One of the hurdles of memorising is getting past a page or verse that is particularly difficult to memorise, which can sometimes affect your motivation.

Reasons why you find it difficult to memorise the verse/s:

  1. It’s a long verse with repeating words
    Example: The word اسلحتهم and طائفة is mentioned multiple times.
    { وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِیهِمۡ فَأَقَمۡتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلۡتَقُمۡ طَاۤئِفَةࣱ مِّنۡهُم مَّعَكَ وَلۡیَأۡخُذُوۤا۟ أَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۖ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا۟ فَلۡیَكُونُوا۟ مِن وَرَاۤئكُمۡ وَلۡتَأۡتِ طَاۤئِفَةٌ أُخۡرَىٰ لَمۡ یُصَلُّوا۟ فَلۡیُصَلُّوا۟ مَعَكَ وَلۡیَأۡخُذُوا۟ حِذۡرَهُمۡ وَأَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۗ وَدَّ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوۡ تَغۡفُلُونَ عَنۡ أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ فَیَمِیلُونَ عَلَیۡكُم مَّیۡلَةࣰ وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣰۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیۡكُمۡ إِن كَانَ بِكُمۡ أَذࣰى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوۡ كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰۤ أَن تَضَعُوۤا۟ أَسۡلِحَتَكُمۡۖ وَخُذُوا۟ حِذۡرَكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ عَذَابࣰا مُّهِینࣰا} [Ṣūrah An-Nisāʾ: 102]
  2. Short verses with similar endings or rhyme pattern. E.g. Ṣūrah As-Sāffāt and many of the Ṣūrahs in Juz’ 29 and 30.
  3. The verse seems to have unfamiliar words e.g Ṣūrah At-Tawbah 48-49

The Solution…

  1. Slow down and harness your undivided attention
  2. Break things up
  3. Pay closer attention – try to notice patterns and word placement. Identify the part you get stuck on and underline them with a pencil
    • You will be the most confident about reading a verse from memory when you have an image of the page in your mind, and can remember the placement of words.
    • Pro tip: You can use a tool like الحفظ الميسر (Simplified Memorisation) to help you identify patterns – this is originally a Mushaf, but the mobile application is also available for free. It uses colour to indicate similar phrases and change in topic. It also indicates similar verses (المتشابهات). The colours indicate a link in either meaning, words or theme. Ebook | Android App | IOS
  4. Understand the meaning – Understanding the verse can really help prevent confusion. If you don’t know Arabic, you can read the translation, and note down the meaning of each word to help learn the order of the words. Memorisation in general needs focus, but these verses need even more attention and mindfulness because you need to fully notice and take in the structure of the verse.
    1. If you understand Arabic, you will benefit from other features on the Simplified Hifdh (الحفظ الميسر) app such as the notes on Tafsir, Tadabbur, parsing (اعراب), reasons for revelation (أسباب النزول) and the AMAZING “Study Page” feature ( مدارسة الصفحة) where there are video lessons of a teacher explaining the colour coded patterns (word, meaning and theme links), a summary of the Tafsir, and points of reflection and action. It even gives a mindmap of the Ṣūrah so you have an idea of how the Ṣūrah’s chapters progress, and indicates what part of the Ṣūrah you have reached.
  5. Listen to the verse repeatedly – listening really helps the flow of your recitation, because when you don’t remember how a verse progresses visually, your audial memory saves the day.
  6. Repeat and practice more – As the Arabic proverb goes: التِكْرارُ يُعَلِّمُ الحِمار (repetition teaches a donkey). Read the parts you find difficult to recall in your prayer throughout the day – spaced repetition is key to moving something to your long term memory. You will undoubtedly overcome the difficulty and begin to read the verse with confidence!

Most importantly, mindfully make Du’ā’ to Allah to grant you ease.

اللّهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحُزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا.

O Allah, there is no ease other than what You make easy. If You please You ease sorrow.

PARTS IN THIS SERIES

  1. Introduction
  2. Errors in Recitation
  3. Stuck on a Difficult Verse
  4. Similar Verses (المُتَشَابِهَات)
  5. Struggling to Recall How the Next Verse/Page Starts
  6. Struggling to Recall How Verses End
  7. Forgetting
  8. Being Consistent
  9. Lack of Motivation
  10. Difficulty Focusing
  11. Not Reflecting and Understanding
  12. Reflections & Resources