What is Tajweed?
Along with the Quran’s profound and noble meanings, there is also its sublime language which, if recited correctly, will soften the hearts of its listeners. The reading of the Holy Quran in a leisurely and relaxed way, in order to achieve the meaning of the verses, is to understand and apply the legislation contained therein during the daily life of the Muslim; reading the Holy Quran without taking into account the various rules of tajweed may change the meaning of words as well as a complete verse.
What is Tajweed? The word tajweed comes from the root of the verb Jawada; which literally means to beautify and improve your reading (doing it well). In the context of the recitation of the Holy Quran, Tajweed is a science of studying the correct articulation of letters.
So it is applied when articulating every letter from its articulation point and giving the letter its rights and dues of characteristics. Rights of the letters are its required characteristics that never leave it. The dues of the letters are its presented characteristics that are present in it some of the time, and not present at other times.i.e. the Qalb, Gunah, Maad.
Manners of Reciting (Tajweed) the Holy Quran
Reciting Quran should be in the presence of one’s heart, with full understanding and believing that those are the words of Allah, the Exalted – not the words of man. The Muslim should interact with every ayah with its appropriate meaning and understand each message of the Holy Quran with full recognition that it is directed to him especially. In addition to these internal manners of reciting Quran, there is a lot of external manners. Here are some of the most important manners to follow:
- Perform wudhu and be sure of the cleanliness of the body, clothes and place. (It is allowed to read Quran from memory without wudhu; while women with the period are not allowed to touch the Holy book).
- Sit with the highest respect to the Holy Quran while facing the Qibla.
- Start reciting with At-ta’awwuz and Al-Baassmala.
- Do not sit on a place higher than the Holy Quran.
- It is not allowed to talk while reading Quran, but if there is an important matter you should stop reading and close the book. Then, you could continue your recitation after saying At-ta’awwuz.
- One has to give each letter its due so as to clearly and fully pronounce every word, and each letter.
