Muslims who completely memorize the Qur’an are allowed to use the title ‘Hafız’ before their names. They believe that whoever memorizes the holy book and follows its teachings will be rewarded by Allah and will rise in status in Paradise.

The practice dates back to the days when illiteracy was widespread and paper and vellum were prohibitively expensive, so Hafızes were seen as guardians of the holy word, keeping it alive for future generations.

The Qur’an has a total of 604 pages and 6,236 verses, and committing them to memory is usually achieved by repetition and recitation. Girls are attempting...