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Tajwid

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Tajwid is a specialized system of rules for the correct pronunciation of the Quran.

Quran-Mus'haf Al Tajweed
Quran-Mus'haf Al Tajweed

The term is derived from an Arabic verb meaning enhancement or to make something excellent. Technically, tajwid means giving every letter its proper right during recitation. This system ensures that Quranic words are pronounced exactly as the Prophet Muhammad pronounced them. For many, tajwid is more than just a way to read. It is a method used to preserve the exact sounds and meanings of the holy text.

Mond- und Sonnenbuchstaben
Mond- und Sonnenbuchstaben

The mechanism of tajwid involves precise control over the mouth and throat. There are 17 different emission points, known as makharij, where sounds are produced. These include the throat, the tongue, the lips, and the nose. The manner of articulation, or sifat, refers to the specific attributes of each letter. For example, some letters are fricatives, which means air escapes through a tube. Some letters are emphatic, meaning they require a heavy accent. This is achieved through pharyngealization, where one squeezes the voicebox, or velarization. Other letters are light and are pronounced normally without these extra movements.

Tajwid includes several distinct rules for different types of sounds. One major area is the treatment of the nūn sākinah, which is a vowelless nūn. Depending on the following letter, the nūn might be pronounced with clarity (izhar), converted (iqlab), merged (idgham), or concealed (ikhfa). There are also rules for the mīm sākinah, which is a vowelless m way of pronouncing the letter m. This includes labial merging, labial concealment, or labial clarity. Another important feature is qalqalah, a slight bounce or reduced vowel sound. This bounce is applied to five specific consonants. The intensity of the bounce can vary from a lesser bounce to a large bounce.

The history of tajwid is closely linked to the expansion of the Islamic state. During the third century of the Hijra, which was the ninth century CE, the Abbasid Caliphate expanded. As many non-Arab Muslims entered Islam, errors in pronunciation began to increase. To prevent these errors, scholars began to write down the rules of intonation. Abu Ubaid al-Qasim bin Salam was a key figure in this process. He lived from 774 to 838 CE and was the first to develop a recorded system. In his book, al-Qiraat, he gave the rules names and described 25 different reciters.

Over time, scholars worked to organize and limit these various recitation styles. Abu Bakr Ibn Mujāhid lived from 859 to 936 CE. He wrote a book called "The Seven of the Recitations" and limited the known recitations to seven. Later, in the 1300s, Imam Al-Shatibi wrote a famous poem to help people remember these ways. His poem, known as the Shatibiyyah, is 1,173 lines long. It documents the rules for seven specific imams. Another scholar, Ibn al-Jazari, wrote two large poems about the major reciters. One of his works, the Durrat Al-Maa'nia, added three more reciters to the original seven, creating a system of ten major reciters.

The significance of tajwid is often viewed through the lens of religious obligation. Some scholars, such as Dr. Shadee Elmasry, state that it is an individual obligation for every Muslim to recite the opening chapter of the Quran with correct tajwid. However, they may not need to know the technical definitions of every rule. Other scholars, like Sheikh Zakariyya al-Ansari, suggest that it is sinful to recite in a way that changes the grammar or the meaning. If the error does not change the meaning or grammar, it may not be considered sinful. The Quran itself mentions measured recitation in verse 73:4.

Tajwid is deeply connected to the mechanics of the Arabic language and grammar. The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 basic letters plus the hamzah. A unique rule involves the definite article, al-. If the letter following al- is a lunar letter, the alif is pronounced. If the following letter is a solar letter, the alif is assimilated into the next letter.

Mond- und Sonnenbuchstaben
Mond- und Sonnenbuchstaben

This is why the terms "solar" and "lunar" are used to describe these letters. Additionally, rules like waqf dictate how a reader must pause at the end of a sentence. When a reader performs a pause, the final vowel of a word often becomes mute. These linguistic rules ensure that the recitation remains consistent and precise.

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File:Quran-Mus'haf Al Tajweed.jpg
Quran-Mus'haf Al Tajweed.jpg
File:Mond- und Sonnenbuchstaben.svg
Mond- und Sonnenbuchstaben.svg
Live recitation of Surah Yusuf, verses 1...
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