Online hifz classes vs a local hifz program: a parent's checklist

Start with your family, not the format

Before comparing programs, write down three things: how many hours a week the student can realistically give to hifz, which hours are free after school, work and travel, and whether the student does better in a group or with one teacher. The right choice is the one that fits those answers week after week, not the one that sounds best on paper.

Then put each option you are considering, local or online, through the questions below.

The checklist

1. How much time does the teacher spend hearing this student?

Hifz moves forward when a teacher hears the student recite and corrects mistakes on the spot. In a group class the teacher divides the session between students; in a one-to-one class the whole session is for one student. Ask any program how many minutes per class the teacher actually listens to your child recite. Our online classes are live and one-to-one, so the full class is for the student.

2. Is revision built into every class?

New lessons (sabaq) are only part of hifz. Recent revision (sabqi) and older revision (manzil) keep what was memorized from fading. Ask how each class is split between the three, whatever the format. Our guide to sabaq, sabqi and manzil explains the balance.

3. Does the timetable fit your real week?

A local program usually runs at fixed hours, which suits families whose week lines up with them. Online classes can be set around the student instead. We teach 24/7, so you choose the days and time in your own time zone, including before school, after school or late evening. See part-time hifz classes and hifz classes in the USA for how families in each time zone schedule.

4. What does the travel really cost you?

Count the drive there and back, waiting time and the days when weather, traffic or a sibling's activity gets in the way. For some families the trip is easy and the masjid community is part of the value. For others the drive is what makes classes get missed. Online classes remove the trip but need a quiet spot at home and a steady internet connection.

5. Can you choose the teacher?

Ask whether you can request a female or male teacher, and whether you can change teacher if the fit is not right. Female and male hifz teachers are available 24/7 in our classes, and the enrollment form has a teacher preference field. See female hifz teacher online.

6. How will you see progress?

Parents should know each week what was memorized and how revision is holding, not only at the end of a juz. Ask what is recorded after each class and how it reaches you. Our hifz progress tracking page shows a simple weekly log any family can keep.

7. What does the student lose or gain socially?

A local program gives classmates and time at the masjid; an online class gives focused attention at home. If you choose online classes, many families keep the community side through weekend programs, Jumuah or other activities at their local masjid. Think about which your child needs more right now.

8. What does it cost, and what is included?

Compare the monthly fee against the number of classes, the class length and whether teaching is one-to-one or in a group. Our plan is $40 a month (USD) for live one-to-one classes Monday to Friday. Weekend and other schedules are custom and discussed with our team. See hifz classes fees.

9. Can you try it first?

A trial shows you the teacher and the routine before you commit. We offer a 3-day free trial: three classes to meet the teacher, start a first lesson and agree a plan. Here is what happens in a 3-day free hifz trial.

When each option tends to suit

• A local program can suit a student who does well in a group, lives close by, and whose week fits the program's fixed hours.
• Online one-to-one classes can suit a student who needs the teacher's full attention, has a busy or changing timetable, lives far from a hifz program, or wants a specific teacher preference.
• Some families combine the two: a local program for community and online classes for extra one-to-one sabaq and revision.

Making the decision

Score each option against the checklist, then test the one you are leaning towards. If that is online, book a 3-day free trial and pick a class time that matches your real week. If you are also planning daily routines, our next guide covers hifz after school.

Questions