التجويد Tajweed
علم التجويد (Tajweed Sciences)
Raodotul Irshad wal Is’ad Arabic and Islamic Studies School, Nigeria
At Raodotul Irshad wal Is’ad, our Tajweed program merges the precision of classical Quranic recitation with Nigeria’s rich oral and cultural traditions, empowering students to master the divine art of Quranic phonetics while addressing contemporary linguistic and technological challenges. Rooted in the Hafs recitation tradition—the dominant qira’ah in West Africa—our curriculum bridges sacred oral transmission with innovative pedagogical tools, ensuring the Quran’s timeless message resonates authentically across Nigeria’s diverse communities.
التجويد (Tajweed) is the science of reciting the Quran with precision, ensuring each Arabic letter is pronounced correctly according to its articulation points (makharij) and inherent characteristics (sifat). Rooted in the Arabic word ج-و-د (j-w-d), meaning "to perfect," Tajweed preserves the Quran’s linguistic and rhythmic integrity, safeguarding it from mispronunciation that could alter meanings.
Key Principles of Tajweed
Makharij al-Huruf (Articulation Points)
- Letters are pronounced from specific anatomical points:
- Throat: Letters like عع, حح, and ههز
- Tongue: Letters such as تت, دد, and سس, with precise tongue placementز
- Lips: Letters like بب, مم, and ووز
Sifat al-Huruf (Letter Characteristics)
- Qalqalah: A "bouncing" sound for letters like قق, طط, and بب when they carry a sukoonز
- Ghunnah: Nasalization for noon نن and meem مم in specific rules (e.g., idgham, ikhfa)ز
- Madd (Elongation): Prolonging vowels (e.g., natural madd: 2 counts; secondary madd: 4–6 counts)
Rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween
- Idgham (Merging): Pronouncing noon into subsequent letters like يي or وو with nasalization
- Ikhfa (Concealment): Hiding noon’s sound in 15 letters (e.g., تت, كك)
- Iqlab (Conversion): Changing noon to meem before بب
Meem Sakinah Rules
- Idgham Shafawi: Merging meem with another meem
- Ikhfa Shafawi: Concealing meem before بب
Importance of Tajweed
- Preservation of Meaning: Mispronouncing letters (e.g., confusing حح with هه) can distort Quranic verses
- Spiritual Connection: Proper recitation enhances worship (ibadah) and reflects reverence for divine speech
- Historical Continuity: Transmitted orally through isnad (chains of reciters) since the Prophet’s time
Learning Tajweed
- Qualified Teachers: Traditional study under certified scholars (muqri’) ensures accurate transmission.
- Modern Tools: Apps and online courses offer interactive practice for rules like madd and qalqalah.
- Common Challenges:
- Mastering throat letters (e.g., خخ vs. غغ)
- Balancing elongation without exaggeration.
Historical Development
- Early Codification: Systematized by scholars like Abu Ubaid al-Qasim (d. 838 CE) and Al-Jazari (d. 1429 CE), author of Al-Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah
- Schools of Recitation: Ten canonical qira’at (recitation styles), including Hafs and Warsh, each with minor Tajweed variations.
Tajweed bridges linguistic mastery and spiritual devotion, ensuring the Quran’s timeless message remains unaltered. Its rules, refined over centuries, continue to guide millions in reciting the divine text as it was revealed.
