Memorising the Quran (hifz) is an honour and a lifelong companion. Allah says: "And We have certainly made the Quran easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?" 54:17. Whether you want to learn a few short surahs for prayer or aim for the whole Quran, the same principles apply. This guide combines the traditional hifz system with what we know about memory today.
Start with the right expectations
Hifz is not a sprint. People who succeed are rarely the ones who learn the most on day one – they are the ones who are still learning a year later. Three points are worth keeping in mind:
- Small daily portions win. A few verses every day add up to whole surahs surprisingly fast.
- Review is the real work. Learning a verse takes minutes; keeping it takes regular revision.
- Quality before quantity. A verse memorised with correct pronunciation is worth more than a page memorised with mistakes.
The traditional system: sabaq, sabqi and manzil
For centuries, hifz teachers have organised daily work in three parts. The names vary between regions, but the idea is the same.
Sabaq – the new lesson
The sabaq is today's new portion. The student prepares it, repeats it until it is fluent and then recites it to the teacher.
Sabqi – the recent lessons
The sabqi covers what was learned in the last days or weeks. It is recited daily so the new verses settle and connect into a continuous passage.
Manzil – the older portions
The manzil is everything memorised earlier. It is revised in a rotation – for example one part a day – so that nothing is forgotten over time.
This structure works because it never lets learning get ahead of reviewing. Every day, old and new are practised together.
What memory research adds
Modern learning research supports the traditional approach and adds some useful details:
- Retrieval practice: Recalling a verse from memory strengthens it much more than reading it again.
- Spacing: Reviews spread over growing intervals work better than many repetitions in one sitting.
- Chunking: Small units – a few words, then a verse – are easier to hold than a long passage at once.
- Sleep: What you go over shortly before sleep tends to be consolidated overnight.
In Quran Masterclass, every verse you learn enters a review schedule. It comes back after 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90 days. If you know it, the gap grows. If you struggle, it starts again from the beginning. Your Today page shows exactly which verses are due.
Learning a new verse: the Shams Method
How you learn a verse in the first place matters as much as how you review it. The Shams Method, developed by Nami Shams, takes every verse through seven short steps – about four minutes per verse:
- Listen three times while following the text. No translating yet.
- Build up backwards. Hear and repeat the last word, then the last two, then the last three – until the whole verse. Each repetition ends on familiar ground, which keeps the melody natural.
- Word by word. Look at each word and its meaning.
- Meaning. Read the translation of the whole verse.
- Tafsir. Read the classical explanation, shown with its source.
- Fading cues. Recite with only the first letter of each word visible, then with nothing. Reveal the verse and rate yourself honestly.
- Reflect. Write one or two sentences in your note.
The backward build-up is possible because the app knows the exact moment each word is recited. You can read more about why each step works in our in-depth article on the Shams Method.
How many verses per day?
The right amount is the one you can keep up every day. A helpful guideline:
- Beginners: 1–3 new verses a day
- With some practice: 3–5 new verses
- Intensive: 5–10 new verses plus a longer review
Remember that reviews grow with every verse you learn. If your review time starts to crowd out new learning, pause new verses for a few days and consolidate. That is not failure – it is how hifz works.
A sample daily session
Here is how sabaq, sabqi and manzil fit into a 20–25 minute session with the app:
- Manzil and due reviews (5–8 min): Recite the verses that are due today from memory, then check yourself.
- Sabaq (8–12 min): Take one to three new verses through the seven steps of the Shams Method.
- Sabqi (3–5 min): Recite today's verses together with yesterday's, without looking. This links them into a chain.
- Evening (2 min): Listen to today's verses once more before sleep.
For a full routine with variations, see the daily Quran routine.
Which surahs to memorise first
Most students begin with Al-Fatiha and then work through Juz Amma, starting with the shortest surahs at the end: An-Nas, Al-Falaq, Al-Ikhlas and onwards. Our Juz Amma learning plan breaks the 564 verses of the 30th part into manageable phases.
Other popular choices are Al-Mulk and the last verses of Al-Baqarah, which many Muslims recite regularly.
Tips that make a difference
- Use one reciter. Hearing the same voice every time helps the melody stick. You can choose your reciter in the player.
- Use one mushaf layout. If you also learn from a printed copy, stick to the same edition so your visual memory of the page stays stable.
- Recite in prayer. Using newly memorised verses in your sunnah and nafl prayers is one of the best reviews there is.
- Listen in between. Play your current surah on the way to work or while cooking. The Quran radio is useful for background listening, too.
- Mark weak spots. Bookmark the verses you mix up and give them extra attention.
- Be honest when rating yourself. A review only helps if it reflects what you really know.
Find a teacher
Memorising alone is possible, but reciting to a qualified teacher is strongly recommended. A teacher catches mistakes in pronunciation and tajweed that you cannot hear yourself and keeps you accountable. Use the app for daily practice and the teacher for correction. If you have questions about religious rulings related to recitation or prayer, please ask a qualified scholar.
Keep your intention fresh
Some days will feel slow. On those days, remember why you started. Every verse you carry in your heart is a gift – and even a single verse reviewed today counts.