How long until my child can read the Quran?
By Zubair Sattar, founder of Online Quran Learnings · Updated · 5 min read
3 Days Free Trial · Female supervisor in every class
The short answer
Most children read their first Quran page within about 4 to 12 months of starting Noorani Qaida, and read the Quran smoothly, with the main Tajweed rules, about a year or two after that. Age, classes a week and a few minutes of practice at home change the pace more than anything else.
The three stages
| Stage | At the end of it, your child can | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Noorani Qaida | Read the letters, vowels and joined words, and the first Tajweed rules | 4 to 12 months |
| First Quran pages | Read Juz Amma and the first juz slowly, with the teacher correcting | 3 to 6 months |
| Reading smoothly | Read any page at a steady pace, applying the main Tajweed rules | About a year more |
More on the first stage: how long Noorani Qaida takes and when to move from Qaida to the Quran.
A rough timeline by age
| Age at the start | Classes a week | First Quran page | Reading smoothly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 5 | 2 | After about 9 to 12 months | Often 2 to 3 years in |
| 6 to 7 | 3 | After about 6 to 9 months | About 1½ to 2 years in |
| 8 and up | 3 to 4 | After about 4 to 6 months | About 1 to 1½ years in |
A 4-year-old who takes three years is not behind. Young children learn the sounds slowly and then speed up. After the first week of classes the teacher can give you an estimate for your own child.
What speeds it up, and what does not
If you cannot read Arabic yourself, you can still help a lot. See helping your child when you can’t read Arabic.
How you will know where your child is
You get a progress report every month, and you can join any class to hear your child read. A female supervisor joins every lesson. See how to track your child’s Quran progress.
Quick questions
Can my child skip Noorani Qaida?
Only if they already read the letters, vowels and joined words correctly. The teacher checks this in the first class. See [does my child need Noorani Qaida?](/blog/does-my-child-need-noorani-qaida/)
My child reads the Quran, but slowly. Is that normal?
Yes, for the first year after Qaida. Speed comes from reading a little every day, not from rushing. Accuracy first, then pace.
Does reading the Quran mean understanding it?
No. Reading is the first step. Children can learn the meaning of short surahs alongside it. See [when a child reads but does not understand](/blog/child-reads-quran-but-doesnt-understand/).
