Hafiz is an Arabic word that means to protect or to memorize and is used to refer to someone who has memorized the Quran from Suratul Fatiha to Suratu Nas. If the person who has memorized the Quran is a female, she is referred to as Hafiza.
Rewards for becoming a Hafiz include elevated status in the eyes of Allah, forgiveness of sins, protection from the torment of the grave, light in the heat and on the Day of the Judgement, and more. Let’s explore all these rewards in more detail and depth and see how you can achieve all this after becoming a Hafiz. There are lots of rewards for parents of hafiz as well in Islam.
“The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.”
“A person who has nothing of the Quran in his heart is like a ruined house” (At-Tirmidhi)
11 Rewards for Becoming a Hafiz
In the afterlife, Hafiz is honored. In this world, they are respected and may lead prayers or teach. But the primary motivation should be for Allah’s pleasure and understanding of the Quran’s teaching deeply. Hidayah Network has shared the 6 rewards that Allah and his Messenger Peace and Blessings be upon him promised the memorizers of the Quran in the world and hereafter.
1. Elevated Status in the Eyes of Allah
Becoming a Hafiz grants an elevated status in Allah’s eyes, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,
“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have a double reward.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The commitment to memorize and recite the Quran places the Hafiz in the company of angels, symbolizing a unique closeness to Allah.
2. Forgiveness of Sins
Memorizing the Quran serves as a means of expiation for sins.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated,
“Whoever recites the Qur’an and memorizes it by heart will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven), and the one who exerts himself to learn the Qur’an by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” (Sahih Muslim)
This emphasizes the transformative power of Quranic memorization in seeking forgiveness and purifying the soul.
3. Protection from the Torment of the Grave
The Hafiz is granted protection from the torment of the grave through the divine mercy of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reassured,
“The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” (Sahih Muslim)
Memorizing the Quran becomes a shield against the trials and tribulations of the afterlife.
4. Light in the Heart and on the Day of Judgment
The Quran brings light to the heart of the Hafiz, guiding them through life’s journey and illuminating their path on the Day of Judgment.
Allah says in the Quran (39:22), “Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from His Lord (as he who is a non-Muslim)? So woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah!” The light symbolizes the clarity of faith, understanding, and guidance provided to the one who commits the Quran to memory.
5. Permission to Intercede for Family
Memorizing the Quran earns the Hafiz the privilege to intercede on behalf of their family on the Day of Judgment. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared, “Read the Quran, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection.” (Sahih Muslim)
The Hafiz, having internalized the divine words, can intercede for their loved ones, leading them toward salvation and mercy.
- Intercession for family members.
- Influence in seeking Allah’s mercy for close ones.
6. He Supersedes Others in the Appointment of the Imam
There is no doubt that the position of an Imam is very great in Islam. To become an Imam, it is compulsory to have a very good knowledge of the Quran, hadith, and Fiqh.
It was narrated that Abu Mas’ood al-Ansari said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said: ‘’The people should be led in prayer by the one who has the most knowledge of the Book of Allah (Quran), then by the one who has the most knowledge of the Sunnah.
Imam Muslim in his book said what is meant by
‘’The one who has the most knowledge of the Quran is not the one who can recite it most beautifully, but rather the one who has memorized more of the Book of Allah.”
It is clear from this hadith that when choosing an Imam, a Hafiz is the first person that is considered.
7. Intercession on the Day of Qiyama
The Day of Judgment is very frightening. It is a day that everybody will be looking for a favor wherever he or she can find one. One of the ways to find favor is being a Hafiz. Join a well-structured Hifz course that will help you become a Hafiz to get the intercession on the day of judgment.
Abu Umamah narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah peace and blessing of Allah be upon him saying,
“Recite the Quran, for it will come on the day of resurrection to intercede for its companions. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqarah and Suratu Al-Imran, for they will come on the day of resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Suratul Baqarah for taking recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it.”
8. Attainment of High Rank in Jannah
Achieving a high rank in Paradise, our ultimate goal as Muslims, is influenced by the deeds we accumulate in this world. Some verses of the Quran and some hadith about hafiz e quran have made us realize that Al-Jannah has many levels. The Quran and Hadith shed light on the diverse levels of Jannah. One distinctive path to securing a lofty status is by becoming a Hafiz or Hafiza of the Quran.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) conveyed that on the Day of Resurrection, the companion of the Quran will be instructed to recite and ascend in status. Their rank in Jannah will align with the last verse they recite. This Hadith emphasizes the profound impact of Quranic memorization on our eternal abode, motivating believers to seek this noble achievement.
9. Monetary and Hereafter Rewards
The rewards for becoming a Hafiz are not limited to the day of Qiyama alone.
- A Hafiz or a Hafiza can earn a decent wage with his or her knowledge of the Quran.
- A Hafiz or a Hafiza can set up an offline or online Quran memorization school where he or she can teach people who also want to memorize the Quran and earn good money.
By doing this, they can earn good money from doing what Allah and his Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instruct and they can also earn rewards from Allah.
10. Special Status in Cases of Mass Burial
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) practiced this when he was burying the slain Muslims after the battle of Uhud. Jabir ibn Abdullah said the Prophet would wrap two of the men slain at Uhud in a single cloth, then he would ask, “Which of them knew more Quran?” if one of them was pointed out to him, he would the Hafiz in the Lahd (a niche in the side of the grave) first. And he said, “I will be a witness over these people on the day of resurrection. The prophet instructed that they should be buried with their blood, without being washed, and that no funeral should be offered for them.’’
11. Attain Tranquillity When Standing Long in Solat
There is no better place to find tranquillity than in the remembrance of Allah.
Allah said in Suratu Rad verse 26,
‘’ Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction?”
The best way to remember Allah is while standing in Solat. For someone who hasn’t memorized the Quran, he or she wouldn’t be able to stand for too long in Solat even if he or she is willing because of the limited knowledge of the Quran.
In the case of a Hafiz or Hafiza, he or she can stand as long as they can because they can recite long Surahs like Suratul Baqorah, Suratu Al-Imran, Suratu Nisa, Suratu Al-Araf, Suratu Anam, Suratu Tawba, Suratu Hud, Suratu Yunus, Suratu Yusuf, Suratu Ra’d and other long Surahs.
By doing this, a person is assured of finding tranquillity and fear of Allah.
Conclusion
The journey to becoming a Hafiz or Hafiza holds profound significance in the quest for a higher rank in Jannah. The Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) underscores the direct correlation between Quranic memorization and elevated status in the afterlife.
As Muslims, the pursuit of this noble accomplishment not only deepens our connection with the Quran but also serves as a key to unlocking the doors of a privileged position in the eternal abode of Paradise.
