A Powerful Memorization Method
The Stairway of the Righteous - The Diary of A Hāfiz - Issue #146
Bismillāh al-Rahmān al-Rahīm
Assalāmu ‘Alaykum!
Alhamdullāh, hope you’re doing well.
Today I am travelling and so I’ve improvised a little to get todays issue out to you. I share another memorisation method that has similarity to the badrani repetition - it’s unique. It’s a product of experimentation by Shaykh Dr Mohamed Fouad Abdelmageed. See below.
Requesting your prayers,
- Qāri’ Mubashir
The Stairway of the Righteous: A simple and effective way to memorize and retain knowledge for a lifetime
Shaykh Dr Mohamed Fouad Abdelmageed calls this the سُلّم الأبرار (The Stairway of the Righteous) — a technique based on structured repetition and review—helping you to retain knowledge in your long-term memory. Let's break it down in a way that's easy to understand.
How Does This Method Work?
Imagine you are climbing a stairway—step by step, you get closer to your goal. The same way, your memory needs steps of repetition to lock information into your mind.
The memorization process has two key parts:
New Memorization (Steps 1 to 55) – This is where you repeat what you want to memorize multiple times until it becomes second nature.
Review System (Steps 1 to 5) – This ensures that what you memorized stays fresh in your mind forever.
By following this system, you can remember anything with deep retention. The shaykh says:
This (is a) method that I, a humble servant, use for memorization and strengthening memory—whether it is memorization of the Quran, hadiths, texts, or anything else you wish to memorize. Of course, it is well-known that Allah, may He be exalted, has granted humans minds. These minds have levels and divisions in terms of understanding, memory, innovation, and development. Each person varies from the next in these levels. For example, you might find someone with a high level of memorization but lower comprehension, while another might excel in understanding but not in memorization.
It is known that repetition of anything strengthens it. However, this strengthening has levels. For example, someone might repeat a particular chapter, such as a short one like Surah Ad-Duhaa, five times and successfully memorize it. But if they abandon review, they might forget it shortly thereafter.
If they were to repeat the chapter a set number of times, the interval between memorization and forgetfulness becomes longer. For instance, if someone repeats a chapter 15 times while memorizing it, their likelihood of forgetting it decreases. This principle applies to all forms of repetition.
In regions like Mauritania, the level of memorization among the Shanqitah (a scholarly community) is incredibly high. Observing their Quranic schools and sessions, one sees how much they emphasize repetition, not only during the initial memorization process but also in continuous review.
Step 1: New Memorization (Climbing to Step 55)
The first part of this method involves repeating the portion you want to memorize at least 55 times in a structured way.
Here’s how to do it:
Pick a small portion of what you want to memorize (e.g., a few lines of the Quran, a Hadith, or even a paragraph of school notes).
Read it out loud while looking at the text.
Repeat it over and over, tracking your progress using the table below:
🎯 Goal: Once you hit Step 55, the passage is deeply embedded in your memory!
💡 Why 55 times?
Studies show that the more we repeat something, the deeper it gets stored in our long-term memory. Even if you take a break, it will stay with you for a long time.
Also, writing it after memorization strengthens your recall.
Step 2: The Review System (Locking It in Your Memory)
Once you've memorized a passage using Step 1, you must review it consistently.
The review follows this 5-day plan:
🎯 Goal: After this review, the passage is locked into your memory!
If you skip review, your memory will start to fade—so make sure to follow through!
Example: Memorizing a Short Surah
Let's say you want to memorize Surah Al-Fil (one of the shorter surahs in the Quran). Using this method:
New Memorization
Read Surah Al-Fil 55 times over a period of time.
Track your repetitions using the Step 55 Table.
Review Plan
Review the surah 5 times the next day, then 4 times the day after, and so on.
By the end of 5 days, it will be strongly memorized.
💡 Suggestions: Apply this method to each small portion of what you want to memorize before moving to the next part.
Read more:
🔗 An Easy Way To Memorise Forgotten Quran Before Ramadan (4 mins)
🔗 Preparing Quran for Taraweeh: A 3-Step Technique (8 mins)
🔗 Ramadan Quran Planner (Tool)
🔗 I’m Memorising The Qur’ān But What Can I Do During Menses? (11 mins)
📖 THE DIARY OF A HĀFIZ
This is where we try to learn by watching others memorise. A roundup reporting the progress of our brothers and sisters in their pursuit of memorising the Qur'ān:
👳🏼♂️ Muhammad, 36, founder
Background: After forgetting what he memorised (half the Qur'ān) and kept struggling to start again. So he decided to share his diary and mission with us. After 19 weeks of struggle, he finally started. It took him a few months to do a few Juz’. He’s a few months away from having a years diary complete.
What he accomplished last week (Year 2 Week 20 complete):
“I revised up to the 4th Juz’ (complete) but couldn’t move on and also stagnant with memorisation this week :’(.”
🧕🏼 Aaliya
Background: I'm 28 and I started memorizing full time about 2 years ago. I have almost 17 Juz memorized Alhamdulillah. I go to a masjid hifz class everyday and I'm trying to increase my daily revision to 2-3 juz. I'm hoping recording weekly diaries will motivate me to be more consistent and inshAllah help others who read it too.
Week 23:
“This week, I was on my reading break and I didn't complete a full round of listening to revision like I had planned. I did listen to more recitation than I usually do. But honestly, I have been losing motivation and I'm not sure how to get back.”
🧕🏼 Aisha
Background: I am a 36 yr old, mother of 6 kids. I memorised 20 juz in a madrasa but got married and although completed my hifz on my own , my revision was poor and I couldn't recite anything properly except for 5 or 6 juz. It's been 12 years of ups and downs trying to rememorise with little success. Alhamdulillah I found Qari Mubashir’s website that answered so many of my questions and took me out of self doubt, I discovered the tikrar program, downloaded the app and Alhamdulillah my path to rememorise has finally been made possible by the grace of Allah. I started on the 20th of June and so far have completed 8 juz , currently doing the 9th . I also gave my first test for juz 1 - 6 last month and passed it Alhamdulillah. I am looking forward to completing hifz, with a solid revision this time, bi iznillah.
Week 10:
“Assalamualaikum warahmatullah,
Current Juz : 12
New : Finished memorising the 11th juz Alhamdulillah !! It was quite challenging , I've always struggled with Surah Yunus and each time I feel overwhelmed , but right after it comes the 12th juz , very easy and one of my favorites. I'll still continue a page daily , its easier that way.
Indeed, with difficulty comes ease !
Connection : Have been revising the 11th juz , although quarter by quarter , and have strengthened it except last few pages.
Revision : Daily portion of 34 pages , a bit more than 1.5 juz. Also did another round of 1 juz daily with my hifz buddy , but had to recite half 8th juz onwards due to my weakness in it.
May Allah increase His blessings on all of us and make us from His grateful slaves .
Ameen.”
👉 If you have any questions, just drop a reply to me and I'll feature the questions and answers in relevant issues. If you want to join the diaries, get in touch also!
Allāh grant us all success and ease on this path!
⭐ COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS & UPDATES
What’s new / recent
Reminder: Some of you have asked me to address certain questions and In shā’ Allāh, I will look to do so!
Reminder: I recently I announced a new section of the newsletter called Hifz Together! It is important that those who wish to participate in this please join the chat and also leave an introduction in the introduction post.
For those of you that want to join, I am still looking to open something during the month. Check out: Hifz Camp.
Some of you have submitted your recitations at Rate My Quran Recitation - In shā’ Allāh, I will strive to get back to you all.
📢 📢 Requests
1️⃣ My request is also on-going, share your usual hifz schedule with me. Please fill in the Form. (I have had several which I will add online soon)
2️⃣ Those of you that are teaching or have an institute can get listed on the Teachers directory.
3️⃣ Finding My Half has now around 40+ profiles, it needs a push, would you mind sharing it?
4️⃣ If you have anything to add, have hifz stories, want to share your own journey, have advice, have teachers, have anything you want to add to the weekly emails, do let me know. Especially if you have any questions for me to address through the weekly newsletter.
5️⃣ If whatever advice, motivation, strategies I have shared have helped you memorise please, check out Impact and share your thoughts.
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Assalaamu alaikum,
JazakumAllahu khair. May Allah continue to use you for His religion and never replace you. Ameen. For the 55 times repetition, should it be in one sitting or can it be done in chunks throughout the day?
Jazakumullah khayran