Unit 4 · Lesson 17
What is tajweed?
Why and how we learn it
Tajweed means “making excellent”. It is the set of rules for saying every letter correctly, from its right place and with its right qualities, as the Prophet ﷺ recited the Quran and taught it to his companions.
وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا
…and recite the Quran with measured recitation.
Quran 73:4
Two kinds of mistakes
Clear mistakes
Changing a letter, a vowel or a word, such as reading ح as ه, or a fatḥa as a ḍamma. These can change the meaning, and scholars agree they must be avoided.
Hidden mistakes
Missing the finer points, such as the length of a madd or a nasal sound. They do not change the meaning, but they fall short of the way the Quran has been passed down, so reciters work to correct them too.
How to practise
- Listen to one verse from a reciter, then recite it yourself.
- Slow the recitation down in the player to hear each rule clearly.
- Recite to a teacher regularly. Tajweed has always been passed on by ear, from teacher to student.
PRACTICE
Tap an answer to check yourself.
What does tajweed mean?
Reading ح as ه is…
How is tajweed best learned?