An Interview with Safa Mazhari, Hafiza from Quba Academy

For people with responsibilities, (and who doesn’t have responsibilities?), undertaking a task like memorizing the entire Quran can seem daunting. But it is doable, and many adults around the world have proven this to be true. 

Recently, we had the opportunity to talk to Safa Mazhari, who completed her Hifz at age 24 from Quba Academy in 2019.

Tell our readers a little about yourself.

I graduated from the University of Houston in 2017 with a Bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems and a minor in History. I then completed my Hifz in 2019. I used to

have hobbies like reading, writing, drawing, and spending time with family and friends. My only hobby now is taking care of my one-month-old son. I got married in March 2019. I hope to one day be able to hang out with people normally again 🙂

When did you start memorizing the Quran?

I think I started when I was around 8, around the time I finished reading the Quran for the first time.

What got you interested in memorizing the Quran?

Honestly, in the beginning, it was my mom who pushed me to memorize short Surahs from the 30th Juz. I didn’t think much of it other than, “Oh yeah, I’ll probably just memorize the 30th, and then I’ll be done.” I wasn’t interested in memorizing more at that point. It was later, when I was in middle school, that I started properly memorizing over the summer. However, even then, my goals were short-term, such as memorizing Surah Baqarah. 

I’m not sure at what point it shifted from me memorizing simply because my parents wanted me to, to me actually wanting to memorize, but it was probably around my late teen years. My interest and motivation for memorizing the Quran also shifted from an obligatory chore to genuinely enjoying memorization. Alhamdulillah, it became a fun activity for me and I felt personally motivated to finish what I had started. I also saw it as a self-challenge, which brought out my competitive side; I love challenges, and this definitely helped to push me through my rough patches – which, believe me, I had plenty. There were times when the goal of completion seemed daunting, but the very real possibility of me being able to finish compelled me to continue.

Tell us about your daily Quran schedule when you were memorizing.

Prior to joining Quba Academy, it was very much just a summer activity. I would actively memorize new surahs during the summer and then review during the school year, as high school was very demanding. Reviewing included both reciting to my mom whenever I had the opportunity and otherwise at least just reading what I had memorized. During the summer, I would take out at least an hour for it every day. 

Upon joining Quba Academy, I followed the schedule set there in terms of practicing and reciting my sabaq, sabqi, and manzil. At home, I would try to memorize my new lesson before Maghrib, preferably an hour after I got home from work. This would give me time to eat and relax my mind. I would sit down in the guest room, close the door, make sure one of my siblings had hidden my phone (no distractions), and then focus on memorizing my new lesson. To the best of my ability, I would try not to leave the room until I had finished memorizing my lesson, or, if I was particularly tired or unable to focus, make sure I completed the goal I had set for myself – sometimes half of my lesson or maybe a few lines, depending on my mental state. I would practice my sabqi and manzil after dinner, maybe somewhere around nine o’clock. I would try not to make it too late though, or I would be tempted to sleep.

What other responsibilities/activities did you participate in while doing Hifz?

Memorization prior to joining Quba Academy involved scheduling around school time. While attending Quba Academy, I was not only doing Hifz there, but also teaching, and occasionally helping with other projects. Aside from that, I helped my mom teach her own Quran students and assisted/tutored my siblings with their schoolwork.

Although you might not expect it, I did have adequate time to spend with family and friends. But in order to do so, I had to manage my schedule very tightly and stick to it. It’s not as rough as it sounds though, I promise. There is time to daydream and procrastinate a little in between all of that.

Did anyone encourage you along the way?

For sure, my parents were my greatest supporters. Especially my mom. She would motivate me and console and reassure me when things got difficult. Also, my Hifz teachers, both before and during my time at Quba, were a huge help throughout my journey. Alhamdulillah, I was blessed with great teachers who worked with me, were very understanding, motivated me, and reassured and advised me whenever I had trouble. I’m very fortunate to have their support now as I’m revising as well.

Tell us about how you revise now, after completion.

Alhamdulillah, I revise as much as I can. I finished memorizing in May 2019 Alhamdulillah, which was shortly after I got married. It did, and still does, get difficult sometimes. There were times when I got lazy and took a week or two off, which still happens, though not as often.

My advice is: even if it’s just a page or a few lines, keep on revising a little every day. If you can’t revise or recite to someone, at the very least read or listen to a portion every day to refresh your memory. Getting back on track is difficult the longer you put off revising. Just make daily, consistent effort, no matter how small. Regardless of how much you’ve memorized, remember that it is a very special accomplishment and you should do your best to make sure you don’t lose hold of it.

What are your plans for the future in regard to the Quran?

For now, I want to continue revising it enough until it becomes more established in my memory. I eventually hope to learn the Quran with translation so I can understand the words as I’m reciting them. I also would like to start Tafsir. Insha Allah, I hope to be successful in these endeavors.

What advice would you give to other adults thinking about memorizing the Quran?

[In response to this question, Safa offered a lot of good advice, much of which we have already covered here. Below are a few additional things she had to say.]

Set a time for yourself and try to pick a designated area where it’s quiet and you won’t be easily distracted. Changing the place every time you sit down to memorize can affect your focus and concentration. Put your phone somewhere else where you won’t be tempted to check it.

Also, a key fact to remind yourself of often: don’t compare your progress to others. It’s not a race or a competition and you’re not any less of a person for not memorizing as much as someone else. Everyone has their own struggles, even if it appears that they’re doing great.

Also, duas: definitely do your daily azkaar, make dua, because ultimately only Allah can help you be successful.  Especially make sure you know and read the duas for nazr, as it can be a real roadblock sometimes.

Finally, just remember that this is something you’re doing to benefit your dunya and your akhirah. Not only will you be rewarded for every effort you make in memorizing the Quran, but as you memorize, you will see the barakah of it in your own life – the very least of which, it will help your memory.

And always remember, success in this venture is up to Allah. All we can do is make the effort – trust Him, ask Him for help, and surely you will be successful both now and in the Hereafter.

I can honestly say that, Alhamdulillah, my life is better in so many ways because of this journey.

At Quba Academy, we offer a comprehensive Tahfeez + Academics program for students KG to 8th grade.

We also boast a part-time Tahfeez program in which students of all ages, young and old, are welcome to enroll! Contact us at info@qubahouston.org or (832) 582-7328.