In the Quran Allah Almighty said as Meaning – “and recite the Quran with measured recitation” – Quran 73:4
The Quran is the word of Allah (SWT) revealed and sent forth for the prophet in Arabic with clear pronunciation and intonation. The Quran is not just any ordinary book that should be recited anyhow you want, it is a complete guide of rules and regulations of how to live our present life and what we happen in the life to come.
With all that said, it is paramount whether you are reading or learning the Quran online or offline, it is clear that the proper tones and sounds must be employed so that it is read and written well hence the verse above.
The Quran is a mode of communication between God and man; even though Allah knows what is in your heart even before you utter it, it is paramount that when communicating with the Almighty Being, that your tones and sounds are properly spelled out. It is for this reason of being able to read the Quran properly that the Tajweed was emphasized.
The Tajweed was the same way the Angel Jibril (AS) read the Quran as he taught the prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the cave on the night when the Quran descended from heaven.
What is Tajweed?
When reciting the Quran care should be taken to avoid any miscommunication, ambiguity, and misunderstanding; this is why Tajweed is important in learning the Quran online or otherwise. So what is Tajweed?
Tajweed comes from another Arabic word called Jawwada – this means to make better, to perfect, or to improve what is already there. We are not in any way implying that Tajweed is changing how the Quran was read to the prophet, but with different languages and tongue, it has become essential that the right and original tones be used when teaching the Quran online.
Tajweed means different things, some of which are
ü The correct way to pronounce the letters of the Arabic alphabet and ultimately the Quran
ü The mood of recitation and the speed that each alphabet has in a word
ü The discipline of pronouncing the words clearly so that the Quran will be comprehended by the listener and the reader
ü Keeping a slow and rhythmic pace when reciting the Quran also known as Tarteel and knowing when to stop, drag or hasten up
ü Familiarizing one’s tongue with the distinctive characteristic of each alphabet
The purpose of Tajweed in Reading the Quran
The glorious Quran is every syllable as uttered by Allah (SWT) hence must be recited with the utmost clarity in the right tone. The science behind using Tajweed is to make the reader get the right pronunciation so that the listener, whether an Arab or a non-Arab will enjoy the beauty, and essence of the Quran.
Each letter in the Arabic language has what is known as a Makharij (an exit point of origin) and a sifaat (a particular character) which play a vital role when reciting the Quran.
The knowledge of Tajweed is to safeguard the readers from committing too many mistakes, thereby spoiling the beauty of the words that make up the verses of the Quran and missing out on their reward.
The Rules of Tajweed
According to renowned Quran and Hadith scholar, Iman Muhammad Ibn Al-Jazari, he said applying Tajweed is absolutely necessary when reading the Quran whoever omits the Tajweed is a sinner and all Muslims must stay away from two major mistakes during a recitation.
The mistakes are
The Clear Mistakes - in this category, the reader makes mistakes which change the word and eventually the meaning of what is meant in the verse by using a wrong pronunciation of the letters or swapping them with another. These types of mistakes should be avoided by all Muslims when reading the Quran, and that is why it is important to ensure that a good online tutor with the proper Tajweed is sought after when looking to learn the Quran online.
Examples of clear mistakes are
ü Switching a letter for another in a word
ü Changing a short vowel for another or forgetting to change the fatha, kasra or dumma in a letter
ü Ignoring elongation or reciting them too fast for the word to be acknowledged
ü Pausing or stopping at points that require continuation
The second type of mistakes is:
The Hidden or Oblivious Mistakes - these are mistakes associated with not perfecting the proper method of pronunciation. These mistakes are committed by most scholars except those that have mastered the art of Tajweed when learning how to read the Quran.
Examples of Hidden mistakes
ü Not dragging the elongations enough in the letters
ü Ignoring the character of each letter such as rolling the Raa and overstressing some words
ü Ignoring the correct pronunciation of the letters and their relationship with each other
ü Making light letters sound heavy and heavy ones sound light
Principle of Tajweed
By properly understanding the principle of Tajweed, the reader must acknowledge the following
ü The Definition – understanding the application, articulation, and make the letters sound better when pronouncing them. This includes giving the letters their dues and uttering it how they are presented in the word
ü Its Form – single alphabet has a different tone alone and when attached with another letter. This has to be understood else the meaning of the word may be distorted during recitals
ü The Origin – Allah (SWT) himself uttered the words in the Quran and angel Jibril taught the prophet. When we recite the Quran we should never forget the source or how it was brought down.
ü The Guide – the knowledge of Tajweed is a must for all Muslims who want to learn the Quran online or otherwise. It is even more of an obligation for those that read/learn the Quran to memorize it.
To protect the Quran- Tajweed is to protect the Quran. As more Arabs interact with non-Arabs, the original pronunciation of the Quran is gradually lost, but with a good Tajweed teacher, the story is different.
Finally, the principles of Tajweed are based on the following principle – articulation, character, the order of the letters, and how to use them respectively.
How to improve your Tajweed?
By putting into consideration the rules, principle, and guides of Tajweed, every Muslim is expected to recite the Quran in the true way it was taught to the prophet. However, to gain maximum benefit of Tajweed, you can follow the tips stated below
Find a good Tajweed Tutor Online – for non-Arabic speakers, the first line of action to understanding, and reading the Quran properly is to understand the Tajweed. This will allow you to master the essence, and beauty of the Quran even if you use the transliteration or translation to learn the Quran.
A good online Quran tutor who is well-read in Tajweed should be able to put you through the various stages until you are perfect.
Look for a good online Quran school with the understanding of the importance of Tajweed to the recitation of the Quran. You can check out www.tarteelequran.comfor more information.
Always listen to Recitation by popular Quran Scholars - listening is a great form of learning that can improve our skills of perfecting how best to read the Quran. The Quran is a book that even people, who don’t understand the language of Arabic, get the sensation of the message when it is correctly read. When you constantly pay attention, it will improve your reading skills, and make you better with your Tajweed.
Try to learn Arabic – we have seen some teachers say no the Arabic language is not important when learning the Quran, but this is not right. The Quran was revealed in Arabic and brought by the angel Jibril, it was taught to the prophet in Arabic, and the prophet did the same to his disciples. Why then should whoever that wants to learn the Quran not put in the effort to learn the Arabic language?
The beauty of the Quran is been able to recite it in Arabic perfectly and not any other way. www.tarteelequran.com has excellent online Quran tutors that will help you learn the language and implement it into the Tajweed of understanding the Quran better.
Read the Quran Aloud – this might sound weird, but the fact is if you truly understand the Tajweed with the Quran, you will know that you have made a mistake only when you read aloud to yourself.
Reading aloud helps you single out your mistakes, improve your tones and articulation, avoid unnecessary tongue twisting and reduces the chances of making mistakes. It also builds your confidence, makes you more skilled, and allows you to practice your Tarteelan perfectly.
Be immersed in the Quran – reading the Quran as a regular book will not cut it, rather read it like the spiritual book that it is. One of the reasons why many Muslims fail to see the power of the Quran is because they read the scriptures alone with immersing themselves not the spirituality of the Book. Next time you read with Tajweed, you will feel a difference.
Make your Niyyah sincerely – the Niyyah matters; start with a Niyyah and the Quran will remain with you long after you have read it. So before you start reading the Quran whether online or offline, make the ablution and dress according.
Reciting the Quran is not just reading, it is an act of worship that should be taken seriously. As a Muslim, if you take the Quran for granted then who will?
Revise what you have studied - it is not okay to open to a chapter of the Quran and read a couple of verses and close the book, you have done absolutely nothing. For Muslim, go back to the verses and relate with the verse, extracting the message and how it applies to you and your life. For the words you don’t know the meaning, get a good Arabic dictionary and know them, this way you are improving your Tajweed and understand the language better.
Don’t hurry it – Tajweed is vast and if you think Arabic is hard to wait until you have to study the Tajweed of fully understanding the Quran. However, don’t let this put you off, as plenty as the rules are, it is just for you to communicate with the Quran properly. This can be easily done by seeking a good online Quran tutor or online Quran classes and following it judiciously.
For beginners looking for a good online Quran class, www.tarteelequran.com is the best place to get started from. Check out the website today.
Imbibe the Arab culture – this is easy if you live in Arab countries where people speak the language, but if you don’t stay in Arab countries or place, listen to more videos either audio or visual that will assist you. Furthermore, you can keep learning new words as you read the Quran and build your vocabulary of Arabic words as it relates to your Tajweed and Quran.
Practice makes perfect – even with a tutor at your service 24 hours and 7 days a week, it is only with constant practice which will perfect your Tajweed and your understanding of the Quran. You should also start from the short Surahs in the Quran before your move to lengthy ones.
The benefits and importance of the Tajweed cannot be overstated especially when it comes to reciting the holy book – the Quran. When you are learning the Quran online, one must make sure that you are not just been taught the basics but Tajweed is an integral part of the lessons or online Quran courses.
Furthermore, the Quran is the divine book for the Muslims, one you, therefore, prevent the act of just mere recitals but ensure top-notch guides to follow the process through.
To get the best Tajweed courses for your online Quran class, check the professional and certified hafiz at www.tarteelequran.com today.
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