What is the ruling on one who memorizes the Qur’an without understanding the meanings of its verses or acting upon them, and is negligent in acts of worship and morals? And will he have a reward in the Hereafter if he dies in this state, having memorized and then forgotten? And is it obligatory for one who has memorized the Qur’an to maintain their memorization?

The Holy Qur’an was revealed for people to ponder upon it and to act according to its rulings, and understanding it has a great impact on acting upon it. A person is rewarded for reciting it, whether he understands its meaning or not, but he should be keen to understand it from trustworthy scholars. An ignorant person who does not understand the meanings of the verses is not excused for committing forbidden acts, because Allah has made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, and many of its rulings are clear to every Muslim. Whoever abandons acting upon the Qur’an and rejects it, whether by abandoning memorizing its letters or not acting upon its meanings, then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has warned him of punishment. Studying the Qur’an, reciting it, and memorizing it are among the best righteous deeds, and the memorizer should maintain his memorization for fear of forgetting, for forgetting the Qur’an is blameworthy and there is a difference of opinion regarding its ruling. The preponderant opinion is that it is a calamity or a punishment, and one is not punished for merely forgetting it unless it leads to abandoning it and violating its rulings. The memorizer is rewarded for what he has memorized and for what he has recited, in accordance with His, the Almighty’s, saying: "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it."