In Ramadan, should one prioritize Qur'an memorization or abundant recitation?
2026-09-21
F38 · Selected fatwas
Shaykh Ibn Bāz
الشيخ عبد العزيز بن باز
Original Q&A · Complete published question and answer
The complete published question and answer are included, with presenter follow-ups and closing remarks where present. The browsing title is editorial.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
سماحة الشيخ بمناسبة قرب شهر رمضان المبارك أيهما أفضل الانشغال بحفظ القرآن ومراجعته، أم الإكثار من تلاوة القرآن؟
الجواب
الذي يظهر -والله أعلم- من هدي السلف الإكثار من تلاوة القرآن والحرص على تكرار ختمات القرآن؛ لأنه فرصة، مع التدبر والتعقل، وإذا ضم إلى ذلك حفظ ما تيسر في أوقات أخرى من الشهر يجمع بين المصلحتين؛ يكثر من التلاوة ويجعل وقتًا خاصًا لحفظ ما تيسر من ذلك فهذا حسن.
لكن ينبغي الإكثار من التلاوة حتى يختم ختمات كثيرة تأسيًا بالسلف الصالح رضي الله عنهم واغتنامًا للفرصة؛ ولأن في ذلك طلبًا للعلم، وتفقهًا في الدين؛ فإن في قراءة القرآن تفقهًا في الدين وطلبًا للعلم؛ لأنه كتاب الله؛ فيه الهدى والنور، وقد قال الله فيه سبحانه: إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ [الإسراء:9] وقال فيه سبحانه: قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ [فصلت:44] وقال فيه عز وجل: كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ [ص:29] وقال سبحانه: وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ [النحل:89]، ففي قراءته من أوله إلى آخره والإكثار من ذلك بالتدبر والتعقل في ذلك العلم العظيم والخير الكثير، وتذكر أعمال الصالحين والتأسي بهم، وتذكر أعمال المنحرفين والحذر من صفاتهم، كل هذا يحصل بقراءة القرآن والإكثار من تلاوته، تعرف صفات الأخيار، تعرف صفات أهل الجنة، تعرف صفات الرسل وأتباعهم؛ حتى تأخذ بها، تعرف صفات أهل الجنة فتلزمها، تعرف صفات أهل النار فتحذرها، تعرف صفات الكافرين والمنافقين والمجرمين فتحذرها؛ فالإكثار من تلاوة هذا القرآن العظيم أولى من الاقتصار على الحفظ، وإذا جعل وقتًا خاصًا للحفظ في رمضان وفي غيره؛ فهذا حسن.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
Your Eminence, as the blessed month of Ramadan approaches, which is better: occupying oneself with memorizing and reviewing the Quran, or reciting the Quran frequently?
Answer
What appears from the practice of the early generations—and Allah knows best—is to recite the Quran frequently and take care to complete it repeatedly, because this is an opportunity, while reflecting and understanding. If a person combines that with memorizing whatever he can at other times during the month, he brings together both benefits: he recites frequently and sets aside a particular time to memorize what he can. This is good.
But he should recite frequently so that he completes it many times, following the righteous early generations—may Allah be pleased with them—and making use of the opportunity. This also involves seeking knowledge and understanding the religion, for reading the Quran brings understanding of the religion and the pursuit of knowledge. It is Allah's Book, containing guidance and light. Allah, glorified is He, says of it: “Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most upright” [al-Isrāʾ 17:9]. He says: “Say: For those who believe, it is guidance and a healing” [Fuṣṣilat 41:44]. He, mighty and majestic, says: “A blessed Book that We have sent down to you, so that they may reflect on its verses and people of understanding may take heed” [Ṣād 38:29]. He says: “We have sent down to you the Book as a clarification of all things” [al-Naḥl 16:89]. Reading it from beginning to end, and doing so frequently with reflection and understanding, therefore brings great knowledge and abundant good, recalls the deeds of the righteous so that one follows them, and recalls the deeds of those who deviated so that one avoids their qualities. All of this comes through reading the Quran and reciting it frequently. You learn the qualities of the good, the people of Paradise, the Messengers and their followers, so that you adopt them. You learn the qualities of the people of Paradise and adhere to them, and those of the people of the Fire and avoid them. You learn the qualities of unbelievers, hypocrites and criminals and avoid them. Thus, frequent recitation of this great Quran is preferable to limiting oneself to memorization. If a person sets aside a particular time for memorization in Ramadan and at other times, that is good.
Source and editorial notes
Official Ibn Bāz website fatwa 30015
الموقع الرسمي للشيخ عبد العزيز بن باز
Official website of Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz
Arabic checked against the complete official published transcript. Text is preserved; spacing is normalized and legacy honorific glyphs are expanded. The English translates every displayed paragraph; Quran quotations are translations of their meanings.