What is the meaning of Hifz in Islam – Qiratul Quran

What is the meaning of Hifz in Islam: Hifz refers to the memorization of the Holy Quran in Arabic. It is an important concept in Islam, as Muslims are encouraged to commit the Quran to memory to properly live by and spread its message.

What is Meant by Quran Memorization

Memorizing the Quran, also known as Hifz, is the word-for-word memorization of the entire Quran in Arabic. It involves meticulously memorizing every verse, line by line, from the first chapter, Surah al-Fatiha, to the last chapter, Surah An-Nas.

The goal of hifz is not only to memorize the Quran but to fully internalize and live by it. People who memorize the entire Quran in Arabic are called hafiz (male) or hafiza (female). Hifz helps Muslims perfect their pronunciation and recitation (tajweed) of the Quran.

What’s the difference between Hifz & Memorization?

While hifz specifically refers to memorization of the Quran, memorization, in general, could refer to memorizing anything. The key differences are:

• Hifz involves memorizing the entire Quran word-for-word in Arabic, along with proper recitation rules (tajweed). General memorization has no specifics on what or how much to memorize.
• Hifz is done with deeper intentions, to internalize the Quran’s teachings and live by them. General memorization may not have that same spiritual goal.
• Traditionally, students of hifz recite what they have memorized to a qualified teacher (shaykh) for confirmation. This ensures accuracy in memorization. Other memorization may or may not involve such rigorous checking.

So in summary, hifz is Quran-specific memorization which emphasizes spiritual goals and accuracy in memorization.

What is the importance of Hifz in Islam?

Hifz holds great importance in Islam for several reasons:

1. It allows Muslims to precisely preserve and pass down the Quran, word-for-word, as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in its original Arabic language. This prevents distortion or misinterpretations of the Quran over time.
2. It is considered a great act of worship and obedience towards Allah. The Quran describes itself as easy to learn and remember, so Muslims take it as a duty to live up to this quality through diligent memorization.
3. It helps Muslims perfectly internalize the Quran’s teachings and live by them. The word of Allah becomes etched into the hearts and minds of huffaz (memorizers).
4. It allows Muslims to accurately recall Quranic verses and passages whenever needed to perform acts of worship, answer questions, give religious rulings, guide others, and share the wisdom of the Quran.

Challenges Faced by Hifz Students

Memorizing the entire Quran is no easy feat. Here are some challenges faced by hifz students:

1. Staying consistent without losing motivation – Hifz requires daily dedication spanning years. Students struggle to memorize daily while preventing previously memorized verses from slipping away.
2. Perfecting pronunciation and cadence – Accurately pronouncing each Arabic letter, applying tajweed correctly, and memorizing the rhythm take immense time and effort.
3. Revision and retaining old memorization – Students must constantly strengthen old memorization through revision while also memorizing new passages. Finding an optimal pace is difficult.
4. Preventing mistakes from setting in – Even minor mistakes repeated across revisions get lodged in long-term memory, so vigilance is required.
5. Life pressures like school or family obligations – Students memorize best with dedicated focus. But mundane pressures often encroach on revision time. Maintaining life balance adds to difficulties.
6. Health issues like memory problems or poor concentration – Many exceptional memorizers rely on consistent mental and physical health to retain the Quran long-term. Illness can significantly set back progress.

How should we do Hifz of Quran

Here are some effective tips for properly memorizing the Holy Quran:

1. Correct your intention – Purely for seeking Allah’s pleasure, not for pride, showing off, or worldly incentives. This intention will drive perseverance.
2. Understand what you memorize – Connect it to its meaning before memorizing so it sticks better. Understanding aids long-term retention.
3. Pace yourself gradually – Start by memorizing small amounts daily. Once mastered, move to longer passages. Don’t overburden yourself early on.
4. Memorize through repetitions not long study sessions – Take 10 minutes to memorize a verse. Then repeat multiple times that day to retain it.
5. Recite to a qualified teacher – For checking accuracy and perfecting pronunciation. Build a connection since they guide the process.
6. Be consistent with daily revisions – Revision of old memorization should exceed memorizing new passages. Spaced repetition ensures retention.
7. Maintain your health – Sleep enough, eat nutritious foods, exercise, and take time off when exhausted. Memorization depends on mental vitality.

How we can Make Hifz Method easy

Here are tips students can apply to simplify the memorization process:

1. Break long verses into small chunks of phrases – Chunking makes verses less overwhelming and more digestible to memorize.
2. Associate verses with emotions evoked or visual scenes in the mind – Emotive associations help anchor verses for better recall.
3. Connect verses to rhythmic melodies and singsong repetition – Musical neural pathways boost retention of the melodized material.
4. Record and listen to your memorization – Hearing recordings reinforce hifz sensory pathways beyond recitations.
5. Practice writing verses from memory – The motor memory of hand movements boosts corresponding memorization.
6. Revise early morning or late evening – Brains memorize best when fresh or unfatigued. Scheduling revisions in these high productivity periods.
7. Memorize similar-themed passages together not randomly – Thematic relevance provides greater context and stickiness.
8. Learn proper tajweed rules early – Correct pronunciation and cadence get integrated into muscle memory preventing future relearning.

Qiratul Quran Best & Qualified Hafiz Teachers

Qiratul Quran Institute in the United Kingdom & Egypt is renowned for having the most qualified teachers for Quran memorizers of all ages and skill levels. Some features that make their staff stand out:

1. Properly certified Shuyukh with Sanads (chains) of Quran recitation going back to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH himself. This ensures authenticity.
2. Fluent Arabic linguists who can clearly explain the nuances, pronunciation, and meaning behind each Ayah.
3. Specialized Tajweed instruction with the 10 authentic Qira’at (recitation styles) verified through the official Ijaza of the traditional methodology.
4. Customized guidance based on the memorizer’s strengths, weaknesses, pace, and retention capacity by over 100 professionally trained instructors.
5. Emphasis on proper Makhaarij and horasiyya (placement and articulation) of each Arabic letter for clarity.
6. Versatility in using best memorization techniques like Association, Visualization, Chunking, Repetition, and Manageable Target Pacing.

For these reasons, the Qiratul Quran stands above other institutes for those looking to memorize the Quran properly in an authentic way seeking Allah’s infinite mercy.

What We Call those who memorized the Quran in Islam

What is the meaning of Hifz In Islam, there are special honorific titles that denote memorizers of the Holy Quran according to the total amount memorized:

1. Haafiz – Memorized the complete Quran comprising 114 surahs over 6236 verses.
2. Haafiza – Feminine version of Haafiz given to ladies who accomplish complete hifz of the Quran.
3. Sab’ee – Memorized 1/7th of the total verses of the Quran which is around 800-900 verses.
4. Kareem Sab’ee – Memorized twice as many verses as a Sab’ee totaling 1800 verses. Generally granted after Daura-e-Sab’a (first revision).
5. Aashara – Memorized 1/10th of the Quran which is around 600 verses perfect for young kids focusing on short surahs.

These titles denote an immense achievement and immense blessing, as the memorizer walks amongst the ranks of giants like the sahaba of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. They are treated with veneration and deliver heirs of the Prophethood.

Easy Steps To Memorize the Quran at Qiratul Quran Institute

Qiratul Quran Institute follows an easy 6-step program for children & adults to successfully achieve hifz in 2-4 years:

1. Yassarnal Quran – Memorize short surahs through engaging activities, visuals, and competitions making Quran memorization extremely easy and fun for kids.
2. Nazira & Sabaq – Start formal hifz by reciting verses repeatedly after the instructor and in pairs to perfect pronunciation. Learn tajweed.
3. Ustani & Mashq – The teacher dictates a new lesson, and the student copies on the slate 3 times until it is written from memory. Ensures accuracy.
4. Suffah & Dohri – Revise the day’s lesson, and old memorization in groups. Build bonds helping struggling students. Notice mistakes.
5. Muraja’at & Nimratain – Major revision in which students revise the previous day’s lesson individually without seeing the Quran.
6. Daura-e-Hifz – Complete full revision of the Quran over 3 months. Multiple dauras until the student becomes a Haafiz Wal Hamdullilah!

Through this orderly system, even average students can achieve the glory of memorizing Allah’s Book within a few dedicated years InshaAllah!

How To Revise Quran Hifz in Qiratul Quran Institute

Qiratul Quran has over 50 years of experience helping students progress and retain memorization. Their simple revision regimen:

Daily Revision

• Revise the previous day’s new lesson after Fajr. Helps retain it before forgetting.
• Revise random older memorization equaling new lesson length to reinforce old passages.

Weekly Revision

• Muraja’at revision on Fridays of the entire week’s passages recited without Mushaf’s support. Provides great weekly feedback.

Monthly Revision

• Revise surah in random order on 1st till full previous memorization completed by month-end. Solid monthly evaluation.

Quarterly Revision

• Full revision of all Quran memorized in 3 months (1 juz daily). Multiple rounds until solid.

Annual Practicals

• Yearly, recite full memorization to Shaykh at our institute for certification, feedback, and addressing inconsistent passages.

Through this frequent, structured revision at both micro and macro levels, institutes produce long-term Haafiz generation after generation Walhamdulillah!

How to Memorise Long Verses of the Quran with Arab Teacher in Qiratul Quran

Here are some tips by Qiratul Quran’s expert Arab Shuyukh to tackle longer, more complex verses:

1. Analyze Literary Style – Understand verse topics, linkages between sentences, and how arguments build. This uncovers inherent assistive patterns.
2. Break into digestible chunks – Break verses into logical phrases of 4-5 words treatable as bite-sized memorable chunks. Chunking is key.
3. Focus on the starts & ends of chunks – Beginnings and endings stick better in memory. So perfect to memorize them as anchor points for the middle.
4. Create a flow between chunks – The transition words connecting each chunk help maintain continuity. Target memorizing them specially.
5. Memorize through repetition – Repeat within chunk, between chunks, and verse as a whole. Distributed repetition cements memorization.
6. Use rhyming & melody – Apply unique transmitted Islamic melodies supporting verse rhythm and rhyme scheme further aiding retainability.
7. Contextual linkage – Relate to surrounding verses describing the same scene or topic. Shared context and emo­tional value improve sticky recall.

By dividing verses into easy portions combined with proven mnemonic devices, even the longest verses eventually get solidly etched into memory InshaAllah!