The Noble Quran is Allah’s literal words, that He revealed as an infallible source of regulation for people to follow in order to live a well-ordered life. It comprises rules and suggestions for many parts of life, as well as references to the afterlife. Because the Quran is so significant, it must be read, written, and recited correctly and clearly to avoid any ambiguity or misunderstanding. “…And recite the Quran with measured recitation,” Allah Almighty said to His Messenger Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (may Allah elevate his mention) (may Allah exalt his mention) in the Quran. [73:4 Quran]
Even the hardest of hearts can be softened by hearing the Quran recited correctly. Even if they don’t comprehend what is being said, it is a highly affecting experience for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Every Muslim is required to recite the Quran in prayer, but many of us are unaware that correctly reciting the Quran while adhering to the rules of recitation is not an advanced science reserved for expert reciters only; rather, it is a responsibility that each of us bears whenever we recite the Quran.
What Is Tajweed?
Tajweed is a linguistic term that implies “proficiency” or “doing something well.” Jeem, Waw, and Daal are the same root letters as the Arabic word ‘Jayyid,’ which means ‘good.’ When applied to the Qur’an, it implies giving each letter of the Qur’an its own rights and dues of features and following the laws that apply to those letters in various contexts when we recite the Qur’an. By recognising the inherent features of each letter that never leave it, we grant the letters their rights. We also give them their due by observing the features of each letter that are present in them at times but not at others.
Tajweed rules were applied to the Qur’an when it was revealed. In other words, when the angel Jibreel (alaihis salaam) recited Allah’s words to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), he did so in a certain method, and he demonstrated to the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) the various ways in which the Qur’an may be recited. So it is incumbent upon us to follow those rules in order to recite it in the manner in which it was revealed.
There was no need for people to study Tajweed at the time of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) because they spoke in what is now known as Tajweed, therefore it came naturally to them. When Arabs began interacting with non-Arabs as Islam spread, errors in Qur’an recitation began to arise, prompting academics to write down the guidelines. Even Arabs now have to study Tajweed since their everyday Arabic has changed so much from the Classical Arabic with which the Qur’an was given.
Purpose behind Observance of Tajweed:
Here we refer to some benefits of studying the tajweed rules as mentioned in the prophetic traditions (Sunnah):
1- The Quran reciters will be accompanied by the honourable angels:
“Verily, the one who recites the Quran sweetly, effortlessly, and exactly, he will be in the company of the honourable angels,” says ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her. And whomever recites it with difficulty, stammering or faltering through its verses, will be rewarded TWICE as much.” [Muslim and Al-Bukhari]
2- You will be among the best of people: ‘Uthmaan, may Allah reward him, quoted the Prophet (SAW) as saying, “The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it to others.” [Al-Bukhari]
3– For each letter you recite from the Holy Quran, you will receive ten rewards: “Whoever reads a letter from Allah’s Book will receive a reward.” And that reward will be ten times greater. “Alif, Laam, Meem” is not a letter; rather, “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter, and “meem” is a letter.” [This is saheeh, according to Tirmidhi]
4– The Quran will lead you to the Paradise!
The Qur’an is an intercessor, and it is rightly believed in. It will bring him to Paradise if he places it in front of him; if he puts it behind him, it will lead him to Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]
The question that arises here is how the companions learned the Quran. To put it another way, did this science exist throughout the Prophet’s lifetime?
It’s important noting that the Quran was revealed with tajweed norms applied to it, which means that scholars followed these principles so that we may read it as it was revealed. The Prophet (SAW) would recite the Quran in front of his companions, who would then recite it back to him.
It is critical to learn the Quran from someone who is experienced with it (shaykh). The Prophet dispatched experienced companions to various Muslim lands to teach Muslims the recital of the Quran as well as Islamic rules. Mus’ab bin ‘Umair was dispatched with the first vow of ‘Aqabah’s people, while Mu’adh bin Jabal was dispatched to Yemen to train the people.
The Ruling of Reading with Tajweed Rules
“And implementing Tajweed is an issue of absolute need,” said Imaam Muhammad Ibn Al-Jazari, may Allah have mercy on him, a distinguished Quran and Hadeeth scholar of the 9th Hijri century, in his famous poem detailing the rules of Tajweed: “Whoever does not apply Tajweed to the Quran, then he is a sinner.”
As a result, following the guidelines of Tajweed is required in order to avoid serious recitation mistakes.
Scholars have separated the types of errors that might occur when reciting the Quran into two categories:
1. Clear mistakes: which usually change obvious things and change the meaning.
2. Hidden (Unobvious) mistakes: for which one may need to study Tajweed rules.
The majority of scholars agree that following the Tajweed rules of the Quran to avoid obvious errors is an individual obligation (Fardh ‘Ayn) for every Muslim who has memorised a portion or all of the Quran, whereas following the Tajweed rules to avoid hidden errors is a collective obligation (Fardh Kifaayah) for Muslims. That is, there must be some knowledge students who are aware of this. This is because the Quran was revealed with Tajweed principles applied to it, and the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (may Allah glorify his remembrance) repeated it back to Jibreel in that manner, and his companions read it in that manner. so it is an established Sunnah (Prophetic tradition or practice).
The list below shows the type of mistakes under each category:
Clear Mistakes:
Mistakes relating to proper letter pronunciation so that letters do not become jumbled up and lose their meaning. These should be avoided by both scholars and ordinary Muslims.
Examples of Clear Mistakes:
• Transforming one letter into another or a short vowel (Harakah) into another (e.g. changing Fat-hah into Dhammah or the letter Qaaf into Kaaf, etc) (e.g. changing Fat-hah into Dhammah or the letter Qaaf into Kaaf, etc)
- Not paying attention to the elongations (Madd). Recite them fast as if there isn’t a Madd present, until they become the length of a vowel.
- Creating a Madd letter from a regular Harakah.
- Making a grammatical error by halting or starting at the wrong location, such as stopping at ‘Laa ilaaha’ (i.e., there is nothing worthy of worship) without finishing ‘illallaah’ (except Allah).
Hidden Mistakes:
Mistakes that aren’t immediately apparent and have to do with perfecting pronunciation. Only individuals who have studied Tajweed regulations or are professionals in this field are aware of them. Ordinary Muslims may not be aware of or detect such errors.
Examples of Hidden Mistakes:
- Not being totally exact with the elongation of letters: (Making the Madd shorter or longer by a 1/2 or even 1/4 degree, etc.)
- Not observing the attributes of each letter perfectly: (Slightly rolling the Raa’, or exaggerating the ‘N’ sound in Noon etc.)
- Not observing the rules with which to pronounce letters when they are next to each other (like not merging certain letters that should be merged (Idghaam) and not clearly pronouncing those which should be clearly pronounced (Ith-haar) etc.)
- Making light letters sound heavy and heavy letters sound light (except if by doing this one changes a letter into another; in which case it would be an obvious mistake.)
Among the proofs that the scholars bring to show the obligation of Tajweed and its being an established Sunnah is that Almighty Allah Says in the Quran (what mean): “…And recite the Quran with measured recitation.” [Quran 73:4]
There are various Prophetic narrations also showing us the importance of Tajweed. Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, was asked about the recitation of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) and she described it as a recitation: “Clearly-distinguished, letter by letter”.
Helpful Tips for learning Tajweed:
1- One of the best ways to improve your tajweed is by getting a teacher who will guide you through the process and make sure that you know your stuff before moving on! It’s important not only to find a teacher you are comfortable with but to have the right kind of learning environment, where you feel confident asking questions and making mistakes (so only get a teacher who is willing to be patient)!.
2- Listen to Quran cassettes of a hafiz or qari who recites the Quran at a medium or slow speed and see how they apply the various tajweed rules to the ayat of the Quran. Follow their lead while attempting to apply the rules you’ve learned. Try to mimic their tone and melody, and pay attention to how it varies as the meaning of what they’re saying changes.
3- Apply the rules you’ve learned to the surahs you’ve remembered, and try your hardest to recite them correctly. You may need to review the surahs by looking them over again.
4- Practice and repetition will make perfect inshaaAllah. As Ibn al-Jazaree says in his poem about acquiring tajweed: ‘And there is no obstacle between it (learning tajweed) and leaving it, except that a person must exercise his mouth with it!’
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