Reciting Quran with Tajweed rules have long been debated as to whether it is essential or optional. Let us analyze this and see how important tajweed rules are when reciting Quran.
The Glorious Quran, the last divinely revealed book is a main source of guidance for the humanity. It is the book wherein falsehood has never entered, nor can ever enter. Those who think and exercise their judgement can learn invaluable lessons from the Quran because it contains explicit and detailed commands for the mankind, and because it provides clear distinction between what is lawful and unlawful. It shows us the right path. Therefore, it is the leading light, the guiding beacon which separates the true from the false, the logical from what is fallacious.
The noble Quran speaks in powerful, moving language about the reality and attributes of Allah, the spiritual world, Allah’s purpose with mankind, man’s relationship and responsibility to him, the coming of the Day of judgment, and the life hereafter. It contains rules for living which Muslims consider to be binding, stories of earlier Prophets and their communities, and vital insights and understandings concerning the meaning of existence and human life.
In its original Arabic, with its earnest, moving tone, the Noble Quran speaks directly to the heart, offering teachings which one instinctively grasps as true. It also speaks profoundly to the mind, exhorting human beings to ponder and reflect on Allah’s creation as evidence of His existence, power and beneficence.
Faith finds its ultimate satisfaction in this great book. Those who seek guidance elsewhere lead themselves astray and deprive themselves of divine knowledge. The Noble Quran covers everything from the smallest to the largest. There is no end to its miracles. The learned people know that it confers immeasurable benefits. Its readers say that the interest therein is inexhaustible. Every line they read gives them a fresh pleasure and reveals a new vision.
Because of the importance of The Quran to the lives of Muslims, they worldwide learn Arabic from the early age and use it in their prayers daily. Up to this day, countless Muslims in various parts of the world have committed the entire Quran to their memory; even the simplest villager is likely to know by heart a number of small Surahs or some parts of long surahs which he is reciting in his daily prayers.
Small surahs or parts of the long surahs of the Quran are recited during each of the five daily prayers performed by adherent Muslims, and at other times as well. It is Muslim’s book of guidance, containing the Message sent to them by Allah himself through His noble Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alahi wassalam) believed to be the most perfect of mankind, as a light illuminating their path through this world.
The Quran is the only religious book in the world that has been memorized by a great number of people around the glober since the time of the Prophet (sallahu alahi wassalam) and has been carried down as a common practice throughout the world to this day. Those who memorize the Noble Quran are known as Huffaz ul Quran. They commit to their memory the Noble Quran word by word, syllable by syllable; hence if the world ever conspires to obliterate the Quran throughout the globe, Huffaz ul Quran will be able to re-produce it in no time, thus making Quran indestructible, imperishable.
Hafiz ul Quran, the one who memorize Quran by heart, recites it day and night during their prayers, and also out of the prayers because he believes that they are worshiping Allah by their action of recitation.
In fact, the recitation of the Noble Quran is an act of worship. Like all other acts of worship, recitation also requires correctness as far as possible’ correctness in the pronunciation of Arabic alphabets from their points of articulation coupled with their stipulated and compulsory attributes; correctness in the concept and application of Stopping (Waqf وقف) and Beginning (Ibtida ابتدأ) during the recitation. This sacred science of recitation is known as TAJWEED.
Allah the almighty says:
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا
“Or add to it, and recite the Quran with Tartil” (Al-Muzzammil: ayah 4)
The fourth caliph Ali (ra), when asked about the meaning of Tartil, said “It means that the Quran should be recited with Tajweed of the letters and with the knowledge (that is with due observation and application of the rules) of Stopping”. Since Quran emphatically commands us to recite it with Tajweed, it becomes important for every Muslim to recite it that way.
So, the application of Tajweed is an issue of absolute necessity. It is noteworthy that the Quran was revealted with Tajweed and the Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alahi wassalam) recited it back to Jibreel in the same way, and the companions of the Prophet also recited it in the same way; so, the recitation of Quran with Tajweed is an established Sunnah.
In conclusion we would like to remind that Quran is the word of Allah and any change in the word of Allah will definitely displease him (unless done in ignorance). Therefore, every Muslim should try his best to recite the Quran correctly, so that one may earn the mercy of Allah!
