Tajweed is the Islamic science of reciting the Quran with proper pronunciation, intonation, and articulation, along with some other rules. It is very important as far as reciting the Quran is concerned. Without it, there is a risk of mispronouncing words and altering the meaning of some verses of the Quran.
This great significance of Tajweed is evident in the authentic Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the practice of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). We will explore in this article whether there is any command for Tajweed in the Quran as well as some of the Hadiths about Tajweed in some detail.
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Types of Qruan With Tajweed Reciters In Hadith?
The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the second source of legislation in Islam. The Prophet’s emphasis on correct Quranic recitation and his own accurate recitation serve as strong indicators of the importance of Tajweed. So let’s now explore the Hadith that is considered the authority on the importance of Tajweed.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Quran will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Quran and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards.”
.”الذي يقرأ القرآن وهو ماهر به مع السفرة الكرام البررة، والذي يقرأ القرآن ويتتعتع فيه وهو عليه شاق له أجران”
This Hadith examines 2 categories of people who recite the Quran and their different rewards in Islam. Here they are:
1- A good reciter who learns and follows Tajweed rules. This individual provides Tilawah (تِلاَوَة), which entails correctly reciting the words and verses of the Quran and adhering to Tajweed rules. The reward for this type of recitation is that he/she will be with the noble angels.
2- A beginner who does his best to read the Quran, but without perfecting Tajweed rules. The reward for this individual is doubled. That is the reward for reading the Quran and for being persistent in reading it even though it is difficult for them.
What Did The Prophet Say About Tajweed?
Along with the above-mentioned Hadith, other narrations by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stress the value of Tajweed, either in reciting the Quran only or in memorizing it. Let’s explore some of these Hadiths in some detail:
1- The People Of The Quran Are The People Of Allah
If a Muslim chooses to memorize the Quran, learning Tajweed is essential to ensure that they memorize it correctly and accurately. Memorizing the Quran is a noble mission and requires much persistence to be among “Allah’s own people”.
In this context, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Allah has His own people among mankind.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, who are they?” He said: “The people of the Quran, the people of Allah, and those who are closest to Him.”
“إِنَّ لِلَّهِ أَهْلِينَ مِنَ النَّاسِ”، قَالُوا “يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ هُمْ؟” قَالَ: “هُمْ أَهْلُ الْقُرْآنِ، أَهْلُ اللَّهِ وَخَاصَّتُهُ”.
In this powerful Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) makes it clear that those who study and memorize the Quran properly (by learning and following Tajweed rules) are the people of Allah, i.e. the closest people to Him.
2- The Best Muslims Are Those Who Learn And Teach The Quran
It is narrated that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that the best Muslims are those who learn how to read the Quran properly, i.e. learn Tajweed and then teach whatever they have learned to other Muslims.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“The best among you is he who learns and teaches the Quran.”
“خَيْرُكُمْ من تعلم الْقُرْآن وَعلمه”.
3- The Privilege Of Those Who Chant The Quran
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stressed the importance of chanting the Quran. This is not possible until the person knows and follows Tajweed rules.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“He does not belong to us who does not chant the Quran.”
“لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ”
Here, the Prophet (peace be upon him) explains that a good Muslim is he who chants the Quran, i.e. tries his best to recite the Quran with a high-quality and pleasing vocal performance.
4- The Importance Of Using Good Voices When Reciting The Quran
Again, a similar command is made by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to use fine voices when reciting the Quran. Also, following Tajweed rules is a necessary step before using good voices to recite the Quran, as it is the foundation.
In this context, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Beautify the Quran with your voices.”
.”زَيِّنُوا الْقُرْآنَ بِأَصْوَاتِكُمْ”
In this Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encourages Muslims to use good voices to make the Quran sound more appealing to the Arabic ear.
5- Tajweed Is Essential For The Attainment Of Higher Positions In Jannah:
Learning and following Tajweed rules are part and parcel of memorizing the Quran. This combination grants the person a much higher place in Jannah.
In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“It shall be said – meaning to the one who memorized the Qur’an – ‘Recite, and rise up, recite (melodiously) as you would recite in the world. For indeed your rank shall be at the last Ayah [verse] you recited.'”
.”يُقَالُ يَعْنِي لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْتَقِ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَتَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَأُ بِهَا”
This is a great privilege for Muslims who memorize the Quran. The more they memorize it properly using Tajweed rules, the higher they get in Jannah [Paradise].
6- Learning The Quran Is A Guarantee For Intercession On The Day Of Judgement:
On the Day of Judgement, the Quran will intercede in front of Allah for those who used to recite it properly. This is evident in the following Hadith by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
“Fasting and the Quran intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord, I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’ The Quran says, ‘I have kept him away from sleep by night, so accept my intercession for him.’ Then their intercession is accepted.”
“الصِّيَامُ وَالْقُرْآنُ يَشْفَعَانِ لِلْعَبْدِ، يَقُولُ الصِّيَامُ: أَيْ رَبِّ إِنِّي مَنَعْتُهُ الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّهَوَاتِ بِالنَّهَارِ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ، وَيَقُولُ الْقُرْآنُ: مَنَعْتُهُ النُّوْمَ بِاللَّيْلِ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ، فيشفعان”.
In this Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) urges Muslims to read the Quran properly as it will intercede for them on the Day of Judgement.
Tajweed In The Quran
Before we speak about Hadiths on Tajweed, let’s see if there is any command for Tajweed in the Quran as Islam’s first source of divine legislation.
From an Islamic point of view, a Muslim will be closer to Allah as they fulfill the divine command of Allah in the Quran:
“Recite the Quran ˹properly˺ in a measured way”.
.”وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا”
In this part of the verse, Allah clearly orders Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and all the believers who follow his example to recite the Quran properly in the same way it was originally revealed. That is only possible by learning Tajweed.
Riwaq Al Quran: The Right Place For Learning Tajweed
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Conclusion
The Sunnah, as the teachings and practices of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), serves as a guide for all Muslims. By following the Sunnah in matters of Quranic recitation, Muslims are striving to follow the Prophet’s example and ensure the accurate preservation and transmission of the Quranic message.
Therefore, the significance of Tajweed in Islam is evident in so many authentic Hadiths by the Prophet (peace be upon him). ALL Muslims should implement these Hadiths as far as they can. In this sense, Tajweed is not only a matter of correct pronunciation of Quranic text, but also a way of honoring the Sunnah and preserving the Quran.
