Can You Really Finish Hifz in 6 Months?
What if you could memorise and revise the Qur’an in less than one? - Issue #169
Bismillāh al-Rahmān al-Rahīm,
Assalāmu ʿAlaykum!
For generations, Qur’an memorisation has followed a predictable path:
A child starts at 7 or 8.
They memorise slowly, half a page at a time.
They spend 3–4 years just getting through all 30 ajzā’.
Then another 2–3 years locked in endless revision.
By the time they finish, they’re exhausted, sometimes demotivated, and ready to leave it behind.
If you’ve ever studied or taught in a madrasah, you know the struggle: A student reaches Juz 20…and suddenly their revision collapses. Or their time runs out. Or life interrupts.
But what if there was another way?
There’s a method that explores this.
A Method to Save Years
Recently, I studied a system that’s radically different. Instead of taking 6–7 years, this method aims to:
Complete memorisation in 4–6 months
Do structured, layered revision in another 3–4 months
Produce strong retention without the psychological burden of constant back-review during the early phase
This approach has been tested in Pakistan, where dozens of students finished the Qur’an in under a year—many in 9 months total.
Before I break down how it works, let me say this:
It’s not for everyone.
It requires commitment, stamina, and trust in the process.
But it also proves that sometimes we overcomplicate what Allah made possible.
How It Works
Step 1: Memorise Only the New Lesson
For the first phase, about 4 to 5 months, the student:
Focuses exclusively on new memorisation.
Recites each new page twice daily: once after Fajr, once after Dhuhr.
No review.
No stress about forgetting yesterday’s lesson.
This means memorisation progresses rapidly. Instead of revising all prior material every day, you focus on momentum.
Example:
1 Juz in 6 days
➡ In 4 months: Complete Qur’an memorised (though weakly)
Step 2: Progressive Revision Cycles
After memorisation, the student starts layered murājaʿah:
1️⃣ Cycle 1:
2 lessons morning, 2 lessons afternoon = 1 full revision in ~2 months
2️⃣ Cycle 2:
3 lessons morning, 3 lessons afternoon = 1 revision in ~1.5 months
3️⃣ Cycle 3:
1 lesson morning, 1 lesson afternoon = 1 revision in 15 days
4️⃣ Cycle 4:
1 Juz morning, 1 Juz afternoon = 1 revision in 1 month
After these cycles, most students have already solidified their memory.
Then some continue with:
Daily 2–3 Juz revision
Weekly khatm
Or tailored review for retention
Why Does This Work?
Traditional method:
You memorise slowly.
You review everything daily.
You can’t progress if you haven’t perfected previous parts.
This method:
You build momentum by moving forward.
You reserve structured repetition for after completing.
You avoid the stress of thinking: “I’m always behind.”
In other words: You build the house first, then you polish and decorate every room.
Is This For You?
Maybe.
✅ If you’re an adult who can commit 2–3 hours a day.
✅ If you have the resilience to memorise without worrying about immediate perfection.
✅ If you can pair with a teacher and a partner for structured recitation.
It’s definitely not for those who prefer slow, cumulative perfection from Day One.
It’s also not recommended for very young children without maturity to sustain long sessions.
A Personal Reflection
When I first read about this approach, it reminded me of something:
“The Qur’an is a miracle in its ease and a miracle in its difficulty.”
What you achieve in hifz often depends less on your memory and more on your mindset. This method removes excuses. It forces you to start walking, even before you feel ready. And it proves that consistency can carry you further than you imagined.
What Would It Take for You to Start?
If you knew you could be a Hafiz in 9 months, would you try?
If you knew the only thing between you and the Qur’an was discipline and duʿā’, would you begin?
May Allah make us all people of the Qur’an in both word and heart.
There is a another method that uses a similar approach of no revision:
🔗 Can You Memorize The Qur’an Without Revision? [Method]
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🤲 Requesting your prayers,
- Qāri’ Mubashir
📖 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:
🧕🏼 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 45 & 46:
“I haven't gotten anything done these weeks. I've lost all of my routine again, even though I tried really hard to revise on my own during madersa break. I feel like I've forgotten so much again and I don't even know where to start. The worst part is that I've been through this before many times and I know I just need to start anywhere. But right now I just feel stuck in a loop. I don't know if I can ever catch up to where I was or actually get ahead and finish memorizing. Ya Allah, please remove this hopelessness and discouragement from me. And give me the tawfiq to take action again, ameen.”
🧕🏼 Aisha
Background: I'm a 36 yr old, mother of 6. Getting married while memorising the Qur'an, my hifz got weaker and eventually led to forgetting it. Came across this wonderful website by Qari Mubashir and learnt many tips, connected with my childhood friend as a hifz buddy. Hoping to complete hifz with a strong revision!
Week 33:
“Assalamualaikum warahmatullah,
No new memorisation, I spent the week listening to my daily portion.
Will resume new from this week inshallah.
Next week I'll be traveling and I will be staying there for over a month, have to figure out a way to memorize with all the distraction.”
👳🏼♂️ Muhammad
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 38 and has been the most consistent of our diaries despite continued struggles.
Year 2 Week 44:
“I have finished the 5th and now on the 6th juz, alhamdulillah.”
👉 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
I have been busy of late, but I am to reassess when the workshop can take place. Let me know what days/times suit you.
📌 Your Turn: How Did You Find This Post?
🔥 Reply & let me know what helped you most today.
💬 Reply & tell me: What’s your biggest struggle in Hifz right now? Have a question? Reply to this email (or answer the question below) and let me know—I’ll try to feature your question in upcoming posts.
woww!! that seems so amazing and impossible at the same time , at least to me !
Would love to read / hear firsthand from anyone who has memorized using this method.