The etiquette of recitation and tajwid

The Qur'an is the Word of Allah. Muslims approach it with respect. Here are some good manners passed on by scholars.

Before reciting: • Intention: recite for Allah, to understand and to draw closer to Him. • Cleanliness: it is recommended to be in a state of wudu and in a clean place. For touching the mushaf, the precise rules vary between the schools of law; ask the imam. • Seek Allah's protection: "When you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed" (meaning of verse 16:98). We say: أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ (aʿuudhu billaahi mina sh-shayṭaani r-rajiim). • At the start of a surah, we say the basmala: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ.

While reciting: • Read slowly and clearly. Allah says: وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا "and recite the Qur'an slowly and distinctly" (73:4). • Think about the meaning, even a little: read the translation of the verses you recite. • Keep a calm and respectful attitude.

What is tajwid? The word means "doing well". It is the set of rules for reciting the Qur'an as it was passed on: bringing each letter out from its point of articulation, respecting heavy and light letters, the length of long vowels, ghunna, the echo (qalqala), and what happens when certain letters meet. You have already seen some of them in this course.

Tajwid is learned with a teacher, who learned it from a teacher. Do not lose heart: start with correct letters and well-pronounced vowels; the rest comes with practice.

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever reads one letter of the Book of Allah earns a good deed, and a good deed is worth ten times as much. (Tirmidhi 2910)

To continue: sign up for a reading class at the centre, listen to reciters on the site's Qur'an page or radio, and read a little every day.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation Why "etiquette" for reading a book? Because the Qur'an is not a book like any other: it is the Word of Allah. The rules of conduct (intention, cleanliness, seeking protection, calm reading) prepare the heart as much as the mouth. Seeking Allah's protection from Satan before reading, for example, acknowledges that distraction and pride are real obstacles to understanding.

Tajwid is not an ornament added to the text: it is the way the Qur'an was passed on. Many scholars distinguish two levels: avoiding clear mistakes, which change a letter, a vowel or the meaning, is asked of every reader; knowing the theory of the rules in detail is a science not everyone is required to master. [À VÉRIFIER: wording to be confirmed by the imam]

Tartiil (73:4) does not mean singing: it means reading calmly, articulating, respecting the rules and giving the meaning time to touch the heart.

Common mistakes: reciting very fast to "finish"; imitating a reciter's melody without respecting the letters; giving up reading out of fear of getting it wrong; reading without ever looking at the meaning.

Lessons to draw • Prepare your reading: wudu, a quiet place, phone aside, then seeking protection. • Read a little every day, with the translation of a few verses, so that the Qur'an speaks to your life. • Keep going with a teacher: tajwid is passed on from person to person. • Keep hope: Allah has made the Qur'an easy to reflect on and remember (meaning of verse 54:17), and every letter read earns a good deed multiplied by ten (Tirmidhi 2910). • Make the Qur'an a companion: it will come to intercede for those who used to read it (Muslim 804).

Key points • Before reading: intention, cleanliness, "aʿuudhu billaahi mina sh-shayṭaani r-rajiim", then the basmala at the start of a surah. • Tajwid = "doing well": reciting as the Qur'an was passed on. • Recite slowly and distinctly (73:4).

The main message This course is a first step: reading the Qur'an is a lifelong path, walked with respect, patience and the help of a teacher.