How to memorise a surah in seven steps
To memorise a surah, listen to it several times, check your pronunciation with a teacher, then memorise one verse at a time, linking each new verse to the ones before. Recite it in salah the same day and revise it the next morning. Here is the seven-step method and how long it usually takes.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
The Quran is made easy
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ ﴿١٧﴾
How to memorise a surah in seven steps
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Listen | Play the whole surah three to five times from one reciter, following the text. |
| 2. Check the pronunciation | Read it once to a teacher or fluent reader before memorising, so mistakes are not locked in. |
| 3. One verse at a time | Read the first verse looking 5 times, then recite it without looking 5 times. |
| 4. Chain the verses | After each new verse, recite from verse 1 up to it without looking. |
| 5. Recite it in salah | Use the new surah in your sunnah prayers the same day. |
| 6. Revise the next morning | Recite it once from memory before adding anything new. |
| 7. Keep it alive | Recite it at least once a week for the next month. |
Which surahs to start with
Begin with the shortest: Al-Kawthar, Al-‘Asr and the 4 Quls, then the rest of the last 10 surahs and Juz Amma. Next, much-loved longer surahs such as Al-Mulk and Ayat al-Kursi.
From one surah to hifz
If memorising a surah goes well, the same method scales up. See how to memorise the Quran, how to revise hifz, the hifz timetable and the benefits of memorising the Quran.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to memorise a short surah?
Most learners memorise a surah of Juz Amma in one to three days using the steps above. Longer surahs such as Al-Mulk (30 verses) take one to three weeks at a few verses a day.
Should I memorise from transliteration?
Only as a temporary bridge. English letters cannot show every Arabic sound, so it is best to memorise from the Arabic with a teacher checking you.
What is the best time to memorise?
Many find early morning after Fajr best, when the mind is fresh. The best time is the one you can keep every day.
Memorise with a teacher listening
Three free one-to-one lessons in UK time.