Introduction to Science of Tajweed

A. Blessings of learning and reciting the Qur’an

The Best Believers	Uthmaan (r) narrated that the Prophet r said: “The best of you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it” Reported by al-Bukhari.
Reward	‘Abdullah ibn Mas ‘ood (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said: “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah he will one good deed for it. And each good deed is multiplied tenfold. I am not saying “Alif Laam Meem” is one letter, rather “Alif” is one letter, “Laam” is one letter, and “Meem” is one letter. (Saheeh: at-Tirmidhee)
Example of the one who recites the Qur’aan	Abu Moosaa (RAA) narrated that the Prophet (SAAW) said: “The example of a believer who recites the Qur’an and acts on it, is like a citron which tastes nice and smells nice. The example of a believer who does not recite the Qur’an but acts on it, is like a date which tastes good but has no smell. The example of a hypocrite who recites the Qur’an is like a sweet basil which smells good but tastes bitter. The example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Quran is like a colocynth which tastes bitter and has a bad smell." [Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Companions of Qur’aan are the chosen people	Anas (RAA) reported that the Prophet (SAAW) said “Indeed Allah has His own special people from amongst humans.’ It was said: ‘Who are they O Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘The Companions of Qur’an are the special people of Allah and His chosen ones.” (Saheeh: an- asaa’ee and Ibn Maajah).
Level of Jannah and Memorization of Qur’aan	Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (RAA) narrated that the Prophet (SAAW) said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an ‘Read, elevate, and recite as you used to recite in the Dunyaa; for your station will be at the last ayah that you recite” (Saheeh: Abu Dawud, at-Timirdhee, Ibn Maajah)
Why we need to have Tajweed?	Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that the Prophet (SAAW) said, “The one who does not beautify his recitation of the Qur’an is not from us” Sahih al-Bukhari.
Status of the Reciter	Aisha (RAA) reported that the Prophet (SAAW) said: “The one who has masters the (recitation of) Qur’an will be with the obedient Messengers (i.e. the Angels), and the one who recites the Qur’an and stutters in it, and it is difficult upon him, will have two rewards. [Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.]

B. Importance of Tajweed

1. Allaah protected the Qur’aan through Ijazza

2. Method of recitation of the Qur’aan started from the Prophet Muhammad (s)- His students (Sahabas) learnt it and taught it to next generations and so forth that we recite in the same way

3. Tajweed can be taught only by teachers and not by books, tapes – Zaid ibn thabith said learning Qur’aan through teacher is the Sunnah which the future generation benefit from the older generation

4. Prophet (s ): "Learn the Qur’aan from 4 people – Ibn Masud, Salim (slave of Abu hudhaifa), Mu’adh ibn Jabal, Ubay ibn kahf" ß Shows importance choosing Qur’aan teachers

1. Student who knows tajweed will love to recite Qur’aan and he/she is unlike the one who does not know Tajweed

C. Definition of Tajweed

1. Linguistic: To make something more beautiful

2. Technical:

a. Articulate each letter from its articulation points

b. Giving each letter its characteristics

c. Giving due rights to each letter

3. Rules of Tajweed applied only to Qur’aan

D. Objective of Tajweed: To protect tongue from reading wrongly and mixing up the meaning

E. Status of Tajweed:

1. Learning Theoretical rules of Tajweed is Fard kifayah
2. Reciting Qur’aan with Tajweed is Fard (Prophet: Learn Qur’aan from 4 people | Ijma)

F. Emergence of this science: Scholars wrote down the rules when Arab started mixing with non arabs

G. Principles on which Rules of Tajweed is founded upon

1. Maharij al haroof – Articulation points
2. Applying characteristics of the letter (eg.: Tafashee)
3. Order the letter comes (eg.: Noon Sakinah)
4. Exercising the tongue

H. Etiquettes of Reciting Qur’aan

1. Glorify the Qur’aan – Be Silent and pay attention because you may mercy
2. Keep it on high level always
3. If it becomes unreadable, burn it in order to protect (Uthman burnt when compiling Qur’aan into one Mushaf )
4. Should not read Qur’aan in dirty places
5. Should contemplate and read as opposed to fast reading
6. Should not leave the Mushaf open (Muqaddimah, Qurtubi in his introduction of Tafseer)
7. Should not read when yawning, passing gas
8. Recommended to be in state of purity (Taharrah) Musab ibn saad ibn abi waqqas reading to his father Sa’d ibn Abi waqqas. When the son touches his private parts, Sa’d (r) asked him to renew the Wudoo (Muwatta Malik)

I. Traits the student need to learn Tajweed

1. Ikhlaas

2. Find the Qualified teacher

3. Patience

4. High determination and will power

J. Ways of learning Qur’aan from Qur’aan teacher

1. Teacher reciting –> Student reciting –> Teacher correcting

2. Student reciting –>Teacher Listening/ correcting –> Student corrects himself

3. Students listens to the teacher recites –>Students go home and practices –>like student listening to Qur’aan tape

 

Insha Allaah, I’ll be posting the notes based on the 4 Principles of Tajweed in the form of Mind Map

 

Reference:

Notes taken from KIU classes of Shaykh Ahmad Wahab