learning Tajweed Rules Online
What is Tajweed?
The word “tajweed” means to improve, make better. Tajweed of the Holy Qur’an is the knowledge and application of the rules of recitation so the reading of the Qur’an is as the Prophet Mohammed peace and blessings be upon him, recited.
Tajweed
The Word Tajweed is from the root word “Jawdah” which means
“Quality”. Tajweed means “Improving,” or “to make something better.”
The word Tajweed linguistically means ‘proficiency’ or ‘doing something well’. When applied to the Qur’an, it means giving every letter of the Qur’an its rights and dues. When we recite Qur’an and observe the rules that apply to each letter in different situations, we are giving the letter its right and by observing essential characteristics of each letter, we give its due.
The Qur’an was revealed with Tajweed rules applied to it. In other words, when the angel Jibrael (AS) recited the words of Allah to Prophet Muhammad (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) he recited them in a certain way and showed Prophet Muhammad (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)
History of Tajweed
At the time of the Prophet (SAW) there was no need for people to study Tajweed
because they talked with what is now known as Tajweed so it was natural for them. When the Arabs started mixing with the non-Arabs as Islam spread, mistakes in Qur’an recitation started appearing, so the scholars had to record the rules. Now, because the everyday Arabic that Arabs speak has changed so much from the Classical Arabic with which the Qur’an was revealed, even Arabs have to study Tajweed.
PRONUNCIATION KEYS
The additional signs we see these days in Arabic on top or bottom of the Alphabets are the pronunciation keys. Muslims were the first to come up with the concept of pronunciation keys, it helped Non-Arabs to pronounce the words properly following some simple pronunciation rules (i.e. the same concept is adapted these days in modern dictionaries).
Initially when the Holy Quran was compiled in a shape of a book we did not had these additional signs that we see these days, in fact even the dots we see on the alphabets “baa”, “taa”, “thaa” and other alphabets were not present and Arabs would pronounce the words
without any difficulty but as more and more Non-Arabs embraced Islam, the need was felt to retain the pronunciation of the words. This is when the additional signs and dots were added to it to help out Non-Arabs pronounce the words while retaining the correct Pronunciation.
The purpose of Tajweed
The Qur’an is the word of Allah, and its every syllable is from Allah. Its recitation
must be taken very seriously. The purpose of the Science of Tajweed in essence is to make the reciter proficient in reciting the Qur’an, observing the correct pronunciation of every letter with the rulings and characteristics which apply to each letter, without any exaggeration or deficiency. And so through this the reciter can recite the Qur’an upon the way of the Prophet (pbuh). as he received it from Jibreel who received it from Allah (SWT) in the Classical Arabic dialect that it came down in.
What is the importance of Tajweed
There are over 70 rules of Tajweed, you can study all of them easily from the comfort of your home at Online Islamic Education.
The ruling of reading Quran with Tajweed:
Muhammad bin Al-Jazaree the great Qur’an and Hadeeth scholar of the 9th Century (Hijri) says in his famous poem, detailing the rules of Tajweed: “And applying Tajweed is an issue of absolute necessity, whoever doesn’t apply Tajweed to the Qur’an, then a sinner is he.” So he regarded it as an obligation and he regarded leaving it as a sin. And the majority of scholars agree that applying the Tajweed rules of Qur’an are an individual obligation upon every Muslim who has memorized or read part of or all of the Qur’an. That is because the Qur’an was revealed with the Tajweed rules applied to it and the Prophet (SAW) recited it back to Jibreel in that way and the Companions of the Prophet (SAW) read it in that way, so it is an established Sunnah.
Benefits of learning Tajweed Rules
The benefits of learning Tajweed are many as reflected in some of the
following Ahadeeth:
• The reciters of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and
obedient angels ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet
(SAW) said: “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully,
smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and
obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty,
stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE
that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
- You will be from the best of people
‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet
(SAW) said: “The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and
teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari] - There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Quran
“Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a
reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying
that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a
letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” [Tirmidhi states this
is saheeh] - The Qur’an will lead you to Paradise!
The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to
intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of
him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will
steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in AtTabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]