Choosing the Right Tajweed Teacher: 5 Questions to Ask
The single biggest factor in whether you (or your child) actually learn Tajweed is the teacher. Method matters, but a good teacher with an average method beats a great method with an average teacher every time.
So how do you tell a good Tajweed teacher from an average one — before you commit to months of classes?
Here are the 5 questions I would ask, and what the right answers sound like. As an instructor with 12 years in this space, I've sat through enough recruitment interviews to know what separates the teachers who deliver from the ones who don't.
1. "Are you Hafiz with Ijazah?"
The right answer: Yes, in [name of qira'ah, usually Hafs an Asim]. I completed Hifz in [year] under [teacher name].
A Hafiz is someone who has memorized the entire Quran. An Ijazah is a formal certification of recitation passed down in an unbroken chain of teachers — it means the teacher's recitation has been heard, verified, and authorized by their own teacher.
Both matter for Tajweed. Memorization gives the teacher fluency in the text; Ijazah gives them the qualification to teach.
If the teacher's answer is vague — "I've studied for many years," "I'm working towards Hifz," "I learned from my father at home" — they may still be capable, but they don't have the formal credential. Decide if that matters to you.
2. "How do you correct mistakes?"
The right answer should describe a method, not just say "I correct them."
Look for something like: "I let the student finish the ayah, then I demonstrate the correct pronunciation, then I have them repeat the same ayah focusing on the specific sound. If they make the same mistake again, I break it down — point of articulation, characteristic of the letter, how it differs from the wrong sound."
What you don't want: "I tell them what's wrong." That's not teaching — that's marking.
The best teachers correct systematically and kindly, and they explain why something is wrong, not just that it's wrong.
3. "Will I (the parent) get progress reports?"
For child students, this is critical.
The right answer: Yes, after every class. Either through the platform's built-in notes system, or through messages directly. Progress notes should include: what was covered, what improved, what needs more work, what to practice before next class.
If the answer is "You can ask after class if you want," that's not progress reporting — that's customer service. Run the other way for child classes.
4. "What's your gender filter policy if I have a daughter?"
For families that prefer a female teacher for daughters, this is non-negotiable. The platform should make filtering by teacher gender easy at booking time, and the teacher pool should include qualified women.
The right answer: We have [N] female Hafiza instructors available. You can filter by gender on our instructors page. Here's a link.
If the answer is "All our teachers are male" or "You'll have to email and ask," and that matters to you, look elsewhere. (At Quran Interactive, 4 of our 10 instructors are female Hafizas.)
5. "Can I see a sample class — or take a free trial?"
The right answer: Yes — we offer a free 30-minute trial class. No credit card.
A teacher confident in their work has no reason not to let you try first. If the answer is "You'd have to commit to a month before we can give you a session," that's a red flag.
The trial class is your real evaluation. Your evaluation criteria during it:
- Did you understand what the teacher said?
- Did your child engage, or zone out?
- Did the teacher correct mistakes patiently?
- Did the teacher leave you with something specific to practice?
- Did they tell you what they'd do in class 2?
If the answer to all five is yes, you've found the right teacher.
What the price tells you (and what it doesn't)
Pricing for online Quran classes runs from $5/class to $50/class. Where does quality live?
Most legitimate teachers with verified Hafiz qualification charge $10–$20 per 30-minute session. (Our standard plans work out to roughly $10/class.)
- Below $5/class: the teacher is almost certainly not a verified Hafiz. They may still be helpful for absolute beginner Quran Reading, but for Tajweed it's not the right fit.
- $5–$10/class: acceptable range for a working Hafiz teacher in regions with lower cost of living (Pakistan, Egypt). Quality varies — use the 5 questions above.
- $10–$20/class: standard range for vetted, English-fluent, Hafiz-qualified instruction with platform support, scheduling, recordings, etc.
- $20+/class: typically academy or one-on-one with a particularly senior scholar. Worth it for advanced students or for Translation/Tafsir; overkill for basic Tajweed.
Don't pick on price alone. Pick on the answers to the 5 questions.
Red flags
A few things that should make you walk away regardless of price:
- The teacher wants to contact your child outside the platform (WhatsApp them directly, social media, etc.)
- The teacher hesitates to be recorded
- The teacher doesn't know what qira'ah they recite in
- The teacher has been "studying" for many years but isn't qualified yet
- The school doesn't have a public child safeguarding policy
- No background check process for teachers
- The teacher complains about other students or other teachers
Each one is a sign of something that won't get better with time.
Try us with the 5 questions
Take this article to your free trial class with us. Ask Muhammad Waqas, or any of our 10 instructors, the 5 questions above. If the answers don't satisfy you, don't continue. We'll have failed our job.
→ Book a free Tajweed trial — 30 minutes, no credit card.
→ Browse all 10 instructors — see their qualifications and book directly.
About the author
Muhammad Waqas is a Hafiz of the Quran with Ijazah in Hafs an Asim. Alim graduate. 12 years of one-on-one online teaching with Quran Interactive.
→ View profile · Book trial with Muhammad Waqas
