·Some Matters that aid memorisation·

Shaykh Muqbil bin Hādī al-Wādiʿī رحمه الله :

1. Acting upon what has been memorised.

Wakī’ said; Whoever wishes to memorises ḥadīth then let him act upon it.

[as-Suyuṭī, at-Tadbīr (1/588)]

2. Mindfulness of Allah ﷻ – Allah ﷻ said (interpretation of meaning):

‘Be mindful of Allah and He will teach you’ [2:282]

3. Abstaining from [eating] citrusy food.

4. Eating raisins

5. Bitter frankincense, on the condition that too much isn’t consumed since it will cause insinuating whispers which will oppose the purpose, since insinuating whispers complicates issues and causes loss of information.

6. Ginger, on the condition that too much isn’t consumed since it will increase blood temperature, cause mood swings and increase black bile.

7. Repetition

8. Revision

9. Sitting with students of knowledge who are strong memorisers.

10. Allocating an appropriate time and place [to memorise].

Al-Khaṭīb mentioned in ‘al-Faqīh wal Mutafaqhī‘ the inappropriateness of memorising whilst sitting near watercourses or next to trees with scenery that would distract a person and make him look at it.

11. Staying away from problems.

12. Maintaining good health

13. Honey

14. Milk

15. Abstaining from sin.

[al-Fatāwa al-Ḥadīthiyah (p.164)]
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Imaam al-Zuhri (rahimahullah) said: 

You should eat honey because it is good for the memory.

He (rahimahullah) also said:

Whoever wants to memorize hadeeth should eat raisins.

[Imaam al-Zuhri (rahimahullah), in al-Jaami’ by al-Khateeb, 2/394]

Al-Shafi’i رحمه الله said

I complained to Waki’ about my bad memory,So he advised me to refrain from sins 

And said: know that indeed, knowledge is light And the light of Allah is not given to the sinner.”

[الجواب الكافي (ص ٥٤)]

Al-Khateeb reported that Yahya ibn Yahya said: A man asked Maalik ibn Anas, O Abu Abd-Allaah! Is there anything that will improve my memory? He said, If anything will improve it, it is giving up sin.

[ al-Jaami (2/387)]

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