How Subjectivity Creeps Into Hifz Marking

Introduction: The Human Face of a Noble Task

After years of sitting on both sides of the table—as a teacher preparing students for Quran competitions, and as a judge or organiser in various Hifz events—I have had to grapple with a recurring discomfort: how personal perceptions, habits, and sometimes sheer fatigue subtly influence our marking of Hifz recitations. Hifz competitions are meant to be bastions of fairness, celebrating the sacred trust of memorising and preserving the Quran. Yet, despite shared intentions and even written criteria, subjectivity finds its way into the marking process—sometimes as a whisper, sometimes as a roar.

In this piece, drawn from direct experience and honest observations, I’d like to explore how subjectivity manifests in Hifz marking, why it matters, and what we—as teachers, judges, and organisers—can do to strive for greater fairness and clarity.

Understanding Hifz Marking—Theory and Lived Reality

On paper, Hifz marking is often straightforward. Judges are given marking schemes that reward accuracy in memorisation and penalise errors of omission or addition. There may also be deductions for hesitations, corrections, and sometimes aspects of recitation such as Tajwid or fluency.

But competitions are not held on paper. Papers do not cough, blink, or react to nerves. Reciters and judges, both human, bring the lived reality—moods, biases, and past experiences—into the room. And so, the process, no matter how well-defined, is shaped by the subjective filters through which it is enacted.

Where Subjectivity Creeps In

• Different Interpretations of Errors
  • Minor versus Major Mistakes: Some judges draw a sharp line between errors that break the meaning (major) and slips that, in their eyes, do not. Others mark nearly as harshly for both.
  • Tajwid Rulings: Where does an ‘acceptable’ mistake end and an ‘unacceptable’ one begin? Even with guidelines, judges may differ in their sensitivity to subtle Tajwid errors.
  • Self-correction: Some see quick self-correction as a sign of mastery, others as an impermissible slip. The grey area can become a battleground for subjective interpretation.
• Variable Tolerance for Nervousness
  • Empathy for Contestants: Experienced judges may show leniency to visibly nervous competitors. Others insist that composure is part of testing true Hifz.
  • Assuming Ability: At times, a judge who personally knows a contestant’s calibre may unconsciously grade their hesitations or mistakes more lightly.
• Influence of Personality and Reputation
  • Well-Known Contestants: Highly-regarded students (or those from respected institutions) may be subconsciously given the benefit of the doubt.
  • First Impressions: A reciter’s tone, confidence, or even their dress can (wrongly) form a baseline expectation that colours how judges perceive small errors.
• Environmental and Logistical Factors
  • Fatigue: After long hours of marking, judges—myself included—find concentration wavering, and a tendency to gloss over smaller mistakes or, conversely, become impatient.
  • Distractions: Background noise, interruptions, or pressure to rush sometimes cause errors to be missed or miscounted. Not all contestants are affected equally.

True Stories: The Hidden Decisions of Judging

I recall one competition where two contestants gave almost identical performances. Objectively, their marks should have been equal—but one was a regular at the mosque, known for his calm presence. The other was unfamiliar, reciting with a hint of nervousness. When reviewing our marking as a team, I caught myself rationalising a slightly higher score for the familiar contestant. It was not deliberate favouritism, but the insidious effect of comfort and assumption.

Similarly, I’ve seen Tajwid errors that split opinion among judges—one calling it a critical mistake, another dismissing it as regional variation. The room divides, not over the actual words recited, but over the lens through which those words are heard.

The Cost of Subjectivity—Seen and Unseen

When subjectivity seeps in, the consequences go beyond scores. Students invest years—often their childhoods—in memorising the Quran with precision. For them, a mark off here or there matters deeply. But beyond that, persistent subjectivity chips away at trust: students, parents, and teachers begin to doubt the fairness of outcomes, sometimes losing motivation or respect for the process.

Unchecked, subjectivity risks cultivating unhealthy competition, where relationships, appearance, or background overshadow skill and dedication. For the most sincere competitors, this is profoundly discouraging.

Why Objectivity is So Difficult

Marking Hifz is unlike scoring a race or a mathematics test. The beauty of the Quran is in its recitation, and the subtleties of Tajwid and Qira’ah are both critical and incredibly nuanced. Add in the obligation to respect students’ dignity and the insecurity many experience on stage, and you are left walking a tightrope between justice and compassion, law and spirit.

Here are a few persistent obstacles I have witnessed:

• Incomplete Marking Guidelines: Many competitions provide only bare-bones marking schemes or do not thoroughly train judges. Vague descriptions leave more to interpretation.
• Diverging Training & Schools of Thought: Judges may be trained across different traditions of recitation, or have memorised under diverse shuyukh with subtle methodological differences.
• Emotional Investment: Many judges are themselves teachers or have prior relationships with contestants, which can cloud total objectivity.

Towards Greater Fairness: Practical Steps

Despite its inevitability, subjectivity can be reduced. Over the years, some measures have, in my experience, made the greatest difference:

• Standardised, Explicit Marking Rubrics
  Detailed marking guidelines, with clear examples of mistakes and their penalties, help judges move from gut feeling to shared understanding.
• Pre-Competition Calibration
  Take time before the competition to review sample recitations as a judging panel. Discuss, debate, and come to agreement—then record these as “precedents” for tricky cases.
• Multiple Judges and Consensus Scoring
  Panels of three or more, with marks averaged or reached by consensus, dilute individual bias. This also gives space for clarifying differences of opinion.
• Blind Marking Where Possible
  If feasible, anonymise contestants (e.g. by number, not name), especially in initial rounds, to reduce bias related to reputation or prior knowledge.
• Rotation and Breaks
  Combat fatigue and inattention by rotating judges, enforcing regular breaks, and limiting session length.
• Structured Feedback for Contestants
  Provide specific, written feedback on errors and strengths. Not only does this help students grow, but it also encourages judges to be mindful and precise in their marking.

Advice for Aspiring Judges and Organisers

Nobody enters this field to do injustice. If you’re stepping into the world of Hifz competitions—as a judge, organiser, or teacher—consider the following:

• Admit Your Biases—Keep reflecting on your own tendencies. Notice patterns in whom you tend to favour, and why.
• Keep Learning—Attend training, seek feedback from co-judges, and update yourself on best practices and Tajwid rulings.
• Be Transparent—Communicate marking criteria and processes openly with students and parents. Transparency brings trust.
• Support Contestants—Remember, your words carry weight. Maintain dignity and patience, especially with children.
• Embrace Technology—Where apt, digital marking tools can add consistency and aid in tracking errors and feedback.

Conclusion: Striving For Excellence, Preserving Trust

In the end, marking Hifz competitions with integrity demands more than technical skill. It calls for self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to grow. The Quran is a trust in our hands—so, too, is the trust of every student, parent, and teacher who looks to us for justice.

Subjectivity will always be present, but by acknowledging and addressing it, we can ensure that our competitions remain uplifting, trustworthy, and worthy of the sacred words we seek to honour.

If you need help with your Quran competition platform or marking tools, email info@qurancompetitions.tech.