In the context of the recitation of the Quran, tajwīd ( , , 'elocution') is a set of rules for the correct pronunciation of the letters with all their qualities and applying the various traditional methods of recitation (Qira'at). In Arabic, the term tajwīd is derived from the verb جود (), meaning enhancement or to make something excellent. Technically, it means giving every letter its right in reciting the Qur'an.
or the science of in Islam is a science by which one learns the pronunciation of Qur’anic words as pronounced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The beginning of the science of was when the Islamic state expanded in the third century of Hijra, where error and melody increased in the Qur’an due to the entry of many non-Arabs to Islam. So the scholars of the Qur’an began to write the rules and rules of intonation. It is said that the first person to collect the science of in his book was (774 - 838 CE) in the third century of Hijra.
History
The history of Quranic recitation is tied to the history of qira'at, as each reciter had their own set of tajwid rules, with much overlap between them.
Abu Ubaid al-Qasim bin Salam (774 - 838 CE) was the first to develop a recorded science for tajwid, giving the rules of tajwid names and putting it into writing in his book called al-Qiraat. He wrote about 25 reciters, including the 7 mutawatir reciters. He made the reality, transmitted through reciters of every generation, a science with defined rules, terms, and enunciation.
Abu Bakr Ibn Mujāhid (859 - 936 CE) wrote a book called Kitab al-Sab’ fil-qirā’āt "The Seven of the Recitations." He is the first to limit the number of recitations to the seven known.
Imam Al-Shatibi (1320 - 1388 CE) wrote a poem outlining the two most famous ways passed down from each of seven strong imams, known as ash-Shatibiyyah. In it, he documented the rules of recitation of Naafi’, Ibn Katheer, Abu ‘Amr, Ibn ‘Aamir, ‘Aasim, al-Kisaa’i, and Hamzah. It is 1173 lines long and a major reference for the seven qira’aat.
Ibn al-Jazari (1350 - 1429 CE) wrote two large poems about Qira'at and tajwid. One was Durrat Al-Maa'nia (), in the readings of three major reciters, added to the seven in the Shatibiyyah, making it ten. The other is Tayyibat An-Nashr (), which is 1014 lines on the ten major reciters in great detail, of which he also wrote a commentary.
Religious Obligation
Knowledge of the actual tajwīd rules is a community duty (farḍ al-kifāya). There is a difference of opinion on the ruling for individuals. Dr. Shadee Elmasry states that it is an individual obligation (farḍ al-'ayn) on every Muslim to recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an (al-fatiha) with correct tajwīd, though they do not need to know the terms and definitions of the rules themselves. Sheikh Zakariyya al-Ansari stated that it is sinful to recite in a way that changes the meaning or changes the grammar. If it does not change these two things, then it is not sinful, even if it is a clear error.
Qur'an and Hadith on Tajwīd
The central Quranic verse about tajwid is verse 73:4: "...and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation." The word (), as used in this verse, is often also used in hadith in conjunction with its command. It means to articulate slowly, carefully, and precisely.
Abu Dawud's hadith collection has a chapter heading titled "Recommendation of (reciting with) in the Qur'an." It begins with the narration: "The Messenger of Allah peace and blessings be upon him said: One who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully ( ) as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites (Sunan Abi Dawud 1464)." This narration describes the importance of the manner of recitation and its positive effects in the afterlife. The next narration describes the importance of prolongation ( ): "Qatadah said: I asked Anas about the recitation of the Qur'an by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said: He used to express all the long accents clearly () (Sunan Abi Dawud 1465)." This narration also shows that even the companions of the prophet used some terms which are still used today in rules.
Arabic alphabet and grammar
The Arabic alphabet has 28 basic letters, plus hamzah ().