Most people imagine an ijazah exam as a written test with a pass mark. In reality, an ijazah is earned mainly by reciting the entire Quran (or the whole text being certified) to a qualified sheikh, who corrects you throughout and then confirms your recitation. Along the way, and often in a final sitting, the teacher asks ijazah exam questions on tajweed rules, the special words of your riwayah, stopping and starting, and, for memorization tracks, continuing from random places. If you plan to earn your Ijazah online, knowing what the sheikh listens for lets you prepare with confidence instead of anxiety.
Below you will find how the process usually works, the questions students are asked most often, and a practical plan for the weeks before your final sitting.
Key takeaways
- The heart of the ijazah “exam” is a complete recitation to a sheikh who holds a sanad, not a single test day.
- Expect oral questions on makharij, sifaat, noon and meem rules, madd and the special words of Hafs.
- Memorization tracks usually include random starting points and similar-verse (mutashabihat) checks.
- Consistency matters as much as accuracy: the same madd length and the same rules from al-Fatihah to an-Nas.
How an Ijazah Is Really Assessed
Practices differ from teacher to teacher, but most ijazah journeys combine three elements:
- The full recitation (khatm). You recite from al-Fatihah to an-Nas, portion by portion, over many lessons. The teacher stops you at every mistake. This is the main assessment, and it is spread over months.
- Theory questions. At various points, and often at the end, the sheikh asks you to name a rule, explain why it applies or quote the relevant line from a tajweed text.
- The final sitting. Some teachers hold a closing session that reviews selected passages, tests weaker areas and then reads or presents the ijazah with its chain of narration.
Your type of ijazah shapes what you are tested on. A recitation ijazah can be completed while reading from the mushaf, while a Hifz ijazah requires everything from memory. Our article on what an ijazah in the Quran is and its types explains the differences in detail.
Common Ijazah Exam Questions
The questions below come up again and again in Hafs ‘an ‘Asim ijazah sittings, following the way of al-Shatibiyyah.
Makharij and sifaat
- How many articulation points (makharij) are there, and what are the main areas? (Seventeen points in five areas: the empty space of the mouth and throat, the throat, the tongue, the lips and the nasal passage.)
- Which letters are always heavy? (The seven letters gathered in خص ضغط قظ.)
- What are the qalqalah letters, and when is qalqalah strongest? (قطب جد; it is strongest when you stop on one at the end of a word, especially when it carries a shaddah, as in al-haqq.)
Noon, meem and ghunnah
- What are the four rules of noon sakinah and tanween, and their letters?
- What is the difference between idgham with ghunnah and without it?
- When does meem sakinah take ikhfa shafawi? (Before ba.)
Madd
- How long is madd muttasil and munfasil in Hafs via al-Shatibiyyah? (Four or five counts, applied consistently.)
- How long is madd lazim? (Six counts.)
- What lengths are allowed for madd ‘arid lis-sukoon? (Two, four or six counts.)
The special words of Hafs
These are favorite questions because they test both memory and practice:
| Word | Location | What Hafs does |
|---|---|---|
| مَجْر۪ىٰهَا | Hud 11:41 | Imalah, the only one in Hafs |
| تَأْمَ۫نَّا | Yusuf 12:11 | Ishmam (or rawm) on the merged noon |
| عِوَجًا ۜ | al-Kahf 18:1 | Sakt (a brief pause without breath) |
| مَرْقَدِنَا ۜ | Ya-Sin 36:52 | Sakt |
| مَنْ ۜ رَاقٍ | al-Qiyamah 75:27 | Sakt |
| بَلْ ۜ رَانَ | al-Mutaffifin 83:14 | Sakt |
| ءَا۬عْجَمِىٌّ | Fussilat 41:44 | Tasheel of the second hamzah |
| ضَعْف | ar-Rum 30:54 | Fathah or dammah on the dad, both allowed |
Waqf and ibtida
- Where would stopping change the meaning in this ayah?
- If you run out of breath here, where should you start again?
For text-based ijazahs, expect to recite the poem from memory and explain its lines. Our guides to the ijazah in Tuhfat al-Atfal and the ijazah in al-Jazariyyah show what those sittings involve.
Questions in a Hifz Ijazah
If you are certified in memorization, the teacher also checks how securely the Quran sits in your memory:
- Random starts: the sheikh reads the beginning of an ayah anywhere in the Quran and asks you to continue.
- Mutashabihat: you are asked to distinguish verses that are almost identical, such as similar endings in different surahs.
- Surah identification: “Which surah is this in, and what comes before it?”
- Long passages: reciting several pages in one go without hesitation.
Strong revision habits are the only real preparation for this part. In the months before your final sitting, revise a fixed portion of old memorization every day and ask someone to test you from random places at least once a week.
Check Your Readiness
Before asking your teacher to schedule the final sitting, go through the checklist below honestly. Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can return to it every week.
Ijazah Exam Readiness Checklist
Check the skills your sheikh will listen for before your final sitting
What Sheikhs Listen For Most
Teachers generally sort mistakes into two kinds:
- Lahn jali (clear mistakes): changing a letter, a vowel or a word, or skipping something. These can change the meaning and must be fully corrected before an ijazah is granted.
- Lahn khafi (hidden mistakes): shortening a ghunnah, uneven madd, a slightly weak qalqalah. Ordinary listeners may not notice them, but an ijazah requires you to eliminate them too.
The most common reason students are asked to repeat a portion is inconsistency. A student who uses five counts for munfasil in one juz and four in the next, or whose ghunnah shortens as they get tired, is not yet ready, even if every individual rule is known.
Nerves are normal. Many students who recite perfectly in lessons stumble in front of the sheikh in the final sitting. Recite to family, record mock sessions and practice reciting long passages without stopping, so that the real sitting feels familiar.
A 6-Week Preparation Plan
- Weeks 1 and 2: record yourself reciting one juz a day and listen back with the mushaf open, marking every doubt.
- Week 3: revise theory: makharij, sifaat, noon and meem rules and madd, with examples from the Quran for each.
- Week 4: drill the special words of Hafs and the places where waqf changes the meaning.
- Week 5: ask your teacher for a mock sitting with random passages and questions.
- Week 6: light revision only, good sleep and a final run through your weakest juz.
On the day itself, make wudu, keep water nearby and, for online sittings, test your microphone and internet beforehand. For the bigger picture of the journey, read our guide on how to complete the ijazah.
In our online Ijazah course, you can follow the Hafs ‘an ‘Asim track with sanad, or the recitation, Hifz and Tajweed ijazah tracks, starting with a free level assessment that shows how far you are from your final sitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a written exam for an ijazah?
Traditionally, no. An ijazah is granted on the basis of your complete recitation to a qualified sheikh, together with oral questions. Some institutes add written tests on tajweed theory, but the recitation remains the core.
What happens if I make a mistake in the final sitting?
The sheikh corrects you, and you repeat the passage correctly. Small slips that you fix immediately are normal; repeated clear mistakes or inconsistent rules usually mean the teacher asks for more revision before granting the ijazah.
How many questions does the sheikh ask?
There is no fixed number. Some teachers ask questions throughout the khatm, others focus on a final review, and some ask very few if your recitation already shows full command of the rules.
Do I need to memorize tajweed poems for a Quran ijazah?
Not always. Many teachers ask you to know the rules and their reasons rather than a full poem, while others expect you to have memorized Tuhfat al-Atfal or al-Jazariyyah. Ask your teacher at the start what will be expected.
Can the ijazah exam be done online?
Yes. Because the assessment is recited aloud, a sheikh can hear every letter over a live video lesson. A good connection and a quiet room are essential, and you can discuss your track and timeline when you start your Ijazah studies with a free assessment.
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