. But because they raised you, encouraged you, supported you—they get crowned. They get honored. They get elevated.
One Hafiz. Entire family saved.
If you’re a parent reading this: Your child might save you on Judgment Day. Get them into Hifz classes. Push them gently. Encourage them. Because their memorization isn’t just for them—it’s for you too.
The Hafiz Can Save 10 People From Hellfire
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported (narrated in Musnad Ahmad, authenticated by scholars):
“The Quran will come on the Day of Judgment and say: ‘O Lord, adorn him (the one who memorized me).’ So he will be adorned with a crown of honor. Then it will say: ‘O Lord, increase him.’ So he will be clothed with a garment of honor. Then it will say: ‘O Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allah will be pleased with him.”
Then the Quran will intercede:
“It will be allowed to intercede for ten people from his family who were destined for Hellfire.”
Ten people. From your family. Parents. Siblings. Cousins. Spouse. Children. Grandparents.
Ten people who were going to Hell—saved—because you memorized the Quran.
Imagine your father about to be dragged to the Fire. Then the Quran you memorized steps forward: “O Allah ﷻ, spare him. His son carried me in his chest.”
And Allah ﷻ—out of His mercy and your memorization—saves him.
One Hafiz. Ten family members rescued from Hell.
Is there any greater gift you can give your family than memorizing Allah’s Book?
The Hadith About “The Best Among You”
Uthman ibn Affan رضي الله عنه reported in Sahih al-Bukhari (5027):
“The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.”
Not “the best scholars.” Not “the best in charity.” Not “the best in fasting.”
The best among you.
Absolute statement. General. All-encompassing.
If you want to be counted among the best of this Ummah, there’s one clear path: Learn the Quran. Teach the Quran.
And the pinnacle of learning it? Memorizing it.
The Hafiz isn’t just “good.” He’s not just “pious.” According to the Prophet ﷺ, he’s among the best. The elite. The cream of the Ummah.
What If You Find It Difficult?
Maybe you’re thinking: “I’m not good at memorizing. My memory is weak. I forget things easily. Arabic isn’t my first language.”
Listen to this hadith:
Aishah رضي الله عنها reported in Sahih al-Bukhari (4937) and Sahih Muslim (798):
“And the one who recites the Quran with difficulty, stammering and finding it hard, will have TWO rewards.”
You struggle? Double reward.
You forget and have to re-memorize? Double reward.
You stammer through verses? Double reward.
The Hafiz who memorized easily gets one reward. You—struggling, fighting your weak memory, forcing yourself to review again and again—get two.
Allah ﷻ doesn’t judge you by how fast you memorize. He judges you by how hard you try.
So stop using “I’m not good at memorizing” as an excuse. That’s actually your advantage.
The Responsibility That Comes With It
But let’s be real. Being a Hafiz isn’t just glory and rewards. It’s responsibility.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported (mentioned in various collections):
“The one who memorized the Quran and then forgot it will meet Allah on Judgment Day as a leper.”
Scholars debate the authenticity of this exact wording, but the principle is clear: Don’t memorize the Quran and then abandon it.
If you become a Hafiz, you have to:
- Review constantly – Or you’ll forget it
- Act upon it – Or your knowledge condemns you
- Teach it – Or you’re hoarding what should be shared
- Recite it regularly – Or it disappears from your chest
Being a Hafiz isn’t a title. It’s not a badge you wear once and forget.
It’s a lifelong commitment. A lifelong honor. A lifelong test.
If you’re not ready for that responsibility, don’t start. But if you are? The rewards are beyond comprehension.
Hafiz Gets to Lead the Prayer
Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari رضي الله عنه reported in Sahih Muslim (673):
“The people should be led in prayer by the one among them who has the most knowledge of the Quran.”
Not the oldest. Not the richest. Not the most famous.
The one who knows the Quran most.
That’s the Hafiz. He gets priority. He leads. Because the Quran in his chest gives him authority.
In Salah. In gatherings. In the community. The Hafiz is honored. Respected. Looked up to.
Why? Because he carries Allah’s words. And whoever carries Allah’s words carries authority from Allah ﷻ Himself.
What’s Stopping You?
You’ve read this far. You know the rewards. You know the status. You know what’s at stake.
So what’s stopping you?
“I’m too old.”
People in their 60s and 70s have become Hafiz. Age is an excuse, not a reason.
“I don’t have time.”
You have time for Netflix. For Instagram. For YouTube. For hours of scrolling. You have time. You’re just not prioritizing Quran.
“It’s too hard.”
So is Jannah. So is avoiding Hell. Nothing worth having is easy. And if it’s hard? You get double rewards. So actually, “it’s hard” is a blessing.
“I’ll start later.”
When? Tomorrow? Next Ramadan? When you retire? What if you die before “later” comes? What if you never get another chance?
The door is open now. Today. This moment.
How to Start (Practical Steps)
1. Make the intention purely for Allah ﷻ
Not to impress people. Not for the title. Not for status. Only to please Allah ﷻ and earn those rewards in Paradise.
2. Find a qualified teacher
You can’t memorize properly without someone correcting your mistakes. Find a local Hafiz. Join an online Hifz program. Get a teacher.
3. Start small
One page a week. One verse a day. Doesn’t matter. Start. Build momentum. Consistency beats intensity.
4. Review obsessively
Memorizing is 30% of the work. Reviewing is 70%. If you don’t review, you’ll forget. Daily review. Weekly review. Monthly review.
5. Connect with other Huffaz
Join a group. Find accountability partners. People who are on the same journey. You need support.
6. Make du’a constantly
“O Allah ﷻ, make the Quran easy for me. Make me among its people. Make me a Hafiz before I die.”
Ask. Beg. Plead. Allah ﷻ loves when His servants ask to learn His Book.
The Choice That Determines Your Rank in Paradise
On Judgment Day, when the Hafiz is commanded “Recite and rise,” he’ll keep reciting. Keep climbing. Verse after verse. Level after level.
And you’ll watch. From wherever your deeds placed you.
You’ll watch him disappear into heights you can’t reach. And you’ll think: “I could have been there. I had time. I had access to Quran. I had teachers available. I just… didn’t.”
Or you could start today. Right now. After reading this.
Download a Quran app. Contact a Hifz teacher. Memorize one verse before you sleep tonight.
And on Judgment Day—when that command comes—you’ll recite too. You’ll rise too. Maybe not 6,236 levels. Maybe just 100. Maybe just 10.
But those 10 levels? They’re 10 levels higher than if you did nothing.
The Hafiz isn’t superhuman. He’s just a Muslim who decided to memorize. And kept going.
You can too. What are you waiting for?
Disclaimer: This article presents authentic hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, and Musnad Ahmad about the status and rewards of memorizing the Quran (Hifz). Hadith authenticity levels are noted (Sahih/Hasan). The 10-person intercession narration is from Musnad Ahmad and authenticated by scholars including Imam Ahmad’s students. Readers are advised to consult qualified Islamic scholars and Hifz teachers before beginning memorization.