Imagine picking up a book in a foreign language and reading it every day for years, only to find out that you have been pronouncing the words wrong all along. Imagine finding out that your sentences don’t make sense or, that you have been changing the meanings of words and sentences without realizing it.

 

Unfortunately, that is the case for many Muslims across the globe, both Arabic speaking and others. Yes, it’s true – even Arabic speakers need to be taught to recite the Qur'an correctly. This is because Quranic Arabic is different from the daily modern Arabic that is used.

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So, whether you are a complete beginner or have studied Tajweed in the past, this is your one-stop-shop for learning Tajweed – the art and science of Qur'an recitation.

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So, what is Tajweed? Is it obligatory to learn Tajweed? If not, why should you bother learning it?

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The word Tajweed comes from the root word ‘Jayyid’ meaning to make better and to beautify. In the context of Qur'an recitation, Tajweed means to define and refine the sounds of the Arabic language as they apply to the Holy Revelation. It also means knowing and applying the methods of combining sounds, letters and Ayaats in the same way that the Prophet SAS did in reciting the Qur'an.

 

It is not obligatory (Fardh) to study ‘Tajweed’ i.e. neither Allah SWT nor the Prophet SAS has ordered us to study it as a subject. However, given the fact that the 1.8 billion Muslims in the world do not speak Arabic as their mother-tongue, it can be difficult to recite the Qur'an correctly.

 

Even the Arabs study Tajweed as part of their Quranic studies as the Holy Book was revealed in the purest forms of Arabic. This is because the way the Prophet SAS recited the Qur'an exactly as he received the Revelation from Angel Jibreel. This was then memorized exactly as the Sahabah heard it from the Prophet. Mistakes in recitation can alter the meaning of the Word of Allah SWT and that is something we would not want to do. So, for the sake of authenticity and maintaining the original words of the Qur'an, it is vital that we learn and practice reciting it correctly.

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People around the world practice foreign languages to sound like native speakers. What better language is there than the language of the Qur'an? What better word is there than the Word of Allah SWT Himself?

 

There is one hadeeth that I want to mention here:

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Rasulullah (SAS) said, "The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others”

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[Al-Bukhari, 5027]

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So, I invite you to become a part of the preservation of the Word of Allah SWT.