Tajwid ... "Beautification"
Tajwid is an Arabic term that means "beautification." It refers to the science and art of reciting the Quran correctly and beautifully. From the early days of Islam, it became important to codify the sounds of letters and conventions followed by native Arabs so that non-Arabs would be able to correctly and accurately recite the Quran, in many cases, despite their utter ignorance of the meaning of the words. After all, it is the duty of every Muslim, regardless of his native language, to correctly recite two short chapters of the Quran in Arabic five times a day in his prayers. It is for this reason that hundreds of books have been composed about tajwid. These books describe, in exquisite detail, precisely how to pronounce each and every letter: its point of articulation, its attributes, how it interacts with adjoining letters, when it must be stretched or blended, made thick or thin, and how and when one must pause or stop. No aspect of recitation was left to be corrupted by foreign elements.
The Science of Tajwid...
The science of tajwid, as an institution, has withstood the test of time. Islam has now spread to every corner of the earth, and the faithful are still able to recite the Quran, in many cases just as a native Arab of the 6th Century CE would have done. Even in places where "Arabic" is spoken, while the vernacular language has evolved and become a language as distant from the Quran as any non-Arab language, Quranic Arabic has been preserved as if in a time capsule, guarded from the assault of time and tongue.
This Book
This book is an attempt to communicate the most important rules of tajwid to an English-speaking audience with clarity and without the use of more Arabic terminology than absolutely necessary. This book does not aim to teach you how to read Arabic. Rather, it assumes a basic level of proficiency in Arabic reading. I have tried to give you enough information so that you can read and understand it on your own. However, as with most skills, especially linguistic ones, you will be best served by studying it with a proficient, if not qualified, teacher.
Excerpt from the book
To purchase this book click here...
|