iThe 10-Year Journey to Ijazah: A Teacher’s Story of Patience and Barakah

For as long as I could remember, the recitation of the Quran held a magnetic pull over my soul. I was that young student in the local Halaqah (study circle), eagerly waiting for my turn to read, mimicking the melodious tones of world-renowned Qaris. As I grew older, my ambition matured from simply wanting to sound beautiful to a deep-seated desire to connect authentically with the Divine words. This ambition inevitably led me to the ultimate goal in Quranic studies: obtaining an Ijazah in Quran recitation.

But with this high ambition came a paralyzing shadow: profound self-doubt. The Ijazah—a license authorizing the holder to transmit the Quran, linking them in an unbroken chain (Sanad) back to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)—felt impossibly out of reach. I would listen to certified teachers, their precision awe-inspiring, and a voice inside me would whisper, “Are you really good enough to get an Ijazah? You make mistakes. Your breath control is weak. You are not one of them.”

The Trap of Rush and Perfectionism

In the early years of my pursuit, I treated the Ijazah like a university degree—a race to the finish line. I thought if I just memorized faster and drilled Tajweed rules harder, I could prove that nagging voice wrong.

I approached my first serious Sheikh with this frenetic energy. Then I recited wildly, prioritizing speed and melody over the intricate rules of Tajweed. As I wanted to impress him, to prove I was ready.

He stopped me gently after only a few verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. “My son,” he said, his voice calm but firm, “The Quran is not a race. You are trying to build the roof before the foundation is set.” He pointed out subtle errors in my Makharij (articulation points of letters) that I hadn’t even realized I was making.

I left that session crushed. The doubt amplified. If I couldn’t even get the basics right after years of casual study, how could I ever achieve an Ijazah in Quran recitation? I almost quit right there, convinced that this path was meant for others gifted with natural talent, not for someone who struggled like me.

The Shift: Finding the Right Teacher and Embracing Patience (Sabr) – Ijazah In Quran Recitation

It took time to heal my ego. Eventually, I sought out a new teacher, Sheikh Abdullah. He was known not just for his impeccable recitation, but for his immense patience.

In our first meeting, I voiced my fears. “Sheikh, I want this, but I don’t think I’m good enough. I’ve been trying for years.”

Sheikh Abdullah smiled. “The goal of the Ijazah is not perfection, for only Allah is perfect. The goal is sincerity and striving. The Sanad is a chain of character as much as it is a chain of sound. If you have Sabr (patience), Allah will grant the opening.”

That was the turning point. I stopped asking “When will I finish?” and started asking “How can I improve today?”

The journey truly began then. We spent six months just on Surah Al-Fatihah and the first few pages of Al-Baqarah. It was grueling. Sometimes, we would spend an entire hour correcting the pronunciation of a single letter, like the heavy ‘Dhad’ or the delicate ‘Ha’.

There were months when I felt I was plateauing. I would listen to recordings of myself and hear the same mistakes repeating. The old doubts would resurface. Ten years, I thought. Is it really going to take ten years? But whenever I felt overwhelmed, Sheikh Abdullah would remind me that the struggle itself was an act of worship.

Recognizing the Barakah (Divine Blessing) – Ijazah In Quran Recitation

Around year five, something shifted. It wasn’t a sudden leap in ability, but a change in perception. I began to notice Barakah in my time and efforts.

Previously, I practiced out of anxiety. Now, I practiced out of love. The intensive focus on the minutiae of Tajweed—the lengths of the Madd, the nasalization of the Ghunnah—stopped feeling like a chore and became a deeply spiritual exercise in discipline.

I realized that seeking an Ijazah in Quran recitation was transforming me outside of the Halaqah too. The discipline required to master a difficult verse began to bleed into my daily life—in how I managed anger, how I guarded my speech, and how I approached my prayers.

The Barakah was that Allah was using the Quran to refine my character. The Ijazah wasn’t just about pronouncing letters correctly; it was about becoming a vessel fit to carry His words. The question “Am I good enough?” started to fade, replaced by the realization that none of us are “good enough” on our own merits—it is only through Allah’s mercy that we improve.

The Final Steps: From Student to Carrier – Ijazah In Quran Recitation

By year nine, my recitation had changed dramatically. It wasn’t just technically correct; it had weight. It was grounded.

When Sheikh Abdullah finally told me it was time for the final Khatmah (complete recitation) for the Ijazah, I didn’t feel the rush of excitement I had anticipated a decade earlier. Instead, I felt a profound sense of gravity.

The final recitation took months. Every page was scrutinized. When I finally read the last Surah, An-Nas, and the Sheikh signed the certificate linking my name to his, and his to his teacher, all the way back to the Source, I wept.

I didn’t weep because I had “made it.” I wept because I understood what the Ijazah truly meant. It wasn’t a trophy. As t was an immense trust (Amanah). It was a responsibility to teach others with the same patience and integrity that had been shown to me.

Am I Good Enough? – Ijazah In Quran Recitation

Looking back on those ten years, I realize the initial problem—that crippling question of “Am I good enough to get an Ijazah in Quran recitation?”—was flawed.

If you are asking that question, it means you have the necessary humility to begin. The arrogance of thinking you are already good enough is the real barrier.

The journey to an Ijazah is designed to break down your ego and rebuild it with reliance on Allah. It is a long road, yes. You will face rejection, then you will plateau, and you will doubt yourself. But if you remain sincere, find a teacher who values your spiritual growth alongside your technical skill, and exercise patience, you will find that the Barakah of the Quran carries you further than your own abilities ever could.

You don’t get an Ijazah because you are perfect. You receive it when you have proven you are a dedicated, humble, and lifelong student of Allah’s book. And that is a journey worth every second of the decade it might take.

Are you beginning your own journey with the Quran? Do not let the time it takes discourage you. The time will pass anyway. Pass it in the company of the Quran.