Achieving hifz, full memorization of the Quran, typically proceeds through a structured, incremental method in which a student memorizes a small daily portion under a teacher's supervision, repeatedly reviews previously memorized sections to prevent them fading, and is regularly tested on both new and older material, a process that commonly takes several years of sustained daily study at a dedicated hifz program or madrasa. Correct recitation according to tajwid, the detailed rules governing pronunciation, elongation, and the precise articulation point of each Arabic letter, is taught alongside memorization itself, since Islamic tradition treats accurate recitation as inseparable from the memorized text being considered properly preserved.
Beyond tajwid, Islamic scholarship also recognizes several historically transmitted qira'at, distinct authenticated systems of Quranic recitation that differ in some details of pronunciation and, occasionally, vocalization, reflecting variant modes of transmission accepted since the early centuries of Islam; most hafiz memorize according to one dominant qira'a, most commonly Hafs an Asim, though scholars specializing in the other transmitted readings also exist. International Quran memorization competitions, held in many Muslim majority countries, showcase hafiz, often quite young, reciting extended passages from memory and have become a significant venue for recognizing this achievement publicly.