What is a hafiz? Meaning, how long it takes and the reward
A hafiz is someone who has memorised the whole Quran: all 114 surahs and 6,236 verses, word for word. The word means “guardian” or “preserver”, and huffaz have carried the Quran from one generation to the next since the time of the Prophet ﷺ. Here is what the title means, how people get there and what the hadith say about it.
Last updated: 3 October 2026
The meaning of hafiz
Hafiz comes from the Arabic root ḥ-f-ẓ, “to preserve, guard, memorise”. The Quran uses the same root for its own protection:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ ﴿٩﴾
بَلْ هُوَ ءَايَٰتٌۢ بَيِّنَٰتٌۭ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَّا ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾
Memorisation in the hearts of huffaz, alongside the written mushaf, is one of the ways the Quran has been preserved; see how and when the Quran was written.
Related terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hafiz (حافظ) | A man who has memorised the whole Quran |
| Hafiza (حافظة) | A woman who has memorised the whole Quran |
| Huffaz (حفاظ) | The plural |
| Hifz (حفظ) | The process of memorising the Quran |
| Qari (قارئ) | Someone skilled in recitation; a qari may or may not be a hafiz |
| Ijazah (إجازة) | Certification to recite and teach with a connected chain (sanad) |
Every one of our teachers holds an ijazah; read more in our ijazah course.
The reward described in the hadith
- “It will be said to the companion of the Quran: recite and rise, and recite as you used to recite in the world, for your rank will be at the last verse you recite” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1464, Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 2914, graded hasan sahih by at-Tirmidhi).
- “The one who is skilled in the Quran will be with the noble, righteous scribes (the angels), and the one who recites it with difficulty, stumbling over it, will have a double reward” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4937, Sahih Muslim 798).
The second hadith is a comfort for every learner: the effort itself is rewarded, not only the finished hifz.
How someone becomes a hafiz
- Read fluently first, with correct tajweed; see the Quran reading course.
- Start with Juz Amma, the short surahs; see Juz Amma.
- Memorise a daily lesson (sabaq), with method; see how to memorise the Quran.
- Revise every day, recent and old; see how to revise hifz.
- Read to a teacher until the whole Quran is complete and checked.
Estimate your own timeline with the hifz planner, and when you are ready, memorise one-to-one with a teacher in our online hifz course. Sisters and girls can choose a female teacher.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a hafiz?
Full-time students often finish in two to four years; part-time students, such as children at school, commonly take four to six. Pace depends on daily time, age and revision. Our hifz planner gives a personal estimate.
Can adults become hafiz?
Yes. Many adults memorise the whole Quran, often more slowly than children but with better understanding and discipline. Starting with Juz Amma and building steadily works at any age.
Is a hafiz the same as a scholar?
No. A hafiz has memorised the text. A scholar has studied its meanings, rulings and the sciences around it. Many scholars are also huffaz, but memorising alone is not scholarship.
What is the difference between a hafiz and a qari?
A hafiz has memorised the Quran; a qari is skilled in reciting it, often with knowledge of the different qira’at. Someone can be both.
Begin your journey to hifz
Three free one-to-one hifz lessons in UK time, for children and adults.