by ABOO THAABIT
‘Alee bin Kharsham said: I saw Wakee’ bin al-Jarraah and he
did not have any books with him even though he would memorize that which
we did not memorize and I was amazed by this, so I asked him.
I said, “O Wakee’, you do not walk with a book nor do you write on paper yet you memorize more than us!” Whereupon Wakee’ responded by saying – whispering into my ear – “O ‘Alee! If I were to tell you about the illness that causes forgetfulness will you then act upon it? (i.e. cease doing it) I replied, Yes by Allaah!
I said, “O Wakee’, you do not walk with a book nor do you write on paper yet you memorize more than us!” Whereupon Wakee’ responded by saying – whispering into my ear – “O ‘Alee! If I were to tell you about the illness that causes forgetfulness will you then act upon it? (i.e. cease doing it) I replied, Yes by Allaah!
He said, ‘Leaving off sin, for by
Allaah I have not seen anything more beneficial with regards to memorising than
leaving off sin.”
[Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubalaa volume 6
page 384]
