To what extent does the Sharia emphasize memorizing the texts of Hadith compared to the Qur'an? Is the wording of Hadith considered an act of worship in the same way as the wording of the Qur'an? Does reading Hadith suffice over memorizing them? Is it better to read as many Hadith as possible, or to begin by memorizing them? Does acting upon a Hadith suffice over memorizing its text?

The Prophetic Ahadith (sayings) are commanded to be preserved in Islamic law, as indicated by the Hadith (definition) of Zayd ibn Thabit: "May Allah illuminate a man who hears a Hadith from us, memorizes it, and conveys it to others." Some scholars have interpreted the prohibition of writing down Ahadith as an encouragement to memorize them. However, the encouragement to memorize the Sunnah (definition) is not the same as memorizing the Qur'an, because the majority of Hadith scholars permit narrating a Hadith by its meaning. The devotional recitation of the Qur'an is definitively established, whereas devotional recitation of Ahadith is a matter of scholarly disagreement. Acting upon a Hadith does not obviate the need to memorize it in order to attain its virtue. If the ability to memorize is not readily available, one should persistently review and recall the Ahadith and strive to understand them in depth. Memorizing fewer Ahadith with mastery and deep understanding is preferable to memorizing many without comprehension.