The strongest aids to memory: diligence and steady routine, eating lightly, night prayer, and reciting the Qur'an.
تعليم المتعلمal-Zarnūjīفِيمَا يُورِثُ الْحِفْظَ وَفِيمَا يُورِثُ النِّسْيَانَ
What Strengthens Memory and What Brings Forgetfulness
It is said nothing strengthens memory like looking at the Qur'an while reading — and that is best fortified by his words, blessings and peace: “The greatest deed of my community is reciting the Qur'an while gazing.” Shaddād ibn Ḥakīm saw one of his brothers in a dream and asked him what had helped most; the answer: reciting the Qur'an attentively.
When closing a book, say: In the name of Allah; Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah; Allah is Greatest; there is no might nor power save in Allah, the Most High, Tremendous, Mighty, Knowing — as many times as every letter written and yet to be written for ever and ever.
وَيَقُولُ بَعْدَ كُلِّ مَكْتُوبَةٍ: آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْأَحَدِ الْحَقِّ، وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَكَفَرْتُ بِمَا سِوَاهُ.
After each bout of writing say: I believe in Allah, One, Single, the Real — alone without partner — and I reject whatever is besides Him.
وَيُكْثِرُ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَإِنَّ ذِكْرَهُ رَحْمَةٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ.
Frequently invoke blessings on the Prophet ﷺ — remembering him is a mercy for the worlds.
[قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ:]
شَكَوْتُ إلَى وَكِيعٍ سُوءَ حِفْظِيفَأَرْشَدَنِي إلَى تَرْكِ الْمَعَاصِيوَإِنَّ الْحِفْظَ فَضْلٌ مِنَ اللهِوَفَضْلَ اللهِ لَا يُعْطَى لِعَاصِي[Al-Shāfiʿī, may Allah be pleased with him, said:] I complained to Wakīʿ, “My memory is frail.” He said, “Abandon sin, and you’ll prevail. For memory is grace from God Most High, And grace is not bestowed on those who defy.”
وَالسِّوَاكُ وَشُرْبُ الْعَسَلِ وَأَكْلُ الْكُنْدُرِ مَعَ السُّكَّرِ وَأَكْلُ إحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ زَبِيبَةً حَمْرَاءَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ عَلَى الرِّيقِ يُورِثُ الْحِفْظَ وَيَشْفِي مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرَاضِ وَالْأَسْقَامِ، وَكُلُّ مَا يُقَلِّلُ الْبَلْغَمَ وَالرُّطُوبَاتِ يَزِيدُ فِي الْحِفْظِ، وَكُلُّ مَا يَزِيدُ فِي الْبَلْغَمِ يُورِثُ النِّسْيَانَ.
Using the tooth-stick, drinking honey, eating costus with sugar, and eating twenty-one red raisins on an empty stomach strengthen memory and heal many ailments. Whatever reduces phlegm and damp humours aids retention; whatever increases phlegm brings forgetfulness.
وَأَمَّا مَا يُورِثُ النِّسْيَانَ فَهُوَ: الْمَعَاصِي وَكَثْرَةُ الذُّنُوبِ وَالْهُمُومُ وَالْأَحْزَانُ فِي أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا، وَكَثْرَةُ الِاشْتِغَالِ وَالْعَلَائِقُ، وَقَدْ ذَكَرْنَا أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْعَاقِلِ أَنْ يَهْتَمَّ لِأَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا لِأَنَّهُ يَضُرُّ وَلَا يَنْفَعُ، وَهُمُومُ الدُّنْيَا لَا تَخْلُو عَنِ الظُّلْمَةِ فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَهُمُومُ الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَخْلُو عَنِ النُّورِ فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَيَظْهَرُ أَثَرُهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، فَهَمُّ الدُّنْيَا يَمْنَعُهُ مِنَ الْخَيْرَاتِ، وَهَمُّ الْآخِرَةِ يَحْمِلُهُ عَلَيْهَا، وَالِاشْتِغَالُ بِالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْخُشُوعِ وَتَحْصِيلِ الْعِلْمِ يَنْفِي الْهَمَّ وَالْحُزْنَ.
What begets forgetting: disobedience, many sins, anxiety and grief over worldly things, busyness and entanglements. We already said the wise soul should not fixate on the world — it harms and never helps. Worldly worry never lacks darkness in the heart; otherworldly worry never lacks light there, and the effect shows in prayer: worldly care blocks good deeds; care for the Hereafter drives you to them. Immersion in humble prayer and gaining knowledge dispels grief and sorrow.
كَمَا قَالَ الشَّيْخُ نَصْرُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْمَرْغِينَانِيُّ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ:
اسْتَعِنْ نَصْرَ بْنَ الْحَسَنِفِي كُلِّ عِلْمٍ يَحْتَزَنْذَاكَ الَّذِي يَنْفِي الْحُزْنَوَمَا سِوَاهُ بَاطِلٌ لَا يُؤْتَمَنْAs Shaykh Naṣr ibn al-Ḥasan al-Marghīnānī said in a poem: / Seek help through Naṣr ibn al-Ḥasan / in every science that avails; / he is the one who casts off sorrow — / all beside him is false, untrusted.
وَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ الْإِمَامُ الْأَجَلُ نَجْمُ الدِّينِ عُمَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّسَفِيُّ فِي أُمِّ وَلَدٍ لَهُ:
سَلَامٌ عَلَى مَنْ تَيَمَّمَتْنِي بِظَرْفِهَاوَلَمْعَةُ خَدِّهَا وَلَمْحَةُ طَرْفِهَاسَبَّتَانِي وَأَصَابَتَانِي فَتَاةٌ مَلِيحَةٌتَحَيَّرَتِ الْأَوْهَامُ فِي كُنْهِ وَصْفِهَافَقُلْتُ: ذَرِينِي وَاعْذُرِينِي فَإِنَّنِيشَغِفْتُ بِتَحْصِيلِ الْعُلُومِ وَكَشْفِهَاوَلِي فِي طَلَبِ الْفَضْلِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالتَّقَىغُنًى عَنْ غِنَاءِ الْغَانِيَاتِ وَعَرْفِهَاThe eminent Imām Najm al-Dīn ʿUmar ibn Muḥammad al-Nasafī said concerning an umm walad of his: Peace be upon the one whose charm has made me hers, By the gleam of her cheek and the glance she confers. A beautiful maiden has captured my heart, Whose essence leaves every imagination apart. I said, “Let me be, and forgive me my ways, For knowledge and learning have kindled my days. In virtue, in wisdom, and reverence true, I need neither maidens, nor fragrance, nor you.”
وَأَمَّا أَسْبَابُ نِسْيَانِ الْعِلْمِ: فَأَكْلُ الْكُزْبُرَةِ الرَّطْبَةِ، وَالتُّفَّاحِ الْحَامِضِ، وَالنَّظَرُ إلَى الْمَصْلُوبِ، وَقِرَاءَةُ الْخَطِّ الْمَكْتُوبِ عَلَى حِجَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ، وَالْمُرُورُ بَيْنَ قِطَارِ الْجِمَالِ، وَإلْقَاءُ الْقَمْلِ الْحَيِّ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، وَالْحِجَامَةُ عَلَى نَقْرَةِ الْقَفَا، كُلُّهَا يُورِثُ النِّسْيَانَ.
Specific causes of forgetting knowledge: eating fresh coriander, sour apples, staring at a crucified man, reading inscriptions on tombstones, walking between strings of pack-camel trains, throwing live lice to the ground, and cupping the nape hollow — all of these are said to induce forgetfulness.