What is Tajweed?
The word Tajweed linguistically means ‘proficiency’ or ‘doing something well’. When applied to the Qur’aan, it means giving every letter of the Qur’aan its rights and dues of characteristics when we recite the Qur’aan and observing the rules that apply to those letters in different situations. We give the letters their rights by observing the essential characteristics of each letter that never leave it. And we give them their dues by observing the characteristics of each letter that are present in them some of the time and not present at other times.
The Qur’an was revealed with Tajweed rules applied to it. In other words, when the angel Jibreel (`alayhis-Salaam) recited the words of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) he recited them in a certain way and he showed the Prophet (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) the ways in which it was permissible to recite the Qur’aan. So it is upon us to observe those rules so that we recite it in the way it was revealed.
History of Tajweed
At the time of the Prophet (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) there was no need for people to study Tajweed because they talked with what is now known as Tajweed so it was natural for them. When the Arabs started mixing with the non-Arabs as Islam spread, mistakes in Qur’aan recitation started appearing, so the scholars had to record the rules. Now, because the everyday Arabic that Arabs speak has changed so much from the Classical Arabic with which the Qur’aan was revealed, even Arabs have to study Tajweed.
The Purpose of Tajweed
The Qur’aan is the word of Allah, and its every syllable is from Allah. Its recitation must be taken very seriously. The purpose of the Science of Tajweed in essence is to make the reciter proficient in reciting the Qur’aan, observing the correct pronunciation of every letter with the rulings and characteristics which apply to each letter, without any exaggeration or deficiency. And through this, the reciter can recite the Qur’aan upon the way of the Prophet (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) as he received it from Jibreel (`alayhis-salaam) who received it from Allah (subhaanahu wa-ta`aalaa) in the Classical Arabic dialect that it came down in.
Arabic letters each have a Makhraj – an exit or articulation point – in the mouth or throat from which they originate and they also each have Sifaat – attributes, or characteristics – particular to them. Knowing the Makhraj and Sifaat of each letter is an important part of Tajweed. Sometimes two letters have very similar exits which makes mixing them up easy. So if a person does not know the attributes of each letter there is a danger that he will change the meaning of the words in Qur’aan recitation. Observing the rules of Tajweed in reciting protects the reciter from making mistakes in reciting the Qur’aan.
The Ruling of Reading with Tajweed
Muhammad bin Al-Jazaree, the great Qur’aan and Hadeeth scholar of the 9th Century
(Hijri), says in his famous poem, detailing the rules of Tajweed:
“And applying Tajweed is an issue of absolute necessity, whoever doesn’t apply Tajweed to the Qur’aan, then a sinner is he.”
So he regarded it as an obligation and he regarded leaving it as a sin. And the majority of scholars agree that applying the Tajweed rules of Qur’aan are an individual obligation (fardh `ayn) upon every Muslim who has memorized or read part of or all of the Qur’aan. That is because the Qur’aan was revealed with the Tajweed rules applied to it and the Prophet (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) recited it back to Jibreel in that way, and the Companions of the Prophet (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) read it in that way, so it is an established Sunnah.
The Obligation of Tajweed
The proofs that the scholars bring to show the obligation of Tajweed is that Allah says in the Qur’aan, meaning of which is: “And recite the Qur’an (aloud) in a (slow and melodious) style (tarteela).” (Soorah Al-Muzzammil 73:4)
`Alee ibn Abee Talib (radhiy`Allahu `anhu) said in the explanation of this aayah:
“At-Tarteel is Tajweed of the letters and knowing where to stop (correctly).” [An-Nashr of Ibn Al-Jazaree 209:1]
And of the rights of reciting correctly is reciting it the way it was revealed. There are various Ahadeeth also showing us the importance of Tajweed. Umm Salamah (radhiy`Allahu `anhaa) was asked about the recitation of the Prophet (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) and she described it as a recitation “…clearly distinguished, letter by letter.” [At-Tirmidhee]
Sa’eed bin Mansoor relates in his Sunan that a man was reciting the Qur’aan to Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiy`Allahu `anhu) and he recited “Innamas sadaqaatu lil fuqara-i wal masaakeen.” So Ibn Mas’ood said: “This was not how the Messenger of Allah (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) recited it to me!”
So the man asked, “How did he read it to you o Aba Abdir-Rahman?” So he said “Lil Fuqaraaaa-I wal masaakeen.” He elongated the word Fuqaraa; and the knowledge of the different lengths of elongation (mudood) is also from the rules of Tajweed.
Ibn Al-Jazaree (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Whoever is able to read the words of Allah with correct Arabic pronunciation but he deliberately pronounces it incorrectly, like a non-Arab, out of arrogance, stubbornness and complacency, or because he is too proud to go to a scholar who could help him to correct his pronunciation, is undoubtedly falling short and sinning and being dishonest.”
The Messenger of Allaah (sall`Allahu `alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Religion is sincerity: to Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.’
It is not permissible for anyone to deliberately change any letter of it when he is able to pronounce it correctly. This is a kind of mistake which is a sin. If a person finds it difficult to pronounce the letters correctly – such as people in whose language some of the Arabic letters, such as ذ, ظ and خ do not exist – they have to try to learn the correct pronunciation, but if they are unable to master it then they are excused, but their example should not be followed, and they should be called upon to strive their hardest to learn and correct their pronunciation. And none of them should lead the prayer, unless he is leading others like him who cannot pronounce well either.”
Mistakes in Tajweed
The scholars have divided the types of mistakes one might fall into when reciting the Qur’aan into two types:
1. Clear mistakes and
2. Unobvious (hidden) mistakes.
The clear mistakes must be avoided by all, and to avoid them one must know the rules of Tajweed. If a person falls into the clear mistakes, this is considered a sin and Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahu`Allah) even regarded it undesirable for a Student of Knowledge (i.e. someone who knows Tajweed) to pray behind a person who makes clear mistakes in their Salaah. As for the unobvious mistakes, then the ruling on them is lighter and the recitation of a person falling into this type of mistake is regarded as lacking in completeness and prayer behind such a person is sound.
