Revision Strategies for Hifz Quran Students

hifz revision strategies

Revision is a key pillar in the process of Quran memorization because, without it, all of your efforts to commit the verses of the Quran to memory will go in vain. It is proven by many researchers that individuals can lose up to 90% of learned information in the first month if they do not stick to a regular revision schedule. Thus, if you aim to memorize the Quran, you need to practice effective revision strategies for online hifz course students to ensure success. 

Best Revision Strategies for Hifz Quran Students

Here are the best revision strategies for Quran memorization that students can use to make the process of revising the Quran more manageable:

quran memorization revision strategies

1- Daily, Weekly, Monthly Revision Structure

The reason why this strategy is effective is that it enables you to revise different parts of the sections you have memorized so that you do not focus on certain parts while neglecting others. 

  1. Daily Revision

Dedicate a specific time of the day for revising recently memorized verses or Surahs. Make sure to commit to that daily schedule by choosing a time when it is easy for you to focus, and it is not possible for you to not do. 

Daily revision is not only about reciting the verses aloud while looking at the Mushaf, but it is also about reciting them from memory to practice active recall. 

Let’s assume that you have recently memorized Surah Al-Israa’. Here’s an example daily hifz revision schedule to help you figure out how to revise the Surah daily:

Time SlotNumber of Ayat RevisedNotes
Morning (6:30-7:00)First 20 AyatYou can add a couple more minutes for reading the Tafseer of these verses
After Dhuhur (5-10 minutes)The same 20 Ayat You can recite these verses without looking while doing other tasks, such as housework or commuting
After MaghribThe same 20 AyatYou can either recite them aloud or listen to the recitation of a renowned Qari’ such as Husary or Minshawi
  1. Weekly Revision

Weekly revision is concerned with the verses/surahs you have finished memorizing 2 weeks to 6 months ago. 

Since this might be a large section to cover, divide it into a regular weekly schedule where you revise a considerable amount each week. Here’s an example weekly schedule for revising Juz’ Tabark:

DayRequired RevisionTotal Number of Verses Revised
Day 1Surah Al-Mulk 30
Day 2Surah Al-Qalam52
Day 3Surah Al-Haqqah52
Day 4Surah Al-Ma’arij+ Surah Nuh72
Day 5Surah Al-Jinn28
Day 6Surah Al-Muzzammil+ Surah Al-Mudathir76
Day 7Surah Al-Qiyāmah + Al-Insān + Al-Mursalāt 121
  1. Monthly Revision

Here, you revisit the sections you have memorized more than 6 months ago. It is easy to overlook these sections because you finished memorizing them a long time ago, but it is essential for you to dedicate the time to revising them lest you lose these precious verses from your memory.

This is an example monthly revision plan for revising Juz’ no.22 and Juz’ no.23:

Week Surahs/Verses RevisedNotes
Week 1 Surah Al-Ahzab (31-73)+ Surah Saba’ (1-54)Dedicate the first two days to the revision of Surah Al-Ahzab and the third day to reinforcing your revision of the same Surah. Then, proceed to the revision of Surah Saba’ on days 4-5and consolidate your revision on day 6, while day 7 is for reviewing both Surahs.  
Week 2Surah Fatir (1- 45)On days 8 and 9, revise Surah Fatir by dividing its verses and then revise the entire Surah on Day 10. The rest of the week, you should revise the entire Juz’ and end the week with a careful listening to the recitation of it by a professional Qari’.
Week 3Surah Yasin (1-83)+ Surah Al-Safat (1-182)Follow the same system for dividing the verses of both Surahs and dedicate specific days for reviewing both Surahs. It is useful to read about the stories of the prophets mentioned in them or watch Islamic lectures interpreting their meaning.
Week 4Surah Sad (1-88)+ Surah Az-Zumar (1-31)After you finish revising Surah Sad and Surah Az-Zumar, revise Juz’ 23 entirely, followed by the revision of Juz’ 22. End the month with a full revision of both Juz’ to ensure maximum retention.  

2- Spaced Repetition Method

Spaced repetition is one of the most common and most effective revision strategies for Quran memorization. It is a great method to avoid cramming all of your revision in one session or revising Juz’ on random days.

Spaced repetition could be implemented as follows:

CycleDay for Revision
1st Next day
2nd 3 days later
3rd 7 days later
4th 15 days later

3- The Pyramid Method

Take the example of a person who has memorized 10 Juz’ of the Quran, and they are still memorizing more. Still, they do not want to lose what they have previously committed to memory, so they decide to follow the Pyramid method:

  • Revise the recently memorized Juz’ in the first session
  • Revise Juz’ 10 and 9 in the second session
  • Revise Juz’ 10,9 and 8 in the third session

A good follow-up system is necessary to track your progress through regular reports and provide advice to redirect you in case of a setback.

4- Copy, Record, Replay

 Listening to renowned Qari’s is an effective method for improving recitation and enhancing your memorization but it is also a great revision tool because it is not bound by place. You can listen to your specific portion while at home, on a bus or anywhere else because all you need is your phone and a headset.

You can take it a step further by following that with:

  1. Record your own recitation of the same portion
  2. Replay it more than once to spot mistakes
  3. Recite again until you master it 

5- Rotational Revision

Following these previous orderly methods is important, but so is following a rotational method where a Hafiz revisits different Surahs on specific days without following a chronological order. This prevents making the revision process a mundane task while fulfilling its purpose of avoiding the loss of previously memorized chapters:

DaySurah to be Revised
SundaySurah Yusuf
MondaySurah Al-Anfal
TuesdaySurah Ibrahim
WednesdaySurah Al-Nahl

6- Leitner Method

For this method, you do not necessarily need to use flashcards, but an indispensable aspect of it is categorizing Surahs or Juz’ based on how well you know them. The significance of this method lies in its focus on the parts you are struggling with rather than spending time on parts you have already mastered. 

Make sure to categorize parts into:

  • ones you have not memorized very well
  • ones you have a fair recollection of
  • others you have mastered. 

Concentrate on the first and second categories and create a revision plan to organize your effort. 

Top Tips for Quran Hifz Revision

These are a few quick tips for an effective Quran hifz revision:

  • Keep a revision log where you list the parts you have revised, highlighting sections you need to revisit more frequently 
  • Use Revision apps to help keep you more organized and consistent 
  • Join an online Quran course where an expert tutor designs a detailed revision plan to ensure steady and consistent progress
  • Understand the verses you wish to revise by checking the meanings of challenging words  
  • Integrate revision into worship by reciting the parts you wish to revise in your daily prayers, nafls, or Night prayer.

Conclusion

Following a structured Quran revision schedule and implementing effective revision strategies such as spaced repetition, the pyramid method, and other quran memorization techniques mentioned in this article are keys to maintaining progress while pursuing the goal of Quran memorization as well as creating a stronger connection between you and the Quran through reciting it regularly. 

Almuhammadi Academy offers a variety of online courses for Quran memorization and recitation in which expert tutors use their expertise and thorough knowledge to help students come up with an effective plan for both memorization and revision. Combining insightful guidance and interactive learning, the sole mission of tutors at Almuhammadi Academy is to aid students in their journey of memorizing the Quran.

Important FAQ’s

Q1. What should I do if I miss a day in my revision plan?

While this is normally expected, you should do your best to avoid missing twice. This can be done by creating a back-up plan where you specify the portion you have missed reviewing and dividing it into future revision sessions.

Q2. How much time should I spend on Quran hifz revision daily?

This depends on the schedule of each person but mainly, it should be around 15-20 minutes at least and can extend up to 45-6 minutes.

Q3. How can I spot my weak Surahs while doing hifz Quran revision?

 You can write them down in your revision log and dedicate a designated revision session for each Surah as part of your revision schedule. You can listen to the recitation of these surahs regularly to keep them present in your mind