Herald NAMSCA 1, 2018 Muhammad Hafiz Saleh , Zawawi Ismail , Zaharah Hussin ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 621 DETERMINING THE OBJECTIVES OF TAHFIZ AL-QURAN EDUCATION USING FUZZY DELPHI METHOD (FDM) *Muhammad Hafiz Saleh (1) , Zawawi Ismail (2) , Zaharah Hussin (3) , (1) Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies, Islamic Science University of Malaysia, Malaysia (2) Faculty of Education, University of Malaya (3) (2) Faculty of Education, University of Malaya * Corresponding author: *Muhammad Hafiz Saleh: Fakulti Pengajian Quran dan Sunnah, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Malaysia mhafiz@usim.edu.my Abstract. In Malaysia, the interest towards Tahfiz al-Quran education among the public is increasing day by day. Most parents preferred to send their children to tahfiz schools. However, not many of them know the main objectives of the tahfiz al-Quran education in details. Previous studies found that the performance of tahfiz students in Malaysia was at a moderate level and not up to the desired standards of a Hafiz al-Quran. Most of the issues and problems faced by the tahfiz students were due to the absence of clear objectives and the lack of the details behind the general objectives. Given the severe and worrying performance issues of tahfiz students in Malaysia, research is needed to determine the goals and objectives of the tahfiz al-Quran education. For that purpose, the researchers will come out with the objectives of tahfiz al-Quran education by using document analysis and Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). The Fuzzy Delphi Method is applied in this research to obtain the views and consensus from the experts in a structured manner. In conclusion, seven main objectives of tahfiz al- Quran were drafted and approved by the specialists in the field of tahfiz al-Quran education. Keywords: Tahfiz Education, Fuzzy Delphi Method. Introduction. Al-Quran is the Holy Book for Muslims. It was revealed from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril 1 . Allah has given His assurance that the contents of the Quran will not possibly be distorted or changed by anyone. Thus far, the Quran remains authentic and continues to be memorised in the hearts of the Hafiz al-Quran (memorisers) through tahfiz education. The term tahfiz linguistically carries two meanings; (1) to protect and preserve, as in protecting a property and preserving good health. (2) To remember and memorise, as in remembering a taught knowledge and memorising the Quran. Therefore, tahfiz Quran means memorising every verse of the Quran with the intention of preserving its text of any change, addition, or subtraction, and as well as memorising it so that the Quran would continue to be spread to the next generations 2 . In other words, tahfiz Quran means memorising the entire Quran from Surah of al-Fatihah to Surah an-Nas (Abdullah A.B. , 2011) 3 . The scholars in the field of tahfiz al-Quran education have outlined several standards for the objectives of tahfiz al-Quran education as follows: 1. To produce Hafiz al-Quran that is able to memorise the entire Quran According to Shukri and Firas (2003), Hafiz al-Quran is those who successfully memorised the entire Quran regarding recitation and writing 4 . He or she must be able to recite and write every letter and word in the Quran without looking at the mushaf. Among the characteristics of a good quality Hafiz al-Quran, he or she can remember every verse in the Quran. Also, he or she is capable of continuing any verses from the Quran when being asked. More than that, if he or she listens to a verse, he or she can detect the position of the verse from which Surah or which Juz’ 5 . To produce Hafiz al-Quran with excellent quality of Quran recitation 1 Al-Zurqani, Muhammad. Manahil al-Irfan fi Ulum al-Quran. Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifah; 1999. 2 al-Sayyid. Al-Bayan fi Tilawat al-Quran. Cairo: Maktabah al-Zahra'; 1992. 3 Al-Bukhari, Abdullah. Juhud al-Ummah Fi Tahfiz al-Quran al-Karim. al-Mu'tamar al-Alami al-Awwal lil Bahithin fi al- Quran al-Karim wa Ulumihi. Jami'ah Ibn Zuhr: Akadir al-Maghrib; 2011: 167-207. 4 Syukri, A., & al-Auratani, F. I'anat al-Murid li Hifz al-Quran al-Majid. Amman: Jam'iyyah al-Muhafazah ala al-Quran al-Karim; 2003. 5 Bilal, M. T. I'anat al-Huffaz lil Ayat al-Mutashabihat al-Alfaz. Jeddah: Dar Nur al-Maktabat; 2003.