AsSalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
We are all aware that there are certain Mosques that emphasize the importance of memorizing the Qur’an with absolutely no emphasis on understanding the Qur’an.
We also know that the Prophet (s.a.a.w) told us that:
“You will surely follow those who came before you, inch by inch, step by step; so much so that if they were to enter into a lizard’s hole, you would follow them. We (the Sahaabah) said: ‘O messenger of Allaah! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?’ He (saw) said: Who else?” (Saheeh Muslim, Book of Knowledge, chapter 3 hadeeth #2669)
So the Question is: Is memorizing our Holy Book without understanding a practice of our misguided predecessors?
Well, the Qur’an itself answers in a very explicit manner:
“The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Torah, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge books (but understands them not).(62:5)
So to summarize:
Allah compares the Jews to donkeys for carrying huge books and understanding nothing in them, and us Muslims have leaders that try to make children Huffaz of Qur’an without understanding anything… and to top it off, the Prophet (s.a.a.w) warned us that we would copy the Jews and Christians… As future leaders, we should all be concerned.