What is the best way to study subjects that require understanding or memorization or both, and what are the methods of preparing for exams and the supplications (du'as) to be recited before, during, and after them?

The student must be determined to benefit from their studies, not merely to succeed, by acquiring beneficial knowledge.

For subjects that require memorization of wording: - Choose suitable times for memorization, such as dawn and after Fajr. - Be in a place free from distractions. - Divide long material into paragraphs, focus all senses on memorization, then review repeatedly. - Link paragraphs together if they are interconnected. - Repeatedly review the entire text after memorizing it.

For subjects that do not require precise wording: - Read them carefully to understand them. - Ask the teacher or understanding students about what is unclear. - Summarize them in concise sentences to aid recall. - Try to deliver a lesson on the material to oneself or to colleagues, then review the notes. - Review repeatedly thereafter. - The best times for studying are the evening, with quiet and a clear mind.

General advice: - Combine memorization and comprehension, as understanding meanings helps in memorizing them. - Maintain acts of obedience, especially prayer in the mosque and adhkar (remembrances). - Avoid sins, for piety is a cause of success, and sins are a cause of deprivation.