The journey of becoming a Carrier of the Qur’an (حامل القرآن) is one of faith, discipline, and devotion that offers immense spiritual satisfaction and merit. However, it’s not devoid of its challenges. From grappling with Tajweed rules and making sense of similar verses to overcoming mental blocks and persisting through repetition, the path demands patience and perseverance. This is especially the case if Arabic is not your first language.

This guide seeks to help you navigate through the common hurdles every Hāfidh and Hāfidhah may encounter, providing practical solutions and motivational insights. We pray the advice eases some of your difficulties in your endeavours of memorising the most Noble book from the Lord of the Worlds.

You can read the whole guide if you want, or you can skip to the sections most relevant to you.

Table of Contents

Errors in Reciting Correctly

If you struggle with applying basic Tajweed rules, in particular the “clear errors” (اللحن الجلي) which are errors you must correct, you should focus on improving your Tajweed as it’s important that you memorise verses correctly.

The solution lies in learning from a skilled Qur’an teacher to master Tajweed. If you are not proficient in applying the essential Tajweed rules, then you must memorise with a teacher so they can correct your errors.

Correct recitation beautifies your recitation and enhances understanding, reflection, and humility during recitation. Tajweed is considered obligatory by some scholars.

Tip: Tajweed can also aid in memorising in some cases. For example, “أن يَجْعَلَ” is pronounced “ayy yaj’ala” when applying the Idghaam rule rather than “an yaj’ala”. The article “أن” (”an”) comes frequently in the Quran, so memorising the word as “ayy” helps you remember the next word starts with ي.

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Stuck on a Difficult Verse

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 Aṣ-Ṣāffāt and many of the Sūrahs 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
    1. You will be the most confident about reading a verse from memory, when you can see the page in your mind, and can remember the placement of words.
    2. 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 on 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.

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Similar Verses (المُتَشَابِهَات)

You’ll find verses or parts of verses repeated and reiterated in different places in the Noble Qur’an. The Qur’an often repeats certain phrases or words in different contexts to enrich the narrative, especially in Qur’anic stories. This means the memorizer has to perfect their memorization, so it is easier for them to distinguish between these similar verses in recitation.

Differentiating between al-Mutaṣābihāt (the similar verses) proficiently helps maintain the coherence and flow of the verses during recitation.

To effectively memorize al-Mutaṣābihāt in the Qur’an, open the Mushaf (written Qur’an copy) to the similar verses, carefully compare and identify the differences between them, and think about why they are similar and different. Then, create a mental link between the differences and the correct placement of each verse in your mind, using any association that connects them.

When you memorize the Qur’an in order, you will find yourself gradually retaining the sequence of verses, even if they are similar to other verses. Memorizing in order will naturally help you distinguish between them on your own.

How can I check for similar verses? There are a number of ways!

  1. Use a Mushaf that is dedicated to al-Mutaṣābihāt verses:
  2. Quran applications like Quran Android or a website like Tanzil.net allow you to search up key words and phrases and it will give search results with all the places in the Quran with the word/phrase you searched up (including similar results which are also useful). Search up the phrase you get confused on to see other similar verses.
  3. Use the app الحفظ الميسر (Simplified Memorisation) to view similar verses: Ebook | Android App | IOS . The Tartreel.ai app also has a feature to help you with al-Mutaṣābihāt verses.

Note: It would be most efficient to only focus on similar verses that you have memorised, rather than checking al-Mutaṣābihāt verses that come up in the Quran.

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Recalling How the Next Verse/Page Starts

If you struggle remembering how the next verse or page starts, it’s most likely because you are focusing on each verse or page in isolation and are not connecting them to what comes before or after it.

  1. To help you link verses with each other, each time you finish memorising a verse, review previous verses from the top of the page or from the beginning of the rub’ (ربع). This way you practice reciting the verses chronologically and are constantly reviewing what you memorised recently. It is important to link the portion you are currently learning with the portion you learnt previously.
  2. To help you remember how the next page starts, when you finish memorising your intended portion, memorise the verse after it (if possible) as if it’s part of the portion you are memorising for the day. Or at least, recite what’s to come and make a link between the verses.
  3. When you finish a page, notice visually how each verse starts and try to recall it without looking. How many verses does the page have? Does it start with a frequently occurring phrase like يا أيها الذين آمنوا or أولئك? Is there a pattern (e.g. a word in the current verse which indicates how the next verse starts?).
  4. Make connections between the verses in terms of meaning. Does the next verse continue onto the same topic or does it move onto a new topic? Notice where the theme starts and stops in the Ṣūrah.

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Recalling How Verses End

The ending of some verses can be tricky to remember because sometimes they end in a similar way to many other verses.

Some examples of frequent verse endings:

Group 1
عذابا أَلِيمًا
عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا
عَذَابًا مُهِينًا
عَذابا كَبِيرًا		Group 2
غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا
عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
حَليمًا غَفُورًا		Group 3
غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ
غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Group 4
عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا		Group 5
على كل شيء وكيل
على كل شيء قدير
على كل شيء حفيظ
على كل شيء شهيد		…amongst many others

How to master these?

  1. Remember that the way the verse ends is very much related to the meaning of the verse. If Allah is talking about punishment of the disbelievers, then you know that it would be something from Group 1 rather than Group 2.
  2. To know how to differentiate between those that come within Group 2, you would need to understand the context and subtle differences through Tafsir [Example given below]
  3. The good old practice-makes-perfect method – recite and visually memorise the way the verses end, compare with similar endings and notice patterns. This is best if you struggle with connecting meaning when reciting from memory, and if you are at a stage where visually remembering is easier for you.

Example: The difference between عليم حكيم (All-Knowing, All-Wise) and حكيم عليم (All-Wise, All-Knowing)

  • عليم (All-Knowing) comes first when talking about knowledge and affairs of the heart that only Allah can see and have knowledge of.
    • قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ [2:32]
      They replied, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are truly the All-Knowing, All-Wise.”
    • يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ [4:26]
      It is Allah’s Will to make things clear to you, guide you to the ˹noble˺ ways of those before you, and turn to you in mercy. For Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
    • لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَـٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةًۭ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ [9:110]
      The building which they erected will never cease to fuel hypocrisy in their hearts until their hearts are torn apart. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
  • حكيم (All-Wise) comes first when the verse is talking about reward, punishment, legislation, or ruling.
    • وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًۭا يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ قَدِ ٱسْتَكْثَرْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْإِنسِ ۖ وَقَالَ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْإِنسِ رَبَّنَا ٱسْتَمْتَعَ بَعْضُنَا بِبَعْضٍۢ وَبَلَغْنَآ أَجَلَنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَجَّلْتَ لَنَا ۚ قَالَ ٱلنَّارُ مَثْوَىٰكُمْ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌۭ ١٢٨ [6:128]
      Consider the Day He will gather them all together and say, “O assembly of jinn! You misled humans in great numbers.” And their human associates will say, “Our Lord! We benefited from each other’s company, but now we have reached the term which You appointed for us.” Then He will say, “The Fire is your home, yours to stay in forever, except whoever Allah wills to spare.” Surely your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.
    • وَقَالُوا۟ مَا فِى بُطُونِ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ خَالِصَةٌۭ لِّذُكُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِنَا ۖ وَإِن يَكُن مَّيْتَةًۭ فَهُمْ فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِمْ وَصْفَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌۭ [6:140] –
      They also say, “The offspring of this cattle is reserved for our males and forbidden to our females; but if it is stillborn, they may all share it.” He will repay them for their falsehood. Surely He is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

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Forgetting

‌إنَّمَا ‌مَثَلُ ‌صَاحبِ ‌القُرآنِ ‌كَمَثَل ‌صَاحبِ ‌الإِبِلِ ‌المُعَقَّلَةِ، إنْ عَاهَد عَلَيْهَا أمْسَكَهَا، وَإِنْ أطْلَقَهَا ذهَبَتْ “The likeness of the one who memorizes the Quran is that of the owner of a hobbled camel. If he tends to it regularly, he will keep it, but if he lets it go, he will lose it.” [al-Bukhaari, 5031]

Everyone who memorizes the Qur’an in the first two years experiences difficulty retaining what they have memorized. This is called the ‘gathering stage’ (مرحلة التجميع). So, do not be saddened by the slipping of the Qur’an from your memory or by the frequent mistakes you make. This is a challenging phase, a test, and Shaitaan has a share in it to try to stop you from memorizing the Qur’an. Ignore his whispers and continue your memorization, for the Qur’an is a treasure that is not granted to just anyone.

When you set out on the journey of memorising Quran, i.e. becoming a “haafidh”, you simultaneously made the pact, whether intentionally or unintentionally, that you would become from the people of the Quran (Ahl-Al-Quran), meaning someone who would dedicate a large part of their life to the Quran as well as someone who acted upon it.

An integral part of Hifdh is revision, it is your “capital”. What you memorise newly, is your “profit”. There is no way around it, you must revise to remember. The more you memorise, the more you have to remember. But don’t worry, it gets easier with time as memorisation is a skill which you become good at.

Revision is the most enjoyable part of your Hifdh journey because it’s what you’ve already memorized and feel confident reciting from memory. It’s about nurturing and maintaining what you worked so hard to build. You’ve already gone through the effort of training your mind and tongue to form the words, and you finally made it enter your brain, now it’s yours. Now you have something different to read in your five daily prayers besides the short Ṣūrahs of the Quran.

It’s important to note, there are two types of revision:

  • “Near-Past Revision” مراجعة الماضي القريب – The verses you memorised recently and are still in your short-term memory, which you are nurturing to move to your long-term memory. This portion is usually the part you’re working on perfecting. Perfection in memorisation doesn’t always come the first time you read it to your teacher, it comes with repeated practice over time. If you’re memorising more than 5 pages a week, this would be approximately the last 20 pages you memorised recently
  • “Far/Distant-Past revision” مراجعة الماضي اليعيد – This is the portion of the Quran that’s in your long-term memory and is easier to revise and recall. As a rule of thumb, this would be everything beyond the 20 pages you memorised recently. Usually, a portion of the Quran you memorised and reviewed properly previously. If it’s something you memorised and forgot completely (i.e. you feel like you didn’t memorise it in the first place), then it’s no longer in your long-term memory.

Having a plan and organising your revision in advance will save you from wasting time on what you’d need to revise. Observe when you are the most motivated to memorise and use this time for New Memorisation and Near Revision.

Sample Plan:

  • New Memorisation and Near Revision in the morning after Fajr or before sleeping (depending on when you focus best). Starting the day with Quran puts barakah in your day.

أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا

Observe the prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and the dawn prayer, for certainly the dawn prayer is witnessed by angels 17:78

  • New Memorisation and Near Revision during the five daily prayers (repeat what you memorised in the morning/before sleeping). Spaced repetition is an integral step to moving something from short-term to long-term memory.
  • Far Revision during Tahajjud – The drawback of this is that if you often miss waking up for Tahajjud, then you will miss out on Far Revision, so you need Plan B. Praying Salat Ad-Doha or praying Qiyam before sleeping to make up. The key benefit of Tahajjud is that you’re utilising time that you may not have had otherwise, this is very useful if you have a packed schedule causing Plan B to be unlikely. Plan C can be to recite as you commute to work or go to your place of study, or whilst you do house chores. Using “dead time” or “in-between time” (الأوقات البينية) is a sure way to fit in something rather than nothing.

Listening to what you memorised aids with revision, but this is passive and therefore not enough. You must recall actively for you to revise and consolidate effectively.

*Note: Everyone is different, it may well be that you find Far Revision more difficult than New Memorisation and Near Revision, so adapt the advice given accordingly.

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember [54:17]

Besides reviewing, be mindful of being excessively interested in worldly matters. This can lead to attachment to the affairs of the dunya and a hardened heart.

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Being Consistent

What happens around us often affects us more than we want them to. If you find yourself being inconsistent with your plan, identify the cause and come up with a strategy to overcome the obstacle that’s preventing you from being inconsistent.

A sure way to becoming consistent, is to build a habit of memorising and revising, rather than relying on motivation. Habit can trump discipline and motivation any day, because it’s something you do without thinking, and becomes second nature.

Attach your Hifdh plan to existing habits. For example, you go to work/place of study every day, and a commute time of 1 hour. Instead of using the 1 hour to scroll through socials, get into the habit of using that time for Hifdh. In the beginning, it will take some discipline and motivation to rewire your brain, but eventually, you’ll be whipping out your portable Mushaf or opening your Quran app rather than opening up social media. Focus on creating the right neural pathway.

There is the ideal Hifdh plan for the ideal day, but sometimes the ideal day doesn’t happen so we have to adapt to make sure we don’t leave out the Hifdh plan completely.

It would be better to revise what you learnt yesterday or last week than to not revise anything at all.

Work on maintaining the house you built rather than making it bigger, when you’re busy or short on time.

If you don’t do Hifdh consistently because you feel like you should memorise either one page or nothing, remember:

قَلِيلٌ دَائِمٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مُنْقَطِعٍ A little that is consistent is better than a lot that is interrupted.

Learning 2 or 3 lines or half a page is better than nothing. The key is in compounding your efforts. If you happen to remain in this state, where you memorise just a few verses daily instead of your targeted page, overtime, you are more likely to have made greater progress than if you had kept waiting for the time to tackle a whole page.

Plus, the feeling that you successfully memorised 3 lines is better than the feeling of defeat. The small triumph will fuel you to come back for more, and keep up your habit.

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Lack of Motivation

Habit will help you be consistent. However, you still need a strong “why?” to build and maintain the habit.

To overcome this, it is crucial to:

  • Learn about the virtues of memorising the Quran and its lofty rewards
  • Have a sincere intention to memorize for the sake of Allah. Renew your intention regularly as our hearts constantly change.
  • Maintain constant supplication and devotion to Allah for strength and patience.
  • Recognize that the task may seem challenging initially but becomes easier over time.
  • Set achievable memorization goals that align with one’s capacity.
  • Create a pleasant environment for Hifdh will make the experience more pleasant.
  • Remember the wins instead of dreading the difficulty. Recalling the successful days where you memorised your intended amount can motivate you to do more. Be specific about how much you want to memorise rather than leaving it open (be realistic). A victory line is useful for motivation.
  • It’s important to have a teacher as a guide and for accountability
  • Attending group Hifdh classes can help surround you with likeminded people which will also fuel motivation.
  • Work on improving your relationship with the Quran so you don’t feel bored, and this can be done by prioritising quality over quantity. Focus on understanding what is being conveyed and on Tadabbur. Being consist
  • Learn to enjoy the journey because even after you finish memorising, you’re going to have to keep coming back for the rest of your life to maintain what you learnt. It will be easier when you revisit if you set the base correctly.

If you ever find yourself impatient and rushing, remember:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَتۡلُونَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ سِرࣰّا وَعَلَانِیَةࣰ یَرۡجُونَ تِجَـٰرَةࣰ لَّن تَبُورَ Those who recite God’s scripture, keep up the prayer, give secretly and openly from what We have provided for them, may hope for a trade that will never decline. [35: 29]

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Focusing

Hifdh requires sustained focus to ensure efficient use of your allocated time and accurate memorisation.

With sustained focus, you might be able to memorise your target portion within 20-60 minutes, but with constant distractions and daydreaming, it can go beyond 3 hours.

Telling oneself to focus is easier said then done! Sometimes you realise you’re not focusing after 30 minutes passes. Here are some things you can try to help you:

  1. Set up the right environment
    • If something is on your mind and you’re finding it particularly difficult to focus, try standing up and memorising or going for a walk outside in a peaceful environment and reciting.
    • Sitting at a desk or on your prayer mat instead of sitting on your bed when memorising can make the world of a difference.
  2. Minimise distractions
    • Turn off your phone or keep it out of reach or sight as scrolling through messages and social media is a sure way to trigger your mind into thinking many things. It also consumes valuable energy that you can use to memorise.
    • If you use your phone to look at translation, consider using another means of translation: a separate device which has no distracting apps installed in them or use the hard copy translation of the Quran. Alternatively, use an app blocker that prevents you from using distracting apps on your phone during certain times of the day.
    • Remind yourself that your time for Hifdh is reserved, and that everything else can indeed wait until you are done.
    • It takes time to get into “the zone,” so before deciding to “quickly do something” while memorising, remember that regaining focus will take time. Sustaining focus is key to accomplishing tasks more efficiently, which will, in turn, motivate you for your next session.
  3. Take a break – Let your mind rest at least every 40 minutes for upto 10 minutes. (Important: Avoid going on socials during your break so you can keep your mind fresh )
  4. Beautify your voice – if you have successfully mastered Tajweed, think about improving your voice. The intention of beautifying the voice should be to further implement the Sunnah, help strengthen your relationship with the Quran and to help you connect with meaning -these all in turn help bring you closer to Allah. Being able to connect to the verses and have your voice reflect the meaning is a great goal to have in the long term. The verses on Allah’s mercy and Jannah are traditionally read in a certain style, and the verses of punishment and Jahannam in a certain style. If you think you don’t have a good voice, remember that your vocal cords are muscles that can be trained. With practice and proper techniques, you can enhance your delivery and develop a more beautiful recitation. Improvement is always possible regardless of your age.
  5. Be engaged – In order to be more focused, you need to be engaged with the Qur’an. Connect to the meaning as much as you can, this will make the journey much more enjoyable. Review the section on understanding the Qur’an for more advice on how you can do this. It’s also useful to be mindful about how many times you’re repeating a verse. Daydreaming whilst repeating won’t get the same result as if you were to be mindful whilst repeating. You could be mindful of meaning, how many times you’re reciting and whether you can really read it from your memory or not. The Tarteel.Ai can really assist you in focusing when you’re testing yourself.
  6. Eat wisely – Your nutrition and diet has an impact on memorisation and how you feel.
    • The brain uses glucose as its primary energy source. A stable supply of glucose, derived from healthy carbohydrates, ensures steady brain performance (consider consuming honey or dates in moderation). Sudden spikes and crashes (from sugary snacks) can impair focus and memory.
    • Overeating or heavy meals can lead to sluggishness and reduced alertness. You will never appreciate the benefits of eating moderately until you intentionally try it for yourself and experience how much more productive you can be after a meal.
    • Dehydration reduces brain efficiency and impairs memory. Drinking adequate water supports concentration and short-term memory.
  7. Sleep well – Scientific studies consistently indicate the strong link between sleeping and cognitive abilities. If you sleep late or have a poor sleeping pattern, you may want to address this if you have trouble focusing.
    • Sleep is essential for consolidating memories, which is the process of transferring new information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
    • Sleep deprivation impairs the ability to focus and pay attention, making it harder to encode new information. Without adequate sleep, your ability to recall stored memories diminishes.
    • Note: How much sleep someone needs will differ from person to person, so listen to your body and not someone else’s amazing sleep pattern. If you want to sleep less to gain more hours in the day, this should be something you do gradually, and in a way you don’t feel it impacting your productivity and alertness.
  8. Set yourself up for success
    • Preparing for your memorisation session can make your experience much more effortless. Prepare to memorise by listening to the targeted Sūrah a month in advance daily – this can be done very easily and integrated into your daily routine
    • Go over what you will memorise the next day a few times before you go to bed. This shouldn’t take long, perhaps 5-10 minutes (depending on how much you will be memorising)

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Not Reflecting and Understanding

The purpose of reciting and engaging with the Quran is to reflect upon it, and for it to have a transformative impact on your life and your mental wellbeing.

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا Will they not then reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts? [47:24]

The great advantage of pursuing Hifdh is that you have the opportunity and time to think about each verse in greater depth as you memorise.

Arabic is a tool to understand the Quran. If you don’t know Arabic yet, or are not able to learn it, matching words, reading the translation and listening to the Tafsir through online resources (e.g. Youtube) is a temporary way of fulfulling the purpose of reflection. We live in a time of information, we have virtually no excuse to say we don’t have the means to understand!

Learning Arabic will help you understand nuances to a greater depth, and help you appreciate the linguistic miracle. You feel the meaning when you recite, which inspires your recitation to match the Tafsir.

Keep in mind that the Quran is Allah’s direct speech, and the guidance is what makes the Quran become the spring of your heart and the removal of your sorrows.

When you understand, you can engage emotionally with the verses, rejoicing at verses of glad tidings, weeping at verses of punishment, and feeling deep humility and awe at the infinite wisdoms that resonate with you at different stages of your life.

If you are busy with the Quran, praise Allah because He facilitated this for you. If you have had a period of your life where you did not read your daily wird as you once used to, you will appreciate the blessing of becoming busy with the Quran even more.

وَمَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَمَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ

But this cannot be attained except by those who are patient and who are truly fortunate. [41:35]

Resources in English

  • Tafsir Applications – If it’s not practical for you to use hard-copy books, consider using applications. You can access Tafsirs such as Tafsir lbn Kathir through dedicated applications. They’re particularly convenient as the detailed explanation is organised by verse so you can easily find the verses relevant to you.

Resources in Arabic

Taysīr al-Ḥifḍh (تيسير الحفظ ) – Ebook | Android App | IOS

  • The platform is dedicated to helping memorisers of the Quran.
  • Verses and parts of verses are colour-coded according to similar words/phrases, similar endings (rhymes), keywords that are unique or attention-grabbing, and links in ideas/themes across multiple verses. The colour coding acts like a visual guide, making it easier to spot similarities, differences, and key points, which supports faster and stronger memorization.
  • It has notes on Tafsir, Tadabbur, parsing (اعراب), reasons for revelation (أسباب النزول) and a “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 Sūrah’s themes/topics progress.

Al-Qurʾān Tadabbur wa-ʿAmal (القرآن تدبر وعمل) – Ebook | PDF | Android | IOS

  • “The Qur’an: Reflection and Action” is a comprehensive, well-structured, and specialized curriculum designed to train individuals in reflecting upon the Noble Qur’an and acting upon it, according to the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah. Each page of the Mushaf (15-Page Uthmani Script copy) is accompanied by four main sections:
    • Reflective Stops (الوقفات التدبرية) – Each page includes seven reflection points highlighting the main objectives of the verses, such as faith, ethics, and education. These are drawn from sixteen trusted tafsīr books, guiding learners to deeply contemplate the meanings.
    • Vocabulary Explanation (شرح المفردات) – Keywords and phrases from the page are explained clearly, helping learners understand the language and context essential for reflection.
    • Practical Application (التطبيق العملي) – This section links reflection to real-life action, offering practical guidance on applying the teachings of each verse.
    • Memorization Aid (معين الحفظ) – Provides memorization tips and techniques tailored to each page, integrating memorization with understanding and reflection.

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Conclusion

Hifdh comes with its challenges, but that is part of what makes it such a magnificent journey.

Beyond improving your recitation and deepening your connection with the Qur’an, the journey of Hifdh teaches you valuable life skills—consistency, focus, attention to detail, discipline, perseverance, and time management. These qualities don’t just benefit your memorization; they strengthen you in all areas of your life.

Many of us start by thinking memorising the Quran is a task that will only take 2-4 years, and then we can close it and move on to other things, but soon we realise that it is actually a lifelong journey.

Completing memorisation for the first time is just the beginning. After that, we bear the responsibility of retaining what we learnt, because not retaining it practically reflects how inconsistent we are in our interaction with it! Our persistence is a reflection of our faith and steadfastness.

We bear some of the fruits of memorising in this life….

Being able to recall verses in times of need, whether for ourselves or when consoling others.

Being able to recite Quran fluidly and confidently wherever we are.

Being able to lead or stand in Taraweeh/Qiyaam ul Layl for longer periods with more ease and Khushoo’.

Being able to teach and raise our children and students with better insight and understanding

Becoming a role model and inspiration for others to do good

Being able to benefit society in all stages of life

Gaining righteous company along the way, whether it be your classmates or teachers

…and some of the fruits, inshaa’Allah, await us in the Hereafter.

May Allah make us sincere, accept our efforts, and grant us the reward we expect.

Relevant Links & Resources