(Mother of Moulana Sayyid Abul Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi [rahimahumallah] – Part Four)
Among the many unique qualities of Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) was that she was an excellent haafizah and remained dedicated to the Quraan Majeed until the end of her life.
Memorizing the Quraan Majeed was common among the males of her family, and the family had produced many outstanding huffaaz. However, among the women, there was nobody who had memorized the Quraan Majeed, until Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah).
She was the first woman of the family who made the intention to memorize the Quraan Majeed. Thereafter, other females in the family also developed the enthusiasm and zeal to do hifz. Thus, she, together with her middle sister, Saalihah, her niece and two other cousins all commenced memorizing the Quraan Majeed together.
In doing so, they had requested their brothers or some other mahram of the family to assist them and supervise their memorization. Khairun Nisaa’s (rahimahallah) youngest brother, Sayyid ‘Ubaidullah (rahimahullah), was an excellent haafiz and would recite the Quraan Majeed both correctly and beautifully. Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) thus memorized the Quraan Majeed under his supervision, completing her hifz in approximately three years.
Moulana Abul Hasan (rahimahullah) writes: “They all recited the Quraan Majeed excellently and their tajweed was extremely refined. If it was not for the fear of disrespect, I would venture as far as to say that they even recited better than many of those who graduate from madrasahs today. The enthusiasm and naturally beautiful tone with which they recited only served to further enhance their recitation. I remember once coming to discreetly listen to my mother recite the Quraan Majeed. (Such was the tranquillity and peace experienced that) it seemed as if rain was falling gently from the sky, and until today, I still remember the enjoyment I derived from listening to her recitation.”
Her commitment to her hifz was such that even after her marriage, she would recite her dhor (revision of the Quraan Majeed) to her husband. Thereafter, from the time of his demise until the end of her life, she continued to recite to her nephew, Haafiz Sayyid Habeebur Rahmaan, so long as her memory served her.
Lessons:
1. There is great virtue and reward for a person who memorizes the Quraan Majeed. However, it is a lifelong commitment and responsibility. Furthermore, the sin for neglecting and forgetting the Quraan Majeed after memorizing it is very severe. It should not be that a girl memorizes the Quraan Majeed in her youth and thereafter neglects doing dhor (revision) or reciting it after marriage and thus forgets it. It was for this very reason that despite wishing for her daughter to become a haafizah, Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) advised her against continuing with her hifz after commencing it and completing six paras (juz). She explained the reason to her saying, “There is nobody to listen to your dhor (revision), so it will be very difficult for you to revise and retain what you have memorized.”
2. Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) and the other females in her family who memorized the Quraan Majeed, did so under the supervision of their mahrams and from the safety of their homes. In other words, they maintained the highest levels of hayaa and hijaab when acquiring the knowledge of Deen. In stark contrast to that is the trend today where women attend lessons delivered by male scholars without the basic law of hijaab and niqaab being observed.
3. Recitation of the Quraan Majeed is an action which enlivens a home, draws the mercy of Allah Ta‘ala and barakah (blessings), and attracts the Angels. It is thus important that we recite the Quraan Majeed within our homes on a daily basis. Together with reciting, we should make an effort to ensure that we are reciting correctly. If we have not learnt to recite correctly, let us approach someone who recites correctly and ask them to assist and teach us. We are never too old to apply ourselves to perfecting our recitation of the Quraan Majeed. How embarrassing it is when a child asks the mother to assist them in their madrasah sabaq (lesson) to which the mother has to reply that she herself is unable to read!