An insane story that made me stop and reflect today…
He memorised the Qur'an in one sitting, it's legit! - Issue #160
Bismillāh al-Rahmān al-Rahīm
Assalāmu ʿAlaykum!
I have another story! Today’s story will move you.
It’s about a man named Mahdi, someone who did something almost unimaginable:
He memorised and recited the entire Qur'an — all 60 Hizbs — in a single sitting.
No break. No pause. Just him, Allah, and the Qur'an.
But the real story isn't just what he achieved. It's how he got there.
Let’s go back to the beginning.
🔌 A Spark in the Masjid
Mahdi grew up in a rougher part of town, the kind of place where the masjid wasn’t just for prayer, but a second home. He was just a little boy when he first started drifting into the mosque. Sometimes to pray. Sometimes to watch the men. Sometimes just to belong.
One day, an older man noticed him. Instead of pushing him away, he called him close, praised him, and slipped a few coins into his hand.
That small moment changed everything.
Mahdi says:
"He made me feel that the mosque was my place. That I was welcome. That the Qur'an belonged to me too."
The seed was planted.
At just 7 or 8 years old, Mahdi began trying to memorise Qur'an — small surahs he heard in prayer, scraps of verses he caught by ear.
No teacher. No schedule. Just love.
🧗 From Wandering to Willpower
As he got older, life pulled him away. School. Work. Responsibilities.
He memorised little by little.
Forgot.
Came back.
Forgot again.
Until one day, Allah sent him a gift:
He found a group of brothers serious about their deen.
Memorising. Studying. Supporting each other.
The environment changed everything.
Mahdi says:
"When you memorise alone, you get tired — you stop. But in a group, you're held up by the du'ā’, the encouragement, the competition."
He began building again — one Surah at a time: al-Rahman, Waqi'ah, al-Hadid...
Still working. Still juggling family, job, and Qur'an.
It wasn’t easy.
He says:
"Sometimes I'd spend the whole night wrestling with one page. The Qur'an didn't give itself to me easily. But the harder I fought, the more it opened its doors."
⚡ The Crazy Dream
One day, a wild thought struck him:
"What if I could memorise the entire Qur'an... in one sitting?"
He didn’t tell anyone.
It sounded insane — even to him.
But the thought wouldn’t leave.
It wasn’t about fame.
It wasn’t about showing off.
It was about one thing:
A pure moment between him and Allah.
So he decided.
🏃♂️ The Preparation
He cleared his schedule.
Prepared mentally and spiritually.
Made du'ā’.
And picked up the Mushaf.
He started.
Al-Fātiḥah.
Al-Baqarah.
Āl ʿImrān….
Pages blurred into pages.
Juz after juz, ayah after ayah.
He says:
"It felt like stepping into another world. Time disappeared. It was just me, the Mus'haf, and Allah."
But it wasn’t without pain.
Hours in, exhaustion hit.
His mind swirled.
Doubts whispered.
"You can't do this. It's too much."
But he fought back.
📖 The One-Sitting Memorisation
He kept going.
Surah after Surah.
No breaks. No distractions. No escape.
When he finally recited the last verses of Surah an-Nās...
He says:
"My body shook. I cried uncontrollably. It was like every sacrifice, every sleepless night, every doubt... it all melted into one moment of pure joy."
He had done it.
Memorised.
Recited.
Completed.
In one sitting.
🌿 Life After the Qur'an
That moment changed him forever.
"Once the Qur'an enters your veins, you can never live the same way again."
He gave up TV.
He cut down social media.
He restructured his entire life around the Qur'an.
Today, Mahdi recites daily, reviews constantly, and lives a life orbiting the Qur'an.
He says:
"The Qur'an doesn't just change your schedule.
It changes your soul."
💬 What Mahdi Wants You to Know
If he could sit for hours and wrestle every ayah into his heart, what about us?
He says:
"Don't wait for perfect conditions.
Start broken. Start busy. Start tired. Just start.
Allah will open the way once you move."
And:
"Once you finish, you won't feel the hardship.
You'll only feel the sweetness."
🛤 What Can We Take From His Journey?
Environment matters. Surround yourself with believers who pull you up.
Persistence matters. Some pages will fight you. Fight back harder.
Intention matters. It's not about performance.
And most of all:
"If you walk towards the Qur'an — even limping —
the Qur'an will run towards you."
You and I may never memorise the Qur'an in one sitting.
(And honestly, that’s not the point. This is not normal.)
The point is:
The Qur'an responds to effort.
Big or small.
If you walk towards it, it runs towards you.
Maybe today it’s one ayah.
Maybe tomorrow it's one surah.
The important thing is to keep moving.
Because one day, without even realising it, you might find yourself somewhere you once thought was impossible.
Just like Mahdi.
📩 What’s Stopping You?
What’s that one thing you know you need to start — or restart?
Reply and tell me. I'd love to hear from you.
And make du'ā’ for Mahdi — and for all those struggling quietly with their Qur'an.
May Allah open for us doors we cannot even imagine. 🤲
If this story moved you, pass it on.
Maybe someone else needs the reminder too.
🤲 Requesting your prayers,
- Qāri’ Mubashir
📖 THE DIARY OF A HĀFIZ
This is where we try to learn by watching others memorise. A roundup reporting the progress of our brothers and sisters in their pursuit of memorising the Qur'ān:
👳🏼♂️ Muhammad
Background: After forgetting what he memorised (half the Qur'ān) and kept struggling to start again. So he decided to share his diary and mission with us. After 19 weeks of struggle, he finally started. It took him a few months to do a few Juz’. He’s 37 and has been the most consistent of our diaries despite continued struggles.
Year 2 Week 35:
“After a step backwards last week, I realised I need to make my ajzā’ stronger, so I’m revisiting things 2-3 pages at a time.”
🧕🏼 Aaliya
Background: I'm 28 and I started memorizing full time about 2 years ago. I have almost 17 Juz memorized Alhamdulillah. I go to a masjid hifz class everyday and I'm trying to increase my daily revision to 2-3 juz. I'm hoping recording weekly diaries will motivate me to be more consistent and inshAllah help others who read it too.
Week 37:
“This week, I haven't made much revision progress again. I still feel very much stuck. I didn't go to madersa yet. Inshallah next week will be different.”
🧕🏼 Aisha
Background: I am a 36 yr old, mother of 6 kids. I memorised 20 juz in a madrasa but got married and although completed my hifz on my own , my revision was poor and I couldn't recite anything properly except for 5 or 6 juz. It's been 12 years of ups and downs trying to rememorise with little success. Alhamdulillah I found Qari Mubashir’s website that answered so many of my questions and took me out of self doubt, I discovered the tikrar program, downloaded the app and Alhamdulillah my path to rememorise has finally been made possible by the grace of Allah. I started on the 20th of June and so far have completed 8 juz , currently doing the 9th . I also gave my first test for juz 1 - 6 last month and passed it Alhamdulillah. I am looking forward to completing hifz, with a solid revision this time, bi iznillah.
Week 24:
“Assalamualaikum warahmatullah,
New : At the last page of Surah Ibrahim/ Juz 13 Alhamdulillah.
Connection : Have been listening to Surah Yusuf, Surat ar Ra'd and Surah Ibrahim.
Revision : Listening to 2 ajza daily , from Juz 1 to 12 .
Inshallah hopefully will start Juz 14 soon.”
👉 If you have any questions, just drop a reply to me and I'll feature the questions and answers in relevant issues. If you want to join the diaries, get in touch also!
Allāh grant us all success and ease on this path!
⭐ COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS & UPDATES
🚨 Website & Communities
1️⃣ WhatsApp communities
- Alhamdulillāh, we’re moving a step forward in the groups. A team is being formed.
2️⃣ Website & updates
- Updates are still ongoing.
- If anyone has any specific feedback or ideas, you are most welcome.
- If you want to get involved in the project, please get in touch. Devs, designers, community builders, content creators, etc!
3️⃣ Upcoming LIVE Workshop ❗❗
- I have shared a proposition for a live workshop on memorisation methods (check it out in the community chat and let me know if you’re in!)
Your Turn!
💬 Reply & Tell Me: What’s your biggest struggle in Hifz right now? Reply to this email and let me know—I’ll try to feature your question in upcoming posts.
🚀 Keep going. Allah bless your journey and make every step easier than the last.
📌 Quick Feedback: How Did You Find This Post?
🔥 Reply & let me know what helped you most today.
🔥 Have a Hifz question? I’ll answer in next week’s post!
I've always dreamed of becoming a haafidoh, but it's been hard kind of. Gave up for a moment, but I'm back in it, kindly make Dua for mw
I get so much from your writing! So inspirational Qari, sending dua to you.