Do you want to recite the Quran with a beautiful voice like a Qari? You would definitely say yes, you want to do it. So, how to recite the Quran beautifully? The key is to focus on Tajweed, which involves learning the correct pronunciations of each letter, Gunnah, Madd, and more.
In this article, we’ll share some useful tips to help make your Quran recitation sound even more beautiful. In the name of Allah, let’s begin.
What is the Meaning of Reciting the Quran Beautifully?
Beautiful recitation of the Quran means reciting it in a melodic tone with proper punctuation and pronunciation. It also involves proper understanding and usage of Tajweed.
The linguistic meaning of the word Tajweed (تجويد) is ‘to perfect’, and ‘to beautify’. In Islam, Tajweed is a set of rules that the reciter must follow in order to recite the Quran the same way our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ learnt from angel Jibril (AS).
At later times, the scholars of Islam added symbols and turned this practice of reciting the Quran with Tajweed into a formal science.
Importance of Reciting the Quran with Tajweed
For various reasons, reciting the Quran in a beautiful voice with Tajweed is crucial. They are as follows:
- Preserve the Meaning of the Quran
Incorrect pronunciation of a letter can heavily or even completely change the meaning of a word in Arabic. For example, the Arabic word قُل means ‘say’ and contains the letter ق. Whereas كل means ‘eat’ and contains the letter ك. You can see that if they are used incorrectly, they can alter the meaning of the entire sentence.
Thus, to preserve the meaning of the Quran, Tajweed is a must.
- Helps You Get Emotionally Attached
The Ayats of the Quran have deep emotional appeal. For example, some Ayats give the readers a vibe of joy and tranquillity. Some Ayats give the readers a sensation of fear and warning. Others serve as valuable lessons and advice. The only way that the readers and listeners can be emotionally attached is when the proper rules of Tajweed are practised.
If you have listened to some great recitations, you know that what makes them unique is that they have highs and lows in their voice. Each word is pronounced clearly and some words are boldly emphasised. The Qaris (reciters) also change their tone on the fly to match the theme of that particular Ayat.
This is the reason why we find in Seerah that the Sahaba (R) used to cry when they listened to the glorious Quran, the tone of the Quran impacted their hearts. This is why we find many people cry while listening to melodious and impactful Quran recitations; even though they don’t understand Arabic.
- Allah Loves Beautiful Recitation
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ أَذَنًا إِلَى الرَّجُلِ الْحَسَنِ الصَّوْتِ بِالْقُرْآنِ يَجْهَرُ بِهِ مِنْ صَاحِبِ الْقَيْنَةِ إِلَى قَيْنَتِهِ
Meaning: ‘Allah listens more attentively to a man with a beautiful voice who recites the Quran out loud than the master of a singing slave listens to his slave.’ [Sunan Ibn Majah: 1340; Classified as Weak]
Our Prophet ﷺ thus commanded us to recite the Quran in a beautiful voice. He ﷺ said:
زَيِّنُوا الْقُرْآنَ بِأَصْوَاتِكُمْ
Meaning: “Beautify the Qur’an with your voices.” [Sunan Ibn Majah: 1342]
- A Standard Method for All
When Islam spread out of Arabia among non-Arabic speakers, a standard method of recitation had to be singled out. Uthman (R) did exactly that and compiled the Quran in one standard Mushaf (copy) which is preserved to this day. Not only the text of the Quran is preserved, but also the standard form of recitation of the Quraish has been preserved.
Inspired to keep the integrity of the Quran intact for all, Muslim scholars added rules and methods to learn Tajweed. This helps Muslims all over the world learn to recite the Quran uniformly. Thus we see that over 1400 years, no deformity has occurred in the recitation of the Quran in the Muslim world.
Basic Tajweed Rules to Read the Quran in Beautiful Voice
There are many Tajweed rules that a beginner must learn to perfect his/her Quran recitation. These must be learnt from a well-written textbook under the guidance of a Ustadh. Here we have demonstrated a few commonly used terms for Tajweed:
- Noon Sakin & Tanween
Noon Sakin is a noon (ن) with Sukoon (نْ). Tanween i.e. the diacritical marks refers to the doubling of vowels. It sounds like noon (ن) at the end of a word.
Tanween are of three types: Fath (Double Zabr ًًً ), Kasr (Double Zer ٍ ), and Damm (Double Pesh ٌ ).
Noon Sakin is read in different ways depending on the words after it.
- Izhar
When Noon Sakin (نْ) or Tanween is followed by the 6 Izhar letters, noon is pronounced without Gunnah. The Izhar letters are ء ,ه ,ع ,ح ,غ ,خ
- Idgham
Idgham means to merge or join two letters to create one sound if Noon Sakin (نْ) or Tanween is followed by the letters of Idgham. The Idgham letters are ي ,ن ,م ,و ,ل ,ر
- Iqlab
If Noon Sakin (نْ) is followed by a Ba (ب); then the Gunnah is pronounced as Meem (م). Ba (ب) is still pronounced afterwards.
- Ikhfaa
Ikhfaa means to skip Noon Sakinah (نْ) or Tanween if they are followed by Ikhfaa letters. You have to apply to Gunnah at Noon (ن) though. The letters are:
ت ,ث ,ج ,د ,ذ ,ز ,س ,ش ,ص ,ض ,ط ,ظ ,ف ,ق ,ك
- Meem Sakin
Meem Sakin is a Meem (م) with Sukoon.
- Madd
Madd is the elongation of a vowel. It applies when a letter with a Harakah is followed by a Madd letter. The letters are ا, و, ي
- Gunnah
Gunnah in Tajweed refers to the sound emitted through the nose when pronouncing the letters Noon (ن) and Meem (م). It sounds somewhere in between a hum and a moan. You should do Gunnah mandatorily when one of these two letters has Shaddah on it. Shaddah (شدة) represents the emphasis given on a letter while pronouncing.
- Qalqalah
Qalqalah is the echoing of letters in Sukoon state. It causes a slight echo sound vibration. The letters of Qalqalah are ق, ط, ب, ج, and د
7 Effective Ways to Recite the Quran Beautifully
- Perfect Your Tajweed
The most important and proper way to recite the Quran is with the Tajweed rules. Without applying these rules, recitation remains faulty and the meanings of words change heavily.
To counter this problem, proper knowledge and understanding of Tajweed is essential. Some helpful tips that you can follow to perfect your Tajweed are:
- Practice and perfect the sound of every Arabic letter
- Revise Makhraj rules at least once every week
- Recite loudly to make others listen so that if you are making mistakes, they may notice.
- Listen to recitations of various Qaris so that you can catch the mistakes you might be making.
- Learn From an Experienced Ustadh
This is the most effective method of learning to recite the Quran perfectly and beautifully. You can convince a Ustadh to teach you at home. Also, you can learn from a Maktab (open Quran learning classes) in a Masjid or Madrasa. You can learn from your Ustadh/Ustadha and adopt his/her recitation tone.
As a beginner, there are no issues in imitating your Ustadh/Ustadha. As you become more comfortable and proficient, you can adopt the Qirah (recitation) style of any Qari (reciter) of your liking.
- Focus on the Intonation (Tone) of Ayats
Changing intonation while reciting the Quran involves the rise and fall of sound, changing of pitch, voice modulation, and more.
Once you master the rhythm of the Quran, your recitation will improve dramatically. For this, you need to pay attention to particular words. You need to learn where to pause, where to prolong your breath, where to change your pitch, and more. If you listen to the recitation of a well-reputed Qari, you will notice that they always focus on these subtle but vital factors.
- Practice Everyday
It is essential to recite the glorious Quran regularly if you want to see any improvement in your recitation. You can set a particular time every day when you will spend time with the Quran specifically to improve your Tilawat. After Fajr might be a good time for you as there’s usually less distraction at that time.
- Recite at Tahajjud
Often times we recite the Quran in a rush. We recite it in Salah and hardly comprehend its meaning. Tahajjud is thus the perfect opportunity to take time and ponder on what you are reciting.
This is perhaps the most noble way to improve your recitation. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ used to recite the glorious words of Allah at late night. Standing before Allah and reciting His majestic words will not only improve your connection with Allah, but it will also help you become a better reciter.
- Record Your Tilawat and Listen Afterwards
This is a great way of self-assessment. You should record your own Tilawat and listen to them afterwards. While you are reciting, you hear a different tone than the listeners. Thus, recording your recitation and listening afterwards can help you get a realistic idea about your recitation.
Also, once you listen to your own recitation, try listening to a renowned Quran reciter so that you know exactly if you made any mistakes. Repeat this process as many times as you need and you will see gradual improvement in your recitation.
- Learn Through Online Apps and Websites
With the progress in technology, it has become so much easier to learn to recite the Quran beautifully. You can use our ‘Al Quran: Tafsir & by Word’ app to learn the Quran. Here you’ll find Tajweed rules and recitations from renowned Qaris (reciters) that will help you improve your recitations insha’Allah.
FAQs
Q. Can I recite the Quran without moving my lips?
Ans. In Salah, reciting the Quran in one’s mind is not permissible. One has to recite it with their tongue. But while a person is outside of Salah, he/she may be rewarded by Allah for remembering the Ayats of Allah in his/her mind. For a detailed answer, please check this link.
Q. If I recite the Quran without Tajweed, will my prayers be valid?
Ans. Reciting the Quran with Tajweed is not obligatory. If a person pronounces the letters correctly with the vowels, it is sufficient. However, to beautify one’s recitation Tajweed is a must.
Conclusion
As Muslims, we should learn to recite the Quran with an appropriate pronunciation and a melodic tone. Thus we must learn how to recite the Quran beautifully. Also, we should learn the Tajweed rules properly to make our recitation beautiful and error-free. May Allah grant us to read the Quran beautifully.
