Is there a problem in memorizing the Quran the "incorrect way"?

Question

I listen to Quran a lot more than reading Quran and I listen to one specific sura a lot which is Al-NISA and the shaikh always repeats a part of the ayat, which a lot of other people do but I do not know a term for that. An example of the first verse of sura Al NISA is here (with bold text being the extra text)

ا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْس ٍ وَاحِدَة ٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا ****وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا**** وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالا ً كَثِيرا ً

So my question is: Is there a problem in memorizing it the "incorrect way" I am used to listening to?

Actually it is stuck in my head for years now and sometimes I am not sure how this could be doing me any harm.

Answer 1

Coming back to a point and repeating the words... I wouldn't want to say that this is the 'incorrect way' but I often notice this when the verse is too long and the reciter is short of breath.

Having said that, let me share some ideas with you.

1. like @oshirowanen has pointed out, playing it by ear and then repeating may not be exact, particularly if you're not familiar with Arabic.

2. Some reciters DO make mistakes and they are rare. But if you don't know the original text, you'll memorise it just like the reciter's method. This can be a problem. So don't rely on this alone.

3. The best thing to do is to sit with an expert reciter or qualified teacher and learn to read the Qur'aan. Then once you can do that, listen to the Qur'an on those recordings and follow. But please keep a copy of the Qur'an

May Allaah guide all of us!

Answer 2

As has @itsols already mentioned most of points on that matter i would like to add and maybe repeat some points:

That Quran transmitted through the time by oral memorization and recitation on a hand of Scholars. This means this is the only regular way to learn the right pronunciation and the best way to memorize it. This means only a scholar who is hafidh (hafiz) can check if you read or recite the right way! And the Quran is an important part of our Religion so we should be careful and choose the right teacher!

Now many Sheikhs do repeat some parts of a verse while reciting (personally i don't like this unless one is out of breath). But for you as a beginner or learner it's better to know where you should pause (do waqf) then just follow a recitation. As some of these Sheikhs miss the right places for waqf or because of their way of recitation do waqf in places where waqf isn't accurate or shouldn't be done! So just listening and memorizing seems to me a bad, but common solution you should at least from time to time check in a Moshaf if the ahkam are applied well. Many people do memorize Quran this way, but if you did so you will never be sure if your way of reciting is correct and well if somebody memorized Quran from your recitation or you began to correct other people's recitation based on yours this would be a big problem!

Therefore still the best would be to recite yourself in front of a hafidh and let him correct you, this would be more helpful to you!

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Just as an example to show you the importance of memorizing and reciting Quran in a well manner: lately i was watching/listening to a video where a scholar was interpreting Muwatta' al Imam Malik and a student used to read from the book the hadith: In one chapter Imam Malik quoted a Verse of the Quran and the student recited it without (sufficient) tajweed or tartyl the scholar was kind of upset and asked him to redo the reading with the right mad and waqf etc., when the student did so the scholar thanked him and told him that this is how it should be done!