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Fatwa CenterForgot Quran portions she Memorized in childhood
Question
AssalamualaykumWhen i was young maybe upto age 12-13 years, i memorised the Juzz Amma and some from the begining and maybe surah muzammil which i could not remember and haven't read in a long time. I wander if i would be accountable for not going over the chapter frequently and checking if i'm correct and re-memorising any bigger surahs? I was only young when i wanted to learn them and also i don't think i knew the consequences of forgetting in the future. Will i have to keep track all my life? I don't think my memory is very good. Yet i might be able to remember certain aayat when i read it often and i read surah mulk by heart. I also don't know if i'm right in my recitation when i revise some of them in salah. I might be mistaken but i try and check but i don't use all the soorahs i once memorised as i forgot. Main question- is this Juzz Amma etc going to be a responsibility for me to keep in my memory even though i was young when i learnt them? I don't neglect qura'n but it's just that i read with translation/tafseer small portions, therefore it takes longer to go over the whole qur'an. Would i have to recite qur'an separately without meaning as well in order to familiarise? Are there any rulings about age and responsibility of qur'an memorisation?JazakAllah khayr for any advice.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars differed in opinion on the ruling on forgetting what one memorized from the Quran –out of laziness and negligence without any sound excuse. Some scholars considered it as a grave major sin, while others considered it as a minor sin. However, some contemporary Sharee’ah institutions are of the view that it is not forbidden at all. The Fatwa of the Permanent Committee reads:
“It is not befitting for anyone who memorized the Quran to be negligent about its recitation, nor should he be negligent in revising it. Rather, he should recite a portion of it daily in order to help him perfect it and not forget it, while seeking the reward and benefitting from its rulings: both in regard to belief and actions. But if someone memorized any part or portion of the Quran and forgot it because he became busy or due to negligence, then he is not sinful. The texts with warning against forgetting what one has memorized of the Quran are not authentic.” [End of quote]
In any case, if what you forgot of the Quran was before you reached the age of puberty, then according to the view of all the scholars, you are not held accountable before puberty.
We advise you to avoid whispers and thinking about what you forgot to memorize of the Quran when you were young. Rather, you should concentrate on benefitting from the Quran now and in the future.
We advise you to be keen on reciting the book of Allah, pondering over its meanings, understanding its verses, and being admonished by it.
If it is not possible to combine between the recitation of the Quran and pondering over it, then pondering over it and understanding its meanings comes in priority over exerting one’s effort in memorizing the Quran without understanding it and pondering over it.
Allah knows best.
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