Islam is a way of life that urges and encourages us to set high standards and to equip ourselves with sufficient determination to achieve our goals. We are supposed to ask for the highest level of Jannah (paradise) because asking for jannah alone is not sufficient, jannah is in levels.
On the authority of Abi Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلّم) said:
"... and when you ask Allah, then ask Him for Al-Firdaws (Jannatul Firdaws), for verily it is the middle of and the highest part of al-jannah, and above it is the throne of The Entirely Merciful (الرحمن) and from it, the springs of al-jannah gush forth."
[Al-Bukhari /7423]
This hadeeth is a clear evidence that a Muslim should be a person of high standards. He / She must hope and long for al-jannatul firdaws, the highest level of al-jannah, and he/she should not be satisfied with anything other than it.
Indeed your strong driving force and personal yearning to memorize the qur'aan, along with your high spirit/morale and determination are important basics for memorizing the qur'aan. So you must feel happy when you are reciting the qur'aan and it should not just be some wish or dream that you have. The glorious qur'aan has a special sweetness, enjoyment that only those who seek it/study it and understand it can feel.
Personal yearning and strong driving force must be accompanied by high determination and sincere resolution so that your zeal is not weakened after a short period, and your vision is not dampened. This is the book of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), we must never feel tired of reading or reciting or memorizing it.
A person may draw his/her strength, driving force and high determination( with sincere resolution) from knowing the greatness of the qur'aan and the high status of the people who study it, the abundant virtues of the people who recite it, those who listen to it and the special status of those who memorize it. Indeed Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has described all the aforementioned people with goodness, and promised them increase in their levels (status), abundance in their good deeds, increase in their level of eemaan (belief) and He has made it (the qur'aan) for them a guidance, a healing and a mercy (1).
To be continued...
(1) How will our children memorize the glorious qur'aan? by Dr. Ablah Jawaad Al Hirsh (page: 38)
The source and main material used in preparing the content of this blog is the book, Ways of teaching the noble Qur'aan and memorizing it by Abu Abdrahman, Jamal ibn Ibrahim AlQirsh (طرائق تدريس القرآن الكريم وحفظه).