Hassan Saeed
Read time: 4 minutes
Today, I’m going to show you how I memorized a list of 50 Surah names from the Quran—in order—in under one minute.
But before I show you how I did it, I have a challenge for you …
Try memorizing this shorter list and see how long it takes you: Click here
Now, let me share the method that made this easy for me.
The Secret: Turn It Into a Story
Our brains are wired to remember stories. A story gives context, which makes it easier to recall details in the right order.
I created a story using:
Location
Characters
Sequence of Events.
I made a story where the characters interacted in a logical sequence, with the events following the order of the list.
Here's the story I created to memorize the list:
“You opened the door and saw a cow belonging to the family of Imran. Inside the tent, the women were preparing food for lunch while the family’s cattle grazed near the fence. Later that day, the cattle were taken as spoils of war.
The ones who took them regretted their actions and decided to repent. When they returned to the family's tent to apologize, they found three brothers: Jonah, Hud, and Joseph.
Suddenly, they heard a loud thunder outside. They turned and saw their father, Abraham, walking back from the valley with bees swarming above him. That night, they went to the mountains.
In a cave, they found two inscriptions on the wall: one with the name Mary and the other with Taha, followed by the names of other prophets.
Together, they performed Hajj and met with the believers. At night, a light was turned on, and a group began reading the Quran. Meanwhile, a few poets decided to write about something unusual — a group of ants telling stories to a spider.”
Now take a look at the list and try to memorize it again. I’m sure you’ll be able to do it faster this time.
✅ You can use this method to memorize not only any list but also the sequence of events in any Surah.
✅ To make it harder to forget, exaggerate the details when creating a story.
✅ If you struggle to remember part of the story, go back and adjust it. The more vivid and personal the story, the easier it will be to recall.
One more thing…
If you want to move what you’ve memorized from short-term to long-term memory, repeat it:
Every day for a week
Every week for a month
Every month for a year
Every year for a lifetime.
Learn How I Memorized the Quran: