Qur’an Memorisation in Tahfiz Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Qur’an memorisation in tahfiz education combines devotional preservation, oral recitation, disciplined repetition, semantic comprehension, and teacher-mediated correction. This systematic review synthesised evidence on pedagogical methods, digital tools, cognitive outcomes, and institutional conditions shaping contemporary Qur’an memorisation. The review used seven Scopus RIS exports dated 30 July 2026 and screened empirical, design, validation, survey, qualitative, modelling, and mixed-method studies published from 2016 to 2026. From 193 records, 35 duplicates were removed, 158 unique records were screened, and 60 studies were retained for narrative synthesis. The evidence clustered into four domains: digital and artificial-intelligence-supported memorisation; pedagogical, linguistic, and revision methods; curriculum and institutional pathways; and cognitive, affective, and well-being outcomes. The synthesis suggests that memorisation quality is not explained by repetition alone. It depends on an ecology of semantic cues, regular murājaʿah, teacher correction, suitable digital scaffolds, institutional time design, and ethical safeguards. The main limitation is that most included records were appraised from metadata and abstracts; therefore, full-text dual-reviewer validation remains essential before final journal submission.