Targheeb

FAITH

If someone does a good deed to show off or to boast about himself being a virtuous person, one would definitely doubt his intentions. But what if someone tells about their achievements so that others would follow suit, and to cause targheeb (inspiration)? I put this question to a cleric, and he replied that there is no issue in doing the latter, and added: “There are many people who say that this cannot be done, but when they see someone who has done it, they say that ‘if he can do that thing, why can’t we?’” So, here I am, narrating my story of doing hifz of the Quran along with routine studies, hoping that I may become a source of inspiration, or targheeb, for someone.

I don’t exactly remember when I started doing it; I doubt there was even an ‘official’ start. All I know is that doing so was in my mind, and I would memorize small portions of the Quran whenever I had some time off from my studies. I had summer breaks in school and college with not much to do. Then, in 2020, exams were cancelled due to COVID, and in the same year MDCAT was postponed. After MDCAT, I had an almost two months’ break before classes of 1st year MBBS started. I made up my mind that I would have a go at doing hifz, God willing, during that time. I asked two of my hafiz colleagues on how to proceed. When 1st year MBBS classes started, I had memorized six paras.

Online and on campus classes alternated for most part of the year due to COVID. Also, metro bus service from where I lived in Islamabad was not inaugurated back then. Therefore, my pace of memorizing was slow. Whenever I would commute on metro bus, or taxi, I would recite Quran using the app on my mobile phone. However, I could not memorize much when I started driving my car to the university, and could only revise the previously memorized part, which I would do daily. By the end of 1st year, I had memorized a quarter over 11 paras.

In my 2nd year of MBBS, I got into memorizing Quran more diligently. At the start of 2nd year, my friend and I started doing carpooling. One day, I would drive my car to the university, and, on the next day, he would bring his car. When it would be his turn, I would recite Quran on both sides of the journey. This continued for three months until the Orange Line of metro bus service was inaugurated and I started availing that facility. A major portion of my memorization took place in the metro bus. It would take around 45 minutes in the bus for one side of the journey, and throughout the journey I would recite Quran, again using the app on my mobile phone. Same was my routine while returning from university. At home, I would take out at least 45 minutes daily for revision of the previously memorized portion of the Quran. By the end of 2nd year MBBS, I had memorized 25 or 26 paras. Only a few paras were left for my 3rd year of MBBS, which I completed in the first three months of the academic year, following the same routine.

Since I was doing all this on my own, I had to ensure that I had memorized a particular part of the Quran properly and without mistakes. For the former, I would recite a sabaq that I had memorized in prayers, moving on to the next one only when I would be able to recite it in prayers properly. Then, when I had to shift one-fourth of a para at a time from daily revisions to less frequent revisions, I would again recite it in daily prayers. As far as avoiding mistakes was concerned, I had another Quran recitation app in my mobile phone. I would listen to the recitation of each sabaq I memorized on a particular day, and correct any mistake I had made there and then. On Sundays or when I would get vacations from university, I would recite Quran thrice daily; revision in the morning and memorizations in the other two sittings. My routine remained the same even during exams. Only in exceptional circumstances when I had an upcoming sendup or proff exam would I miss recitation of Quran on one part of the metro bus journey.

After completing hifz, there was definitely a need for someone to validate it. So, in the summer break of 3rd year MBBS, I recited the entire Quran in front of a hafiz, in 25 days. Then, along with my studies, I recited it all over again at home. Since the day I completed hifz, I continued to revise over three paras daily for at least eight months before appearing in the test of hifz to get a certificate. Clearing the test finally gave me the blessing I longed for, and the blessing I’ll be proud of in this world and the Hereafter.

In all these years, Allah put barkat in my time and energies. It is established that studies of the medical profession are really tough, but I have been passing all exams with good marks. Also, I have participated in a number of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

The need of doing good deeds for Allah’s sake is more in today’s society because there is so much negativity out there. Many among us enjoy immense respect and status in worldly matters, but a majority of them, unfortunately, do not follow the religious injunctions. Similarly, there are many who follow and teach Islam day and night, but a majority of them have a weak social standing. However, there are only a few people who excel in both religious and worldly aspects, and are able to take both things together. It is this group that needs you and me the most.

For a majority of us, reciting Quran and offering prayers is the work of a maulvi. We need to understand that following the injunctions of Islam can never be a hurdle in our day to day activities, and is not only the job of the clerics. Only by excelling in worldly matters and not forgetting our religious duties can we portray a positive image of Islam. If you cannot do something really big, you can speak the truth and not lie, can’t you? You can walk to the mosque on hearing the azaan and it won’t take much of your time, will it? Strive to put a few drops in the ocean of virtue. A well-off individual, a businessman, engineer, or doctor who even walks to the mosque for prayers will have a strong impact on the onlookers. Let’s try to have an impact on the society.

What is to happen, will happen. It is for us to decide whether we will try to bring a positive change or resist one!