A polishing composition for a memory hard disk, which comprises the following components (a) to (d):(a) from 0.1 to 50 wt %, based on the total amount of the polishing composition, of at least one abrasive selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, silicon nitride and manganese dioxide,(b) from 0.001 to 10 wt %, based on the total amount of the polishing composition, of at least one iron salt selected from the group consisting of iron nitrate, iron sulfate, ammonium iron sulfate, iron perchlorate, iron chloride, iron citrate, ammonium iron titrate, iron oxalate, ammonium iron oxalate and an iron chelate complex salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid,(c) from 0.01 to 30 wt %, based on the total amount of the polishing composition, of at least one peroxydisulfate salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium peroxydisulfate, potassium peroxydisulfate and sodium peroxydisulfate, and(d) water.