Hifz Graduation | Sat 6.18.22

Opening Recitation

When Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases their faith, and they put their trust in their Lord. Those who establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them — those are the true believers.

They have degrees with their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision. Just as your Lord brought you out of your house with the truth, and indeed, a group of the believers hate it. They argue with you about the truth after it has become clear, as if they are being driven to death while they are looking.

And when Allah promises you that one of the two groups is for you, and you wish that the one other than the thorn would be for you, and Allah wants to prove the truth with His words, and cut off the path of the disbelievers — so that He may prove the truth and make falsehood invalid, even if the criminals hate it. God Almighty has spoken the truth.

Welcome Remarks: The True Purpose of the Qur'an

Just some welcoming remarks regarding today's program. Of course, the Qur'an is something which is blessed — it's something that is a means of barakah for us and our families, and not just us and our families, but our communities and the Ummah at large. And something that we see specifically here in our local community is that there is not just one Qur'an class, but many Qur'an classes and many programs where students memorize the Qur'an. This is something that we should not lose sight of — the actual purpose and our actual goal with the Qur'an.

Many times when there is an excess of something, we lose value of it. And so, it's very important for all of us to always keep the true objective in our mind: to please Allah. There are stories from the past, and there are still stories today, where people are not allowed to — or don't have access to — memorizing the Qur'an, reading the Qur'an, or even having a physical copy of the Qur'an.

The Qur'an Under Communism: A Story of Sacrifice

There's a very interesting story that's written — and there are multiple stories along the same lines. In the early 1900s, in the mid-1900s, when communism was the law of the land in the Soviet Union, the Muslims who lived in Russia at that time weren't allowed to have physical copies of the Qur'an. Not only were they not allowed to have physical copies, but they were not allowed to recite Qur'an.

And so, in one specific book, there is a story mentioned. A person who lived through that time says: how we as Muslims preserved the Qur'an was that we would build our homes in ways where the middle of the home had a large hall. So if you entered the building, it seemed as if this is everything there is. But in reality, on the outsides of the hall, there were hallways or corridors that were hidden.

So if you stepped inside the home, it looked as if this is everything that there is. But in reality, behind the walls, there were small hallways that were built. And there were secret doors to these hallways, and they were made soundproof — so that students could go into these hallways, into these corridors, and sit and learn the Qur'an.

They wouldn't go in for the day and then come out at night. Rather, they would go in and stay there for months on end. Because if anyone saw that there are multiple children going into this home and multiple children coming out of the home, the army would get involved and they would shut it down.

And so they would build these soundproof hallways outside of the hall, and children would go into these hallways for months on end to learn the Qur'an, to memorize the Qur'an. And then they would litter the hall — the main room of the home — with things of indecency. They would litter it with alcohol bottles and different types of things. So when the house was raided and soldiers would come in, they would see that it's just a big hall full of things like liquor and alcohol. "There's no religion going on in here." And then they would leave.

For many years, this is how the Qur'an was preserved. This is what they had to do to preserve the Qur'an, to memorize the Qur'an, to learn the Qur'an.

A scholar in the 1980s visited these lands. He was a hafidh of Qur'an and he would always have a physical copy of the Qur'an in his pocket. This was something he was known for — that he always read Qur'an and always had a physical copy in his pocket. And when he would go through these lands, he wrote that so many people would flock to come see him — not because he was a hafidh, but because he had a physical copy of the Qur'an.

The people would come to him and say: "We are also huffadh. I also memorized the Qur'an. But I have never seen a physical copy of the Qur'an. We memorized the Qur'an verbally — hearing it from our teacher and then memorizing it and repeating it back again and again. That is how I became a hafidh."

Can you imagine memorizing a book you have never seen before? And so he mentions that people would come to see him just so that they could see that physical copy of the Qur'an, because they had never had one.

And similar stories you will find throughout the world where Islam is not allowed to be practiced and the Qur'an is not allowed to be followed. Even in today's day and age, we see our brothers and sisters in China who aren't allowed to fast, not allowed to give adhan, where masjids are being turned into museums and being demolished — simply because they are reading the Qur'an.

So the fact that we have this opportunity and the blessing of sitting and reading the Qur'an, memorizing the Qur'an — we should never lose sight of the actual purpose and objective of learning the Qur'an, and that is to get closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

The Prophecy: When Only the Shell Remains

The Prophet ﷺ actually prophesized that at the end of time:

"There will come a time towards the end of time where nothing will be left from the Qur'an except its culture, its tradition, its physical print — that is the only thing that will be left. And nothing will be left from Islam except the name of Islam."

So how do we actually value the Qur'an? Valuing the Qur'an means actually practicing upon it — practicing what we learn from the Qur'an.

In the hadith reported by Imam al-Tabarani in his Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, it is mentioned that on the Day of Judgment, a person will have a companion with him. The companion will ask him, "Do you remember me?" And then the companion will say, "I was the one who kept you awake at night and I was the one who kept you hungry throughout the day. I am your Qur'an." And this Qur'an will be his companion and argue on his behalf and save him from the fire of Jahannam.

But it wasn't just memorizing the Qur'an. What was it that actually made it his companion? It was keeping him up at night — praying the qiyam al-layl. And keeping him hungry during the day — fasting. Doing all of this is what will actually get us success in the hereafter — acting upon and following the guidance of the Qur'an.

And specifically for parents: in that same hadith, it is mentioned that the parents will be given crowns to wear on the Day of Judgment. The parents will ask the people who are crowning them, "Why are you giving me this crown?" And it will be said: "Because your children learned the Qur'an."

So the valuing of the Qur'an is in practicing it — in our everyday life. Make it a means for us to be up late at night reading the Qur'an, praying qiyam al-layl, fasting throughout the days. This is the purpose and the objective of the Qur'an — not just simply memorizing it.

If we are simply memorizing it, Allah forbid — what if we fall into that category of people of whom it is said:

"These people who will come at the end of time — they will read the Qur'an, but it will not pass their throats." Meaning it will not enter their heart. They will simply be reciting it, but acting upon it, actually permeating into their heart — the love of the Qur'an — that will not happen.

So it is definitely a blessing that we have so many programs of Qur'an and children memorizing and reading the Qur'an, but never let us lose sight of the true objective: making sure that our children and our families make our life, and every aspect of our life, closer to Allah, closer to the Qur'an and the message of the Qur'an. Not just read it — but live it.

May Allah give us all tawfiq.

Reflection by a Graduate: Hafiz Hussain Abid (Class of 2018)

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. My name is Hussain Abid. As Mawlana Saab mentioned, four years ago I was in the hifz program as well — 2018, under Mawlana Saqib. After I finished from the hifz program, I joined the first year here — the first year of the Alimiyyah course at Dar es Salaam — and alhamdulillah, I have just graduated from my third year here.

I want to first and foremost congratulate all of these students and their parents. It is such a huge achievement, such a huge honor, that Allah Ta'ala has chosen you to be from those who remember His words, to memorize His words. You can memorize any book of ilm, you can memorize libraries' worth of knowledge and everything, but memorizing the Qur'an, memorizing the Kitabullah — there is nothing more superior than that.

And the memorization of the Qur'an itself is no easy task. I'm pretty sure all of you can attest to that fact. Many years go into it — three, four, five years of effort go into memorizing the Qur'an. And a normal person in three, four, or five years might use that time to get a degree, and to show for it they receive a certificate or diploma. Insha'Allah, all of the graduating students today will also be getting your certificate.

But the thing about this certificate and this reward is that it will not end here. You will be given a certificate now in this world, but in the Akhirah, you will also be given a certificate. Your parents will also be given many gifts and rewards there — and of course, yourself. This is a special congratulations not just for the students, but of course for the parents as well.

The students are continuously striving and putting so much effort into memorizing, but if it were not for the parents facilitating all of this behind them — all of the parents' efforts that go in, making sure their student is ready — it would not happen. I remember my own experience when I was memorizing the Qur'an and sitting at home memorizing my sabaq. Anytime I got up — maybe I wanted to grab a snack or do anything — my mom immediately came: "No, no, no. Do you need anything? What do you need?" I said I was just going to get a snack. And she said: "No, no, no. You read the Qur'an, you just keep reading — I'll get whatever it is for you." That is the concern that the parents have. And it is because of their efforts that the hafidh of the Qur'an reaches where he is. That is why Allah Ta'ala also gives them such a great reward.

Looking back now, being a hifz student is a chapter of its own. Not having anything to worry about — just spending several hours a day in class, and even beyond that, many hours just reading Qur'an, reading Qur'an, reading Qur'an — nothing else. This is truly such a big blessing. The students who are in the hifz program right now might not realize it because they're so used to it. But the moment you leave the program, you will realize the blessing it was — just to have no worries at all, just reading Qur'an. That's all you had to do. And these are the days that I miss now.

Two Pieces of Advice for Every Graduating Hafidh

Having been graduated from the hifz program for four years, there are two pieces of advice that I wish had been told to me, and I believe every student of the Qur'an, every graduating hafidh, should know. I look at it as two phases.

The first stage is, of course, the actual memorizing of the Qur'an — which, alhamdulillah, in the first cohort, masha'Allah, they have completed. The second stage has two aspects, and is as difficult — if not more strenuous — than the first stage. When people hear that someone memorized the Qur'an, they're amazed: "You memorized this whole book?" But the second stage, I would say, is even more difficult.

The first aspect of the second stage is maintenance. When you are actually in the hifz program, there are people looking at you, always on your back making sure that you are memorizing and reciting the daily portion every single day. But once you leave — once you go to school, or further in life, once you have a job — basically until the moment you die, you have to be maintaining the Qur'an. And this is much more difficult. May Allah give all of us tawfiq in that regard.

The second aspect — and perhaps the most important — is being an embodiment of the Qur'an. Having the Qur'an in your heart means that your akhlaq and everything is in accordance with it. Because now, the graduating students will be looked at in a different light. People will judge you now not just as a normal student or a normal kid who grew up in the neighborhood — but as a hafidh. People will look at you differently, and you have to uphold this rank, this position that you have been given. There is an Arabic verse that says:

"O hafidh of the Qur'an, you are truly not a hafidh until you become a true embodiment of what you have memorized."

May Allah Ta'ala give us all tawfiq. Ameen.

Remarks on the Reward for Parents

One point that Hafiz Hussain touched on was about parents. This is something that we mention time and time again, but we can never mention it enough — the sacrifices that parents go through for the huffadh to memorize the Qur'an. And this is something highlighted not only by us as teachers and staff members, but by the Prophet ﷺ himself, when he mentions that parents will be given such a radiant crown on the Day of Judgment. Why? Because of the sacrifices that they went through. Even though the parents are not the ones who memorized the Qur'an — it was the child — the fact that the parents motivated the child, gave them the support, the environment, the help, and the assistance to memorize the Qur'an — that is why they are also rewarded.

The normal principle is that a person only gains that which they work hard for. I give sadaqah, I get the reward. I perform Hajj, I get the reward of the Hajj. But for Qur'an — I memorize it and the parents also get the reward. Why? Because of their hard work and dedication.

I was speaking to a colleague here the other day, Mawlana Farhan, and he mentioned that when he was memorizing the Qur'an in St. Louis for two years, his parents did not attend any social gathering. They made it a point not to attend any social gathering because it would take away from the schedule of memorization — a day here, a day there, a week here, a week there — and the strength and the foundation of a student's Qur'an is then weakened. And so for two years, 365 days a year, there was class, and his family did not attend any social gathering because of the memorization that Mawlana Farhan was completing at that time.

For every hafidh of the Qur'an, parents go through this struggle, this dedication, and this hard work to make sure that the memorization is happening, is strong, and the foundation is strong. And for this, Allah pays tribute to the parents — not only through the words of the Prophet ﷺ promising them the reward on the Day of Judgment, but by actually granting them that reward.

May Allah bless the parents of our graduating students and the students who are currently memorizing the Qur'an. May Allah bless the parents and take them from strength to strength, and give them the reward for all the sacrifices that they are making. Ameen, Ya Rabbil Alameen.

Nasheed: In Praise of the Prophet ﷺ

Rendered by student Afan Mirasahib.

Recitation of the Qur'an: Hussain Fall

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. First, I'd like to give mubarak to everyone. My name is Hussain. I have had the beautiful privilege of doing my hifz for the past three years. Alhamdulillah, I request your du'as for me as well as my classmates.

"Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it; but man bore it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant."

Speech by a Graduating Student: Hafiz Yusuf Wasim

There is no doubt that hifz is a very special subject. Anyone who knows the status of a Hafidh would yearn to have the Qur'an memorized. Just the thought of it is motivation in itself. With the help of Allah, and plenty of support from my parents, I began my journey of hifz.

I started my first year of hifz in 2015 at Furqan Academy. I was doing well, alhamdulillah, but the small adversities stood out and unmotivated me for a while. I focused on academics, and two years later, in 2018, I was brought to the summer hifz program here at Dar es Salaam. I came only with the intention to do the summer hifz, but Allah blessed me with a spot in the full-time hifz program.

Although I knew it was beneficial, there were times when my hifz journey got tough. These were days where I would get lazy, and the distractions of Shaytan would come in, or sometimes it was just not a good day. Sometimes my lesson would get too hard and overwhelming. Sometimes I would come home and memorize, and wake up after Fajr the next day and memorize, and I still wouldn't know my lesson. Sometimes I would learn my lesson well at home only to forget it the next day.

At those times where there was a sense of hopelessness, I would leave the rest to Allah. And there were days where I would feel nothing the whole day and wouldn't feel like doing any of my lesson at home. It was my parents who pushed me, and ultimately Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala who aided me. In the end, those days passed with hard work and trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — alhamdulillah.

As for the days where distractions and play would come in, I would have to struggle extra. Not only did I have to learn my sabaq for the next day, I also had to fight my nafs. The times where I didn't practice enough also affected me the next day. Sometimes I would get home and play video games, and when it came time to learn my sabaq, I wouldn't feel like doing anything. But alhamdulillah, my parents would save me in those times of distraction — either by taking away what was distracting me, or by busying me with beneficial tasks. Sometimes both.

If my teacher noticed I wasn't doing well in class, he would speak to my parents. Now I know that when that happens, a lot of students don't like it — because that means we're getting in trouble. But it wasn't necessarily only for discipline. Sometimes Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala uses the most painful tools for the most necessary and beautiful tasks.

One more really challenging thing that happened during my hifz journey — and I'm sure a lot of my peers can relate — was online classes. Although it seemed easy and relaxed at the beginning, online classes caused great distraction. It was easier at first: being able to wake up and join class right away, or having a lunch break at home every day. But as time passed, online classes had a negative effect on all students. We didn't get the chance to meet each other every day. We also didn't have the environment of the masjid, which is surrounded by angels. In our class video calls, we would also often get distracted — texting each other instead of practicing.

I ask our teachers to forgive us for this, and for everything else we did to wrong them. I can only imagine what a struggle it was for them to constantly remind us to read and stop playing around. But now, alhamdulillah, we're completing our goals having passed through those times.

The Good Days: Blessings of the Hifz Journey

There were many challenges, of course, but they pale in comparison to the good memories. I'm sure that the hifz students can agree that there are many good days in hifz. Just the blessing of coming to the house of Allah — not only as a guest, but as a student — and reading the beautiful words of Allah out loud, day in and day out. Having the blessing of seeing our amazing teachers and friends, whose faces are filled with nur. Being in the company of angels, and having such amazing conversations about the sweetness of our deen in Islamic studies class.

Sometimes someone will make a mistake while reciting, or someone will mention an ayah, and the whole group of hifz kids sitting there will try to figure out where that ayah is from. Our teachers would also make jokes with us in Islamic studies class or while lining up. Most importantly, our teachers guided us. Our friend groups wouldn't be how they are without the nur from our beloved teachers.

Along with defeating us in basketball many times, our teachers showed us how to act properly — the proper adab and etiquettes to have. They showed us not only with their words, but also their actions. They even taught us how to use our lunch breaks: how to properly lay down the dastarkhwan, eat our lunches, and how to clean up after ourselves.

One of the most important things they taught us was how to be punctual at the time of salah. We were trained by our amazing teachers to be sitting down for Dhuhr salah every day at 1:15. One time, in our morning assembly, one of the hifz teachers, Mawlana Imran, said: if us students learned and retained the good habits that the teachers strove to teach us, then they have done their job — even if we haven't finished hifz. This shows the amount of importance our teachers placed on etiquette, and how so gently, with love, they sewed it into us.

Once, while we were still online, I had to take a Qur'an exam. I joined the Zoom call not realizing my pet cat was in the room. He started coming up to me and came up to the camera. I felt a bit ashamed because the teacher was watching. The teacher asked, "Is that a cat?" I replied, "Yes." I was expecting him to be a bit upset. Instead, he said he would give me extra credit just because I have a pet cat. At first I was a bit afraid. But now, I wish I had brought my cat to all my exams. This is just one example of how gentle and kind our teachers were with us, even after disobeying them so many times.

The brotherhood and ties that you make while learning the words of Allah are ones that you should keep. We also occasionally had field trips — sometimes to a museum, a trampoline park, or even a zoo. One thing I remember was how surprised the employees of the trampoline park were regarding our character. Another thing was how all 40 to 50 students at the time, along with their teachers, had a place to pray at the museum — even outside. Our teachers helped us retain our etiquettes everywhere.

Gratitude to Parents, Teachers, and All Who Helped

As I've been mentioning, the people around me — my teachers, family, and classmates — all played a big role and made sacrifices in some way, whether by listening to me, helping me memorize, or giving me advice and support.

Firstly, my parents, who invested countless hours of effort for this mission — dropping me off and picking me up to and from class every day, making my lunch and dropping it off if I ever forgot it, investing time to listen to my sabaq, continuously reminding me so that I maintained a punctual routine. All I know is that I cannot repay them for this gift.

Along with the du'as and efforts of my parents, my grandparents also played a big role in this journey. The person who listened to me so many times was my beloved hifz teacher, Mawlana Saqib, who would always keep us focused by giving us constant reminders when we would get distracted in class. Not only did he attentively listen to our lessons, he also made sure they were strong. As hifz students, we're bound to make mistakes, yet our teacher's patience played a critical role in this journey.

Another one of the teachers who played a large role in guiding me was Mawlana Usman. He wasn't only teaching us lessons from books — rather, he taught us the true meaning of being a Muslim. Alongside these beloved teachers, there are many others who helped and supported me throughout this journey: Mawlana Shomik, Mawlana Ibrahim, Hafiz Yasser, Mawlana Imran, Mawlana Tawfiq, and Hafiz Zaki. All these hifz teachers guided me in different ways to help shape me into the person I am today.

Only Allah knows all the tests I went through and how many students tested me and made du'as for me. May Allah accept from everyone. Ameen.

Parting Advice for Future Huffadh

Just a bit of parting advice for the journey of our future huffadh:

Number one — make sure you pray your salah properly. If you have your salah, you have everything. Respect your parents, teachers, classmates, and everyone around you — even if you're in a bad mood. Don't let that ruin your character.

Show respect to the tools of knowledge — your thawb, your topi, your bag, the desks that you use, your pencil or pen, and most importantly your Qur'an. You cannot obtain this knowledge by snatching it — rather, you have to respect it so that it reaches your heart.

Be patient on this journey, especially when it comes to making sacrifices. Limit your screen time — the best way to do this is by asking your parents and teachers for help in scheduling your time and being committed to it. Don't let these distractions overpower you.

Along with this, know your limits. Know when to study and when to take breaks. If there has been a lack of sleep, you should probably sleep instead of doing your sabaq at 2 AM.

When the bad days come, don't overthink it. Just trust Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. As long as you do your best, it will be fine. You may come across people who are not supportive of your decision to do hifz — maybe even family. But remember, this is your goal and only you know the value of it. Its value is priceless.

Make abundant du'a for the acceptance and success of this goal. If you manage to accomplish a lot in one day, remember it was because of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala who blessed you with it. Don't upset your parents and teachers.

As you must have heard, hifz is just the first part of the journey — so make sure you do it right, insha'Allah.

I would like to end with a short poem I came across, written by a fellow hafidh regarding the one who memorizes the Qur'an:

JazakAllahu Khair for all your time and attention. I make du'a that Allah accepts all our efforts and keeps us on the straight path. Wa akhiru da'wana anil hamdulillahi rabbil alameen.

Remarks on the Certificate and Tarawih

Students will be receiving their certificates for hifz, but the true certificate — as students know, teachers know, and parents know — is when a student is able to recite the Qur'an on their own. And so masha'Allah, many of the students here today, including Hafiz Yusuf and Hafiz Hussain, led Tarawih and recited the Qur'an from cover to cover on their own.

It reminds me of when I was a student and I graduated — we didn't have fancy certificates. I remember my parents asked the principal of the school where I studied for a certificate. Until today, I don't have one. The principal told my parents: "His certificate is his Tarawih. When he leads from cover to cover in your community — that is your certificate. He is not in need of anything on paper."

In reality, giving these certificates is just a formality. The true milestone is when the students recite the Qur'an on their own. That is, for them, the peak of happiness — that they can recite the Qur'an from memory, from cover to cover. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala give us all tawfiq.

Parent's Reflection: Dr. Raza Akbar

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen, ahlal thana'i wal majd. Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim. Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

I just wanted to say Mubarak to all the parents and students on this amazing accomplishment. Dear respected scholars, elders, teachers, staff, parents, students, and everyone else who is here — Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

I just wanted to share a few reflections about our journey as a family with Hassan while he was doing his hifz. This whole process was something new for us as a family — there really is nobody in our close family, whether cousins or otherwise, who had actually done hifz or even studied at a madrasah. So it was kind of new for us.

We also didn't decide for Hassan to do hifz — he actually chose to do it himself, although Hassan's mother had planted the idea in his mind many times at an early age. She decided not to call it brainwashing. Also, Hassan's close friend Umar Hassan had recently completed hifz, and we had seen that whole process closely and saw the beneficial effect it had on his adab and maturity and how much he benefited — and it was here at Dar es Salaam that he completed hifz.

But in all honesty, even though Hassan's mother made the initial push, and Hassan's grandparents — his Nano and Nana Jan — encouraged him with all their du'as, I honestly have to say I was still a little skeptical that it could actually happen. At the same time, I knew that the program at Dar es Salaam was very strong and that the sohbah and tarbiyah that students get here is amazing.

By the grace of Allah, Hassan started his hifz in the fall of 2019 here at Dar es Salaam, after having done a few juz memorization with a Qari online from Pakistan. He worked on his tajweed for several months with Mawlana Imran, then revised his previous juz with Hafiz Zaki, and then started working with Mawlana Saqib.

Initially his progress was a little bit slow — he did have a hard time adjusting, coming from a school where he was used to a different schedule, and there were new demands. And then, as everyone here remembers, in the spring of 2020, COVID started. I think every student and parent remembers how difficult it was when we had to go remote.

Hassan was also coming from a school where he was very much involved in different clubs and activities, and all of a sudden to just be home the whole time, learning remotely, was very difficult. As parents, we were not only concerned about his progress in hifz, but even the sohbah he was going to get with his teachers and fellow students — that was heavily compromised by learning remotely. Also, this was still the very beginning of the process — he didn't have 15, 20, or 25 juz already under his belt. He was just starting out.

So it was not beyond the realm of possibility that we could have just thrown in the towel and said, "This is not going to work." But as one of our great scholars in our Ummah has explained beautifully — most of us look at our life situations and look at hardships and think we are being patient, when in reality, at all times we are in the immense favor and blessings of Allah and we are literally drowning in blessings.

Even though difficulties were there, we just had to take a step back. We had a really good, hard-working son who wanted to finish what he started. We had a supportive and healthy family environment. We weren't going through many of the financial and health difficulties that a lot of people were going through at that time. We had an excellent, masterful teacher in Mawlana Saqib, who has been so successful not only in graduating so many students in hifz, but in also perfecting their character and discipline through his example and sohbah. We had a learning environment — the institution of Dar es Salaam — full of blessings and barakah, with dedicated, authentically trained teachers and full-time staff.

All of these things really made my job much easier as a father. For this, I have to show gratitude first and foremost to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and then of course to all of Hassan's teachers and staff, to my family, to all those who encouraged Hassan along the way, all his friends, his fellow students in hifz school and outside of it — JazakumAllahu Khayran.

The whole process for me and my family has just been a showering of blessings. To be the father of a Hafidh is a pure gift from Allah. I have done nothing to deserve this. When I really look at what I've done compared to what Hassan's teachers and even his mother have put in, I consider myself the least deserving of this honor — but Allah's favor is just immense.

Lastly — Hassan started this program a little older than a lot of other kids. But I think one advantage of this was that in his formative and teenage years, he strongly and maximally benefited from this environment and his teachers during those very formative years. So I think that even for kids who finish hifz early, spending that period of time in this environment is very, very beneficial.

May Allah accept from all of you and bless all of you. May Allah enable you to follow the Qur'an, to keep it memorized, to keep it in your heart, and to understand its teachings and its meanings in your life, and to be a reflection of its teachings insha'Allah. May Allah keep all of us in Iman and aafiyah and bless us.

Remarks on the Role of the Whole Family and the Age Factor

Just one point to expound upon from what Dr. Raza mentioned: he mentioned very beautifully how the motivation doesn't happen from just one side — not just parents asking a child to memorize the Qur'an — but naturally from every aspect: parents, grandparents, the environment at home, mother, father, and then the student himself. All of these put together are what support the child in becoming a hafidh.

It could be just the child who wants it, but if all the other supporting factors aren't helping — the parents, the environment at home — then it may be difficult. Or it could be just the parents who want the child to memorize the Qur'an, but the child himself or the environment at home doesn't allow it. We need it on all ends. We have to realize there will be times — as Dr. Saab mentioned — where you may think about throwing in the towel. The toughest thing that teachers, students, and parents all agree upon was the COVID time — memorizing Qur'an at home with no environment of a class, just staring at screens for so long. All the students graduating this year studied throughout that difficult period.

There will be times when a student may think about it twice, a parent might think about it twice, the environment at home might not be conducive — but that is why you need every angle of support. When one supporting factor feels deficient or is thinking about giving up, the other factor says, "I'm still here for you — I'm going to support you through this difficulty." There will be ups and downs, but ultimately we trust in Allah and then do the work as a family. That is why the reward is for the whole family — not only the parents with the crown on the Day of Judgment, but then the hafidh is allowed to intercede for family members on the Day of Judgment. Why? Because every family member was part of that support network.

Secondly, regarding the age factor: many times we think it's a misconception that children who are younger memorize the Qur'an more easily, and that once you get older it's nearly impossible. The reality is that there are really two factors:

Number one — distractions. Yes, it's easier to memorize if you're younger because of fewer distractions. If there are fewer distractions, then age doesn't really matter. You could be older, but if you're not distracted by what normal adults are distracted by, then you'll memorize the Qur'an just as well as a young person.

Number two — sins. Children who are younger are ma'sum — they haven't reached the age of puberty, their sins aren't counted, and they're not committing the sins that an adult would commit. Because of that, the copy-paste factor — formatting something as pure as the Qur'an into the heart — happens more easily because of an absence of sins. But this applies to adults as well: if there is a clean heart, an absence of sins, lots of istighfar and tawbah, then that formatting of the Qur'an into the heart of an older person will happen in the same way. So it's not necessary that a person has to be young. These two factors — distractions and cleanliness from sins — will automatically make the memorization journey a lot easier.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala give us all tawfiq.

Keynote Speech: Mawlana Farhan Sharif

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen. As-salatu was-salamu ala ashrafil anbiyai wal mursaleen. Sayyidina wa habibina wa shafi'ina wa mawlana Muhammadin sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een. Amma ba'd.

Beloved brothers and sisters, esteemed and honorable guests, noble huffadh — Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

As there isn't much time, I would just like to share a few pieces of advice. These are very special pieces of advice — in fact, the same advice that my teacher gave me when I finished hifz. I would say five pieces of advice in total: three for the huffadh, one for the parents, and one more to follow.

Advice #1 for the Huffadh: Ikhlas (Sincerity)

The first piece of advice is to have ikhlas — sincerity. Whatever you do, you do it solely for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Now that you are huffadh, you will be reciting Qur'an. You memorized the Qur'an to preserve it. So whenever an imam is being sought for, whenever others are looking for someone to lead the salah, whenever others are looking for people to recite the Qur'an — it is now your duty and responsibility to put yourself forward, to answer that call. And when you are reciting the Qur'an, you should recite with utmost sincerity — solely for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

This is so important because the Prophet ﷺ mentioned in a hadith Qudsi — the words of which are from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — that on the Day of Qiyamah, when Allah is going to be judging all of mankind and asking us regarding our deeds, the first individual that Allah is going to start with is the one who has gathered the Qur'an in his heart. That is the first person. And Allah is going to ask him:

"Did I not teach you that which I sent down to My Messenger?"

So in this we understand that whatever feat we have achieved, whatever we have accomplished — it is not purely our own doing. Yes, we are witnessing masha'Allah the culmination of years of effort and hours, months, and years from various individuals. But at the same time, let us understand that this is no ordinary task that can just take place after a few years of effort. This is nothing but a miracle of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Tell me — how many other individuals throughout the world do you see who know by heart 600, 700 pages in another language and can recite it so proficiently, so perfectly, that if you were to take a whole group of huffadh and listen to them reciting properly with tajweed, you won't even be able to tell whether one is an Arab or a non-Arab — because everyone recites exactly the same? Where else can you find this example? This is a miracle of the Qur'an. Where else can you find anyone memorizing any other book verbatim, word for word? It's impossible. It doesn't take place.

That is why the Yahud considered 'Uzayr to be the son of Allah — because of the fact that he memorized the Torah. Because it's abnormal. It never happens. It's a miracle. And here, subhanAllah, there is not just one, but multiple huffadh gathered today.

So number one — whenever we recite, we recite with ikhlas. And you should understand that whatever gift you have is not because of your own doing, but because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala blessed it to you. My teacher used to say: how terrible is that person who is driving someone else's car and showing it off to everyone — revving the engine, and everyone thinks it's his, when in reality it's not? How dare he show off with someone else's wealth? So how dare we show off with this gift of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? After so many years of effort, crying and begging to Allah, Allah looking at the efforts of so many and granting this beautiful gift — if we do not recite with ikhlas, Allah can take it just as quickly, even faster than the snap of a finger.

Advice #2 for the Huffadh: Stay Away from Sin

The second piece of advice is to stay away from sin. As was mentioned earlier, this is perhaps the most important thing. Ibn Mas'ud radiyallahu anhu said: "I do not think a person can forget any knowledge that he learns, except because of a sin that he committed." (Reported in Al-Jami' by Ibn Wahb and other classical works.)

Our principal, rahimahullah, who has passed away, used to address the huffadh and say: "It's not possible — how can you forget the Qur'an? Because this knowledge is nur — it is light that Allah places in an individual's heart. You can't just forget it. Rather, you are made to forget it because of your sins." That is why in the du'a it is said:

"O Allah, have mercy upon us through the great Qur'an, and make it for us a leader, a light, a guidance, and a mercy. O Allah, remind us of that which we have been made to forget."

So the second piece of advice is: do the best of your ability to stay away from sinning.

Advice #3 for the Huffadh: Make Tawbah Immediately

The third piece of advice is that because the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that every human being, by the nature of being human, is going to make mistakes — so when you do make a mistake, do not wait a single second before making tawbah and returning back to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. There is no way and nowhere a person can go to protect himself from the wrath of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala except back to the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Advice for the Parents: Your Child Has Special Needs

One piece of advice for the parents: Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has blessed you with such a beautiful gift. After your years and years of sacrifice, the teachers' years and years of sacrifice, the students' years and years of sacrifice, and so much du'a — you should understand now that you have with you a child who has special needs.

Think of it this way: if you had a child who was in a wheelchair, or who had to follow a particular diet, or who had specific academic needs — and that parent were to neglect these things — the whole world would see that parent as a tyrant and an oppressor. Similarly, a hafidh of Qur'an is a person with special needs. There is such blessed nur in this child's heart. It is now your duty and your responsibility to protect that to the best of your ability.

You have to be extremely careful about the food that he consumes. You have to be extremely careful about his environment and his friend circle. As Shaykh Yunus Patel rahimahullah mentioned — and he passed away a few years ago — he said: "In this day and age, if you want to protect your children and want this investment of yours to transfer to the hereafter, then you ought to take care of them like a hen takes care of her chicks." A hen, wherever she walks, is always ensuring that her chicks are near and that she is watching over them. You have to observe your children. You have to be wary of the friends they keep.

A Final Reminder: The Du'a of the Prophets

This is such an important matter — something that the Anbiya alayhimus salam used to make du'a for across the board. Yusuf alayhis salam, who had everything, made two du'as:

"Grant me death as a Muslim and keep me with the righteous." This is the same thing that Sulayman alayhis salam used to make du'a for:

And this is what Ibrahim alayhis salam used to make du'a for as well. It is mentioned in Surah al-Shu'ara:

"And who will cause me to die and then give me life. And who I aspire that He will forgive me my sin on the Day of Recompense. My Lord, grant me authority and join me with the righteous."

This shows you how valuable remaining upon righteousness is — that all the Anbiya alayhimus salam used to make du'a for it. And as parents, it is our duty to monitor this and to protect our children and to protect this investment of ours, if we want it to transfer to the hereafter.

We should not think that because our child has memorized the Qur'an, he is safe — and that's it. Just two weeks ago, during the retreat, someone came and pointed out his son to me. He said, "See my son — he's been memorizing for two years and has only done six or seven juz. And I'm so scared. Why? Because look at his friend — he's memorized 15 or 16 juz, and he actually has doubts about Islam, which he only exposes to my son. And my son comes home saying: 'Baba, why is Islam even the real faith?'"

Unfortunately, just because a person becomes a hafidh, just because a person becomes an alim, he is not automatically saved or protected from such influences. These are all special-needs children. So we ought to do what is in our capacity to take care of those needs, to ensure that we secure this investment of ours so that it remains forever in the hereafter.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us all tawfiq.

Final Recitation: The Last Lesson (Dastarbandi)

Insha'Allah, we will now call up the graduating students. They will recite the last three surahs of the Qur'an, Surah al-Fatihah, and the beginning of Surah al-Baqarah — after the lead of Mawlana Farhan — after which insha'Allah we will have the certificates and the symbolic turban tying.

The graduating students are: Hafidh Muhammad 'Umar Ali, Hafidh Samiuddin Yusuf Wasim, Hafidh Bilal Ahmed, Hafidh Zaid Asif, Hafidh Hassan Raja Akbar, Hafidh Muhammad Hamza Sayyid, Hafidh Hamid Ali, and Hafidh Riazuddin Sheikh.

صَدَقَ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ

Closing Remarks and Recognition of Parents

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala accept this gathering and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala reward all who attended, our esteemed scholar and guest Mawlana Farhan, and all the teachers and all the graduates. Mubarak — may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala accept.

Also, we have two teachers that could not be with us today — Mawlana Shomik Hussain and Mawlana Ibrahim Hamid. May Allah reward them as well for all of their hard work and effort upon these students.

As a token of appreciation and respect, we ask all the parents of the graduating students to stand: parents of Hafidh Muhammad 'Umar Ali, parents of Hafidh Samiuddin Yusuf Wasim, parents of Hafidh Bilal Ahmed, parents of Hafidh Zaid Asif, parents of Hafidh Hassan Akbar, parents of Hafidh Muhammad Hamza Sayyid, parents of Hafidh Hamid Ali, parents of Hafidh Riazuddin Sheikh, and on the sisters' side, family members of Hafizah Madinah and Hafizah Sadia — so we can all see and appreciate all of the hard work that you have done.

Closing Du'a: Mawlana Farhan Sharif

O Beloved Allah, O Merciful Allah — grant us the ability to understand what a great bounty You have blessed us with. O Allah, grant us complete sincerity and allow us to understand that this is a gift You have granted us — without any truly worthy action from our own side, notwithstanding the fact that we are completely undeserving of this.

Ya Arham al-Rahimin wa Ya Akram al-Akramin — but You are the Most Merciful, You are the Most Compassionate, You are al-Rahman, You are the One who has taught us the Qur'an. Ya Allah, allow us to be amongst Your special selected servants. Make us amongst the Ahlul Qur'an. Allow us to create this never-ending bond with the Qur'an. Allow us to recite the Qur'an day in and day out. Do not just make us huffadh of the month of Ramadan — make us true huffadh throughout the entire year, throughout our entire lives.

Ya Allah, allow us to live our lives in accordance with the teachings of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and in accordance with the teachings of the Qur'an. Allow us to observe the true characteristics of a true hamil al-Qur'an. Ya Allah, forgive us and overlook all of our shortcomings.

Keep the Qur'an inscribed in our hearts and minds and allow us to recite it constantly until the day that we pass away — and to take our lives with the kalimah on our tongues. Make the best day of our lives the day that we meet You and the day that we get to see You, Ya Arham al-Rahimin wa Ya Akram al-Akramin.

Reward all of the asatidha, all of the parents, and all of the children for all of the work that they have done. Ya Allah, we merely put in the effort and we hope for the best results from You. Grant us all complete sincerity and allow us to remain devoted to the Qur'an our entire lives.

JazakumAllahu Khayran. Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.