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Sister Nourhan Academy
Certified Quran Learning Online
Certified Quran Learning Online
There are stories out there of a ten-year-old finishing their Hifz, someone doing it in a year, that friend who's been working on it for five years. So, how long does it take to memorize the Quran? The truth is, there is no set answer; it depends on a lot of factors, including your schedule, your background, and how serious you are.
Some people finish in just 6 months doing intensive Hifz programs, while others take a steady 3-year journey. Both are valid.
This guide outlines multiple timelines for how long it takes to memorize the Quran, what affects your speed, and how to actually retain what you memorize. Because what's the point of finishing fast if you forget it?
Let's dive in.
To answer how long it takes to memorize the Quran as simply as possible, it takes 1 to 5 years, depending on your daily commitment.
The Quran has 604 pages (in the standard Mushaf). Here's the math:
|
Daily Memorization |
Total Time |
|
Half a page/day |
~3 years |
|
1 page/day |
~1.9 years (20 months) |
|
2 pages/day |
~10 months |
|
3 pages/day |
~7 months |
Keep in mind that these estimates account only for memorisation. Including time for periodic reviews (which is an absolute must) will only extend this timeline. More on that later.
Start your Hifz journey today and learn How to Memorize Quran in 2 Years successfully
Time to memorize the Quran will vary, and here are the factors to explain why:
Younger kids have an easier time memorizing things, but recall ability sharpens with age as more life experience is integrated.
Keep in mind how long does it take to memorize the Quran for a 10-year-old memorizing 2 pages a day is very different from a full-time working adult trying to maintain the same pace.
This advantage in the language correlates to how seamlessly and quickly one is able to glide over the text and grasp its meaning.
With that said, this is not an obstacle for anyone. Millions of people with an Arab Background have been able to do it to great success.
Without a doubt, this is the most important factor in determining how long does it take to memorize the Quran. If one person is putting in 3 hours every day and the other is putting in just 30 minutes, the 3 hours will finish way faster.
30-minute daily actions for a year will yield more progress than 5 hours weekly.
Have you memorized poems, speeches, or another Surah? Your brain's muscle for memorization is trained. First-timers need to build this muscle.
Let's get real. We can look at different timelines depending on different life situations.
The short answer is yes. But it's intense.
Memorizing 3+ pages daily will require 3-4 hours of highly focused work. This works for:
Students on summer break
People taking a Hifz sabbatical
People enrolled in intensive programs
High burnout risk. There will be weak retention of information if proper review is not implemented.
More realistic and sustainable.
The daily target would be 2 pages, approximately 30 lines.
The time needed is about 2 to 3 hours total. You would be looking at an hour and a half for new material, followed by an hour for review.
This works for committed students and full-time Hifz students.
A pro tip: use the first 6 months for memorization, then spend the next 6 months heavily reviewing while slowly adding new pages.
This is the sweet spot for most people.
The daily target of 1 page,
The time needed an hour and a half to 2 hours of work is required.
This suits working professionals and university students best.
With this pace, you have enough room for life's interferences, be it exams, work projects, or family activities. You will not feel stressed, and it will positively impact retention.
An easy, stress-free approach.
Daily targets: 0.5 page
Estimated time: 45-60 minutes
This suits: Beginners, busy parents, and everyone looking for a less stressful journey.
This timeline focuses on understanding the meanings, perfecting Tajweed, and creating a solid foundation.
[Learn the complete step-by-step guide on how to memorize Quran in 3 years]
Allah says in Surah Al-Qamar (54:17):
"وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ"
“And indeed, We have made the Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)”?
The Quran itself tells you it has been made easy, so why do people struggle?
Forgetting: This is natural. The solution is regular reviewing (will discuss it more below).
Lack of consistency: Missing days breaks the momentum.
No teacher/no system: Doing it alone with no structure rarely works.
Poor Tajweed: Memorizing incorrectly means you will have to fix it later (double the work).
Bottom line: The Quran isn't hard; your approach might be.
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Here's the part that actually matters: retention. What's the point of memorizing if you forget?
For every hour you spend on new memorization, spend an hour reviewing old pages.
Sample Schedule:
45 minutes: New memorization
45 minutes: Review memory from yesterday, last week, and last month
This shouldn’t be changed; it’s non-negotiable.
Memorize with proper pronunciation from the start. Don't do the memorization incorrectly and fix it later. That's akin to building a house and expecting a strong foundation later on.
Get yourself a qualified teacher. Self-learning Tajweed from YouTube has limits.
Your brain can remember meanings more easily and quickly than simply memorizing the sounds, so it’s highly encouraged to read the Tafsir(explanation) of the verse before trying to memorize it.
This will speed up the process, and you will feel more connected to the words.
Determining how long does it take to memorize the Quran without forgetting can be greatly affected by the memorization technique used.
Read one line 10 times while looking
Then, recite it 10 times from memory.
Move to the next line and repeat.
Combine all of the lines at the end.
Writing activates different brain areas, and it helps to strengthen memory.
Nothing cements memorization like using it in prayer. Start with the most important Surahs in Quran to memorize, then work your way through longer passages. The pages you review, try to pray with those verses in the Nafila prayers.
30 minutes a day is more helpful than 4 hours on the weekends. Your brain needs regular exposure, and daily practice helps to build and maintain the pathways.
Technically? Maybe. Practically? No.
Memorizing 20 pages a day is roughly 8-10 hours of work a day. And even if you manage to do it, most of it is going to be forgotten in a few weeks.
Reasons for failure:
No time for the review
Excessive mental exhaustion
Lack of deep understanding
Unsustainability
The absolute lowest time in which you can memorize the Quran is 6 months with an intensive program. If it is less, it is a gimmick.
Having the right support is the difference maker, regardless of whether you want to finish in 1 year or 3.
That's what online academies like Sister Nourhan Academy are established for.
At Sister Nourhan Academy, we are dedicated to guiding you on your Quran memorization journey with personalized support and a structured approach that ensures you retain what you learn, no matter your schedule or pace
Learn from certified teachers with authentic chains of transmission.
We make a plan according to you. It is your pace and your schedule.
You will not just memorize. We built our retention system for you to remember the Quran.
Personalised attention. Flexible hours. Learn from the comfort of your home.
Start with a FREE trial class today!
Join hundreds of students who've successfully completed their Hifz journey with us.
So, how long does it take to memorize the Quran?
On average, it takes anywhere from 6 months to 5 years, but in truth, the length of time is the least of your worries; what really matters is:
Consistency: Showing up, even for just 20 minutes a day, is crucial.
Sincerity: Make it for Allah alone, and not for the sake of people.
Patience: This is not a sprint; this is a marathon.
Remember: Every letter you memorize is a reward, every mistake you fix is an effort, and the journey itself is an act of worship.
Allah made the Quran easy. Now the real question is, will you be the one to remember it?
Start today, not tomorrow, but today.
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Yes, it is possible, but strict discipline is needed, and working 2-3 hours every day is a must, in addition to a review system.
This is possible, but it is much more intensive, working 3-4 hours every day without a day off. This comes with a very high burnout rate.
This can be anywhere from 6 months to a year, but to really memorize and retain the Quran, it could take anywhere from 2-3 years.
No, Allah made it easy. The greatest challenge is keeping up the consistency and reviewing what you memorized, it is not in the memorization.
Usually, it takes 30-60 minutes for an experienced person to memorize a page with practice. A beginner may take 1-2 hours.
This takes 1-2 hours of work, focused heavily on your experience level.
