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Punishment for Forgetting the Holy Qur’an.
Sa‘d b. Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports the tradition that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made the following observation: “The man who reads the Holy Qur’an and then, through indifference or indolence, forgets it, will meet with God as a leper.”
(Mishkat Al Musabih).
The man will be suffering from the disease of leprosy. The fingers of his hands will have disappeared through decomposition. Some eminent scholars have stated that the tradition implies that their teeth will have been rooted out. (Lama‘at). Apparently, this latter interpretation seems more appropriate, for it is necessary to read the Holy Qur’an again and again to remember it, and the reading of the book is necessarily an action of the tongue and the teeth. Therefore, the removal of teeth as a punishment for forgetting the Holy Qur’an appears more likely. None but God knows better! According to one tradition the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made the following observation:
“I was shown the sins that the people of my Ummah had committed and I saw no Sin greater than that a person had learnt a surah or verse of the Qur'an and then had forgotten it.”
( Ttrmidht)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that forgetting a part of the Quran learned is a great sin. Some scholars consider this to be a major sin. This is based on narrations like the one mentioned, where the Prophet (PBUH) saw the sins of his Ummah and considered forgetting a part of the Quran one of the most serious.
Elaboration:
The hadith you cited, which warns that the person who forgets the Holy Qur'an through indifference will meet God as a leper, is found in several collections, but it is generally considered weak (da'if) by many scholars of Hadith.
Hadith Source and Authenticity
The narration has been reported with different chains of transmission and wording in various sources, including Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan al-Tirmidhi, often attributed to the companion Sa'd ibn Ubadah or Anas ibn Malik.
Imam al-Tirmidhi and Imam al-Bukhari, prominent figures in Hadith evaluation, have graded this specific narration as weak due to issues with its chain of narrators (isnad).
Scholarly Interpretation
Despite the weak grading of this specific narration, the overall principle that one should strive to retain the Qur'an after memorizing it is emphasized in authentic (sahih) hadiths. The general consensus among many early Islamic scholars (Salaf) and jurists (Fuqaha) is that forgetting the Qur'an due to negligence is a grave sin.
Key authentic hadiths emphasize the importance of regular review:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Be committed to memorizing the Qur'an. I swear by the One in Whose Hands my soul is! The Qur'an slips away more than a camel does from its hobble"
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Another interpretation of "forgetting" the Qur'an mentioned by some scholars, such as Al-Walīd, is not the loss of the text from memory, but rather abandoning acting upon its commandments and guidance.
In summary, while the specific hadith mentioning leprosy is weak, the general Islamic teaching strongly encourages maintaining one's memorization of the Qur'an and, more importantly, living according to its teachings. The full text, as it appears in some translations, is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There is no man who reads the Qur'an and then forgets it except that he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection as a leper."
Scholars have discussed the authenticity and meaning of this specific narrative:
Authenticity: The hadith has been classified as da'if (weak) by some prominent hadith scholars, such as Al-Albani and Ibn Hajar.
Meaning: The warning is generally understood to be against abandoning, neglecting, or deliberately forgetting the Qur'an after having committed it to memory, rather than inadvertently forgetting a verse or two due to human error.
While this specific narration has issues with its chain of transmission, the general principle of the importance of the Qur'an and the seriousness of neglecting it after having been given its knowledge is a key tenet of Islam. Other authentic hadiths emphasize the virtue of reciting and remembering the Qur'an, such as the one in Sahih Muslim that states the Qur'an will intercede for its people on the Day of Resurrection.
Hadith:
The hadith in question is found in Sunan Tirmidhi (2916) and Sunan Abi Daud (461), according to a report from Pejabat Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan. It states that forgetting a memorized portion of the Quran is a serious sin.
Scholarly Views:
While some scholars interpret this hadith literally, others consider it to be a strong warning against neglecting the Quran. Some scholars, like Imam al-Nawawi, considered it a major sin. Others, like some on some major forum, suggest the hadith is weak and that forgetting is not a major sin, but still something to be avoided.
Emphasis on Review:
Many scholars emphasize the importance of reviewing and regularly reciting the Quran to prevent forgetting.
No Prescribed Punishment:
There is no specific punishment mentioned in the Quran or Sunnah for forgetting the Quran.
Importance of the Quran:
The Quran is the central text of Islam, and Muslims are encouraged to learn, understand, and apply its teachings in their lives.
Further to the above statement, let us find out from scholarly views from , The Mufti Of Malaysia, Federal Territory.
AL-KAFI #938: THE RULING OF FORGETTING ONE’S MEMORIZATION OF THE QURAN;
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 who follow his teachings to the day of judgment.
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
Several hadiths 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 states it is dhaif (weak) for one of its narrators is Abd Majid bin Abd Aziz. 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 to Tuhfatul Ahwazi 8/188)(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, numerous scholars 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.
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