FatwaFederal TerritoriesOther
AL-KAFI #1194: HAFAL ATAU FAHAM DAHULU DALAM MENUNTUT ILMU
Which is more effective in seeking knowledge: memorising first and then understanding, or understanding first and then memorising?
Short answer
The ruling notes that both approaches have a basis.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Other
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The ruling notes that both approaches have a basis. The Mufti's office leans towards memorising first, citing the saying that memorisation in youth is like carving on stone and the practice of the early righteous such as Imam al-Shafi'i, who memorised al-Muwatta' before studying it. For adults, understanding first is acceptable because it eases memorisation. The recommended course is to both memorise and understand.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Dalam masalah ini, kami lebih cenderung kepada menghafal dahulu berdasarkan satu kaedah yang masyhur:
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1194: HAFAL ATAU FAHAM DAHULU DALAM MENUNTUT ILMU”, 7 April 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3272-al-kafi-1194-hafal-atau-faham-dahulu-dalam-menuntut-ilmu. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/memorise-or-understand-first-in-seeking-knowledge/