When the holy quran, the words of Allah, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad, he recited the Quran in a certain way… And there are no people to study Tajweed then. At this time the companions copied the prophet’s recitation and passed it down this from one generation to another until the Islamic empire has been forged and several non-Arabic people converted to Islam.
Since those nations couldn’t speak Arabic, they have fallen into many mistakes and deviated from the way in which Quran was revealed. So, the need to set some rules that show every muslim how to recite Quran emerged, And the science that defines those rules was called tajweed.
According to Islamic history, the first attempt for outlining tajweed science was attributed to Abu Muzahim al-Khaqani. In 324 A.H. He created a poem, consisting of 51 lines, referring to some of the tajweed subjects. However, he didn’t use the word tajweed, but rather he referred to it by the term “good performance”.
Over years, Muslims have paid great attention to this science, and many books have been written around tajweed as a central, independent, Islamic science for its considerable importance. And in this article, you’ll learn the benefits of studying it.
Tajweed is the Arabic word for correct pronunciation, and it is something that is highly stressed in Islam. In the Arabic language, this word (tajweed) means to enhance, polish, or make something look perfect.
That also applies to Quran because it refers to the rules governing how the holy book should be read by focusing on the correct pronunciation of every letter and every word of the quran. This set of tajweed rules is based on the way Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recited the Quran.
There are many benefits of learning tajweed
There are many benefits that come with learning and implementing the rules of Tajweed when reading the Quran. For one, it can help improve understanding of the Quran since proper pronunciation and enunciation helps with the clarity of the words. This in turn can help with better comprehension as well.
Tajweed can improve your connection with Allah by helping you to recite the Quran more accurately and beautifully. By learning tajweed, Muslims can develop a deeper understanding of the Quran and its meanings, which can lead to a stronger connection with Allah. Tajweed can also help to create a more spiritual atmosphere when reciting the Quran, which can further enhance one’s connection with Allah.
Some scholars believe show the obligation of Tajweed upon every muslim based on the conviction that Quran was revealed with tajweed rules applied, concluding that from this verse Allah says in the Quran: “And recite the Quran (aloud) in a (slow and melodious) style (tarteela)” (73:4).
And it’s known in the Islamic nation that any command to the prophet is generalized to all Muslims if there is no evidence that proves it’s restricted to the messenger alone.
So as Muslims are commanded to reflect on the meanings of the Quran and ponder its verses, they also should be interested in verifying the pronunciation of its words and uttering its letter the same way chained to the prophet Mohammed.
Learning the rules of tajweed is important because it leads to the correct pronunciation of letters, the perfect performance for Quran recitation, and avoidance of deviation (Lahn), and some agree that knowing the rules of Tajweed increases Muslim’s confidence when reciting Quran properly.
That’s why prophet Mohammed doesn’t advise his companions to learn tajweed but to memorize Quran with the help of perfect reciters such as Ubayy ibn Ka’b because that will help them recite Quran well in a proper way.
Every Arabic has e Makhraj – an exit or articulation point – and Sifaat – attributes, or characteristics – particular to it. For example, the letter alif is pronounced through the empty space in the mouth and throat and it’s classified as a light letter that follows the attributes of the letters preceding it.
Knowing the Makhraj and Sifaat of each letter is an important part of Tajweed. Sometimes two letters have very similar exits which make mixing them up easy. If the reciter isn’t aware of the attributes of each letter, he’ll risk pronouncing letters wrongly and losing the right meaning of the words. So, applying the tajweed rules protects the reciter from making mistakes while reciting the Quran.
If the reciter doesn’t know the attributes of Arabic letters there is a danger that he will change the meaning of the words in the Qur’an recitation, and fall into mistakes.
In fact, there are two types of mistakes
Clear mistakes: refer to those mistakes that spoil the recitation and deform the meaning and these kinds of mistakes are noticed easily by people who know the Arabic language.
For example when reading لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا القِتَالَ like كَتَبْتٌ (with a Dumma over it instead of fatha).
This is considered an obvious, glaring mistake because it changes the meaning.
Likewise, clear mistakes occur when changing one letter instead of another. For example, If you read محظورًا like محذورًا
Hidden mistakes: Refer to those mistakes that affect the letters and the beauty of pronunciation without spoiling the meanings.
For example, When reading ان يضرب, and making idgham for noon sakin without Gunnah. It’s a hidden mistake because this Lahn is known for those specialists in the languages and tajweed rules.
Reciting the Noble Qur’an with tajweed is amongst the most beloved good deeds by which the servant draws closer to Allah and gets great rewards from our creator, and it can be a reason for entering paradise and protection from Fire, which is a reason for happiness in this life and the hereafter.
Also, the person who recites the Quran well, as it has been revealed, strengthens his firm faith in Allah, As Allah confirmed in the Quran in surahBaqarah
Those We have given the Book recite it as it should be followed. It is they who ˹truly˺ believe in it. As for those who reject it, it is they who are the losers. (Al-Baqarah,121).
Surely, learning tajweed is among the good deeds that earn Muslims great rewards from allah.
Prophet Mohammed said in one of his hadiths:
“Verily the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.”
There are many rules every person should learn to recite the quran with tajweed, including
1. Articulation points of the Arabic letters
2.Letters attributes (Safaat)
3,Noon sakin and tanween rules (Izhar, Idgahm, Iqlab, Ikfaa)
4.Meem sakinah rules (Idgham, izhar, Ikhfaa)
5. Laam sakin rules
6. Madd letters and types of madd
7.Waqf and Wasl in Quran
8. qabalah
The Holy Quran is the greatest book of Allah Almighty for all humanity and it reciting properly is a command upon each muslim, it’s not just a religious order but it also a very spiritual activity that enriches our souls and fills our hearts with peace and connects with our creator in such a profound way.
Also, The Messenger urges us to recite the Quran, saying Allah said: “Whosoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a Hasanah (good deed) from it (i.e. his recitation), and the Hasanah (good deed) is multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-laam-Meem is (considered as) a letter (in reward), rather Alif is a letter, laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter” (Reported by At- Tirmidhi, Ad-Darami).
The essence of the science of tajweed is to help us to read Quran correctly, and protects the words of the Quran from ambiguity or misunderstanding. Allah Almighty addressed the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Quran, “…And recite the Quran with measured recitation” (73:4).
There are many hadith that indicate implicitly the importance of learning the Quran and applying the rules of tajweed.
For example, the hadith reported by Narrated `Uthman: that The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”Sahih al-Bukhari 5027
There are many tajweed courses available online, and it can be difficult to choose the right one. Here are some things to consider when choosing a tajweed course:
Hafizon offers a Noorani Qaida course for kids and adults. It’s a live one-to-one session that aims at expanding your knowledge about tajweed rules with particular examples from Quran to help you recite it in the way it was revealed. Ready for an experience?! have a free trial right here.
