First 10 Surahs Every New Muslim Should Learn
If you've recently embraced Islam, the Quran can feel overwhelming. 114 surahs. 6,236 ayahs. Where do you even start?
The good news: the Quran was revealed in pieces, over 23 years, and the surahs you need first are short, repeated daily, and memorizable in a few weeks.
This guide gives you the 10 most important surahs to learn first — in priority order. Memorize them in order, and within 2–3 months you'll have everything you need for daily prayer and a strong foundation for the rest.
Why these 10?
Two criteria:
- You will recite them in Salah. All Muslims pray Salah; Salah requires Quran recitation; these are the surahs you'll use.
- They are short. All 10 fit on one page of a Mushaf. You can memorize them in a reasonable time.
The list and order are based on what we recommend to every revert who walks into a class for the first time.
1. Surah Al-Fatihah (the Opening) — 7 ayahs
This is the most important surah in the Quran for a new Muslim. You recite it in every single rakah (unit) of every prayer. Memorize it first, even before you can read Arabic letters. You can transliterate it temporarily, but learn the Arabic as soon as possible.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Meaning summary: Praise of Allah, the Merciful Lord; a request for guidance to the straight path.
When you recite it: every rakah of every prayer. Minimum 17 times daily for the 5 obligatory prayers.
2. Surah Al-Ikhlas (The Sincerity) — 4 ayahs
The shortest summary of monotheism in the Quran. The Prophet ﷺ said this surah equals one-third of the Quran in reward.
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Meaning summary: Allah is One; the Eternal; He was not born, did not give birth, and has no equal.
When you recite it: commonly in the second rakah of voluntary prayers and in many sunnah (Prophet's recommended) prayers.
3. Surah Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) — 5 ayahs
A protective surah — recited for protection from harm.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Meaning summary: Seeking refuge with Allah from the evils of darkness, magic, and envy.
When you recite it: before sleep, after the obligatory prayers (3x), and as a daily protection.
4. Surah An-Naas (Mankind) — 6 ayahs
The companion to Al-Falaq. Together they are called the Mu'awwidhatayn (the two surahs of refuge).
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ
Meaning summary: Seeking refuge with Allah, Lord of mankind, from the whispers of the evil one.
When you recite it: same context as Al-Falaq.
5. Surah Al-Kafiroun (The Disbelievers) — 6 ayahs
A clear declaration of religious distinction. Often paired with Al-Ikhlas in voluntary prayers.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
Meaning summary: "I do not worship what you worship. To you your religion, to me my religion."
6. Surah An-Nasr (The Help) — 3 ayahs
A short surah celebrating the eventual victory of truth and Allah's help.
إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا
Meaning summary: When Allah's help and victory come, glorify and ask forgiveness — He always accepts repentance.
7. Surah Al-Asr (The Time) — 3 ayahs
Said by Imam Shafi'i to be sufficient for guidance if mankind only had this one surah.
وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
Meaning summary: All of humanity is at loss, except those who believe, do good, and counsel each other to truth and patience.
8. Surah Al-Kawthar (The Abundance) — 3 ayahs
The shortest surah in the Quran. A statement of Allah's blessings on the Prophet ﷺ.
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ
Meaning summary: "We have given you abundance — so pray to your Lord and sacrifice."
9. Surah Al-Ma'un (Small Kindnesses) — 7 ayahs
A surah about social responsibility and the kind of religion that is valued.
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ
Meaning summary: Religion is not just ritual — it is treatment of the orphan, the poor, and small kindnesses.
10. Ayat al-Kursi (Quran 2:255) — the Throne Verse
Not a full surah, but the most powerful single ayah in the Quran. Memorizing it is recommended for daily protection.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Meaning summary: Allah — the Living, the Sustaining; He neither sleeps nor slumbers; He encompasses all creation; nothing is hidden from Him.
When you recite it: before sleep (the Prophet ﷺ said it provides protection through the night), after every obligatory prayer.
How to memorize them in order
A realistic plan:
| Week | Surah | |---|---| | 1–3 | Surah Al-Fatihah (start here, prioritize this) | | 4 | Surah Al-Ikhlas | | 5 | Surah Al-Falaq | | 6 | Surah An-Naas | | 7 | Surah Al-Kafiroun | | 8 | Surah An-Nasr | | 9 | Surah Al-Asr | | 10 | Surah Al-Kawthar | | 11 | Surah Al-Ma'un | | 12 | Ayat al-Kursi |
That's 12 weeks to all 10. After this you can recite Salah confidently and have the foundations to keep going.
Should I memorize transliteration first?
For Salah, yes — temporarily. Transliteration gets you praying immediately while you learn to read Arabic. But you should learn to read Arabic letters as soon as possible. Transliteration loses Tajweed and shapes bad pronunciation habits.
Take 8 weeks of Quran Reading classes alongside memorizing the first 2–3 surahs. By the time you reach the 4th surah on this list, you'll be reading Arabic.
Get a teacher
Memorizing on your own from a book is hard. A patient teacher who can hear you recite, correct you, and answer your questions changes everything.
Our Quran for Reverts program is designed for exactly this. Patient, English-fluent, judgment-free, and you can request a female teacher if you're a woman who prefers that.
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About the author
Maria Ishaq is a Hafiza of the Quran with 4 years of online teaching experience. She works primarily with reverts and women learning to read for the first time.
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