Memorize Surah Al-Kahf!

Lets take the proactive effort to memorize Surah Al-Kahf. And not just the opening ayat (or as stated in other narrations, last 10 ayat as well), but the entire surah. After all, we are encouraged in the sunnah to recite it every Friday anyway. So why not aspire to do so from your own memory?

Let me share something with you. My parents, in recent years, they managed to memorize the entirety of surah Al-Kahf. My mother managed to memorize a few years before retirement, while still working full-time as a lecturer. Recently, my father also memorized the whole surah; at the time he was about 62 years of age, running his company full time, and just finished pursuing his PhD.

This was super inspiring masha Allah, Allahumma barik. 110 ayat, 12 pages.

But here's the real take away I wanted to share with you: If they can do it, so can you. Come on guys.

Stop giving excuses. Stop looking down on your own capabilities. You have what it takes. So just do it.

Just to share some tips, the key "Mindset hack" to memorizing Qur'an for "busy people" is to go step by step, consistently:

#1 - Step by step, ayah by ayah. Don't get intimidated by the massive task ahead. Don't look at "100 ayat" and "half a juz". Instead, just do one ayat. Repeat it, in addition you can learn its meanings, study its tafsir so you become motivated to learn more. Once it becomes "easy", then move on to the next one.

#2 Consistency. Make sure you do it on a regular basis. Daily, twice a day, after every solah - wherever you can smuggle those 5 minutes. Frequency will vary between people, but i find that in practice, do not do it any less than 3 times a week (i.e. every 2 days) if you want to build a solid, constant foundation.
But keep it a strict practice to at least recite the whole surah every Friday - this to strengthen your current memorization and also to familiarize the ayaat ahead.
You don't necessarily have to schedule long sessions to "sit down and memorize". Just spend a solid 5-10 minutes, then recite it over and over again while you're doing other things, like walking, taking the train, driving. I repeat Recitation while I'm playing with my son and it works great. Find what suits best for your own respective schedules. But you have to prioritize and commit to it. Not just chuck it on the procrastination shelf and hope that somehow you will start "if I find the time."

You cannot find time. You make time.

Just to share with you, my friend basically does his memorization while commuting to work, reciting in the car. Since he has to drive through the crazy traffic of the Federal Highway from Shah Alam to KL every morning, this gives him ample time. Doing this consistently, he managed to memorize 2 juz within a year. All on the road. Boom.

Stick to this rule: bit by bit, consistently. Within a month you've finished the story of the People of the Cave. within next month, you've finished the story of the Man of Two Gardens. And since you do this every Friday anyway, it should stick easier in your mind. 

Next thing you know it, way before Ramadhan next year, you're basically ready to lead tarawih reciting this surah.

Boom. GG. Awesomeness unleashed.

Oh yeah and by the way, here's the bonus: That's basically your protection against Dajjal. How about that.

You can do it guys, I know you can. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Take it.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ حَفِظَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ عُصِمَ مِنَ الدَّجَّالِ
“Whoever memorizes ten ayat from the beginning of Surah Al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjaal”
(Muslim)

فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَهُ مِنْكُمْ فَلْيَقْرَأْ عَلَيْهِ فَوَاتِحَ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ
“He who amongst you would survive to see him, should recite over him the opening verses of Surah Kahf ”
(Muslim)