What is the ruling on using imagination to memorize the Quran, such as imagining people being transformed into monkeys when reciting the verse: (And you had already known about those who transgressed among you concerning the Sabbath, and We said to them, "Be monkeys, despised")? Is this permissible, and what are its conditions and controls?

A Muslim is called to ponder the Qur’an and reflect on its verses, examples, and stories. For this purpose, the Qur’an uses repetition and tangible imagery to bring meanings closer and increase clarity. The Companions derived mental images from the Qur’an, as did Ibn Abbas in his interpretation of the verses "might with sin" and "sells himself," and as the verse of "the People of the Cave" calls for imagining the scene. There is no harm in recalling these mental images, as long as it does not exceed the scope of pondering the Qur’an and understanding its meanings, while avoiding recalling what has been forbidden, such as the modality of attributes or the modality of the bliss of Paradise.